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VolUmp

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Posts posted by VolUmp

  1. FED SOFTBALL  2-Man

    So this is where I’m asking veterans if you have a different way of doing things than what the books and camps teach.


    1) R2.  No outs.
    Long fly ball on the LF Foul Line. 

    Explain duties of each ump

     

    2) R1. No outs. 
    Wild pitch goes to backstop.  R1 takes 2nd and heads for 3rd without hesitating.

    Explain duties of each ump

  2. 27 minutes ago, maven said:

    if a runner is beyond 45 feet

    Maven,

    In FED, (or perhaps it’s consistent in all rule sets), is the only way to get RLI before the 45’ mark when it is deemed intentional that the B/R is blocking a throw?

    And if that is true, is it even called RLI, or simply INT???

  3. 23 minutes ago, maven said:

    A runner is out of the running lane if ONE (or both) feet are out of the lane. The rule does not require both feet out of the lane (regardless of other runners).

    Is this spelled out in the NFHS books?

    I attended a college camp and we were specifically shown that if the right foot of the runner is even touching the foul line, with his left foot 2-3 feet out of the lane (in fair territory), he’s good.  I couldn’t ask the question, “Is that different in FED?”

  4. On 2/6/2018 at 8:30 PM, Richvee said:

    My guess would be this varies from state to state. Here, we need to take the NJSIAA re certification test and NFHS on line concussion training every year to be eligible to work varsity games, no matter what other levels you work.

    I concur with Richvee that this is decided State-by-State, because as of Dec 01, 2017, Tennessee voted that Sports officials no longer have to take tests of any kind to be eligible to officiate.

    YES. THAT IS FACT.  AN IDIOTIC ONE. 

    The logic: Too many Officials cannot pass an OPEN BOOK TEST with score of 70, yet they’re pretty good officials who are needed. 

    HOGWASH 

  5. On 9/25/2017 at 1:13 PM, stevis said:

    Mm-hmm.  And Kapernick is employed where again?

    He's paying the price. 

    Kaepernick was NOT showing bravery ... rather, stupidity.  Tom Brady — he could have gotten away with it.  Cam Newton, Russell Wilson, and a few more black, healthy, starting QBs could have gotten away with it. 

    Kaepernick had the misfortune of thinking he was more valuable than he is — that he’d raise an army like JACOB and all would follow like CALEB, 

    Well ... first off ... everyone seems to forget that he did NOT start by taking a knee ... he started by sitting on the bench with his arms draped lazily on the bench back, and his protest “style” was pi$$ poor.

    Secondly, sometimes your value ON the field is not worth the distractions and problems of your antics OFF the field.

    That is NOT an act of bravery.  That’s an act of Gross Miscalculation of self-worth. Kaepernick thought he ha a golden halo around his head, and much to his surprise, he didn’t. 

    • Like 1
  6. On 11/16/2017 at 7:20 PM, MB_Ump said:

    There is a shortage of umpires in my area and a plethora of games, so maybe I have more sway over the Leagues and tournament directors than in some other areas. As an Umpire, I value my time and the time of my umpires.

    Around here, this would simply result in good or moderately good umpires being replaced by horrible umpires, because, "Man ... those guys we used to work with are WAY too difficult!  They have no understanding WHATSOEVER how little control I have over changes in the schedule.  Greedy SOBs!"

  7. On 11/8/2017 at 12:09 PM, FleasOf1000Camels said:

    "The take-out slide is part of the game."

    That was certainly true, as you say, "Many, MANY years ago, but going to the grass to take the pivot man out hasn't been part of the game in my lifetime (1963) and I grew up a die-hard Reds fan with a little known roughneck player named Rose who popped up, Barrell Rolled, reached, kicked, tripped, bowled over, and like during Michael Jordan's day ... it was often said he was given special treatment by the refs, there's no doubt that Rose was given special treatment by the Umps.  They really started flirting with INT when guys like Albert Belle were getting away with forearming guys to the ground half way to 2B.

  8. 6 hours ago, ricka56 said:

    point being, use whatever response that you need to:
    1. not escalate the situation;
    2. not give the coach any ammunition to keep the discussion going;
    3. end the conversation ASAP;
    4. get back to baseball ASAP.

    Agreed

  9. 7 hours ago, ricka56 said:

    '"I've never heard of that, you're making it up", It's real. You can look it up. (don't argue)
    "you’re the only one who calls this",

    How ‘bout that? (don't argue)


    "He's been pitching that way the entire tournament" 

    How ‘bout that? (don't argue)


    "He''s the starting pitcher for the varsity team and pitched that way at the regional tournament" 

    How ‘bout that? (don't argue)

    Rick (see above);

    I think this is a better reply than, “OK.”  And if spoken in the right tone, it says something a bit differently without having too much sarcasm.

    ”OK” is obviously just a way of saying, “Shut up.”

    How ‘bout that?” IMHO says, “Wow — interesting — you’ve been getting away with unenforced rules ... that’s pretty lucky. Well, Sir, not today.”

    • Like 1
  10. 5 hours ago, ScubaUmp said:

    I'll go ahead and grab this one, 'ZERO Tolerance on rules = ZERO games on the schedule'

    Truly sorry if that’s the way it is where you work. Not the case here. In fact, our State Director preaches repeatedly, “If you guys go by the RuleBook, we can back you up every time and we won’t even entertain Ccoach complaints.

    “Vary from the RuleBook and we have a hard time supporting you.”

    Coaches have been disciplined for trying to vote out (blackball) an official from a postseason District Tourney for being “too black & white by the book ... e.g., delaying the game to put the kids in the dugout ... making cheap INT calls ... calling balks that didn’t deceive anyone ...”

    These coaches are usually told, “Ya know, it’s a privilege to play, and especially to “host” the postseason tourneys. If you’re gonna knock one of my best umpires for going too literally by the book, all that means is you don’t like the rule ... it tells me he’s doing precisely what he should, and what a lot of guys refuse to do.  Lodge a written complaint about the rule ... not the man who enforces it.”

    • Like 2
  11. 2 hours ago, Rich Ives said:

     

    14 hours ago, basejester said:

    "Looks like the strike zone will be inside today."
    (I don't understand the slot position.)

    Like in game 5

    Yeah ... but I agreed with Smoltz 1000%.  He (Bill Miller) was very consistent in giving 2-3" on that side of the plate all night for both teams.  I read news posts all over the internet the following day about his "terrible" strike zone.  2-3" and consistent all night and consistent between teams is not "terrible," it's a very well called game.  He established his zone in the 1st inning, then he likely missed 3-4 pitches in 10 innings.  Perfectly par for the course in MLB.  In the infamous Eric Gregg game 20 years ago, he established his zone and missed zero pitches in 9 innings.  When you widen the zone by 8" on each side of the plate, it's hard to miss a pitch.

  12. 3 hours ago, lawump said:

    "No one paid to see you, Blue.  You're not bigger than the game."

    (I really don't like having an umpire who has the guts to properly enforce a rule...and award the proper penalty for a rules violation against my team...late in the game.)

    "That'll (pitch) get you 20 (wins) in the big leagues."

    (Why yes, I can see the outside corner better than you from my position over here in the dugout.)

    "Throw it there again!"

    (Are you f*****g blind, blue?)

    "Blue, can you get help on that?" AND/OR "Blue, you don't have to get help just because he (the other coach) asks you to get help."

    (I only want you to get help when the initial call goes in favor of the other team.)

    "We've been doing that all season."

    (I am a liar.) or (We've had crappy umpires all season who don't enforce this rule.)  Truthfully, either could be true.

    "I'm not talking to you blue!  I'm talking to my pitcher!"

    (I'm acting like I'm in kindergarten by pretending I'm talking to my pitcher when I'm really arguing balls and strikes from the dugout.)

    I enjoyed and agree with all six of these contributions.  And you are very astute in your translation to #5.  But there is a third option ... There are subtle rules (especially safety rules in FED) that go unnoticed by umpires.  They would enforce the catcher's headgear rule if they made it a priority to check it, but most don't ... so the Head Coach is not actually lying, but he also knows the rule and is playing dumb to avoid accountability.  He was at the same state rules meeting that emphasized all the safety rules as the umpires were ... so ... he's still a RAT for saying this.  (Yes, Ives ... I said it).

    • Like 1
  13. 2 hours ago, Rich Ives said:

    "Interference?  He was trying to get out of the way!!"

    (I don't know the interference rule.)

    Rich ... I think the best translation is both.  "I hate the interference rule ... and I don't know it either."

     

    "Blue, that's Interference!  He didn't even try to get out of the way!!"

    (I hate the interference rule.)  This ^^^ sounds like it may be correct.

    Rich ... the inspiration for this particular coach complaint comes from his catcher trying to throw out a stealing runner at 3B when the batter held his ground and the catcher air mailed the ball into LF.  Half an inning ago, the same coach's base runner was "trying" to get out of the way of a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball, he failed, and he was called for INT.

    So ... it all boils down to:  "I hate the interference rule ... and I don't know it either."

    And Rich, you're taking the entire post too personally since you're a coach.

    I'm just here for the kids.

    • Like 1
    • Haha 1
  14. 5 hours ago, beerguy55 said:

    possible plan B

    … or C … or D … or K …

    No one makes more money umpiring in a concentrated stretch of time than in a travel ball tourney.  Far above a HS DH.  It’s rare that I’m scheduled fewer than 4 games in a day.

    College Guys who’ve worked themselves into a lucrative conference still always end up calling summer travel ball since it’s still the best gig in town.

  15. On 10/23/2017 at 9:04 AM, CJK said:

    1.  Is he right?  Is there a widespread agreement that umpires should be compensated for in-town travel like this?  I didn't even consider it.  In my area, I get availability from umpires that live up to 50 miles away, and I give availability to schedulers that will use me even 100 miles away, and nobody even considers travel money.  I couldn't even fathom the idea that anyone would expect travel money to relocate to a site about 10 miles away.

    No.  Petty.

    2.  The timing of his complaint bothered me even more.  It seems to me that a discussion like this one should be the furthest from anyone's mind when the TD is trying to make alternate field arrangements, explain his decision to coaches, and get everybody relocated.  On the other hand, I understand that the umpire has lost all negotiating leverage as soon as he's worked the game, so I suppose that if he felt like he needed to have the conversation at all, he would also feel like it had to be right then.

    Petty.  It's not like he's in a local union.

    3.  I've been in a rain delay before, but never a relocation like this.  If that has happened to you, what was your experience?  Could it have been made better?  If so, how?

    We've done it before from a grass field to a turf complex.  The schools are about the same — 15 minutes apart.

    If you could have moved from the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field to the Retractable Roofed Rogers Centre ... BETTER.

     

  16. "Look, I'm just here for the kids."

    (I don't know the rule or interpretation you're trying to explain to me, and I'm sure as hell not going to take the time to learn it, so I'll do my best to shame you into thinking you're taking this too seriously.)

    "Control the things we can control ... don't worry about the stuff we can't."

    (The Plate Umpire sucks.  Deal with it.)

    "Come on, Blue, call it both ways."

    (Blue, I really don't want you to give the opposing team that call, but my son's pitching, and I expect 4-5" off the plate to be a strike.)

    "Balk?  What'd he do?"

    (I can't stand umpires who enforce balks ... they don't enforce them in MLB, so why should I learn the balk rules.)

    "Interference?  He was trying to get out of the way!!"  (F2 was throwing to 2nd)

    (I hate the interference rule, mostly because I don’t know it.)

    "Blue, that's Interference!  He didn't even try to get out of the way!!"  (F2 was throwing to 3rd)

    (I hate the interference rule, mostly because I don’t know it.)

    "It's not where he catches it, Blue ... it's where it crosses the plate!"

    (I don't really know what that means, and I can’t see anything from here, but I've heard my husband say that 1000 times and it sounds like it raises my “Baseball IQ.”)

    "Appeal 1B ... he missed 1B!!"

    (That 3-run bomb is really gonna hurt.)

    "Blue ... is he coming set?"

    (I can't stand umpires who enforce balks ... but I think I can piss this guy off.)

    "What do you mean he was out for running lane interference???"  (Ball was bunted right in front of the plate)

    (What's the running lane???)

    "Why isn’t he out for running lane interference???"  (Ball was hit to F6).

    (Blue just changed the running lane rule.)

    “What do you mean Obstruction on my 1st Baseman?  The batter ran around him ... he was out of baseline!”  (Ball was hit to the RC gap)

    (What's Obstruction???)

     

    • Haha 3
  17. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS THE Asst Coach/GM:

    1) If I'm the Asst Coach/GM, and the situation in the OP happens, then I suck ... and the umpires are not gonna get shafted.  The umpires will not be the last to hear that there is a delay because of an unfit field, or a reschedule, or a change of venue.  I can honestly say it never happened when I was in that role.  My son played travel ball for a team during his High School summers and falls that ALWAYS asked me to umpire, ALWAYS offered to pay me, I never accepted payment in cash (the moms slipped some Cracker Barrel gift cards to my wife a few times which was very nice), but I was able to relax with the fact that I always knew the umpires would be well-informed, since I was half of the crew.

    2) If I were the GM (and not an umpire), and any of the above scenarios occurred, I'd get on it right away with the umpires (or assignor if we went through one) and weigh all the options.  "George, we're gonna have to delay the first game 2 1/2 hours just to let the field dry out.  I'll either pay your guys half a game fee extra if they can work with my head coach and work 12:30 and 3:00, or I'll take a new crew, or I'll take a split crew ... I'll even take just one umpire and pay him 50% more for game 2 if that's all we can do."  (And that's assuming the guys didn't find out about the long delay after they left home).

    In other words ... I realize I'm throwing a huge curveball ... it can't be helped due to Mother Nature ... but I want the guys to feel appreciated, and I want them to come back ... and I want them to remember me as the guy that went out of my way to take care of them.

    FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS AN UMPIRE:

    This kind of thing, as inexcusable as it sounds, has happened to me so many times I couldn't take a stab at guessing the number.  I would leave, grab lunch, watch a game on TV, find something to do for two hours (which really isn't hard to do), and either stay and do the 3:00 game for no additional (expected) compensation, or if I literally couldn't because of a prior commitment, I'd tell the coaches and my assignor at 10:00 am and help find a replacement for that 2nd game.  (With my kids mostly grown, I don't recall an incident where I scheduled something so tightly that I couldn't stay). 

    My point here is, $hit happens in baseball that shouldn't, but I wouldn't insist on additional compensation even though I just stated that I'd offer it as a goodwill gesture if I were on the other end (GM).  As Michael Keaton (Bill) so eloquently stated in the movie NIGHT SHIFT, when he was feuding with Henry Winkler (Chuck):

         Bill:  "I gave you a hundred bucks."

         Chuck:  "Yeah, well, I didn't ask for it."

         Bill:  "I know!  That's what made it such a beautiful gesture on my part..."

    Just this past summer, I showed up for the first of what was going to be four 15u Tourney Games with one of my favorite partners.  The Tournament Director was using only High School Certified umpires from my Association, and he just "forgot" to tell our assignor about a schedule change.  So as we walked to Field 1 about 10 minutes before game time, we passed Field 2 and noticed they looked ready to start, but had no umps.  One of the TD's underlings asked me ... without even an introduction,

    "Can you gear up and take that game? (pointing to Field 2)"

    "Hi, I'm Bob ... (extending my hand.)  What have we got here?"

    "I think we have two umps running late."  (Translated:  Field 2 is starting an hour earlier than your schedule says)

    "Well, Sir, I'm gonna have to say no unless I'm told otherwise by my assignor.  We're following the schedule you have online."

    So, sure enough, after half an inning, the young lackey motions me over to the fence with a cell phone in his hand and says, "It's your assignor ... he needs to talk to you."

    My assignor didn't TELL me to do anything ... he kindly "asked" if I would bail these people out by gearing up and starting the game on Field 2 solo, my partner would stay on 1 and work solo, and when the other umps arrived, we could either switch partners or switch back.  I told him, "Yes Sir ... I'm on it."

    When the other two umpires showed up, they were turned away at the gate by one of the other young (and mis-informed) lackeys, and told that they had been replaced "since they were late."  (Now, I do fault them for taking the kid's word for it and not walking up to the fields to check, but they were pissed, so they just left.)  They stopped to get a brew and called our assignor and told him they'd been turned away and replaced.

    So after two games solo, my original partner and I got our first chance to sit down and talk, and my phone rang.  It's our assignor who wants to know who turned the other guys away.  Of course, we had no idea, we just knew that the TD caused the problem with a schedule change (he emailed the coaches ... he never even changed the website schedule, let alone informed the assignor) and we were going solo.

    A thunderstorm ended our glorious day in the 2nd inning of games 3, as two substitute umpires were showing up to partner up with us.

    This story, I tell, because it is the only time I can recall in the last 14 years that I personally pushed it for our assignor to collect ALL the money that should have been paid to the umpires.  I suggested that the four umpires who drove to the park and never worked each get one game fee, and that my partner and I each get 3 full game fees.  I honestly don't know how my assignor approached it with the TD, but that's how the money was collected and divided up ... on the principle that all of the problems were avoidable, and none of it was caused or embellished my the umpires.

    I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my willingness to be flexible has been rewarded in many, many ways over the years by my various assignors.  They know I get shafted occasionally, but then I also might get first dibs at a really good assignment.  I might get put on a District Post-Season 3-man crew of my choice two years in a row, because he's quietly thanking me for my helping him out so often.

    Karma's not always a bitch ... it's often very kind.

  18. On 10/27/2017 at 3:57 PM, Aging_Arbiter said:

    Joe F Buck looked at him and said "you're wrong".

    Is a video or audio account findable online?  I’ve already searched with no success. It sounds like a punishable offense for Joe Buck to say that to Palermo.

    Buck served as He-who-shall-not-be-named’s apologist for the 1,247 interps He-who-shall-not-be-named screwed up in his color commentating career (for which I blame Fox), but to diss Palermo to his face?  I don’t know how Fox tolerated it — which is why I wanna see/hear it. 

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