Umpires Don't Exist

We lost a tough one tonight in Elizabethton against the Twins Organization.  One long, rough inning sealed our fate.  Isn't that funny in the game of baseball?  You could score three separate times in three separate innings but if the other team gave you an ass whooping in just one of the 9 innings, you will still lose the game.  That is what happened to us tonight.  We jumped on them quick in the first 2 innings by the score of 3-0.  But in the 4th our pitcher had a tough time recovering and ended up giving up 7 runs in one inning.  Definitely a tough one to swallow when you are on the bench and not able to do a thing about it.  They did not score in any other inning but obviously they didn't have to when you score 7 in just one inning...LOL!!

But it brings up an amazing learning experience I wanted to share with you.  The title of this Blog is Umpires Don't Exist for two reasons.  One, is an effective velocity reason which I will explain shortly.  The other, is a focus and mindset reason which I will also expand upon.

Ok, so first one is the effective velocity topic.  Effective velocity is a more scientific way to look at the strike zone and how it effects the hitter.  So for example, if you are a pitcher that throws 90mph and you throw it right down the middle of the plate, it looks and feels like 90mph to the hitter.  No secret there, right?  But if you throw that same pitch, which reads 90mph on the radar gun, but now throw it inside and high it looks like a different velocity to the hitter, it looks faster, it has an effect of being faster.  The same goes for the ball low and away.  It looks slower then 90mph to the hitters eye.  Does that make sense??? 

So as a pitcher your job is to make sure and keep the hitters attention where you want it so you can cause the least solid amount of contact possible.  This way you can get some pop-ups and some easy groundball outs. 

When you are a pitcher throwing in a game, there are going to be plenty of times (especially at the college and high school levels) where the umpire does not call pitches strikes that you believe are just that, strikes.  Well, this is how you want to handle this situation.  If you feel like you got the attention of the hitter with the pitch you just threw, no matter if it was called a ball or a strike, move on to the next pitch in your pitch sequence.  Remember, your job as a pitcher is to pitch to contact, soft contact hopefully.  So if you have command of your pitches and are confident in what you throw, you really never have to worry about the umpire at all.

The example I will give you was in tonight's game in the 3rd inning.  Our pitcher threw a first pitch fastball on the inside part of the plate, right where he wanted it.  However, the umpire called it a ball and our pitcher clearly did not agree.  But instead of having confidence in his ability to be able to throw a strike on the next pitch and let it be the pitch he wanted, the change-up, he listened to the umpire, saw the count was 1-0 and felt he was locked into a fastball count.  Now the at bat ended up just fine and he got out of the jam he was in, but he carried it with him to the dugout and was complaining about the umpire.

This takes us right into the second topic of focus and mindset.  When our pitcher went back out in the fourth he was still reeling from the inning before and you could tell his intensity level was not the same.  He let the jam that he got into (and he felt the jam was caused by the umpire) totally change his mindset and it took him mentally out of the game.  The funny thing was that he didn't even give up a run in the 3rd inning but still let the umpire take him out of his mindset.

Now he goes back out for the fourth inning with a loss of focus and a "poor me" attitude and well....you know the rest....7 runs and he is out of the game.

You young pitchers at home, please pay attention to this.  Focus is a choice.  Mindset is a choice.  What you allow to effect you positively or negatively is a choice.  Whether you choose to let things effect you that you are not in control over is totally up to you.  In the game of baseball (as in life) there are going to be plenty of times where things may not be going the way you want them to be going.  In that moment of time you have two choices, fuel the fire (make yourself more upset) or move on and let it go.

In pitching, it is such a mental/emotional position that you are challenged almost on every pitch to maintain your focus and mindset.  You are asked to not allow any so called "obstacles" that are thrown in your way to bother you.  You must pitch with blinders on and never let the outside stuff, such as umpires, fans, the other team, bother your focus and concentration.  I know this is easier said then done, but if this is not something you practice or are aware of when you are on the mound, then you simply will not last that long in the game of baseball, especially professional baseball.

Ok, that is all for now.  Happy Pitching and talk to you all soon!!!!