Mental Preparation for Calling Balls and Strikes
Develop Criteria for analyzing and evaluating our strike zone.
Have a method of mental preparation each game for calling balls and strikes
What does a strike look like?
Describe what tools you are using to evaluate and call the inside pitch?
Describe what tools or techniques you are using to evaluate the top of the zone?
Describe what tools or cues you are using to evaluate the bottom of the zone?
Describe what tools or cues you are using to evaluate the outside of the zone?
How will the level of the players effect your zone development?
What cues will you evaluate before the game starts to develop you strike zone?
In what ways will the score of the game affect your strike zone?
What types of feedback from player/coaches can be helpful during a game?
How should you or should you not use their feedback to effect the current game?
Or future games?
What types of feed back from player/coaches requires that you respond?
What is your strike zone philosophy ?
What does a strike look like in the catchers glove?
What does a ball look like in the catchers glove?
What pitches will you call a strike no matter what the catcher does?
What pitches require the catcher to catch the ball a particular way?
How will the level of play effect your evaluation of the catchers glove work?
What does catching the outside of the ball mean?
When is a check swing a swing?
When should you go to your partner for help on a check swing?
What will you say to a coach when he asks what is your strike zone?
What makes an umpire a good ball and strike umpire?
What are your strengths as a ball and strike umpire?
What area do you need to work on as a ball and strike umpire?
What single skill do you want to work to improve your next game?
How will you prepare to work on this skill?
Remember your honesty about your skills is critical to your improvement as an umpire. You must constantly work to improve you ball and strike skills. Talk to others about what you are having trouble with and what is going well. Sometimes they do not even have to respond just talking about it will allow you to separate yourself from it and do a better job of self-evaluation.
Develop a strong mental approach. During a game be confident and secure with your plan of approach. Evaluate you approach after each game and make adjustments.
Mental Preparation
Congratulations Dan. What a fantastic way to prepare one-self to call Balls and Strikes. This is the first time I have read and seen something so good for us umpires like these. Thanks for your effort put out to do these for every umpire of any level to Develop such a Criteria and to analize and evaluate our strike zone. Every one of us, should take advantage of this. I know I will.
Thanks again.
Manuel
Strike/Balls calls preparation
Lot of unanswered questions, but I suppose that is your intent - to provoke thought in order to work on self-improvement. You are so far above me in level of expertise, I just hope some of this rubs off. I don't know about the other guys in our class (#4), but I believe we are very fortunate have you three instructing us. I only wish we could of had this level of instruction 20 years ago. I could have really benefitted then. Now, at age 69, my umpiring career is almost over. Nevertheless, I am grateful for you guys' leadership, instruction, mentoring, etc. I know I will be a better umpire because of it.