After nearly three decades behind the plate, I've seen it all from catchers. The good, the bad, and the stuff that makes me want to call time and have a conversation.

This week is all about catcher icks. The habits, behaviors, and little annoyances that catchers bring to the plate that drive umpires crazy. From framing pitches that bounced in the dirt to turning around to argue balls and strikes, we're naming names (well, not literally) and breaking down why these habits hurt catchers more than they help.

But this isn't just a venting session. We'll talk about what great catchers do instead, how the umpire and catcher relationship actually works, and why the catchers who treat their umpire like a partner tend to get the benefit of the doubt all season long.

If you're an umpire, you'll be nodding along the whole episode. If you're a catcher or coach a catcher, consider this your scouting report on how to stay on your umpire's good side.

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In this episode we break down base umpire positioning in the two-man system — where to be, when to be there, and why it matters.

What we cover:

• Position A, B, and C — the right spot for every runner situation
• Angle over distance — the rule that wins when you can't have both

Positioning is visual. Follow along with the MechaniGram diagrams in the 2025-2026 NFHS Baseball Umpires Manual, available at store.referee.com.

That's Strike 3 is built for baseball umpires around three pillars: Mental Game, Craft, and Rules Knowledge.

Most umpires think they're further along than they actually are. This episode is about what happens when reality checks in.

A few years ago, I asked for feedback — genuinely asked for it — thinking I was operating at a level I hadn't actually reached yet. What I got back was tough. Honest. And it forced a decision that every umpire eventually has to make: do you use the feedback to get better, or do you convince yourself the feedback was wrong?

This episode is about that moment, and what it taught me about growth in this game.

What we cover:

• Why self-assessment as an umpire is often more generous than accurate
• What it actually feels like to receive hard feedback you weren't ready for
• The two roads every umpire faces when criticism lands
• Why baseball demands continuous improvement — and why that doesn't happen without honest feedback
• How to build a mindset that turns tough evaluations into fuel

The bottom line: You can't get better in a vacuum. The umpires who level up are the ones who learn to sit with hard feedback instead of dismissing it.