KenBAZ

Back to reality, over the past 5 years I've done at minimum 5X the number of plate jobs as any MLB umpire. However the forces involved are just not the same. Doing youth ball, HS, men's league and the occasional college summer ball I get hit more frequently but with pitches that are traveling much slower. I know I am just between injuries at any time. Just no way of knowing what the cumulative effect will be. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

The Majestic shirts are about $10 more but we'll worth the difference. I like this look and more of my partners are moving to it from the older MLB shirts with the one white stripe. The Majestic material breaths much better and as noted the collars hold their shape much better. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

In OBR checked swings are not only appealable but an appeal is mandatory if requested. If the F2 or coach say check, you check. Not sure how I would handle it if I was BU but I'm pretty sure my partner and I would have a conversation about it prior to getting a protest filed against us. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

My challenge with the silk-screened shirts we have now is that the collars have no body to them and they look lousy after you've washed them a few times. I have purchased multiple shirts every year since we went to them. Working just about every day during the HS season I need them. I prefer to spend more if I have to in order to get better quality. However, to pay top dollar for a shirt that doesn't hold up is irksome. I guess if that's all I have to complain about I'm in good shape. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Thanks for posting this, it makes me laugh every time l hear it. You know I think we shouldn't provoke the monkeys on the other side of the fence. I think I'd have ejected the Gold HC prior to confronting the fan because I'm not sure of my authority when it extends to fans. Regarding your situation, most of the time when you are as confident as I know you were with your ruling and can explain it clearly and consistently, the good baseball guys we have for coaches here are going to figure you're right. The fans? Not so much, they can let how they want things to be interfere with rational thought. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Had my first plate last night with these poly spandex pants. They did hang up in my Force3 shins on occasion however the legs were plenty wide enough to pull up over my plate shoes and shins getting them on. The most important thing was how much cooler I felt. It was 109 at game time and our humdity is starting to get up a little bit. The combination of these pants over Nike Pro Combat Hyper Cool tights kept my legs the coolest part of my body. I could feel sweat everywhere except where I just had the tights and pants. I currently have about eight pairs of pants for plate and bases. I'll be moving to these going forward. Even if you don't work in such extreme conditions I think you'll appreciate these pants. Now we have to see how they handle laundering. Any one have suggestions for washing them? Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Only, 384 games in the past year? Not bad considering you spent the first three months whining about how no one was ever going to assign you[emoji2] We're lucky to have you here and it's been great to add such a good umpire and friend to our community. Just learn to stay on your side of the fence! Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

The only question or issue here is if F1 requested time prior to flipping the ball in the dugout. It looks like he turned to U3 just before the throw and U1 came out to check with U3 before making the call. The award is simple, two bases, TOT. The runners could have been directed right away and by all members of the crew. Since the BR has already been awarded 1st does it matter if he and the other runners have reached the next base for the purpose of the awards? Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

It can pass over the plate and be on the line before it gets beyond the plate. You have to consider the whole path of the pitch from the time it enters the plate area to when it exits. It's not a single point in time or a location. If someone where to ask me where a pitch was I'd have to describe it something like this; "it was running arm side, caught the inside corner at the knees and finished down and in". I is simplistic to say it's on the corner or on the batter's box line. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Because we are describing pitches as if they can't be both over the plate at one point and on the batter's box line as well. A pitch received on the batter's box line is not necessarily a ball, it depends on the path it took to get there. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

When? Pitches don't just move forward along the batter's box line. They move in or out, often across the plate and then into the space between the plate and the box. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

@MadMax makes a good point. How you look, how you conduct yourself and especially how much you hustle saves you a lot of grief. I wonder how often coaches and players are thinking when I'm umpiring... "well he screwed up that call but he's sure busting his A**!".

Funny, the other night I had a MSBL game as my first game back from the surgeries. I had a Manager I didn't know commenting on every call on the bases. In the 2nd he came out on a pickoff attempt and I refused to go to my partner on it. After the inning was over he started out to my position in short right to continue to argue the call. I just sent him back to the dugout and told him the play was over, he'd had his chance to ask questions and we were no longer talking about it. Of course, the next batter is out on a wacker at 1st and from the 3rd base coaches' box I hear, "well you know why you're out". Between Innings he's back in the dugout and saying loud enough for me to hear, "you have to have some character, where is your ethics, show some backbone". I walked to the dugout and warned him if he continued to question my impartiality, ethics or character he would no longer be a part of the contest. I was very direct and did not allow him to argue further. I told him he'd had his warning and walked away. (I wish I had not been so angry when I delivered the message but that's for me to work on.) In any case, we had no further problems with either side. I don't know what the last crew this team had was willing to put up with but I'm willing to bet the next crew that gets these guys will have an easier time of it. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Guys, take it easy. The coach will think we are unapproachable. What we are saying is that as described, we don't find any rule support for getting an out. I will say that if I am the HPU the offense team would be no closer than outside the batter's box on their dugout side. Also, your catcher would not have to go to their dugout because he would be instructed by name not to do so. I understand that a 12u Championship seems like a huge deal, but educating your kids about how to handle winning and losing is much more important. Good luck coach, enjoy the ride. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

"Coach, time is already out." The other thing I love is base coaches instructing their base runners to call time. "Coach, he can ask for time." Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Plenty of games available. I've had my assignors teaching out to me even though my arm is still in a sling. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

I drove through the Coachella Valley the other day on my way to the O.C. . It was hot as hell. Be smart, good luck. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Guys, I've been down with the shoulder surgery but it has been a scary dangerous situation for us here in the dessert southwest. I've tried to monitor a few guys like@MadMax who are working multiple games daily in some record tempatures. We have lots of showcase games, LL, men's league and collegiate summer league games to cover and many umpires have decided it's not worth the risk. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

In response to Jim's question. If a HS pitcher was on the rubber with the ball live and he went to his mouth as in the diagram, I have and would call a balk. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

As I described it in my first post it is not yet a balk or an illegal pitch. I've done this dozens of times. Between pitches I'm locked in on the ball which means I'm watching the pitcher all the time he has possession of the ball. If the ball is live and the pitcher is off the rubber and goes to his month, I'm looking for him to wipe right away. If he does not, I'll call time before he engages the rubber. He has not balked yet. The smart DHC will know why I've called time and why we are changing baseballs. Call time, approach the pitcher and quietly ask to see the baseball. While taking your time inspecting the ball, remind F1 that if he goes to his mouth he needs to wipe every time. I then exchange baseballs with my partner. If the ball is not live and the pitcher fails to wipe, I just have to hold things up before my partner puts the ball in play. I try and be as unobtrusive with this as possible. Most of the time, fans, coaches and players, (and sometimes my partners), don't know exactly what's going on. But the delay is short and a situation is avoided. Most of the time, depending on the level and our relationship with the DHC, I'll turn to their dugout and quietly or non-verbally let them know why I called time. Most good baseball guys are happy that we've avoided a penalty for what would have been a very technical violation and will reinforce the proper behavior they want from their pitcher. Some sharp OHCs will pick up on what happened and will also appreciate that my crew was vigilant and proactive. Sometimes they just want to know what is going on and a few times they've asked if going to the mouth is a balk. I just tell them, "not if he's not on the rubber". Or, "not if the ball is not live". Only one time that I can recall has a coach said; "so you called time before he balked". I can live with that. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

If F1 goes to his mouth and fails to wipe before he grabs the baseball or engages the rubber I'm calling time. We're changing baseballs and F1 and DHC are getting an explanation. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Thanks for this Gil, very thought provoking and useful learning. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Welcome Chris, no chance to stay cool here in AZ[emoji41] Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

Batted ball hits batter while he is in the batters box. The ball is dead right? Not foul? The proper verbage is "Time"! Not "foul"? Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

I've had the pleasure of listening to Jim Evans walk us through this move as we watched his video. It's one of the few times he talks about an OBR FED difference. What I saw was F1 disengage from the rubber by stepping to 3rd and I don't care what happened next. The only way I'd ever get this wrong is misappling the OBR rule and then being unwilling to admit it. Maybe I'd want my crew chief to come to me on this to give me a way out. Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk