Leaderboard

Oh they wanted us - no doubt about that. Security was most definitely needed. I figured that was the case since it sounds like you got in your cars and left immediately. Sounds like you did an excellent job of "taking the game away from the kids" since every fan is certain that we start every game with this goal. The last thing I say to my partner as we bump fists and head to the field: "Let's go crush some dreams."

I think that's Donald Sterling's position on the issue. Too soon?

Yes, but you have to be careful. A dear friend of mine (the man who started me umpiring) once rang a kid up in a high school game and the kid threw his bat up in the air. My friend said, "If that bat hits the ground, you're done.". The bat hit the backstop overhang and the knob lodged in the fence and hung there. After the half inning, the kid (who was pitching) is warming up and his coach comes out with another bat, throws it up and hits the kid's bat, dislodging it. As soon as the bat hit the ground, my friend turns to the pitcher and gives him the heave-ho.

I wanted to say thank you to all the reviews of equipment you guys give on here - and a big thank you to guinea pigs who tried out new equipment. While I was initially drawn in by the bells and whistles of the Unequal gear, your due diligence made me rethink my decision and to do a little more shopping. I ended up not purchasing the defender face mask, unequal chest protector, and unequal leg guards. Instead I got a Wilson Platinum CP, leg guards, and a Diamond Sports Big League Ultra-Lite mask for about $200 cheaper. This is my first big gear purchase on the upper echelon of gear and I'm hoping I made the better decision. Any immediate feedback to the contrary would be appreciated so I can re-evaluate my purchase and cancel my order and get something else if need be.

Force yourself to have good timing, especially behind the plate. Track the pitch all the way to the mitt. Don't budge. Linger on the mitt. Decide what it is. Now you can budge. Call the pitch. You will be fine. You are not there by accident.

There is no substantive difference between "That call was crap," and "You made a crap call." There is a substantive difference between "That call was crap," and "You're crap." The word "you" is neither necessary nor sufficient to make a comment personal. Not necessary: "Cheater!" Not sufficient: "You made a crap call." Umpires who eject when they hear the word "you" and are not sensitive to these distinctions don't advance far, because they never get good at game management.

I think you missed the call

It's the nature of the age. 14/15 year olds know EVERYthing. I had two of my own AND I coached quite a few AND I taught high school for four years. Trust me. It's just the age. No matter what the intelligence/lack of intelligence level or the seemingly normal or above normal maturity of the kid. They just do not like to take advice.

Greg Gibson hates umpires that brush the bases.

We should have a UE tournament where only UE umpires work. Of course all travels expenses would be paid for by Warren!

All 100% correct (of course) but my advice would be to not call too much of this stuff. It is (somewhat) better to miss something and not call anything than to call something that isn't there. Just grab the obvious, pass on the rest and tell the coach it was borderline.

At least he was a vet and we both stood behind the plate and saluted during the National Anthem. @Majordave - I'm still waiting for this honor.

I love it when they watch the pitch float through the zone and the dawning comprehension is apparent on their face. They slump their shoulders, turn dejectedly from the plate and drag their bat back to the dugout. In those cases, I just call it without the empphasis. Same as a swinging K3. No need to add insult to injury :)

I've had others say a different "S" word as the ball popped the catchers mitt, right before I ring them up!!!!

9u Consolation Bracket Championship game, I am BU. Through the course of the game, we have a pitcher take a real screamer to the arm (left game, found out he was ok afterward), a shortstop take a line drive to the knee (becomes EH), and another pitcher take one to shin (becomes EH). All on the same team. My partner, right when he is going to put the ball back in play after the third one, says "OK, now no one else get hurt." First pitch is fouled off of PU's cup. I couldn't help myself, I am laughing on the infield. As we are walking to the car after the game, he says "should of just kept my trap shut, I jinxed myself."

Has anybody ever have a manager throw a hat down in an argument? We had a new guy working a JV plate years ago and the manager, also a first year, come out on a call and throw a hissy fit. In the process he threw his hat at the new PU's feet. He dumped him. He was telling the story at an assoc meeting and the assignor asked if he stepped on his hat? He said he didn't think so. It was then explained that when that happens to step on the hat, spin on it then throw him on the spin. That way he is tossed and his hat is nasty.

Why does that matter? Please compare the surfaces we call on vs a major league field! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This goes beyond accidental. This is careless. I have a general rule. If the bat TOUCHES me, someone (besides me) is going to be unhappy. I know some of you will think/hear, "But he's only 9" What better time to learn physics than right now? Every action has an equal/opposite reaction. Sorry, but his age doesn't give him carte blanche to club me.

If that's a question of style or pace, it is unobjectionable. If you plan to write your own mechanics manual and rule book, please send me a copy. Nowhere in the rulebook does it say I can't clean the bases

I give you credit for looking. (seriously) Unfortunately, what you didn't find gives you the answer you don't want to hear.

Guessing without looking: Baseball is a game...? But aren't the next words equally important? ...in which your kids stand to make millions and millions of dollars!

8.2.7 . . . A batter-runner who reaches first base safely and then overruns or overslides may immediately return without liability of being put out provided he does not attempt or feint an advance to second. A player who is awarded first base on a base on balls does not have this right.

In FED, the BR is not protected through 1B, only to it. Yes, he's liable to be put out in FED. OBR and NCAA, if he runs through 1B and just stands there off the base without immediately returning, I have him liable to be put out. Get back to and stay on the freakin base @grayhawk, explain to me why a BR, once acquiring 1B would get off of 1B to take off batting gloves or armor without being granted "Time" first? Why don't they just stand off other bases too while they piddle with equipment? Bag = safe ... first thing runners are taught You are changing the situation. On your first post, the BR took his gear off on his way back to the base after overrunning. Now you are saying he's stepping off first to take off his gear. Very different. On the first, it would be OOO to call him out unless he's taking a long time. On the second, he should be called out. FED explicitly defines the BR overrunning 1B on a base on balls. Defense gets their out if they make the tag I wasn't talking about a walk in Fed. That was what my entire response was about! My response was to questions by blue23 and richives I see - then we are in agreement.

In FED, the BR is not protected through 1B, only to it. Yes, he's liable to be put out in FED. OBR and NCAA, if he runs through 1B and just stands there off the base without immediately returning, I have him liable to be put out. Get back to and stay on the freakin base

Dirty bases are the purest form of the game. It's democratic and American to have dirty bases. Dirty bases are the engine that drives the world economy. If there were no dirty bases, then the fabric of society would rip apart. Cleaning the bases will certainly bring the apocalypse. Bringing a plate brush onto the field when working the bases means you don't like puppies. Just don't do it.

Personally I don't consider the phrase "That was a bad call at second" or "You made a bad call at second base" ejection worthy. Coaches are entitled to their opinion about our work...even assistant coaches as long as, just like @maven said, the opinion is neither personal, prolonged, or profane. When you replied to the coaches comment with "What?" he responds back, then you eject? This can be considered as baiting. You responding with "what?" implies that you didn't hear him. What do you think the coach will do when you ask him "what?" He is going to repeat himself. When it comes to cheap shots by coaches and ejections, you have to make sure you have warned when appropriate. Why not give a stern "That's enough" If he continues, restrict him to the dugout...then if that is still not enough, then eject. There is no assigner in America that would have a problem with an ejection if you use this process. This may not apply to all ejections because sometimes some coaches go from 0-ejection in a split second. We as umpires have to work harder to keep coaches in the game when appropriate especially at the HS level. The best way to do that is by getting in your warnings if possible before ejecting.

Man you were (are?) a magnet for difficult calls. Glad you made it through okay. I recently had a game with RLI, FPSR Violations(plural), OBS, INT and CI (multiple) along with bench warnings. AND I had gangbanger fans calling me very bad names and making threats from behind home plate. The nicest thing they called me was an "over-umpiring motherF*#Ker". I seriously laughed out loud at that one. Was I scared? Sorta, but I've been to Afghanistan and these KC gangbangers didn't look near as menacing to me as some of the Kandahari and Helmandi villagers I "met" there. And no, didn't see any game management or police at the site. Did not take my phone on the field nor did my partner. Wound up being no violence and nobody followed us out. I at least had my mask but doubtful that would have worked against a crowd or a gun. Gotta love high school umpiring. Sometimes it's as thrilling as being in a combat zone.

Only if the umpire ruled that he was attempting or feinting an attempt to advance. 8-2-7 Otherwise, he's either simply overrunning the base as allowed by rule, or abandoning per the rule already cited. The reason to call it this way is to prevent the circus that arises if the defense has to tag him off the base (especially if there are other runners).

I believe the runner was out after being tagged while off base, not for abandonment.

I try to give my complete train of thought. I have a fairly short fuse but have learned to keep it in check and walk away most of the time. I know the AC was mumbling about how the HT was getting all the calls and just because they were HT didn't mean they get the calls. I paused to see what the PU would do and then just kept walking away as there was no need to get more involved in something that was never my decision to begin with.

Seems like on your posts there is always something about an ej or possible ej. Try not to look for this. When I first started I was an ejection machine. Over time you will learn game management and how to handle situations.

that's way outside ...especially for the MLB level .......

If the AC said that to me in a calm voice, I would not EJ immediately. If he's not questioning my integrity, showing me up, or otherwise being abusive, I'll let him have his opinion about the call. I would have given him an opportunity to stop before the EJ -- something like "Sorry you see it that way, but we're not discussing it" or even just "that's enough." I wasn't there and didn't hear the bench jockeying that led up to it, nor did I hear his tone, see his demeanor or anything like that. But based on how I see it in my head, it feels a bit like a quick hook. Without the EJ of the AC, there's likely no EJ of the HC, but if he's yelling "That's crap!" in my face, there's a good chance he goes, too. If it's not an absolute no-brainer EJ, I usually like to give that opportunity for the participant to come to their senses and walk away, but we're just armchair QB's here and there's usually much more context around these situations that's hard to communicate in a post or email.

Game was one hour and seven minutes, a 2-1 no-hitter with a seven out inning! I show up 45 minutes early, in black, and my two partners are in navy. HPU tells me not to panic and loans me his spare navy base shirt. So I spent the whole game in a shirt three sizes too big, but eh. Forecast called for rain but it was clear, sunny, and warm. Game started in the mid fifties dropping to very high forties, so no jackets for us! (Oh, don't make that face, you SoCal-ers.) My nerves got the best of me and I drank more Gatorade than is usually healthy, something I started to regret about the fifth inning. Blew threw a pack of gum too, all puns intended. When I came onto the field, both teams started yelling "Potato, potato, potato, first base blue is a potato!" I later found out that they do that to all rookie umps and it's says "Your eyes are useless." Har, har, har. First half inning was bang, bang, bang. Then the East Juneau team comes up and blasts two solo shots, and then strikeout, two walks, strikeout, pickoff. West Juneau comes back and get the bases loaded on walks and then on the last K, the ball gets away from the EJNU catcher who throws wild to first, scoring a run. Strikeout the next batter and the game continued. Had a play I thought a missed but nobody commented. HPU was run over by the catcher but stayed in the game after a few seconds delay. Both my partners said I did a good job handling the heckling and the plays. Game went to East Juneau, JD High. Go Bears! I dig this gig.

I don't think most reputable umpire associations allow their umpires to wear cleats.

You bought professional grade protections. Great choices. Some may have different opinions, but those would be slight personal preferences. You done good.

@Pete Peterson Sr - The only coach I dumped last season. :shakehead:

All obstruction is a delayed dead ball and a minimum one base award for the obstructed runner. All balks are immediately dead - no play can result after a balk has been called. F1 can't pick from the windup. F1's free foot when in the windup must be touching, or on a line with the front edge of the rubber. F1 can still feint to third. F1 must set with any part of his glove at or below the chin. F1's pivot foot must be completely within the length of the rubber. F1 must come to a discernable stop when in the set position with or without runners. (Don't go out of your way looking for this with no runners) Force play slide rule. One a force play, runners must slide in a direct line between bases, or away from the fielder making the play. Don't watch for this too long. As BU, you must turn with the throw to rule on the play at first. There are other rules that you would need to know as PU, but no need to list them.

wow! A calmer and gentler Hawk?!?!?!? Nah, he was probably just confused/distracted/had to pee....

The standard verbal is actually no verbal. But when you tell the catcher "you gotta get him!" Or a similar phrase, you're simply telling him that he has to retire the batter due to the fact he didn't catch the baseball.please do this in a game in which you're being evaluated. Then, when you hear from someone you MUST listen to when he says DON'T DO THAT, you'll actually listen and learn. Maybe

I think "No Catch" is more clear. What's the merit behind "Gotta get him!"? "Gotta get him!" Means exactly that. The catcher either needs to tag him, or throw him out. The main thing is to give the visual mechanic so everyone can see. If the batter or catcher are clueless with your mechanic, or unaware of the count, that's their issue. Similar to the infield fly (mechanic and verbal for the runners), giving a verbal on the dropped third strike is providing a curtisey to the defensive team of what needs to be done to retire the BR. IMO That phrase can be interpreted as coaching F2 and is not what most players are expecting to hear. Inventing your own mechanic usually backfires. Sent using Tapatalk

Your runs score... you only had 2 outs once the B/R was retired...

Which one of you called the OBS on F2?

And I was all agog wanting to see how you got two strikeouts on one pitch only to discover it was only two strikes.

What is "Jr High Varsity" ?

A pinch runner and the person he's running for have to touch hands when changing places.

Good for you to show restraint and set an example for your kids. And good for you to bother coming here to learn how the game should be called. At the level you're coaching, you're seeing the greenest, least trained umpires, and the greenest, least experienced coaches and players. Think of how the kids are learning the game at that level. Well, the umpires are doing the same, and when they get good, you won't see them again. It's an instructional league for everyone, and should be approached in that manner. Your umpire will figure it out, or not. He'll move up, or not. That's not up to you. It sounds as if you're taking care of your end of things. Keep up the good work!

I am doing a 16U tournament championship game on the dish... I ring a kid up for strike 3 for the 3rd out and a group of parents go CRAZY in the stands, as the coach walks past me going back to the dugout he stops and says "I know you were right, that group is a bunch of idiots, I just have to stop by and say hi because my wife is apart of that group"

"Why should I bother to bust my butt to get into the proper position, and use great timing, if I'm just going to ask my partner, who's 120 feet away, about my judgement?" One of my Junior umpires to a long time manager.

Yesterday. 0-2 count. Batter says to himself "Here comes a curveball". Pitch is a cockshot curve that the batter freezes on. I punch him out, he shakes his head and walks away. F2 laughed.