12/08/2023
Matt Couture discusses the techniques of umpiring, timing and positioning, and also the role of the umpire in keeping a game within the lines of social behavior necessary for the game to be played with the kind of integrity which makes the event worthwhile to fans and players, alike.
What is sportsmanship and what does that look like in today's world of conflicting expectations and values? What's it like calling balls and strikes in the heat of the moment? How does an umpire help create a perception of fairness on the playing field as teams compete for advantages? Is baseball just a game or is it something more?
As an experienced partitioner, Matt has plenty to say about the conflicts he and his umpire colleagues manage from game to game in the service of preserving the rewards of competition and sportsmanship's social contract with those who play the game, as well as those who watch from the stands.
