Old Skool

TN in my area plays the JV’s at 5 innings or 1:15 drop dead followed by V game to start 30 mins after. Only pays $30 for the JV time frame then $90 for the V. One school in my area plays 2hour JV games w/full $90 V rate. These guidelines set by TSSAA. I had a 65 minute 2-1 final in 5 yday with both P’s dealing. Hardly ever get those but this was actually 2nd one that quick this season.

Did 95 games (49 HS & 46 college) from 2/4 to 5/21 this season after retiring from my teaching career @ end of 2021-22 school year & despite moving to 2 new HS associations in TN & MS in my chosen new home area, My college ball affiliations did not change. I confirmed what my 1st assigner told me once before: "Sometimes your best ability is your availability". How true! I had swore off doing summer games anymore in my part of W.TN but when PG facility in our area started throwing around $110 for HS aged games I had to jump on a few. Have done 15 so far. Big 4-day, 10 game weekend coming up then it's time to call it a year & start enjoying the fruits of a very busy season

@The Man in Blue PM Sent

TN HS Varsity $85 & reportedly going up next year to $90 or $95. If JV plays before with a drop dead time of 1:15 & the Varsity game starts within 30 minutes it's an extra $30 so you make $115 for the evening. Most schools in my area of the state play the shorter JV games. A few school's around me play a full JV & a full V game & in that case it's $170 for the doubleheader. Next year it is my understanding the JV reduced rate for 1:15 games will go away. The new pay scales for HS baseball haven't been shared yet so just going off what our assigner has told us is coming. In nearby Mississippi it's $95 for the Varsity game with the JV set at $40 for the 1:15 JV contest so your making $135 for the doubleheader. In the Memphis area this summer it has been communicated to umpires that the Perfect Game tournaments at USA Stadium in Millington, TN will be paying $110 per game with 2 hour time limits on 14U - 18U. A competing organization called Diamond Dynasty Sports (2D Sports) from LA that hosts tournaments in the Memphis area every weekend all summer will either be paying $110 or $115 to compete with PG for what is becoming a dwindling # of umpires willing to endure the ridiculous summer heat & humidity. Not sure how the younger ages, 13U & down are paying but the huge Snowden Grove complex in Southaven, MS has switched from USSSA to a PG affiliation & has always paid umps pretty well. I remember the 13U & 14U ages paid what some of you have mentioned on here yo were getting for HS Varsity games.

Mississippi HS sent out notice yesterday that they would be switching to a program called Dragonfly. Anyone had any experience on that platform? Today officials are to receive a link to go in & register as an official. The excerpt below is from the email. "The National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) has partnered with DragonFly to create the Center for Official Services (COS); a digital officiating platform for registration, assessments, assignments and payments. MHSAA is also a part of this partnership. We look forward to this new technology for the betterment of our total program for officials."

So far Lentz & De Jesus. The next three already know but looks like maybe MLB releasing names one per day. Idk maybe so each gets their moment in the limelight as a new hire.

Another great transaction with @acpar72 with acquisition of an awesome Diamond w/Belgrade pads. Also had a few summer transactions w/Aaron that were smooth & I was very pleased with mask pad sets I bought.

I was once taught by my original assigner that giving an emphatic chainsaw or punch out on a swinging strike three that was caught was considered at some levels to be showing up a hitter thus a soft hammer indicating an out was all that was needed. Interestingly, years later my son was told the same comment at the PBUC school when he went.

Same guy. Word on ball fields in W. TN is that he has left Haywood County & has accepted a coaching position at Adamsville HS in McNairy County, TN. So Haywood gets 2 year postseason ban & the coach sits two games at his new school next season.

PM sent

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PM sent.

I have a charcoal gray one I'd part with if your interested. It is not silver one you originally wanted though. PM me if you interested & I can text you pics of it.

I've noticed the same kind of fading on my pairs that are in their 2nd summer of calling ball as much as you do. They are faded exactly as you described. I'm foregoing replacing them as of now until we see which manufacturer besides Smitty will be offering similar material in an alternate brand. Mine have close to 200 games on them as well & are not stored in a car where they would be subject to fading during transport.

I'm thinking of ordering then sending the mask frame to Tony @ mask-it in order to paint it sky blue. Then I can put black pads in the blue powder coated frame & the 2-tone pads in a black frame or a Wilson Ti.

I recently carried one of my own mask w/me to Academy & tried it with the Wilson Matte Black skull cap they sell. This was the one w/several ventilation slots. I didn't like how far away from my eyes the thickness of the mask pushed out the eye guard bars. Made the whole setup seem like it had poorer vision. Of course I was standing in a retail store & not looking at pitches. The standard skull cap seems to have a bill on it equivalent to an 8-stitch cap as well. I wonder if the one being provided to MLB guys has been modified to address the bill length & additional thickness at forehead vs the regular 4-stitch plate hat or 6-stitch combo hat.

My perspective is I am not willing to spend a season (or two) of game fee earnings just so 3 or 4 batters can stand on deck. There are two many ambulance chasing lawyers in a constant barage of TV & radio advertising making it too easy for parents to call before they even get to the hospital. I was always taught that the only one's allowed on-deck swinging bats when warm-ups are occurring is the batter & the on-deck batter. This is supported in the rules as mentioned earlier. Why would anyone want to incur the liability when a kid gets knocked out because he is the 4th-5th or 6th kid out on deck? I work too hard for my game fees to lose in a judgement. If you want the liability then let more than two out there. Another issue is allowing batters to go to the opponent's on-deck warm-up area just because they are right or left handed & want to warm up on the side they will be batting. This is prohibited as well.

I just heard a story of a very veteran HS coach in our area being upset that one of our 5th year umps was discussing a situation with him & he got mad about the BU calling him by first name apparently. Later commented to his partner when passing the plate that the "kid" hadn't been around long enough to use his first name. Apparently this coach didn't feel the kid had earned his "street credit" yet as the HS kids at my school say sometimes.

They are wearing them in MiLB as well as in MLB. In MiLB the crew chief decides between the polywools or the new poly-sp[andex. I know MLB has provided the poly-spandex to the two guys I know in MLB but I haven't heard if it was to all crews in MLB or if it's experimental stages on a crew-by-crew basis.

Briefs, jock & then compression tights or shorts over that.

We had this discussion at our local HS association meeting recently. If it's the end of any 1/2 inning except the end-of-game situation the appeal must be made before the pitcher & ALL infielders have left fair territory (NFHS 8-2-Penalty, Pg48.) So, If the 1st baseman has already made it to the dugout, no appeal allowed. If It's an End of Game (NFHS 8-2-6j, Pg49) the appeal must be made while an umpire is still on the field of play. Additionally the NFHS Case Book gives us (8.2.2 Sit.J, pg. 70) an example of an umpire who has stopped for a drink of water at the dugout and appeal is made on winning run missing 3rd base, so as @maven said, "depart with due celerity". In that scenario you can imagine the teams are already lining up to shake hands.

PM Sent Y'day. Let me know

I own the original as well w/ @MadMax mods. I followed his instruction & my current one has a System 7 harness. Like Max I also will not hesitate to wear it at any level & it has proven itself to me in some straight on hard shot scenarios. I have a Razzer harness just waitin to be used. I plan to buy a new model & pass this one on to a young buck 18yr old who has joined our local HS association. Look forward to your pics @The1yankee

I'll be interested to see which model you get from Hibbett's. @The1yankee can't wait for your report or someone to report on what they actually received. Pic on website is the new model but it says Schutt not Adams as other pics in previous posts display. The product description describes T-hooks & The terrible harness system that they trashed. The price point makes me wonder if this is a retailer who is unloading old stock or the new model. Keep us updated. I'm going to pick up one from Hibbett's if the product is indeed the new model design.

@Thunderheads Please lock this up. Item sold.