Had a bad day.....

[Cajuncubsfan]

Well this weekend I was invited to umpire in a local High School tournament hosted by a local College "Centenary College". They scheduled me for 2 games on Friday and 3 games Saturday. I was very excited. These teams come from all over to play. There are all hand picked teams from Shreveport/Bossier LA, Minden LA, Rustin LA, New Orleans LA, Texarkana TX, Atlanta TX, Carthage TX, Dallas TX and those are just the teams I umpired. It was the highest level of ball I have ever called and I Sucked!!!

Well here is the story, Friday's two games were good and we really didn't have any trouble. The one thing that did happen in the first game was that I got hit by a line drive in the Toe. I thought it was broken for about an hour. Thank God it was not, after that I moved about two steps back in B & C posstion.

On Sat. I had 3 games back to back. I was working with a senior umpire from my local LHSOA group. I asked him "So who will be working the two plates?" he tells me "U are, which once do you want?" I'm thinking "Great!!!", so I take the first two games because there at 10am and 12:30pm. The third game I had the field at 3pm. I missed a few pitches but my zone was good I think. The coaches and players didn't have much of a problem with that. My trouble came in the second game, in about the 4th inning I was getting really tired. It was 90-95 deg, very humide, very little wind and that was a very long time to be behind the plate in that heat. The big screw up on my part did not end up changing the out come of the game but it was a blown call. Here is what happened, runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out. It's a very close game 3-1 in the 5th. The team with 3 runs is on base. Squeeze play at home, the catcher blocks up a fast ball in the dirt, it rolls infront of home and he picks it up and swipes at the sliding runner. Well I wasn't thinking and stepped in to an exstended 1B line. When I should have been in an exstended 3B line.... Well I pump him out!!!! Well the 3rd base coach and everyone jumps up my a$$ right away. We get back to the plate and the catcher tells me "I never touched him Scott", I go and talk to my partner and he says "I couldn't see and asked me if I was feeling ok." I said "Hell now, it's hot as hell and I just blew a call because I was not where i needed to be and I couldn't see." after that everyone was up my a$$ about everything. It was aweful. I started questioning everything I was doing. To top it off we went in to extra innings!!!! We lived and I couldn't wait to get off the field!!!

In the last game of the day. I was whipped, it was so nice to get that gear off!!! There was a close plate at second and I did not wait like I normally would and made a bad call. The Carthage coach comes marching out and says "I don't even know what to say right now Scott! That was the worst call I have seen all day!!!" I say, he got under the tag coach" he walks off and says "The worst call!". I wanted to tell him it was the second worst call I had seen all day. But I didn't, I knew I had jumped the gun and called him safe when I should have paused. I saw him in the parking lot after the game an when I walked by he said good game and shook my hand. I told him "For the record that was the second worst call I had seen all day!!" he LOL :-) and invited me to his tournament on July 6-7. He said "I need 4 good guys, can you get them together and bring them down?!". He said he knew I was tired but he had to come say something to me. I told him I missed it but in that posstion I could t over rule myself, He understood. Over all I'm Sunburned, sour and I have a Adult wood bat game in 2 hours so I better rest up and hope my partner wants the plate. ;-)

When I get done with my game tonight LSU will be on!!! Geaux Tigers!!!

[Replacematt]

And what did we learn? Hopefully, that too many games in a short time (especially combined with heat) have physical effects that lead to mental errors.

[love2ump]

Thats why i dont do multiple games like that, i wont do more than 3 and only if 2 are bases. I want quality over quantity.

[Cajuncubsfan]

And what did we learn? Hopefully, that too many games in a short time (especially combined with heat) have physical effects that lead to mental errors.

Yep yep, that will not happen again!!!

[Cajuncubsfan]

Thats why i dont do multiple games like that, i wont do more than 3 and only if 2 are bases. I want quality over quantity.

A'men!!!!

Funny thing, I was standing outside of one of the dugouts in the shade during the third game because I had the field. One of the kids was talking to the catcher and said "I'm glade we don't have that last plate umpire that was out there." the catcher told him "Thats the same umpire we had this morning. He's not bad, it's £@€$ing hot out here and he was back there for two games. He was tired man!!!" they had been watching the last half of the game I had so much trouble in. It made me feel good that someone understood and had my back. LOL :-)

When I was in the field the first baseman told me I was the first umpire he had ever seen watch the runner as he rounded first and run to the infield on a fly ball. I told him "That was a lesson learned two years ago, I watch to see him hit the bag and that y'all don't run into each other." he thanked me and told me he couldn't count how many times a runner missed the bag and no one sees it. I thought that was nice....

[semper_fi_72]

My Major question?

What was your water consumption on Thursday, Friday and Saturday?

We don't get the humidity out here like you but we sure get the heat.

I am thinking if you felt the heat cause you problems to mentally focus, then you were Dehydrated and didn't drink enough water, before and during the games.

On hot days I can pound a bottle of water down every inning to inning and half.

We also all miss calls.

We are not perfect.

Learn from them and move on.

Do not beat yourself up over them.

[umpcoachfather]

We get destroyed by humidity - the majority of americans are dehydrated normally. Drink plenty of water all the time - "no sports drinks" and make sure you eat. if you dont have to pee you have not been drinking enough. Pee before the game. Then pound water. Plus - the more water you drink the less you will retain, so most of us will drop between 5-10 pounds of water weight if you drink enough. My son had a soccer game yesterday it was 8000 degrees and 500% humidity - he was fine because I had him drinking water all night and all morning. Most others crashed. Do not eat too much fruit, have 1-2 bananas at least an hour before the game and thats it. eat steel cut oats for breakfast and lunch on game days, dont buy the instint crud. If you really want energy and stamina - Lifeway makes a probiotic called Kefir. if you're lactose intolerant no worries, I drink 1-2 ounces every morning and you will feel fantastic all day, and your insides will love you for it. After 2 weeks I bet you will come back on here and be screaming about your energy. Eat whole grains, no processed crap and drink water. Thus endith the sermon. anyone who is interseted in nutrition please look up "macrobiotics" and the Kushi institute. Those of you with cancer or know someone who has can benefit from that diet.

[Cajuncubsfan]

My Major question?

What was your water consumption on Thursday, Friday and Saturday?

We don't get the humidity out here like you but we sure get the heat.

I am thinking if you felt the heat cause you problems to mentally focus, then you were Dehydrated and didn't drink enough water, before and during the games.

On hot days I can pound a bottle of water down every inning to inning and half.

We also all miss calls.

We are not perfect.

Learn from them and move on.

Do not beat yourself up over them.

Friday I probably had 1gal of water

Saturday I know I had 2.5gals + 1 gatorade. I had Gatorage pouder in my water and I had 2 pickles in between the games. I think I was ok on water.

[Thunderheads]

I think the problem is the fact that you did back to back plate games! That's bull$hit! Back to back plates in 75 degrees with zero humidity can be tiring ...that's a lot of pitches! But, in that heat and humidity, it's a recipe for disaster!

[Cajuncubsfan]

I think the problem is the fact that you did back to back plate games! That's bull$hit! Back to back plates in 75 degrees with zero humidity can be tiring ...that's a lot of pitches! But, in that heat and humidity, it's a recipe for disaster!

You know what, over all I don't think I did bad. My zone got a little fuzzy, I missed that one call, my partner said I stopped putting the ball back in play and I was moving slower but over all I think I did ok considering. ;-) I was fair, I called it bad both ways!!! LOL :-)

[Jocko]

It's not uncommon to do multiple plates in a tournnament. I usually like to limit it to 2 backtoback, but if I'm still feeling good after 2, I may take another. 3 is my max. It all depends on the level of ball, the weather, and how my ankle (3 surgeries, 2 plates, 6 screws) feels.

[renegadewolf]

Another factor I find plays pretty hard is how much sleep you get. I find doing some late night games followed by earlier games the next day regardless of temperatures, humidity etc I don't have neough recoup time and I pay the price on the diamond. My normal sleep schedule got messed up this week (i work midnights continental) and i didn't get to bed early enough in the day because my car died and i had to get it to the shop and whatnot, so there is less sleep therem plus i had to get up earlier than usual to meet with my daughter, following that was the game. Fortunately i was doing a house league 16-18y/o game it's still early enough in the season no one really made mention but the outside of my zone was very ragged. went home had a ton of sleep woke up feeling good called a mens league game behind the plate tonight and I think I called one of the better games I have ever called (minus the "strike one! er strike two..... sorry.... damnit..."

[Thunderheads]

It's not uncommon to do multiple plates in a tournnament. I usually like to limit it to 2 backtoback, but if I'm still feeling good after 2, I may take another. 3 is my max. It all depends on the level of ball, the weather, and how my ankle (3 surgeries, 2 plates, 6 screws) feels.

Understood, but only if you're in a 'mercy' situation, and have one of the games go short, like, a 5 inning mercy game that's finished in an hour ....then I think back to backs are ok! ;)

[Welpe]

We get destroyed by humidity - the majority of americans are dehydrated normally. Drink plenty of water all the time - "no sports drinks"

I strongly disagree with the "no sports drinks" statement during periods of heavy physical activity and sweating. Sweating causes your body to lose salt and replacing with just water can cause an imbalance. It is critical to replace lost electrolytes. Diluted Gatorade will work but I prefer Powerade Zero for this. I drink it at a ratio of roughly one bottle to two or three bottles of water when officating in high heat.

Also, a good potassium replacement for bananas is coconut water which doesn't taste too bad.

[mstaylor]

So what do you suggest for someone like myself that can't drink sports drinks. If I drink the throw away cooler cups I get queasy. If I drink a full Gatorade or equivalent then I am full stage stomach cramps for hours. I drink water only at all times.

[scrounge]

Unless you're doing intense activities for over an hour (continuous, intense exercise) or are an elite athlete, there really isn't much benefit for sports drinks over plain old water.

[JaxRolo]

What it comes down to is to drink.

If it makes you feel better to drink power aid and water do it! Just don't go out there and don't drink.

[umpcoachfather]

The amounts on salts and sugars in sports drinks will cause you to always be thirsty - don't forget what else was said - EAT. The more salt you eat, the more sugar you want, the more sugar you eat the more salt you want. If you run a marathon, you should enhance water. Umpires don't need to.

Check the color of your urine - barring medical conditions clear usually means your hydrated, the darker the color the more dehydrated you tend to be. People who are hospitalized for dehydration have dark brown urine in worse cases. Bananas, Salt free blanched nuts, and whole grains are super duper fantastic pregame. when proper hydration becomes part of your daily routine and is enhanced during times of physical activity you will feel a large difference. Just like a pool you want your PH to be around 7.35 to 7.45 for optimal performance, most sports drinks use refined sugars and salts which can cause your PH to act like a woman going through menapause. Thus endith the sermon. please see your health professional prior to starting a diet or otherwise changing your eating and or excersize habits. My comments are based on my research alone.

we are one of the largest consumers of dairy products in the world, with the highest amount of people with osteoperosis, this is due to the consumption of refined foods, salt and sugar, which is stripped of the needed nutrients that allow calcium to build in the body, when the body runs out it leaches it from the bones.

[ukce1861]

I'm a firm believer in drinking gatorade (or its equivalent). Last summer when I started doing a lot of weekend tournaments, I was only drinking water (before games, during and after). While I was hydrated, I started cramping (calves and legs) and just felt beat. Since then, I've added a gatorade in between games and I notice I do much better. During the game, it's nothing but water (usually two bottles), but in between I always drink a gatorade.

[KLAH316]

Since we are talking about hydration here, and I am in the Phoenix area.....

http://umpire-empire.com/index.php/topic/34779-hs-summer-ball-1-man/#entry108937

I drink a few bottles of water during the day while at my real job, everyday. Another one at home as I was getting ready. A Vitamin Water in the truck while driving to the field. Then, 3 bottles of water and 3/4 of a 32oz gatorade during the game. Another bottle of water on the way home, and for those who care, I had to pi$$ like a racehorse by the time the game ended!! (Clear pee too)

Just a regular day out here in the HOT Southwest!!!

[Jocko]

I drink a bottle of water per inning whether I'm thirsty or not. Some each half inning. Occasionally I will throw a small gatorade in for flavor, but primarily water. I eat tons of fruit. Watermelon is filling and hydrating. Apples are a great snack and bananas to stave of cramps. When I get worried about possible cramps, a cup of pickle juice hits the spot.

[umpcoachfather]

Pickle Juice and pickles for that matter are good for you, great digestive aide. know your body too much fruit and you can get a sugar dump and crash hard.