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I'm pretty sure the purpose of 6-man at Williamsport is to give more volunteers a chance to be on TV.

well, the roadt to Williamsport has started here in Central PA. Those who have been through PA, are familiar that our state flag is the orange construction flag and the state tree is an orange and white construction barrel. The "roads" are always being worked on. Nonetheless, 3 nights ago, we saw some "bumpy" road. Bases loaded, 2 outs and an uncaught 3rd strike. Now one coach is yelling "step on the plate"! While another is yelling "Throw the ball to 1st".....and this 11y/o reaches a moment of indecision. AFTER everyone advanced......well, it went something like this. Catcher : Mr Umpire, if I had stepped on the plate, the runner from 3rd would have been out, and we would be at bat now. Me: Correct Catcher: but if I had thrown to 1st.....the runner wouldn't score, 3 outs and we would be at bat now. Me: Correct Catcher: Why can't coaches make up their minds? Me: You dad would probably tell you to go ask your mother.

I'm not talking about how some regions or WP does it, I'm talking about the right way to do it. Shouldn't be solely the line umpires covering the outfield. If there's a diving catch away from the LFU made by F7 moving to his left, U2 has the best look. It opens right to him. Meanwhile, the infield umpires rotate as in 4-man. The purpose of 6-man is to improve outfield coverage, not anchor the infield umpires to their bases.

No desire to get inside. How would that be a better look in 99% of the plays? Outside is where we want to be whether U1, U2, U3 or PU if we have the luxury of not having to cover a subsequent base.

Not that it's worth anything, but I still don't like the design. I do understand that the real plate jerseys have a zipper on one side, to allow a coolpak to be inserted. I'd guess that was the idea behind the wide stripes, to make that easier to happen. I didn't go ga-ga over the last updates a few years ago, either. Still waiting for something unique, understated and classy. Hopefully Jim will partner with Williamsport, and get this down before The Official's Choice guys do, as LL has the biggest umpire market by a large margin.

Because he might be interested in both. If you're not offering or buying, why are you participating in this thread at all?

There. Fixed it for you.

I find it funny that at the beginning of the year when these first came out a lot of people were bashing them and the way they look. Now, they are growing and everyone wants them! They should wear navy or gray when the teams wear throwback uniforms.

Purchased from @JimKirk, looking forward to it. Also ended up stocking up on the pro style black LS which brought me to think, where do you line the numbers up on a long sleeve? Thoughts everyone? Just taking a peak at my order history from the year from U-A . I think Jim can send a couple kids to college thanks to me this year

Here's where this gets hairy. If the out would stand, the play should continue. I can tell you in the one time I've had something like this, I was BU calling OBS for R2 being hindered on an outfield hit. R2 tried to score and was thrown out by about a foot. My partner called the out, I called time and awarded home. Had the situation warranted the out to stand, killing the play would have removed the potential for any further action involving BR.

I thought for a minute there you were going to say the coach looked down and then said "but you're wearing a blue shirt today"

Local coach, and good guy, took his LL All Star team to US finals in Williamsport. Next season, his team was not so good, and had lost four in a row. (they went 38-0 in the regular season the year before) After a close play at second, with his team lagging behind again, he asked for time, and slowly came out to me in the field. He got close, and with his right shoe, slowly scraped dirt over my base shoes. "Kyle, what's it going to take for you to throw me out of this game?", he quietly asked. "Marty, if I have to stay for this $#!+, so do you." He turned, and just as slowly went back to his dugout.

I'm still struggling with OP. There was no tag, the umpire knew there was no tag, called the runner out anyway, and essentially admitted it to everyone? If GoodCall is working college ball he has a lot more experience than me but I don't see how intentionally making the wrong call and admitting it is Umpiring 101. I guess I have even more to learn than I thought.

It invites an argument and a protest.

You can clean up mechanics without turning people into robots.

HOK stance, hammer. Lather, rinse, repeat.