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Last night I had a first. A fairly well played HS fall ball game, pretty competitive and if not for one big half inning we would have probably been out of there in about 1:30. R1, I'm in the B position. Pick off attempt runner gets in a pickle between 1st and 2nd. My partner hustles down the line to cover the 1st base side. We have an overthrow back to first and a lot of foul territory. R1 rounds 2nd and attempts for 3rd, F3 makes an excellent throw to third and now R1 is in a pickle between 2nd & 3rd. As I take the runner towards 3rd, my partner hollers he got the 2nd base side. Wouldn't you know it, the ball gets away again good throw, bad fielding and it gets away toward right field. R1 is now heading home. I take the runner towards the plate F9 makes a great throw to the plate and now we have a 3rd pickle situation. My partner yells he's got 3rd and I stay at the plate area. Next relay to the plate the runner dives for the plate, I'm there and get the out at the plate. I don't think you'll find this in any mechanics manual, but it worked for us. Sometimes you just have to umpire.

This is one of my pet peeves, partners who are lax on putting the ball back into play. IMO it's always important to do, but with a runner(s) on it is critical. And I do put the ball in play at the beginning of each half inning.

On his hands and knees gasping for breath....

Base runners are only absolved from missing bases that the obstruction causes them to miss. I'm calling the runner out on appeal at home in any of the scenarios if he didn't touch the plate. Personally, I am not calling him out for being 3 feet out of the base path at home when I was planning on awarding him that base. I see this as different from the hurdling situation because of safety.

Almost, the play didn't last all that long My partner was great telling me, I've got first, I've got second, I've got third. I ended up taking the play on the opposite side of the wedge right at the cutout in fair territory about 3-5 feet inside the 3rd base line. It was actually a pretty good view.

Given that his foot was within a hair of touching the plate, and that DeMuth was busy explaining the obstruction ruling to half the Red Sox team, and that nobody on the Red Sox knew why Craig was being called safe, it would have never happened. However, if DeMuth and the Red Sox both saw that Craig never touched the plate and a proper appeal was made, then he should be called out. I would have also enjoyed the aftermath of that call.

If only I knew what was expected....... Slacks, dress shoes and a polo/button down shirt w/ no tie. Sports coat and note pad ready if you want to impress and are going for a job (hint coordinators will be there). Also I'd suggest shooting BBUC an email about the 3man camp.... Or maybe talk to this Mike Blinci feller that Stu was talking about... He may or may not be at this "local clinic" in Santa Barbra. Just my $0.02

Arriving at a collegiate site the expectation is that we have slacks and a button down dress shirt. Khakis and a polo are the bare minimum.

Pro Umpire: "That's a catch!" while also signaling on an obvious can-of-corn catch to end the inning. Defensive Player (as he's running by the umpire on his way to the dugout after the half inning): "Hey, you finally got one right!"

Don't know it you're aware, but Brad Hungerford puts on an excellent 2 man clinic every January in Palm Springs.

do you happen to be in civil engineering?

Look... I have an excuse, ok? I went to public school in California.