The men in blue

Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on the work that Creston’s Scott Busch and Greenfield’s Steve Shantz did umpiring the Class 2A state championship baseball game recently at Principal Park in Des Moines.

By RYAN KRONBERG

CNA sports editor rkronberg@crestonnews.com

DES MOINES — Camaraderie is key in umpiring, like it is in any other aspect of life. The more two or more people get along, the more they learn to trust and respect each other.

Having a strong bond enables Greenfield’s Steve Shantz and Creston’s Scott Busch to be at their best when they’re on the diamond together.

“It’s huge,” Shantz said. “You know where the other guy’s going to be.”

When they’re a two-man crew, each man takes a specific position on each play, whether they’re working the plate or out in the field.

Knowing where the other is going to be helps each other trust what the other will do.

“You don’t have to worry about it,” Shantz said.

Shantz knows Busch will be in the right spot to make the right call on a given play.

“Instead of having to watch the other guy where he’s going to be, once you’re comfortable with your partner, you know where he’s going to be and he knows where you’re going to be and everything’s going to be covered, it’s essential to get better.”

The two have excelled in their time together, earning more and more prestigious assignments.

Shantz worked his 11th state tournament this year. Busch worked his seventh state tournament.

While the crowd buzzes around them, players and coaches chatter in the dugout and on the field, each man stands at their respective base.

In between innings, they may acknowledge the well wishes of a friend who calls them out from the stands.

But when the ball is in play, they have a laser-eyed focus on the task at hand.

They all want to make sure that the right call is made no matter what the situation is.

They know they’ve made many right calls before this season and in past years.

That experience pays off in the state final.

“You have confidence and trust in yourself and then trust who you’re working with,” Busch said. “The less people recognize and notice you, the better off it is.”

State tournament games at Principal Park are different than regular season games in multiple ways. For starters, the pressure is amped up being that it is the state tournament. Also, the umpiring crews go from two to four men.

Both men umpired the Class 2A semifinals on Thursday.

Adjusting to the extra pair of men takes some time to get used too.

Patrons in the stands might not notice it, but Shantz noticed something was a little off in the first semifinal game.

“It took us a couple of rotations to get used to it,” Shantz said. “We blew a couple where nothing happened and nobody even knew we were in the right place or didn’t rotate right.”

On Saturday, both Shantz and Busch were settled into the four-man rotation.

“This game, we didn’t blow a rotation,” Shantz said. “Everybody knew where they were going.”

Third-base umpire John Bartolo is a seasoned veteran. He’s called many games at the state tournament, while the final was a new experience for second base umpire Joel Harthoorn.

All four meshed together well.

“I’ve worked with John,” Shantz said “This was my first time with Joel.”

They may not have ever worked together before, but the players and coaches on the field, patrons in the stands could not tell the difference.

“It was pretty smooth going,” Shantz said.

***

A Clear Lake player hits a routine ground ball to the Kuemper Catholic shortstop. Kuemper Catholic’s player fields the ball, he fires the ball to first base.

Busch scoots into position. He sees the throw is in time. He records his right hand in the arm, with his hand in a fist and signals out.

Each man moves back to their positions. They signal each other what’s next.

***

Hand signals before a play are essential to umpires.

It tells each other where the other is going to be on a particular play.

Roles, assignments change depending on the circumstance, such as if there are multiple runners on base or how many outs there are.

“That’s our rotations and coverages, responsibilities, assignments and coverages,” Busch said.

Assignments change on each play, depending upon each situation.

“We have to rotate,” Shantz said. “It all depends on if one of the umpires has to go out, then you have to rotate.”

In a two man crew, the roles are understood. It’s different in this game with a four-man crew.

But they seamlessly mesh together.

“If we were working with a four-man crew all year, we’d understand what’s going on,” Shantz said. “When you get to this stage, when you’re only doing three games, it’s pretty important to understand where everybody’s going to be.”

Hence the hand signals.

***

Shantz wipes the plate off. He puts the mask back on and walks behind the plate. He signals to the pitcher with his right index finger and says ‘play.’

Mason fires a pitch. The Kuemper Catholic batter watches it go by.

Shantz steps back, lifts his right hand, points it to the right side and says, ‘STRIKE!’

His zone does not vary throughout this game.

“It’s being consistent,” Shantz said. “A lot of it with balls and strikes it trying to be consistent as much as you can.”

He’s not always perfect, but tries to be.

“You’re going to miss some,” Shantz said. “If I miss something, it’s going to be a strike. You’re looking for strikes as much as possible.”

***

Shantz and Busch acknowledge each other after plays. Besides signaling at each other, they’ll share a smile or two.

Not in this game, but in others, there’s been times where each has nearly been hit by a line drive or a throw.

They’ll crack a joke about the close call.

“We have fun,” Busch said. “We’ll laugh at each other at times, teach each other. Make sure we have fun. We’ll take a foul ball to the chest protector or something happens, a close line drive hit right at you and you’re bailing out of the way.”

The two make sure to remember that even in the midst of a high-pressure situation, baseball still is a game.

“Him and I have a friendship. We laugh and joke about it,” Busch said.

Keeping the atmosphere light at the ballpark makes the experience enjoyable for both.

“You can’t stay uptight and be nervous the whole game,” Busch said. “You have to relax and let it happen.”

That comes with working together as long as Busch and Shantz have.

“As long as we’ve worked together, it’s at a point where we have a good understanding with each other. We have that trust and confidence. You still have the feeling of making sure you’re applying everything correctly, making sure you hustle, but have fun.”

***

During the regular season, Shantz and Busch often run into familiar coaches and athletes. They’ve come to know them having worked together as long as the two have.

Each season brings up new opportunities to watch a game they both love.

“It’s seeing the kids, having fun getting to know the coaches and the kids,” Busch said.

Each game has the opportunity for the unusual, or even crazy or bizarre to happen.

“Every new game is a new night,” Busch said. “You never know what’s going to happen.”

Busch and Shantz will run into players they’ve umpired over the years. Conversations are struck up about life and baseball.

The players remind Busch and Shantz of the good work done.

“It’s being able to see the kids. They know you after they graduate. They talk about how they appreciate the work you do.”

Coaches have come to know what to expect when they see Busch and Shantz arrive at their field.

“Another thing that helps out is the coaches. You get a good relationship with the coaches,” Shantz said. “They know when we step on the field, probably not much is going to go wrong. These guys are experienced they know what they’re going to do.”

That doesn’t mean a coach may want to question what Shantz or Busch have seen and how they interpret it.

“There’s times where I thought maybe coach come out on something. I’ve been waiting for them to come out and they like, he just made the call. It must’ve been right,” Shantz said. “That helps out too. The coaches like the work that we do. Now we’re trying to move on.”

***

Each spring, both men will pick up the rulebook. They’ll study up on it, make sure their knowledge of it is as best it can be.

Baseball, however, has may gray areas within its rulebook. It forces Shantz, Busch and other umpires to make judgement calls each game.

“A lot of if is interpretation of the rule,” Busch said. “Just because it’s in black and white, it’s how you interpret that rule, how you understand it and apply it to the game.”

Baseball in its inherent beauty provides the unusual quite frequently.

“It doesn’t matter how long you do it, something new happens ever year. Maybe not every game, but there’s situations where you look at each other and say what?” Shantz said.

***

The game breezes through the first inning. Clear Lake jumps out to a quick 3-0 lead.

Kuemper Catholic comes up to bat in the bottom of the second. With one out and two runners on, Kuemper Catholic’s Ben Vonnahme hits a comebacker to Mason. Mason fires to shortstop Parker Truesdell at second base. Truesdell touches the base for the out. However, in the process, Kuemper Catholic’s Brett Sibbel makes contact with Truesdell, causing Truesdell to fall down. Truesdell is unable to complete the throw to first base for the double play.

Thompson comes out of the dugout, heading towards second base. He asks Harthorn why interference was not called on the play. Harthorn explains the situation to Thompson.

Harthorn signals to Shantz. The two discuss the play more, and whether or not the takeout rule comes into play.

Harthorn and Shantz head their separate ways.

The call on the field stands. There is no extra out for interference.

“That was one where the infielder was in front of the bag,” Shantz said. “What Joel said was he was in front of the bag. He slid right into the bag. He didn’t put his feet up, didn’t go by the bag. It looked bad, but he’s got to go somewhere. He’s got a right to the bag. If the fielder’s there, there’s going to be contact. But there was nothing there.”

The game goes on.

By game’s end, the play in the second inning is the only controversial play of this state championship game.

***

The game ends and the men in blue walk back to the clubhouse together.

One walks off the field, capping a long, illustrious career. It’s the final game Bartolo is umpiring.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with John,” Shantz said.

They walk off the field knowing they’ve done their job on this day, like they have on so many other days.

For Shantz, he had one day before his one of his primary jobs began. He started work the following Monday directing Nodaway Valley’s football camp in his role as varsity head football coach.

Busch had a little more time off before his next officiating assignment. He’ll work on a crew this fall officiating football games all over southwest Iowa.

“It’s another season in,” Busch said. “I’m glad to see these guys that we did, bring them in and start working with them, get some achievements and accomplishments.”

They’ll go home, clean the jerseys, polish the shoes and put them away for another season.

For Busch, now it’s time for football.

“You put on a different uniform and go to a different field.”