Saw a really odd home plate mechanic the other day on a HS plate ump I'd never seen before. With a RH hitter up and the catcher fully down to take the pitch, the umpire's right foot was to the left of the catcher's left foot. He was essentially setting up behind the hitter and kind of craning his neck back toward the traditional slot position. Needless to say, from my vantage point his zone did not look great, especially in and out, and and it was consistent only in that it was inconsistent for both teams.
I get it that the slot's a vulnerable place, especially with the mixed skills you see in HS catchers. Maybe he's tired of getting hit and figures if he can't stay behind the catcher, then he'll stay behind the hitter.
