Catcher, Umpire Rapport

In a past life, I assumed the position of catcher on the baseball field. Whether you know anything about the game or not, the umpire (like the referee in basketball) is never really your friend. Players love to hate them and umpires keep their distance emotionally from the players on the field. 

Even though everything I just said is true, there’s a little known social norm between the catcher and the home plate umpire in the upper levels of baseball. You see, since we have masks on to cover our faces, we can communicate without appearing to be schmoozing with a sworn enemy like an umpire. So, what good catcher’s do when we take the field is immediately introduce ourselves to the umpire, get their name, ask how they are doing, and build rapport. 

Even though we aren’t on the same team, we are absolutely working together. I need to get favorable calls throughout the game and he needs me to protect him and keep the pace of the game high. Without rapport we will fail in the difficult, in-between moments of the game. Alternatively, the better the rapport you have with the umpire the more tough moments will go your way. 

Since none of us are taking the field in catcher’s gear this week, the lesson here is the power of building rapport in your life, in your work, and in your various relationships. If arch enemies like umpires and catchers can, you can, too.