They do a good job of explaining this simply, and making it look easy to beginners. As with anything else, it takes a little practice, and getting used to.
Absent any specific instructions from your association and or league, always work behind the plate if you are solo on any game at any level. It's more work, especially if you have a play into 2B but, when we work behind the mound solo you CANNOT read foul/fair on anything near the line. The good news is, no umpire is ever going to work a game of any real significance solo...unless there are just super extenuating circumstances.
Bust inside the diamond, plant the right foot and turn to your left so you are now facing 1B and can get the touch of the batter/runner as well as obstruction and or a back pick. We pivot of course because we want to sell to the coaches and players that we definitively have a touch or no-touch by the batter/runner however, pivoting can be hard on the knees. Know your limitations. If pivoting represents too much risk for you personally, then you'll want to bust inside the diamond and look over your left shoulder to get the touch/no-touch. Because we are not fully pivoting, you really need to hold your head looking over your left shoulder for a much longer time than you think. The reason for this is because the batter/runner is going to come through the bag. If they miss touching the bag, you want to be seen by that coach looking back at the bag so, when an appeal is made and you bang the out for the batter/runner missing the bag, you have full credibility because the coach saw you fully staring down the bag. Finally, read the ball off the bat...if you are reading extra base hit, you come out of A with an angle more towards 2B so you can stay ahead of the runner again, making sure to get the touch/no-touch at 1B. If however, you are reading single off the bat, you'll want to take an angle out of A that is closer to 1B. Take a peak at the batter/runner as he is coming up the 1B line. If he is beating feet straight for 1B, he is likely only looking for a single unless there's an overthrow. If however, the batter/runner is taking a more swooping path into 1B, he is likely looking to advance to 2B or beyond. We can't ever presume either way but, take in the information as it's presented to you.
They do a good job of explaining this simply, and making it look easy to beginners. As with anything else, it takes a little practice, and getting used to.
Good stuff, thanks for the lesson
Hey Patrick, how about a video about 1-man mechanics when you get the chance? I'm getting a lot of 50/70 LL games so far this 2024 season. 😉
Absent any specific instructions from your association and or league, always work behind the plate if you are solo on any game at any level. It's more work, especially if you have a play into 2B but, when we work behind the mound solo you CANNOT read foul/fair on anything near the line. The good news is, no umpire is ever going to work a game of any real significance solo...unless there are just super extenuating circumstances.
A Trash Pandas fan? Coming from middle TN here.
Will you address the proper way to pivot? I’ve been told a few different things.
3 point pivot
Bust inside the diamond, plant the right foot and turn to your left so you are now facing 1B and can get the touch of the batter/runner as well as obstruction and or a back pick. We pivot of course because we want to sell to the coaches and players that we definitively have a touch or no-touch by the batter/runner however, pivoting can be hard on the knees. Know your limitations. If pivoting represents too much risk for you personally, then you'll want to bust inside the diamond and look over your left shoulder to get the touch/no-touch. Because we are not fully pivoting, you really need to hold your head looking over your left shoulder for a much longer time than you think. The reason for this is because the batter/runner is going to come through the bag. If they miss touching the bag, you want to be seen by that coach looking back at the bag so, when an appeal is made and you bang the out for the batter/runner missing the bag, you have full credibility because the coach saw you fully staring down the bag. Finally, read the ball off the bat...if you are reading extra base hit, you come out of A with an angle more towards 2B so you can stay ahead of the runner again, making sure to get the touch/no-touch at 1B. If however, you are reading single off the bat, you'll want to take an angle out of A that is closer to 1B. Take a peak at the batter/runner as he is coming up the 1B line. If he is beating feet straight for 1B, he is likely only looking for a single unless there's an overthrow. If however, the batter/runner is taking a more swooping path into 1B, he is likely looking to advance to 2B or beyond. We can't ever presume either way but, take in the information as it's presented to you.
Trash Pandas!!!
Go Pandas!