f the skills I cover here, only one will help you decide plays better. The rest are cosmetic. But your wife always looks better with her make up on, right? This is one of those instances where I can’t be politically correct: If you’re a lady umpire and your husband wears make up....

Anywhere

• Use correct timing!

Carl Childress: The three keys to calling well are timing, timing, — and timing.

Dutch Rennart: Timing is everything.

Doug Harvey: Don’t call it too quick.

This is today’s suggestion that will help (force) you to decide plays better.

At the plate correct timing means watching the pitch all the way into the mitt, making the decision, and then signaling it. I’ve found that amateur umpires fare better when they separate (bifurcate) the voice call from their signal: Smack, decide, call "Strike!" and then stand up to signal. Candidate umpires are less likely to jerk — jump up to call strike and say "Ball!" — when they bifurcate.

Continued...