Leaderboard

I'm glad you're making this a learning experience and are open to thoughts from others. I'll italicize your comments and give my thoughts below. Take it for what it's worth. 3. learn to use predetermined verbiage for warnings (i.e. "This is your verbal/written warning for ______. If you continue ______, then you will be restricted to bench/removed from this contest." I think this is far too long. A simple "This is your warning!" will suffice. If the coach is dense enough to not know why, then give a quick explanation ("arguing balls and strikes", "leaving the dugout"). I told both coaches up front I was going to call a bigger zone Nope. Never tell them what zone you're calling. If you're asked, you simply say "I call the zone by the book." If you want to call a bigger zone, call it - but be consistent. Once you tell someone you're expanding the zone, it's opening the door for snipes from the dugout. A couple batters hit and then another gets nailed, and I hear HC say "My Grandma could have got out of the way of that." I probably shouldn't have, but I quickly responded that "Well, your Grandma wasn't batting. Let's play ball." You know that's a bad comment, and you're not wrong. With a comment like that, I'd remove the mask, look at the coach, and say "That's enough!" This is especially true when he's in earshot of other participants in the game - and more when near the other team. You have to show that comments like this won't be accepted. The next comment about the box gets the "That's your warning!" and writing it down on your scorecard. I don't think it would have stopped everything else from happening, but it makes your ejection faster when it does happen. he wants to start pointing up where runners have crossed the plate in front of the box and try to say they were up there Boom. Gone. No more warnings. No more listening. I start to tell them that they can go too, when the scorekeeper reminds me to manage inside the fence. Go to the new HC and tell him to deal with them. Just like you manage inside the fence, he manages outside the fence. There's no reason for you to listen to them at all. I'm not 50 feet off the field when the HT HC comes walking back up There's one thing I say to an ejected coach that wants to talk after the game: "I'm not going to talk to you." Remember and write down everything he says and report it to the appropriate people in the league (JV game would be the state association/organization). Coaches know they aren't to approach you off the field, and this is definitely something you don't have to deal with, nevermind any explanations to him. One last comment: where's your partner in all of this? Once you eject the head coach, you shouldn't have to deal with him. Your partner should get him back to the dugout and make sure he's leaving the field. You should never have to approach him and tell him to leave.

so every a new piece of WHATEVER comes out, I send the link to SWMBO and remark something like, check this out, or Do you think it works? or What do you think? Well, apparently, SWMBO KEEPS A LIST that I was unaware of. I'm downstairs in the man cave this past Saturday night, watching some tv through half open eye lids and here she comes.......smart phone in hand. "So, what else do you need? I asked what in the world she was talking about. SWMBO says "I'm $6.43 away from getting free shipping!" yeah, no $#!t. She decided to get me a couple more pair of compression shorts, the UMPLIFE 8 hat cap carrier and several "other items". After several times of going through the "Honey, I don't need all of these things, I just wanted you to see them" (KNOWING that's she'll stick to her guns and have a reason for ordering everything). I added a pair of Easton sunglasses.............

You did.

Great question RB, but it should not be much of an issue. I say this because, when you are in your stance calling balls and strikes, your head should not be moving while tracking the pitch, especially in a downward direction. If you are set up correctly, you should be able to see everything you need to, without moving your head down. Now, if there is a situation that requires you to really look down for a ball in the dirt at or around your feet, then the mask should be coming off anyway as you clear the catcher, which is what your attention should be more focused on anyway. He will then take your eyes to the ball, if you are unsure where it is. Hope that makes sense.

A few years ago, my mentor (a former AAA umpire who did a couple MLB spring trainings) suggested a small change which has helped me immensely in this area, as well as improved my timing. Watch the ball until you know it's not errant or going to hit you. Once you know that, there's no real reason to watch/track it thru its full flight, so immediately switch to the fielder. By this time you should be in position and set - keep that camera steady. You'll be able to then read the fielder and see any pre-tag issues like obstruction before it blows up on you. If you see the fielder come off the bag or stretch out, it makes it much easier to take that read step or adjust as well.

I was taught very early on to not tell someone you were new.

NI!

It's strategic coaching, and I have done it. This is the risk you have with "no new inning after" rules. He figured he had a better chance of starting a fresh inning to score 3 runs with no outs. It's not a travesty, it's smart coaching. The other coach needs to be on the ball too - let the player score. As well, the OC may feel forced to do this because the DC, and the pitcher, are probably stretching things out a bit...making sure the game does go past that time limit. Time limit rules sometimes create these situations - time management is an appropriate and acceptable strategy in tournament play. Hard stop time limits lead to convenient mound visits too. There is a line though - I think you want to discourage intentional/accidental bad throws into CF from F2 to F1 after every pitch, as an example, if it's obvious they're trying to push the game past the limit. But getting out on purpose, or, as a response, letting that runner score, are fine with me. (as a coach I would have just told R3 to run to the dugout) A coach's job is to understand the time limit rules for that tournament, and apply strategy and tactics accordingly, if necessary. This, IMO, was a savvy move. War Story Alert: Tournament rules - there is a five run per inning mercy rule, except for the final inning. If the umpire declares "last inning" before the inning starts, then there's no mercy rule. If he doesn't, and the inning goes longer than expected, and time runs out, the mercy rule stays in place. Top of 5th, we're down by two with probably 40 minutes to go...away team puts up their five run limit, and inning takes a long time. When we come up there's under ten minutes...we can only score five runs, meaning we can't catch them, and it will take longer than ten minutes to score five runs, meaning the game will be over. Risking even trying to put one or two runs across is problematic. So, I have my three batters swing at every pitch...ideally, if they put it in play then just run back to the dugout...otherwise, three bad whiffs and they're out. Even that took five minutes. So, we start the sixth, with no run limit. Shut down the visitor. Scored six runs in the bottom, and had bases loaded when the final out occurred. Sure, we still lost, but it was our only chance to win, and it was really fun making it a game (except for talking that last batter off the ledge after the game - but she went on to play university ball, so she bounced back)

We recently saw the post about a catcher getting hit in the throat, and leaving in an ambulance. Trust me, I wish nothing bad on my fellow arbiters, but don't you think it's better than laying in the hospital thinking "clack - clack" to your self over and over?

I think that anytime the game is played under time limit restrictions we must accept that it will spawn uncommon situations like the one described in the OP. All involved (including the officials) have accepted the playing terms and must accept the result. I don't see it as a travesty. What if the runner stayed at third and then the OC requested time to make have a mound visit / defensive conference to eat up the remainder of the clock? Good strategy or travesty?

I don't disagree with @blue32, but I will say that I don't remove my mask around the catcher until his mask is removed and on the ground. I also tend to drop my head on a ball obviously in the dirt to lessen that gap between CP and mask. I can do that and still keep my eyes focused on the batter to see if he swings.

Incorrect under OBR. The runner must touch the *next base beyond where he is at the time the ball goes out of play" to negate any ability to return.

Surely this is not the first time this has happened, but first time I have seen it. I was the umpire for this play! Kevin did a great job of describing the play. Good to get confirmation on the original call. This was Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken which is modified OBR. Now let's talk about the final part. In my conversation with the defensive coach he wanted an immediate out for not tagging up. I told him that the award was home, but if he thinks there was a violation he has ways to address this. He then asked if he can appeal, I said he could. This was coach pitch so before play resumed the pitcher did not have the ball. Since he had indicated to me earlier he wanted to appeal, this is when I "asked" him if he wanted to do that. He said yes so I had the coach give the ball to the player for the appeal. I honestly don't know how coach pitch leagues/tourneys handle appeals. I am thinking we should re-write our house rules to be dead ball appeals (even with OBR rules) at this level otherwise appeals are goofy with a coach pitcher Happy to get feedback on if my conversation with the defensive coach was correct.

Assuming the game was played under OBR AND that the runner went back to first before touching third (I am reading the play as "the runner had not reached third at the time the ball wnet out of play.") I agree that this is likely since the umpire did not (seem to) accept the verbal appeal. If the game was played under FED, then the runner cannot legally retouch first and is still subject to being out on appeal. And, while I agree that " The umpire should not "ask" if the defense wants to appeal. " I think it is acceptable to ask "are you appealing?" or to say "f you are appealing, you need to do so in a proper manner."

In the future, try to get the written warning in and restrict. Then if he keeps it up, pitch him. I would also put in your report that he returned and continued the argument after the game was over. Sounds like he has a pattern of behavior and it is time to start putting it on paper so others can see it as well. As for the scorekeeper... Others can correct me if I am wrong but isn't the score keeper considered game personnel? If they are the scorekeeper, they can't be a fan and if they need to go as well, send them.

Hmmm ...... I used an FM4000 all last season w/ a 6" All Star TG and never had a problem .... maybe post a photo of your rig and set up?

@MadMax... Are you presuming that U1 did not already make an attempt to fix it? When I was U1, know I have told F1 to fix it told F3 to tell F1 to fix it told F1 and when DHC asked what I said, I told him too And F1 still went back to the hybrid. At least three times they did it with R3 for a balk. Should I not call it? If the ball is live and F1 chooses to engage the rubber and start his motion using an illegal position it's my responsibility to correct him? How much should I do to keep F1 from stepping on his own d&%k? Suppose the ball is live and F1 engages the rubber in a hybrid with R3. If I suggest that F1 fix his positioning, am I giving his team an edge? Am I taking away from the offense because F1 is breaking the rules? How do you think the OHC will react when he realizes I just gave his opponents a break? So many times I read hear that we enforce the rules and that we are not coaches. I respectfully disagree that we should fix it before an illegal pitch or balk is committed by a recalcitrant F1. It seem that once those who ignore my warnings are actually called on it, they finally make the adjustment.

No substitutions should be allowed that will change the batting order. Defensive positions, sure. But the batting order is locked.

You can avoid the fielders in more cases by moving back. And, you'll have plenty of time to make it to the working area if the ball is put in play. At least in pro ball, you won't be giving up on too many pick-off angles by moving back (that *might* be different in youth ball where there are more pick-off attempts in these types of situations).

I agree with much of what you said, but keep in mind that the pitcher engages the rubber most of the time when the ball is still live. It is, however, perfectly reasonable to inform the pitcher that he must be in a legal stance before putting the ball into play.

What is the purpose of Evans telling U1 to back up to the cutout with infielders playing in, and then come back in to the working area? AFAIK, being in a normal B or C position would be enough to avoid interfering with the infielders in most cases.

$10 fitty and it's yours.

Except at the highest, especially if you own your own line.

The higher the levels you work, the less you want to look like a pioneer. Take that for whatever it's worth.

This is the new CYA world. Somewhere some umpire decided to call a game without a mask, took a foul ball to the face, and when he tried to claim his expenses was denied because he wasn't wearing a mask and he said "I didn't know I was supposed to wear a mask - nobody told me that."

Mine were in my mailbox today. Now I need to figure out which masks to try them on. #firstworldproblems

It's clear what @Mudisfun was saying. Some mechanics suggest the BU move back when the infield is playing in. Why quibble about what that ump is called. LL also calls the PU U1 and the BU U2 in 2 man. The quote from Evans makes it clear though: ""If the infield is playing in near the edge of the grass for a possible play at the plate, it will be necessary for the base umpire to move back toward the cut-out at second and adjust forward toward the working area when the ball is hit." The Evans manual has been touted as one of the best for 2 man. If and when you acquire it will you take his advice with the infielders playing in?

Masks are masks are masks. Umpire, catcher, makes no difference. The ONLY time you'll see a manufacturer specify that a mask is either catcher or umpire is based on the harness that is used, period. Do YOUR own thing. If this mask above floats your boat and it matches or looks cool w/ your uniform/jersey, then ROCK IT proud!

Our position on the field is based on the probability of where the next play is or the best coverage will be. When the bases are loaded and the infield is in, I go to a deep B position, same position as U3 would use in three man with R1 only. This spot gets you out of the way. It puts you in a great position to see all infield action. It allows you to easily adjust for the next play at first on the BR after they throw the ball home to get R3. This is an "advanced" mechanic and I wouldn't recommend it to newer umpires.

Our initial position in the infield (read: in B or C) is vitally important. A good guideline is to stay in your normal position until asked to move. With that said, if F4/6 is basically in my back pocket, I'd take a step or maybe two to the right or left as I see fit. However, you want to stay as close to your normal position as possible. I greatly dislike the idea of taking six steps backwards to get behind the infielders. Now you're wayyyyy out of position, as you said, and you're going to have your work cut out for you trying to get back into the working area or gain any distance towards first base. This logic is flawed. With the infielders playing their normal position you're in front of them, so if the ball hits you it's dead. Does that mean we set up in the outfield with the infield playing back? Of course not! So why should we put ourselves out of position just because the infield in playing in? We shouldn't.