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To the credit of MLB, umpires are now getting the benefit of working call-up games before becoming a full-time MLU. I'm sure many of you remember the days when a newly hired MLU would go straight from AAA to the ML.

Interesting fact as a follow up. I remember this quite well as Guccione and Drake were up at the MLB level almost every day for years before being hired. Part of it was no openings and the agreement that gave Hallion, Hickox, and Davidson their jobs back. Guccione worked over 1,200 games as a call up and I believe when he was hired he only got 3 years of service time or something like that. https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/chris-guccione/

the big thing, just to help him out. if he can get to the total games worked as a call up, break point, whatever the CBA says that is, and he gets hired full time next year, and has accumulated enough total games worked to get 2 years of call up credit added as full time credit, that would mean he would start as a 3rd year full timer next year for career purposes, which would basically mean he made full time MLBU in his career path at the start of his 7th year, or basically after 6 years as a full time MiLB umpire. just like getting a Masters degree with 4 years of undergrad work and then 2 years of going to school for at least a Master's degree added on for 6 total years of school, before going into the work force full time. He probably needs to work all of August and September to maybe make that break point what ever it is. He has 19 plate assignments so far this year, so don't know if 135 total games by chance this year and 66 last year will get him there. Visconti was MiLB for 10 years from 2010 to 2019 before being hired in 2020, and with his 250 games at the MiLB call up level in 2018, 2019, that got him 2 years of MLB credit or like making the big leagues at the start his 9th year (ie 2018). Dan Bellino on the other hand went full time in 2011 with 144 games of call up credit which only got him 1 year of MLB credit since he now has 16 years of credit at the start the 2026 season. and there may be cases of giving 1/2 year of credit somewhere in there. see what happens next year. Morales and another umpire went call up in their 6th year after 5 years of MiLB, but had to work 3 years as call ups before Full Time Status and the maximum credit is 2 years of full time credit, even after you reach and surpass the total games needed for that 2 years. and this may or may not have been changed with the new CBA reached in Dec. 2024 and probably signed in early 2025 for the start of the 2025 season.

I predict Krupa, Wilson, and Traynor they are high on and leapfrog some with more games. Don’t think Krupa and Wilson get hired this offseason but I think Traynor does.

Let's say your mis view was correct. Do we care if the ball might have gone fair? The B-R interfered with a fielder trying to field a batted ball and touched it to make it foul. I can't find an exception to not call the B-R out.

… unless the batted ball was already foul (or, in foul territory). It looks like the ball had already bounded, and was in its descent definitely foul of the line. And, with how heavy that grass is, it likely would never have gone back fair. EDIT: Now that I’m able to see this on a larger (than a postage stamp) view, and slow it down, she (Batter) popped it up. Thus, it is INT like @noumpere concluded.

This being LL, the rules for SB and BB are exactly the same for this play. (I can't speak to other SB rulesets).

Assuming the SB rule is the same as the BB rule: 1) This isn't "tangle / untangle" -- that can only happen in the immediate vicinity of home plate and nearly immediately after B becomes BR. 2) It appears to me that F5 was the protected fielder. So, BR would be out for INT.

Tangle Untangle never contemplated BR & F5. Small field, small players, so not that it would have (and it was reactionary in the first place) but an interesting play from yesterday. Rule 6.01(a)(10) Comment: When a catcher and batter-runner going to first base have contact when the catcher is fielding the ball, there is generally no violation and nothing should be called. “Obstruction” by a fielder attempting to field a ball should be called only in very flagrant and violent cases because the rules give him the right of way, but of course such “right of way” is not a license to, for example, intentionally trip a runner even though fielding the ball. If the catcher is fielding the ball and any fielder, including the pitcher, obstructs a runner going to first base, “obstruction” shall be called and the base runner awarded first base. F5 BR Tangle Untangle 2 - HD 720p.mov

just some stats from the Feb. 20, 2026 MLB umpire press release the below were the 29 umpires selected to work 2026 Major League Spring Training alphabetically those with numbers and no numbers(although that may have changed) sleeve No./total prior yrs. as call up/total games after 2025 no#-maybe now# John Bacon 70/7/426 Evin Johnson Brock Ballou 41/4/254 Louie Krupa Steven Jaschinski 65/1/20 Felix Neon James Jean 61/2/124 Austin Snow Edwin Jime(slash on e)nez 75/3/288 Sean Sparling Austin Jones 77/2/157 Pete Talkington Tyler Jones 39/1/24 Mitch Trzeciak Dexter Kelly 56/1/15 Bryan Van Vranken Jacob Metz 94/3/195 Charlie Welling Jonathan Parra 30/2/125 Dillon Wilson Jen Pawol 95/1/20 Derek Thomas 53/3/314 Willie Traynor 45/1/66 so the 7 with most games after 2025 were Bacon, Thomas, Jimenez, Ballou, Metz, A. Jones, Parra/Jean 125 to 124. Most call ups have at least 3 years as a call up before full time, but a couple may have gone up after only 2 years as a call up. 3 umps are in their 3rd year right now. will check on most recent hires for a possible 2 year call up to full time later. for new ones going up this year, you can keep up with them courtesy of umpscorecards and well as games done by the veteran call ups this year. mistakes were probably accidentally made above added later today???? on brand new call ups guessing on number of games for the umpires working for the first time that are in 2026 umpscorecards records. i am giving a series of 3 games for half of the plate jobs and a series of 4 games for the other half of the plate jobs, so accuracy on 8 plate games with all being a 4 game series could be off by 4 games total. sorry. and of course if they just did a game at first and a game at third due to a double header it could be less. Visconti only 2 years 2018, 2019 with 250 games, FT 2020 Krupa 28 games so far, Neon 14 games, Wilson 21 games.

Another example of why it is so important for coaches/managers to have a decent knowledge of the rules. If this happened to a coach with adequate rules knowledge, he would have lodged a protest in a heartbeat.

There's a 4th category @MadMax. (In the best David Attenborough voiceover)Perhaps the most pernicious of all umpires is the one who employs the MSU approach. There is no limit to age or or experience level for this most unpredictable of baseball arbiters. Each situation that may challenge the MSU umpire's comfort level is met with an astounding ability to confabulate edicts that have no connection to any rule set, yet satisfy the pressing need to engage in a courtship display with coaches where they are the dominant force that keeps the five game schedule on time for the true king of the jungle - the all powerful tournament director.

Sexton grad?

3B Umpire Dan Iassogna ejected Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol (Replay Review decision that confirmed HP Umpire Adam Beck's HBP call to Michael Harris; QOCY) in the top of the 9th inning of the #Cardinals-#Braves game. With two out and one on, Braves batter Harris took a 0-2 sinker from Cardinals pitcher JoJo Romero, ruled a hit-by-pitch by HP Umpire Beck and confirmed via Replay Review as the result of a manager's challenge by Cardinals manager Marmol. Replays indicate the pitch touched the batter, the call was correct. At the time of the ejection, the game was tied, 3-3. The Braves ultimately won the contest, 4-3. This is Dan Iassogna (58)'s 2nd ejection of 2026. This is the 72nd ejection report of the 2026 MLB regular season.This is the 38th manager ejection of 2026. Ejection Tally: 38 Managers, 14 Coaches, 20 Players.This is St Louis' 2nd ejection of 2026, 2nd in the NL Central (PIT 5; CHC 3; CIN, STL 2; MIL 0).This is Oliver Marmol's 2nd ejection of 2026, 1st since June 13 (Adam Beck; QOC = Y [ABS Call]).This is Dan Iassogna's 2nd ejection of 2026, 1st since May 5 (Framber Valdez; QOC = U [Throwing At]). Wrap: Atlanta Braves vs St Louis Cardinals, 7/12/26 | Video as follows: Alternate Link: Oli ejected arguing Beck's late HBP call that Replay confirmed (not call stands)View the full article

Discharged from PT today. Look out players, this blue is coming back

Appreciate the feedback and suggestions. I'll look into the incrediware (sounds like something out of The Incredibles).

It would be a balk if the step was NOT toward second base (assuming R2 was not advancing or giving the impression he was doing so)

6.03 Batter Illegal Action (a) A batter is out for illegal action when: (2) He steps from one batter’s box to the other while the pitcher is in position ready to pitch;

OBA? Surely, you mean OBR... Yes. The Pat Venditte Rule (ambidextrous pitcher) stipulates the pitcher must declare which arm he'll be pitching with, and he is "locked" to using it for the duration of the at-bat, unless the batter is substituted for. No need to. The Batter simply cannot switch sides during the pitch, generally interpreted as the pitcher begins his delivery. With the OBR action clock (rules), the clock runs regardless of which box the batter enters... or switches to... provided he is in the box, alert to the pitcher, with 8 seconds remaining. While he could request time (in OBR with clock, he's allowed (proper spelling) 1 "Free" Time request), but he doesn't have to.

Not substantiated by rulebook citation or terminology. This was called by a (plate) umpire who falls into one of three categories... either: A) An elder (in terms of years of experience) umpire, who has never progressed, and has become calloused in his rulebook knowledge, interpretation, and application... B) A "younger" (again, in terms of years of experience) umpire, who has not really done "enough" games or gained enough experience to interpret balks "correctly", and whose training has been largely text-based (devoid of illustration / visual examples)... C) An umpire who has been over-influenced or directed to "get more __________s" (in this case, balks) by a coordinator / assigner / mentor / "evaluator" who treats such calls as merit badges, or some kind of Pokemon cards to collect.

In OBA baseball is a batter aloud to switch sides between pitches if he calls time first?

It will be three years this fall I couldn’t walk on the left knee. Torn MCL, got a cortisone shot. I stared strengthening exercises and, like you say, everything from back, core, to ankles, and bought the incrediware sleeves. They are my go to braces. I don’t do a game without them. They’re not cumbersome, and don’t ask my why or how, buy they work. sometimes the MCL feels it’s worse trying to to sleep. I can wear these overnight, and it provides relief and lets me sleep pain free when it acts up.

My go-tos are below. Keep strengthening the entire chain (lower back all the way down to your ankles). Even without a right ACL and after meniscus surgery on that knee last year, strengthening has enabled me to no longer wear them. Lighter duty that can be worn as much as you like https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0055QNLR8?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_15&th=1 Heavier for activity (including games) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00598YBJY?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2&th=1

I suffered a knee injury in May. My PT is going well and the doctor does not want to do surgery at this time. I was using crutches right after memorial day but moved to a cane within a week or so. I am off the cane now and I've been weaned off of the hinged brace as of last week. I've been told I can return to the field this summer/fall (on the bases or doing slow pitch softball) while I continue to work on strength and mobility. Yes, I am primarily a softball umpire. Don't hate me lol Do any of you other old fellas use/wear a knee support while working? I know there are a number of different style compression sleeves out there, but I suspect most of them just function as a wallet flush. I'd appreciate the benefit of anyone's experience here. Thanks!

Legal. You can feint to 2B from the rubber on any type of move. The feint requires a step toward 2B. No throw or arm motion is required. Once the step happened and the pivot foot came of the rubber the pitcher is considered disengaged and can run at the runner or throw anywhere.