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I was in the Navy for 20 years and never saw a single ball cap with a crease. I like to crease my umpire hats and it has nothing to do with my Navy service. Just think it looks sharp. And I don't shine any of my shoes. Maybe the soles on the plate shoes. I like white on my base shoes. I saw a comment on this site by somebody claiming that military personnel only like all black shoes. Not true. You do you.

Yeah, I think the crease looks ridiculous. Military tie to it, right? Well this isn’t the military. I’m not in the military, either. This is a baseball field. It’ll be clean, but it’ll be worn like a hat, not like…someone who doesn’t know how to wear a hat.

Sounds to me as if you have umpires who work softball as their primary. An illegal pitch presents the offense with an option of the penalty or the play.

Laz Diaz would have given it back. "Catch the f@#king ball! Ya' f@#cking clumsy, uncoordinated f@#cker!"

Because they are not in Toronto, Arizona, Seattle, Houston, Milwaukee, Miami, or Texas? (Or Tampa Bay on some days.)

Oh, Crease . . . No. Heck no. What are you doing next, flat brim and leaving the tags on it? Yes, I have worked with two different umpires who left the tags/stickers on their hats. 🤯

The Gerry Davis patent leather plate shoes were the bomb. Gashed easy though.

maybe this started it, or they are going back to the red coat days when AL used it a lot. https://larrybrownsports.com/baseball/umpire-joe-west-hit-throw-stolen-base/468407

I'm considering a crease.

Added some notes in your text but as regards this: "I keep hearing umpires say , yes its live here, and we offense chooses. I have had umpires stop me from calling time and taking care of the situation saying "they get to choose". but I do not see there is any scenerio ... where there is a choice? please correct me if im wrong." There is an esoteric scenario regarding the doctoring the ball penalty where you can find the word "choice". Otherwise there is no choice in the OBR/NCAA balk rule. There are guys who dress as umpires who find it hard to understand what you understand correctly and revert to using "coach choice."

I have always brought up this with umpires and coaches pre game as sometimes tournament level games go with live balks (or delayed balk) , aka official baseball rule balk. This is always true ncaa and higher, but could vary under this level. I keep hearing umpires say , yes its live here, and we offense chooses. I have had umpires stop me from calling time and taking care of the situation saying "they get to choose". but I do not see there is any scenerio ... where there is a choice? please correct me if im wrong. The general rule is , did the runner(s) get a base or more. Did the batter (if applicable) get his base. Thats it. So theses are the things that make people uncertain and i guess why its dead in high school. Please correct me if im wrong on any of these. BALK occurs: 1) force situation (man on 1st or 1st and 2nd or loaded). 3 balls on the batter: balk is disregarded, PITCH COUNTS, batter walks, runners move a base. 2) batter hit by pitch. I first though if it was not a force and there was a runner on 2nd, he has to go to third and the batter stays in the box. a. man on 1st (or 1st and 2nd or loaded), batter hit by pitch, Pitch counts, batter gets based , runners move. b. runner on 2nd alone or 3rd or 2nd and 3rd. Does he stay and runners move , or gets the base c. 1st and 3rd. does he stay and runners move, or do we have bases loaded and man on 1st goes to 2nd since forced. 3) any other scenerio where the batter gets a hit, as long as the runner , moved one base on the hit (or more) we are good. 4) The only other things i can think of is if the runner tried for more then he is allowed and is tagged out. That would stand? Thanks everyone

Do we know why MLB U2s go outside?

I think LL has U2 outside for different reasons than MLB umps who choose outside and that location is closer. I'm not sure of those reasons.

I'll echo the sentiment: I'm not MLB, NCAA, or even HS currently. No breakfasts but have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express multiple times... The question I have is: what is there to learn from this play? I have experience (inequivalent level, minor difficulty, barely the same, but experience nonetheless) with outside U2 in a 4 umpire crew since the last few years I've been doing 15-20 4 umpire games a year (and work with folks doing 30-50+ a year during that time period). I only did 4 U2s this year (including my final game of the season last week) since others needed the U2 reps for their upcoming assignments. The thing that struck me about this play was that U2 was inside F6 and F4. Our manual pushes us hard to get close to the bag and fielders but never closer to the plate than they are. With infielders wide, I'll get as little as a foot behind them (but still outside a 10 foot circle centered on them). It's precarious and you've got to be on your toes.

And I want it to be clear... I'm a D3 nobody who is mediocre at best, so I don't proclaim to be an expert at anything. However, I'm smart enough to know that there are people who are much better and smarter than me who I should listen to. I discussed this situation over breakfast with a current MLB umpire (humble brag) last week. My previous comment is exactly what he told me. There are often times where a situation occurs for the players that they are going to be SOL even though they did everything they were supposed to do. An example is the video of the squeeze play where the bunt goes straight down, the runner slides, and hinders the catcher fielding the batted ball... Stuff happens. The best umpires in the world work 2nd base roughly 30 times a year... No one at the amateur level is working that position that many times in a season. I have worked 2nd base in the 4 umpire system exactly 4 times... ever. The MLB umpires get reps there and still struggle with the mechanics of working outside. We work inside because we have the reps of working inside at 2nd base within every other system we work. It is truly baffling to me how many mechanics "experts" come out of the woodwork when these types of plays happen. Especially when those experts have ZERO experience actually working the system that they are pontificating on. Those are likely the same people who make statements at camps instead of asking questions.

Correct fro both baseball and softball LL is 4" off plate for 12U and below, 6" for older ages. (that means different boxes for a 60' field if older vs younger softball). Yep. And that they are narrower as well.

Crease! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Little League has its own batter's box dimensions. I don't call LL, but I've spoken to dozens who do, and too many "coaches" and admins think there is no difference between LL and every other brand of big boy baseball. These are the same coaches and admins who don't know that fast pitch girls' softball has a longer box on the front end.

I've never seen an artificial turf field with bad lines anywhere.

And I'm not doubting you, Velho, but to all ... make sure if you are accusing, you are measuring from the white edge of the plate (not the black) to the edge of the batter's box line ... should be precisely 6". I, too, have seen batter's boxes as close to 3" from the white edge in a Varsity game. The young coach's retort was, "It can't be wrong ... we use a template to draw our lines." So sad ...

Like the turf at a local school that has the boxes at 4" 😳

Ok, let's get serious then... Cap crease or no crease?

Precisely! Among other brands, I do high school, and my Assignor has always told us that we "must go by the lines." Hogwash. Even Varsity High School fields are mismarked, especially batter's boxes, and we are not to be held hostage to them.

If I'm the PU I wipe out inside, front or back if they are not right.

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