Some need study the rocker step!

[cz fastpitch fan]

As a team , we probably practice our base running techniques and timing more in a month than most teams do all season. As a result of that, I feel quite confident that they are nailing the timing of their leadoffs, as they begin to move forward from the rocker position right as the pitcher's back foot starts to progress forward. Done right, the runner's left foot is leaving the bag immediately after the release of the ball. However, the runner already has good momentum going & this enhances their ability to steal the next base.
Well....I am guessing that some umpires either don't like the rocker step or can't quite really identify that it's the runner's 2nd step that they have to watch not their first step.

This caused two of our runners to be called out for leaving early.
Had an observer tell me that I (as the head coach) should consider having the players adjust their lead-off JUST for this game, so as not to cause any more issues with runners being called out.

So...what do you do?'
Have your runners adjust their lead-off and lose the advantage you gain from the rocker lead-off?
Talk to the umpire to try to explain your case, with the hopes that he doesn't call them out again (and risk making the ump mad)?
Other?

 

[DynastyFastpitch]

I went away from the rocker step because of what you just described. The ump see's "movement" out of the corner of his/her eye before the release and often think the girl must have left early. Other coaches will also use that to bait the umpire into calling it. I use a sprinter start now and have no more issues.

 

[BretMan2]

Did you ever consider the possibility that maybe these two runners really did leave early? I'm sure that you had more than two runners the entire game. If the rocker step was confusing the umpire, why were only two runners, on two pitches, called out?

Of all the players, coaches, and fans at the game, when a pitch is being thrown how many of them are watching the pitcher and the batter? Probably all of them. Only one person on the field is responsible to specifically watch for the runner leaving early- the umpire.

I'm sure that a coach is unhappy if his runner gets called out for leaving early, and he might even argue the fact, but I really doubt that he was watching the runner and timing her against the pitcher's release. He's just mad that the out was called and blaming it on umpire incompetence makes for an easy scapegoat.

 

[Louuuuu]

Perfect answer ...

 

[Lenski65]

Play showcases. The runners will never get called out for leaving early.

 

[coachjwb]

While coaches do sometimes blame it on the umps incorrectly, I think a relevant question to ask is whether there is one ump or two. I think when there is only one ump that it is quite possible that he or she may call it based on the movement out of the corner of their eye. I used to teach it as well, but started shying away from it because there was both some debate as to whether it was any faster and because I thought that, even if it was, it wasn't worth the added risk of being called out, whether the call was correct or not.

 

[backstop09]

...Well....I am guessing that some umpires either don't like the rocker step or can't quite really identify that it's the runner's 2nd step that they have to watch not their first step...

Or there's a third possibility - that of all of the baserunners you had in this game, these two did not do correctly that which you teach and as a result were called out for leaving early.

 

[USAUmp1]

I know this to be a fact. The umpire assignor at GAPPS had a first year umpire working many of the games at the upper level age groups. They should have been working the U-10's. Are you kidding? Knowledge of the game and mechanics were just not there. Embarrassing...

 

[BretMan2]

While coaches do sometimes blame it on the umps incorrectly, I think a relevant question to ask is whether there is one ump or two.

If there's only one umpire, he should never be calling this unless it is grossly and blatantly obvious, especially on the corner runners. A runner at second might be more in his field of vision since he's looking at the pitcher.

But just movement out the corner of the eye that might be cutting it close...never call that.

 

[ech92]

I agree that it is possible that the runners may have left early, but he is correct that there are infact a hand full of umps who clearly don't understand the rocker. We had a game were the ump told me apon my questioning as to what he seen, he stated " I seen her clearly take a step before the pitch ". I tried explaining that we do the rocker step and he was adamant that we were leaving early. I did have to have runners adjust which slowed us down! That being said I watched a lot of college ball this year on dvr and at least half the time the runners did the rocker, left early ( like when you paused the dvr they were about 2 steps off the base early ), and you never see it get called!

 

[cz fastpitch fan]

I love the possibilities being suggested by all. Yes, Bretman...there is a possibility that the runners left too early. In this particular case...I am watching the girls, because I want to stay on top of their mechanics and I want to know if they are getting a good jump or if they are waiting too late. In this case, they actually did it correctly, and got a good jump. from my vantage point as the 3B coach, I think I actually have a better view of the runner & pitcher than the base coach did. He's in the B slot, behind 2B, and I was in the 3B coach's box.
This was simply a case where he didn't understand the rocker step.
Not disrespecting all umps, because I have all the respect in the world for umpires. I have been adding commentary on here before because I have been an ump myself for about 7 years. Don't have time to work games any more, because my team and other responsibilities are taking too much time.

Never judge an entire group by one bad apple. It is irrelevant whether the umps are ASA, PGF, NSA, USSSA...like anything else...there are good ones who care about their craft and those who are there for the paycheck. We had some really good ones recently, and some fall short of that.
I love it when we have an ump that hustles, gets into position and is confident and verbal.
This was just a rare situation.
Good luck all in National Tourneys!

 

[Eastside]

I will bring the rocker step up next year in the clinic's I go to. We umps definitely have room to get better with the rocker step.