How to Initiate a Private Word with the Manager

To have a private word with a manager about a troublesome player or a situation that needs his/her attention, use your lineup card as a means of starting the conversation.

Tell the manager you need to speak to him/her. Pull out your lineup card and quietly tell him/her what you need him/her to know. To the rest of the world, it will look like you're clearing up a problem with the lineup. You won't show up the coach and you'll get your message across.

Communicate With Your Partner

An umpire’s ability to communicate - verbally and non-verbally, with his or her partner and the participants - will be one of the factors that makes or breaks a career as an umpire.
 

	• Effective communication and proper mechanics help to minimize conflict.
	• Vocal tone, volume and emphasis are all important and vary according to the game situation.
	• When used inappropriately, a cursory signal or a more elaborate call can create problems.
	• A good pre-game meeting helps an umpire focus on his/her responsibilities and ensure that he/she understands exactly what to do during the game.
	• An umpire should answer questions in a reasonable manner. If an umpire calls a balk and the pitcher politely asks what he did wrong, the umpire should explain the rule or describe the violation.

Quick Tip
After each out or play, an umpire should communicate and confirm the number of outs with his/her partner. The ump should make eye contact and flash the number with his/her fingers. It may seem like overkill, especially if done even when the leadoff batter reaches base, but it's a good habit anyway. If an umpire loses track or disagrees, it's far better to figure things out before the next play than to get caught in a potentially game-changing blunder.

Adjust Your View of the Slot

As a plate umpire, you know (or you will learn) that catchers will "squeeze” the inside corner for their pitchers and take away your slot space.

Also, batters will crowd the plate and take more of that space from you.

If a catcher's position takes away your view of the slot, you need to adjust. Never tell the catcher he/she needs to move.

Your first adjustment is up. Work higher above the catcher's head when he/she crowds the inside corner. That will allow you to look down onto the plate area and improve your view of the plate, compared to the view you would have if you made no adjustment.

The second adjustment is to move farther into the slot, toward the batter. That will increase your viewing angle to the plate and reopen the plate area (and strike zone). Never move to the catcher's outside shoulder.

Know the rule – Not knowing the rule is the easiest shortfall to correct. Rulebooks are not designed for leisure reading and it's difficult to pick one up and stay with it for long, but you can learn by studying the rule you missed (or thought you missed) and any associated material. Reading casebook plays and researching specific points is a good way to learn rules. It can be done in short spurts, during breaks, anywhere you will have five minutes or more of uninterrupted time and an opportunity to focus.

Apply the rule – Knowing how to apply a rule requires greater talent than just knowing the rule. Understanding each rule's spirit and intent is a big aid.

See the whole play – Double (or triple) calls are sometimes made on one play because the umpire doesn't see the whole play. It's easier to get the call right when you see the action immediately preceding the play. When you have responsibility for the play you must watch the ball. Keep your chest to the ball at all times.

Being in the right position – Positioning is what separates the veteran umpires from the rookies. It's so much easier to call it right when you have a good view. Always strive for the best possible view. This means getting the right angle and knowing how close you want to be to the play. In fact, being too close can be a very bad position.

Anticipate the play, not the call – Anticipating the play is a totally different issue from anticipating the call. Anticipating likely plays in a given situation and getting into a good position to see the play as it develops are absolutely vital. Anticipating the result of the play - for example, deciding a runner is going to beat a throw because the ball was mishandled – breeds blown calls. As a play begins, rely on the standard instruction: pause, read, and react. Wait a moment before doing anything while you decide where the ball is going, figure out who is going to do what with the ball, then move into position to see the developing play.

Stay alert – The last item, mental lapses, is another way of saying "stuff" happens. It happens to the best of us and when it does, all you can do is shrug it off. Some lapses can't be explained. If they happen too often, though, you need to reassess what you're doing.