Amateur
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Plate Stance Specifics –The Davis Stance
Scott Ehret on Umpiring
About nine or 10 years ago, while headed home after a Gerry Davis Umpire Clinic, Gerry and I were talking about plate work. He’d just spent the weekend “in the cages” helping umpires develop or improve their plate stance, and quite a few needed a lot of help. The most common problem was movement during a pitch – the old “moving camera takes a blurred picture” cliché confirmed and repeated in three living dimensions.
“I started putting guys in their base stance,” he said. “Hands on knees, get set and lock in before the pitcher commits, and stay put until the ball reaches catcher. It worked so well I think I might try that stance in Spring Training.
”Now, if you’ve ever spent any time with Gerry you probably know two things about him: He’s very serious about umpiring and he loves a good practical joke. I knew from our conversation this “hands-on-knees” stance had been a great teaching tool during that weekend’s clinic, but I could not believe Gerry would completely alter his own stance in front of Major League players and managers. I didn’t KNOW I was being set up, but let’s just say I’ve been in too many places with too many umpires to show anyone my plate stance in a bar.
Fast forward a couple of months. Late March. Gerry was back in Wisconsin after his Spring Training work and everyone in Appleton was wondering how many more times that winter the snowplows would wake them up at four AM. On his first day back in the office Gerry was raving about his new stance.
“You’ve got to try this,” he said again and again. “You won’t believe how comfortable it is, let alone how well you see pitches!”Sure, I thought: “One more round, then I gotta’ go!” But just in case he was serious I had to ask a few questions. Here’s the easiest plate stance lesson you’ll ever read.
- Put one foot directly behind the middle of the catcher. With a right handed batter it’s your right foot.
- Step into the slot by spreading your feet a bit more than shoulder width apart.
- Lean forward slightly and place your hands on your knees. It’s the same stance you’re probably using on the bases with a runner on.
- Watch the pitcher. As he commits to the batter drop your rear end a couple of inches so your line of sight is horizontal. This takes stress off the muscles in the back of your neck. You’re now locked in.
- See the ball at the pitcher’s release point and stay locked in until after the ball reaches the catcher. Move only your eyes and try to keep the ball near the center of your field of vision.
Frankly, I still was not quite convinced. Seeing is believing and I had not seen a thing. Loud laughter and predictable wisecracks lingered at the edge of my imagination. Then Gerry left for opening day and friends started calling, asking me about Gerry’s new plate stance. After 10 or 12 calls I had a chance to watch one of his plate games on television. There he was, hands on knees …
A few days later I had a non-conference double header with two teams I knew pretty well and a partner I’d never met. I figured the partner wouldn’t know if I was doing something different and I knew the teams would never notice. Perfect chance to try this new stance. At least for an inning.
It took about four batters for me to realize how easy it was. Each pitch looked big as a beach ball coming toward the plate. Outside corner? No problem. Low zone? Easy. My biggest difficulty was patience – I saw the ball so well that after a couple of innings my timing started getting quick. Slow down! See the pitch all the way to the glove! Okay, that’s fixed.
We’ve spent months talking about the five fundamentals of a great plate stance. They’ve never been easier to establish or master.
- Head height. It’s automatic when you put your hands on your knees. Keep your elbows straight and, unless your arms grow during the game, your head height will be consistent for nine innings or 19.
- Location. One foot centered on the catcher, feet spread a bit more than shoulder width. You’re in the slot! If the catcher and batter squeeze you, just adjust up a bit – but only if you have to. With this head height it’s rarely necessary.
- Balance. Already there.
- Comfort. Even better than balance. In fact, there’s almost NO FATIGUE! Face it. How often are you tired after working the bases? Now you’re in the same stance, just standing behind the plate!
- Lock-in mechanism. Put your hands on your knees and drop your rear a couple of inches. You’re set; you’re stable; there’s no place to go.
If there is a drawback it lies in the fact that your forearms feel exposed. They are. You will get hit. I do, but no worse and no more often than when I used other stances. The good news is that when I have a bruise I still get the pitches right.
Almost a decade after that Gerry Davis clinic, whether you call it the “Davis Stance” or the “Lock Box” or the “Hands on Knees Stance,” umpires across the country and around the world are using it at every level of baseball – and softball! If you haven’t at least tried it you’re falling behind the curve. Give the Davis Stance one game and if you don’t like it go back to what you’ve been doing.
Just don’t go there when you’re in a bar – you may wind up buying a very expensive round of drinks.
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4/18/09 Board Minutes
Meeting called to order by President Richter at 10:00 AM.
Roll call showed all directors present.
Motion Brennan, seconded Kreger, carried, to accept the minutes from the previous meeting as mailed.
First order of business was acting on player Jake Casareto who lives in International Falls, they have no team and are outside the (30) mile radius of any MBA team. He is requesting to play for Hibbing. The question was asked Mr. Tulla if Hibbing is the closest MBA team and he thought it was. Motion Roufs, seconded Forsman, carried, to approve Casareto to play for Hibbing.
A letter was received from Sam Baumgartner manager of the Wilmont Cardinals. His concern was the eligibility of one of his players (Justin Saufley) who after last year's season left to play for the Duluth Huskies of the Northwood's league but did not give proper notification to the MBA board. Motion Hartmann, seconded Barry, carried, that (Justin Saufley) will be suspended for the first three league games of 2009 season. Saufley must be at the games, in full uniform, and in the dugout.
Motion Forsman, seconded Kreger, carried to approve the Pro Player Questionnaire of Brian Beuning to play for Sauk Centre Titans.
Motion Barry, seconded Rademacher, carried to approve the Pro Player Questionnaire for Kent Harrop to play for the St. Joseph Saints. He has received his release from the Granite City Grays.
Motion Forsman, seconded Kreger, carried, to approve the North Star League to use a 15 mile player radius form city limits to city limits. Also to use Intra league games East, West, Central, for play-off eligibility.
Motion Forsman, seconded Roufs, carried to approve the following MBA teams to play non MBA teams:
(New Ulm Kaiserhoff) Brookings, S.D
(Vergas Loons) Fargo Mets
(Hastings) Eau Claire, Prescott, Bay City, River Falls
(Isanti) St. Croix Falls, Superior, St. Croix. They also request that all MBA teams in their tournament be eligible to play these teams.
(Milroy Yankees) Briton, S.D.
(Moorhead Brewers) Brookings, Aberdeen, Kearney, Pierre, Chadron, Dell Rapids, Brandon Valley, Rapid City, Fargo. They also request that all MBA teams be eligible to play non MBA teams in their tournament. (Jamestown, Mayville).
(Green Isle) Brookings, S.D.
(Cannon Falls Bears) Prescott, Hager City, River Falls Fish, MPLA, Cubs
(East Bethel Bandits) Superior, St. Croix, Osceola, New Richmond
(Northfield) Hager City
(Hadley) Brandon Valley
(Clarissa) Clarissa Alumni
(Stewartville/Racine) Chaseburg/Coon Valley, La Crosse
(Hinckley) Proctor
(Lake City) Ellsworth, Hager City, Eau Claire
(Dumont) Fairmont, Fargo Mets
Motion Kregar, seconded Rademacher, carried to approve the following Tournament Sanctions:(Bemidji 6/12-14/09)(Brownton 6/18-20/09)(Isanti 6/19-21/09)(Hibbing 6/19-21/09)(Green Isle-Hamburg 6/26-28/09)(Moorhead Brewers 6/26-28/09)(Cannon Falls 6/10-14/09) (Howard Lake 6/26-27/09)(St Cloud Ortho 6/5-7/09)(Sartell and St. Stephens 6/5-7/09) (Hinckley 6/26-28/09)
Mike Nagel chairman of the Bird Island Tournament committee brought the board up to date on the work being done at the Bird Island Park. All buildings and dugout will be completed by the end of April. The berm and groundwork should be completed by the end of August. He also talked about ticket promotions they are working on.
Bill Schulte and Mike Walsh also informed the board that everything in Gaylord and Arlington were coming into place.
After receiving some complaints on the new rule which requires first year rural player to need a release, a motion was made by Kreger, seconded Roufs, carried to amend both the (City) and (Rural) first year player rule. The new rule as of April 18, 2009 will read; No first year player will need a release (City) or (Rural).
Motion Hartmann, seconded Rademacher, carried, to appoint Dale Pryzmus as the Region #9 Commissioner and Ryan O' Hara as the Region #10 Commissioner.
The board next met with Sectional and Regional Commissioners. A proposed alignment was presented to the Commissioners for their approval. After reviewing the Class "B" section, motion by Mike Kieke, seconded, Dan Plein, carried to approve the Class "B" format.
After reviewing the Class "C" alignment, motion Monte Hintzman, seconded Gerald Roepke, carried to approve the Class "C" format.
Motion Hartmann, seconded Roufs, carried to amend the new three team league rule to read; For the 2009 season, allow three team leagues to have either (1) or (2) teams to progress for Regional play. This decision will need to be made prior to the start of their season.
The State tournament this year will be using Diamnond D-1 Pro baseball.
Brett Gwaltney was approved to play for the North Central Florida Starts. Return to Lake City for post-season play only if he meets his 4 game eligibility.
The board would like to thank the 19 Commissioners that attended this meeting. Missing this meeting was Section 2,3,8, Region 2,6. Wish you all a great season.
There is a change to our June 13th meeting; we will meet at (10:00 AM) the old tine was 1:00 PM. Please mark this on your calendar.
Next meeting of the State Board will be May 9, at the Holiday Inn, St. Cloud, 1:00 PM
There being no further business motion Roufs, seconded Rademacher, carried, to adjourn Adjournment coming at 2:30 PM
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| March 14-15 Board Meeting Minutes |
Minutes of Board Meeting Saturday March 14, 2009 |
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April 2009 Board Meeting Notes
The Board of Directors of the MBA met last Friday night and Saturday afternoon. The purpose of the meetings were to determine the Class "B" sections and Class "C" regions. There wasn't much discussion on the "B" sections although they did note that there is a number discrepancy between some sections. The general consensus was that if teams request to move to a section with less than five teams the Board would give them serious consideration
The Class "C" regional alignment took a long discussion to shake it all out. Three general themes came to the table in the discussion. The first was number of teams in a region. Second was travel and third was whether or not to accommodate some leagues requests to be put into different regions.
The regions were agreed upon and the average number of teams in a region is 14.25 teams. The region with the least teams is Region 12 with 9 teams (however, they have the most travel) and the region with the most teams is region 8 with 20 teams (all of the Victory leagues). Region 8 paid out $322.30 per game last year, second most of any region or section.
Here are the Section and Regions assignments:
Class B Sections 2009
Section 1: Meisville, Dundas, Red Wing, Hastings, Northfield
Section 2: Austin Greyhounds, Austin Blue Sox, Rochester Royals
Section 3: Shakopee Indians, Jordan, Prior Lake Jays, Chaska, Victoria, Green Isle
Section 4: Mankato Twins, Marshall A's, Waseca, New Ulm Kaiserhoff
Section 5: Burnsville, Lakeville, Savage, Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Inver Grove
Heights, Elko
Section 6: Bemidji, Duluth, Hibbing, Grand Rapids, Nashwauk, Blaine
Section 7: Cold Spring, Brainerd Bees, Sauk Rapids, East Bethel, Soderville, Hamel,
Coon Rapids Redbirds
Section 8: Maple Lake, Delano, Hutchinson, Dassel-Cokato, St. Michael, Plato
45 Teams, 8 Sections
Class C Regions 2009
Region 1: Eastern Minny North Hinckley, Quamba, Mora, Aitkin
Eastern Minny West Isanti, Milaca, Princeton, Chisago Lakes
Metro Minny Red Andover, St. Francis, Champlin, Anoka
Metro Minny Blue Big Lake, Forest Lake, Ham Lake, Rum River
Region 2: Tomahawk American Essig, Searles, Gibbon, Lamberton
Tomahawk East Patriot Leavenworth, Springfield, Stark, St. James
Tomahawk National Sleepy Eye, New Ulm Brewers, Redwood Falls, Hanska
Regon 3: DRS White St. Patrick, St. Benedict, New Prague, Shakopee
DRS Blue New Market, Veseli, Union Hill, PriorLake Mudcats
Classic Cannon Valley Cannon Falls, Hampton, Randolph
Region 4: 13-60 Black Blue Earth, Wells, Cleveland, New Richland, Lake Crystal
13-60 Blue Waterville, Cleveland, Minnesota Lake, Morristown, Mankato Cubs
DRS Red Montgomery, Lonsdale, Webster
Region 5: Twin Rivers Root Lake City, Wanamingo, Pine Island, Stewartville, Plainview
Twin Rivers Zumbro Kasson, St. Charles, Winona, Rochester Roadruners, Caledonia
Southern Minny Faribault, Rochester Blues, Albert Lea, Owatonna, Mankato Mets
Region 6: River Valley West Wintrop, Arlington, Gaylord, St. Peter, Fairfax
River Valley Central LeSueur, Belle Plaine, Waconia, Henderson
Northstar East Albertville, Rogers, Elk River, Loretto, Maple Plain, Mound
Region 7: Crow River North Watertown, St. Bonifacious, Mayer, New Germany, Winsted,
Glencoe
Crow River South Hamburg Norwood, Young America, Cologne, Brownton, Carver
Region 8: Victory East Pierz Bulldogs, Pierz Brewers, Lastrup, Buckman, Foley
Victory North Brainerd Braves, Fort Ripley, Harding, Cuyuna, St. Mathias
Victory South Holdingford, St. Stephen, Avon, Opole, St. Wendel
Victory West Sobieski, Flensburg, Upsala, Randall, Royalton
Region 9: Land O'Ducks Teal Canby, Appleton, Rosen, Ortonville, Benson, Madison
Land O'Ducks Wood Dumont, Morris Clinton, Wheaton, Chokio
Corn Belt South Raymond, Bird Island, Willmar, Sacred Heart, Granite Falls, Milroy
Region 10: Lakewood National Sartell, Becker, Clear Lake, St. Cloud Snappers, Litchfield,
St. Joseph
Lakewood American St. Cloud Ortho, Granite City Grays, Sauk Centre, Freeport, Sauk Rapids Jimmy's
Region 11: Central Valley North Pearl Lake, St. Augusta, Kimball, St. Nicholas
Central Valley South Luxemburg, Eden Valley, Watkins, Cold Spring Rockies
North Star West Howard Lake, Kingston, Buffalo, Monticello, Rockford
Region 12: Norman Polk Ada, Crookston, East Grand Forks, Roseau, Warroad
West Central Morhead Miners, Moorhead Brewers, Moorhead Expos,
Moorhead Saints
Region 13: First Nite Jackson, Windom, Fairmont, Mountain Lake, Fox Lake,
Heron Lake
Gopher Wilmont, Hadley, Luverne, Pipestone, Adrian, Tracy, Milroy
Irish, Minneota
Region 14: HI-10 New York Mills, Bluffton, Perham, Wadena/Deer Creek,
Bertha, Detroit Lakes, Dent Bulldogs
Lake & Pine South Staples, Nimrod, Nisswa, Sebeka, Verndale
Resorters East Carlos, Urbank-Parkers Prairie, Clarissa, Miltona, Long
Prairie
Region 15: Stearns County North Meire Grove, Greenwald, New Munich, Elrosa, Spring Hill
Stearns County South St. Martin, Richmond, Farming, Roscoe, Lake Henry
Corn Belt North Regal, Norway Lake, New London-Spicer, Paynesville,
Starbuck, Atwater
Region 16: Lake & Pine North Midway, Wolf Lake, Huntersville, Red Eye, Bagley
Resorters West Barrett, Kensington, Ashby, Brandon-Evansville, Alexandria
Senators, Osakis
Countryside Pelican Rapids, Vergas, Dent Wildcats, Fergus Falls, Frazee,
Hawley
228 Teams in 16 Regions
Region 9 is Dale Przymus from Chokio Phone number 320-563-8181
Region 10 is Ryan O'Hara from St. Cloud 320-249-8105
In the Saturday meeting the Board made two changes to their rules. Players that have never signed a contract no longer need to get a release from the closest team before they play with the team of their choice. In the November meeting the board ruled that players living in the country needed to get a release, just like the city players, before they signed their first contract. After it was addressed and discussed at least three times during the meeting the Board voted 9-0 that: No first time player is required to get a release before they sign their first contract with the team of their choice (within the radius).
The Board addressed the issue of three team leagues again. The Board decided that any league that was a three team league this year could have the option to send either one or two teams to the region this year only. They must decide this before they begin their league play this year. In the March meeting the board had allowed the Classic Cannon Valley League to send two teams to the region for this year only. To be fair, they decided that all three team leagues would have the same option this year.
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| 1/3/09 Board Minutes |
| MINUTES OF BOARD MEETING HOLIDAY INN, ST. CLOUD SATURDAY JANUARY 3, 2009 Meeting was called to order by President Richter at 11:00 AM Roll call showed Rademacher and Roufs absent. Motion Kreger, seconded Brennan, carried, to approve the minutes from the previous meeting as mailed. In attendance was Charlie Peik, Bill Schulte, Tony Beneke, Dan Birkholz, Bruce Woitas, Mike Nagel, Paul Sand, Kurt Meyer. Bruce Woitas came before the board asking that the Sleepy Eye baseball team be reinstated for the 2009 season. The Sleepy Eye baseball team was suspended by the Tomahawk league from post season play in 2008 for using a player that was released in 2007, and did not re-sign a new contract when he returned to play in 2008. A motion by Forsman, seconded Barry, carried to reinstate Sleepy Eye for the 2009 season. Mike Nagel from Bird Island came before the board giving a rundown on the work that is and will be done this spring and summer at the Bird Island ball park. He was hoping all work would be completed when the board inspects their park in July, but has been informed by the National Guard who was going to help with some landscaping at the park may not be able to complete their work in time for the boards inspection. This will have nothing to do with the playing field; it is just something that will be an added attraction. Dan Birkholz representing the Herald Journal who has been maintaining the year round updates for the MBA website came before the board with their 2009 maintenance proposal and responsibilities. He told the board they would very much like to continue their relationship with the board and hope their contract which runs out in March can be renewed. There were numerous questions from the board concerning the maintenance the Herald Journal provided in the past. The board decided to wait till March to make any decision, as they may have some changes to the proposals to make of their own. The board received correspondence from Sam Steidl who would like to play for Miltona. This business was tabled until the March meeting. Steidl must be reinstated and also secure a pro release from the Dodgers. The board reviewed the new player radius rule. It was decided that if a team uses a online GPS system for player eligibility the team must declare the Latitude & Longitude of the teams ballpark. This must be recorded with your league secretary. Tony Beneke, Billy Schulte, and Charlie Peik who are State Tournament chairman from Arlington and Gaylord informed the board most of their programs are right on schedule. The Diamond Baseball will be used at the 2009 state tournament. Also the Arlington Gaylord website for the tournament will be (MBAStateToumey09.com) Motion Forsman, seconded Kreger, carried, to have a booth at Twin Fest 2009. Dates are 23 24 25"' of January. Next meeting of the MBA will be March 14th, and 15th. They will be held at the Holiday Inn, St. Cloud. Saturday the 14th is the regular board meeting starting at 1:00 PM. The Sunday the 15th is for all (league officers) or anyone interested. League material will be handed out, and the new rule book will be gone over. This is a meeting everyone should attend. Both meetings start at 1:00 PM (League Secretaries) All state forms are now posted on the website (www.minnesotabaseball.org) So make yourself aware of this. If you have any questions call 952 467 2741. Being no further business a motion by Barry, seconded Brennan, carried, to adjourn. Adjournment coming at 3:25 PM. Bob Zellmann Secretary-Treasure MBA |
