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Game 1 of the high school post season regionals, I was PU in a 3-man crew. This was the #2 seed (home) versus the #31 seed, so we knew it was not going to be close. I worked the plate as hard as I always do (my level of effort is the same whether it is a JV game or a college game), and tried to be as consistent as possible with my zone. After 4 innings, the home team was up 16-0, which ended the game on a run rule. The visiting team catcher, who had just gotten schwacked, told me, "Blue, you're the best umpire I've had all year!" It felt good to have my level of effort appreciated, especially when it would have been understandable for him to be in a foul mood.

Post season play is underway here in Colorado, where we transition from 2-man to 3-man crews. That's a good idea, because despite having an increase of 50% manning, the crew tends to be about 500% better and more accurate on calls. The angles in 3-man are amazing, but in 2-man they are "almost good enough" sometimes. I would take a pay cut to work 3-man all the time, but that's not up to me. My pet peeve is the state association has NO training on 3-man mechanics; they expect you to just know them. The only reason I know them is because I'm a prospect for an NCAA division 2 conference and get to work their fall games. Otherwise, I would have been sitting at home reading a mechanics book...which is close to zero learning for me. Anyway, that's a problem I will address with the state. First game of a double header, we had all been in contact with one another over text. We all agreed to be 45 minutes early. I showed up an hour early because of my Army background ("10 minutes early is late!). U1 showed up at the agreed upon time. U3 isn't there. The two of us get dressed and geared up, But U3 is nowhere to be found. We called and texted and got no response, until 15 minutes before game time. He texted back and said he was running late. Mind you, this is the first game of the day, and five games are scheduled on that diamond. The weather was also threatening later in the day, so any delays could have serious impacts on post-season scheduling. Many of these teams travel 6 or more hours and pay for hotels, etc. because it is post season. I was pi$$ed, to say the least. The weather is going to do what the weather is going to do, but the umpires should NEVER be the reason a team has to pay for another night in a hotel. U1 and I agreed to get the game going in 2-man, and we started the plate meeting on time. U3 walked onto the field during the plate meeting, and he was wearing a different jacket than we had previously agreed upon. I was in a plate coat. U1 had the black jacket with two white stripes on the shoulders. U3 had the black jacket with two white stripes and a blue stripe in between. As PU with a plate coat, I'm supposed to look different than the other two (without a plate coat I would, of course, be in the same jacket as the base umpires). But this dude with his blue stripe, walking onto the field while we're finishing up the plate meeting was a BAD look. Probably 75% of our job is simply maintaining credibility. ALWAYS do everything to maintain credibility -- with players, coaches, and other umpires!

Umpiring advice: youth level ball and travel tournaments are full of daddy coaches who don't know the rules but are charging exorbitant coaching fees to unsuspecting parents who mistakenly believe otherwise. They also don't know the art of interacting with umpires, and they think the Aaron Boone approach is "how the game is played." Notice how often Boone goes to the locker room early. I cut my teeth working these, but as my skill has built I've been given opportunities to work better baseball. In an ideal world, I would work the youth ball just to give back to the game, but those people can kiss my arse.

Gentlemen, @Rich Ives may have served as an umpire at some point, but what he was known and respected primarily for was Coach. Each of us here (on U-E at least) has our forté, our niche, our role. Rich’s was as Coach. The other side of the argument. Not only was he always presenting the coach’s perspective, but he could frequently – and would – tag you if were MSU or being unduly harsh on fellow coaches (especially when you’d brag in your Ejection stories). Not every coach is/was a rat, despite Rich embracing it as his avatar. Yes, we’ll remember him, but let’s not forget him and his perspective when we interact with coaches in the future.

So I am sitting here on this beautiful Monday morning trying to start my work day and I can't get started unless I vent a few minutes. We have all heard of this before. There is nothing new here. I just need a few minutes to mature and not allow this to bother me as much. I know these were justified. But, I am maturing to IDGAF anymore if these wannabees can't take disagreement and listen to the rules. I am still relatively new to this umpiring world, but, I do know that I value my experience and knowledge over any dang blanget daddy-ball coach and most pay-to-play travel ball teams. While I don't have my resume and test scores placed in my back pocket, I do feel like at times bringing it out just to say STFU to them. I study the NHFS and NCAA rule books, I watch the videos and take the tests from each organization.I have high scores and the experience. I know they don't. I might get somethings wrong, but, its on things the coaches don't know about anyways so I just kick myself in the ass quietly to get it right the next time. Anyways, 11 and 12 aged tournament. 13 games over two days. (I admit, too many for me.) A total of 3 coach ejections and 1 player ejection. And they were tossed because they were way too disrespectful directly to me. Mind you, these weren't one time happenings. They had their leash and used it to hang their selves. From ONE team, two coaches and one player. The player was easy as he was given a warning for telling the batter to get back into the box and ejected for tomahawking a bat into a fence. He also tried to stare me down while he was pitching, twice. lol. One coach was tossed on Saturday and one on Sunday. The HC was tossed for telling me I was terrible for enforcing FPSR. The other was was given way too much rope because, in the two games I had his team, he/they hollered and made comments about my partner and I didn't call a balk because the LHP moved his shoulder while throwing over to first base, or, that the same pitcher's knee crossed his other knee while throwing over to first. (They also couldn't understand why a two man crew couldn't pick up on these. All that we were told was to get better.) Or that it was a safety VIOLATION that I didn't allow the on-deck batters to go behind the player at bat. ( I told them that if they didn't feel safe, have the on-deck batter swing outside the fence. ) Or that since the catcher was still getting dressed between innings, I should allow his pitcher to have as many warmup pitches he wanted until the catcher came out. (I didn't say anything about his catcher (who must have had a sandwich while getting dressed, but I digress) ). After his catcher came out, the coach made it clear he wanted to leave so I made it happen. He goes into the dugout and throws his glove down and starts saying to the other teams FBC 'how do they put up with this SH*#?' Its funny that they want the technical balk called when the pitcher moves their shoulder while looking over it while in the set position, but, they don't want the technical FPSR called when their player could have their face split open with a thrown ball. The sad thing, to me at least, is that I know that they were defeated in the second game when they saw me and my partner walking to the field. I know that I was MF'ed by the team's coaches to their players. The whole teams energy was not there at all. They lost 15 - 0 in 2 innings because they couldn't make a play nor could they hit. Finally, the last HC was ejected because he ranted and raved over an FPSR call where his player kicked the legs out from under the F4. We are talking about a good old tornado on the field with his path and fury. I also had an argument from another team that by not giving their catcher time when they step out to give signals in front of home plate was a major violation to what they teach. 'All levels of play give time to the catcher to do that.' and 'Dude, you have got to figure it out' is what I just turned away from. lol The best thing I did do was, while my partner and I were in the home plate shack awaiting the next game, I explained to my partner what each of the rulings were while the HCs and a team parent were in the shack looking down and texting, but, listening to every word I was saying. Anyways, I am done. If you got this far, you need to find something better to do.

@mac266 I know you don't like youth ball, but.... I had an 8U player come up to me this weekend while he was waiting for his catcher (he walked from the mound to me behind the play) and thanked me for being a great umpire. My heart dropped. I told him thanks for being a GREAT player.

I've been there. Umpiring is not easy, but as you get more experience certain things will become easier and somtimes automatic. Remember your great games and what you did well. Review your bad games and think about a couple things that you could have done to make that game easier. My advice is to think of this as an art form. This is a craft. Just as artists don't get everything right on the first try neither do umpires.

Mantle: "Also, its 9U, and Satan's team brings all their parents!".

Dawg, I did every single one of those because I learned them from you and everyone else on this site. And I agree with them and I thank everyone for helping me grow my experience and knowledge. I knew what I was in for and gave everyone the respect to start until they lost the privilege. Its still an eye opener when you experience something (again) instead of just reading about it. FWIW, I didn't say this before because I know everyone will say I am coo coo for coconuts, but my son was my partner. He plays college baseball but umpiring isn't a passion or hobby of his and he probably won't do another game this year (re: his pockets are empty, lol). But, I have taught him the basics so he knows A, B, and C, but, doesn't know all of the mechanics, so I cover for him. Anyways, I did all 13 plates because I couldn't justify putting him back there with a bigger target on his back. (We only had one mentally taxing game that went all six innings. The others were over in 2, 3, and 4 innings in those 13 games. The temperature was mid 60s also, so that wasn't too taxing either. Finally, all on turf.) I only recall one bad inning calling balls and strikes in the last three games. I am sure I missed others but the one inning cost the umpires another short game. My son did good. I only remember one or two missed calls that were blatant. However, seeing what I handled didn't help with his eagerness to get back out there. Why would it? Anyways, I am off of the ledge for now. A small break before legion and college summer ball start up. Looking forward to that. Thanks.

^^^^ This. Integrity means everything and I feel once an umpire loses it, the umpire needs to hang up his mask.

13 games over 2 days? I don't care if you are Bill Klem, no umpire is operating at 100% efficiency after 12 innings of baseball in a 24 hour period. Don't worry about illustrating your credentials or otherwise qualifying yourself to be on the baseball field. At that level of baseball, the players and coaches don't know enough about the game to personalize their abuse of the umpires. They are abusing you simply on the basis of you being an umpire for their game not because they have any kind of genuine grievance. When a pitcher is "staring you down" or giving histrionics about the strike zone or anything else...feel free to send F2 out there and tell him to tell F1 to knock it off. If there is a runner on, don't forget to call time and then brush the plate when you send him so, it looks like he is calling time to talk to his pitcher. Obviously, magic words and actions empower us to go straight to an ejection. Under FED, on-deck batters are required to remain on their side of the field regardless of what side of the plate the current batter is using. That stuff about "being in the circle on the side of the field behind the batter at the plate" is a LL safety rule. Check with your assigners or league administrators but, where I work, if it's a scholastic game we stick to FED regardless of the how the field is configured and how close the on-deck circles are to home plate. A NON-scholastic game using FED rules? If a coach feels the on-deck batters are too close to the batter, then I will allow them to move to the opposite side for safety. I do not get in the business of wholesaling this throughout the game. I allow the coach to decide and permit them to move accordingly. If F2 isn't ready, you give the "2 more pitches, please..." notification with two fingers to whomever is warming up F1 AND give it to the batter. If it is not the catcher, I will usually say, "2 more pitches, please...you may want to wait for your catcher to take them." But, I don't allow a lengthy delay. I just want them to know that if they take the full 8 or the full 5 before the catcher is out there, we're playing ball whether he throws it down or not and no extra pitches. F1 has the baseball, we have R1 and R3 and F2 wants time to come out and give a signal? No. If R1 or R3 goes? F1 has an easy putout. Nobody is going anywhere in this situation...I do not understand why coaches and players think they need time here. ~Dawg

Hello all, I was umpiring a Little League Majors game this Saturday and had a funny interaction with a clueless coach I would like to share. Home team was in the field. Visitors were up to bat. The pitcher threw the ball and it was going towards the batters face. He put his hand up to protect his face from the ball. The ball then hit his hand instead of going into his face. The home team assistant coach was outraged. "He can't stick his hand out like that" I said "He was protecting himself from getting hit." He wanted none of that and wanted me to call the batter out. I thought that was histerical. Even if he had stuck his hand in the strike zone and touched the ball, it would just be a strike, not an automatic out. I disengaged and we resumed play. If I was older (I'm 18) and had more bravery I might have gone over and said: "Wait a second, You say the instead of protecting himself, the batter has to let himself get hit full on in the face with the ball?"

You and I would get along well. If he was safe, I'm calling safe every time. Don't sacrifice your integrity just to get to beer thirty sooner.

I saw this situation in France saturday. R3, the pitcher starts his windup and freezes with his free foot high. BU called a balk.

A respected D1 umpire I've had the pleasure of learning from on multiple occasions dropped a quote last winter that I just love. "We used to umpire for the dugouts. Now, we need to umpire for the cameras" 'Nuff said.

It's also the beauty of starting at the lower levels...You are going to see everything under the sun.....You are going to see stuff you may not see again for the next 5 years. You're going to see stuff you don't know how to call. You're going to go home and get answers to these weird situations that have happened and you'll never forget how to rule on that particular play again. I forget the actual numbers, but someone once said 95% of the game is played using 20% of the rules. Youth ball will make you learn and use that other 80% of the rule book.

I am working a High School County Semi-Final. For me it is a big game. I appreciate all the advice and detailed breakdown of what to do.

Great things to hear guys … I’ll live the dream through my son since I’m far too old to get anything career-wise out of it. I’ll stand behind the fence and yell worthless advice at him like the player’s parents do. Call a strike! Watch that corner! He’s been throwing it there all day! I’ll go and learn something!

It's great that you recognize where you need to improve. Approach each game as a professional, do your best, and leave each play on the field. If you boot one, don't "make it up" on the next call because then you've just booted two. Work the play in front of you. Heck, work the pitch in front of you. Short memories are our friends. Welcome to the dark side. Still looking for the cookies.

I attended one in Chicago (North Central College, ext.) in 2015, and it changed my life. Most of the MLBUs were really high on me until I divulged that I was 39 (at the time); had most of them fooled. This was the first step towards relocating to Phoenix and getting immersed in the near-daily baseball crucible here, one component of which is MLB/MiLB ST alongside actual contracted professional umpires. I’m on the cusp of big things happening in my umpiring career, and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t attend that camp. Oh! And if there’s any question as to whether MLBUs remember guys or not… I attended HWUS in 2022… _7_ years later, and those same MLBUs visited to explain and promote the new “advanced / academy / invite” system, and here I get elbowed by one MLBU in particular while I was standing on the side watching a drill demonstration, and then, when I stood up during the Q&A, and said, “Gentlemen, I’m Max, and I attended one of your Day camps in 2015… “, the Director of MiLB finishes it by interjecting, “Chicago. We remember ya.” Warms the cockles of a blue heart. 💙 ———— Edit: I have to add -> I’m even more delighted and encouraged that these Day Camps are changing the lives of several of “my/our” umpires from the league that employs me.

This is just a funny situation that happened a couple of days ago at my 12u Little League Majors Game. It was the 3rd inning with 1 out and a runner on first. The ball is live. Out of the corner of my eye I see two teenagers walk through the dugout, open the dugout gate and walk onto the field in foul territory. I call time and say: "Hey, you guys, get off the field". I should have been nicer about it, but oh well. One of them responds "We aren't players" I say: "exactly. Get off the field." They leave the field with dirty looks in my direction. I just thought it was histerical that they thought they could just walk onto a field with a live baseball game happening.

The days of the expected call have gone. With even amateur fields having multiple cameras on plays, we should make the right call. That philosophy has taken over for a generation in pro ball now, and needs to displace the old guard in amateur ball as well. That is my opinion, offered entirely without justification at this time.

Just remember that most likely there are 15 cameras on you at all times... every parent, grandparent, recruiter/scout at a 12U game... whatever. Trust me... I made it to the front page of the 'Umpire Hate' Instagram page with a safe/out call at home taken from outside the fence, down the 1st base line... cannot even see the plate in the video and was amazed A) by the number of my friends who called/texted me literally 2 minutes after it posted, B) the number of people who, without even being able to see where the plate is decided I blew the call and conversely how many people without being able to see the plate agreed with my call, etc, etc... What really blew my mind was how many umpires subscribe to a page named 'Umpire Hate'. Felt like watching rattle snakes commit suicide. Moral of this tale: call what you see and don't make up calls. No one is going to know when you are getting internet love that you did not ask for, that the game was 20-0. All they are going to see is you making a call which after being dissected frame by frame in slow-mo is obviously incorrect, or in their mind is obviously incorrect.

Thanks. Others that I know of were Larry, and John who also had a major hand in this too ..... @LMSANS, ... @johnnyg08

I purchased several pairs of them in both of the available sizes and they fit me well. I wear size 11 D and have larger calves than most folks, but they fit well. Both sizes come up over my calves and fit just under my knee. I would not say these are over-the-knee, but to-the-knee socks. They actually fit my feet and calves perfectly. The compression is not as good as the MLB socks, but it is a nice comfortable fit. The MLB socks are still my favorite socks, but you can't beat these at this price - or even at $5-10/pair. I will however admit that the packaging on the socks changed a little from my first set received to the last set I received. I'm not sure if the quality and fit changed in there as well, but so far I'm very happy with them - especially for under a dollar each!

i didnt know this man, but I feel like I did.... Condolences to his family

Given the way the game had gone, I don't think that reply was out of line. It does not seem as if the coach "had some advice" for him; it seemed the coach just wanted an extended gripe session. If we had a good game and I believed a coach was actually wanting to be helpful, I would agree with @BigBlue4u.

This 100%. I've been saying that for years. ESPN money has changed LL, and not for the better. After doing the LL regional in San Bernardino last year, you learn very quickly that ESPN runs the show.

I would be able to ump school ball this season if it wasn’t for the department of education dragging their feet. I should be on for next year though. I try to know the rules as best as possible as I know it’s my the best defense in this profession. I appreciate the encouragement and don’t worry. A couple of coaches being jerks isn’t going to stop me. I love this craft and expanding on my knowledge through a school or camp is on my radar. I just don’t have a way to finance it currently.

When I was coaching girls FP in the 8U levels, we had one player that had barely aged in (had just turned 5). She thought it was hilarious when she'd get hit. Granted they played with the softee ball, but I recall a lobbing pitch heading right for her, instead of ducking, she stuck out her head to make sure it bonked her. I saw her several years later as an umpire. She was a catcher, so all of it started making sense.

Sounds like a foul ball to me. Hands are part of the bat ... Right? I remember playing with a kid who was batSH*# crazy. He caught a pitch headed at him and threw it back at the pitcher. The pitcher wasn't expecting it and got hit with the throw. Different times ...

This statement reflects a correct grasp of the rule. F1 must proceed with his windup and pitch to the batter without interruption, once he is committed to pitching (starts the windup, say, with a rocker step). But some opposing coaches see a leg stop, for example, without noticing that something else (such as the hands) continue to move. As long as something is moving, F1's delivery is legal. And, yes, this is a judgment call. Given the severity of the penalty with R3, I'd be looking for an obvious "freeze" of F1's entire body for a substantial time, not a momentary pause of the leg. All of this is irrelevant. If F1 throws 100 pitches in a game, they can all be made with different motions without violating the balk provisions. And deceiving the runner is not illegal in and of itself. The purpose of (legal) feints, suddenly disengaging, varying time to delivery, etc. is to deceive the runner. A balk is illegal deception, as defined in the balk rule.

Make sure you report that coach to your UIC and or league board. Someone needs to explain to him the importance of coaching and knowing the rules as well as how to properly and respectfully address and interact with umpires. Our LL brothers, you forever have my utmost respect because I absolutely could not tolerate this utter baseball stupidity... ~Dawg

Get these shin guards - protects you in Close C to get a great look at check swings.

The stands are Out-of-Play, are they not? So, if the ball goes into the stands, whether it be batted, thrown, or carried there in the clutches of a gryphon (or harpie, subject to interpretation), it is… say it with me… Out-of-Play! Well, we have this here Rulebook that addresses and covers exactly that. A (Live) ball goes out-of-play, it is then Dead. A thrown ball from an outfielder is a 2-base award, time of throw (ToT).

Yes, yes you do need shin guard as a base umpire. You will also want a quality set of chin guards, just in case the ball takes a bad hop. An additional reason that shin guards are ideal for base umpires: they provide added weight should a UFO attempt to abduct you during play.

This feels like an Italian IP with better grammer. Sent from my SM-F721U1 using Tapatalk

Issue 1: Instead of being parallel with the edges of home plate, the batter's boxes were literally 5 to 10 degrees off. Groundskeeper came up to me (I had first plate) after the second inning and offered to re-chalk the boxes. Sure, go ahead and delay the game for another 15 minutes. I told him to re-chalk them between games. (please note sarcasm mechanic) Issue 2: HT asks for time for a courtesy runner for his catcher. Sure, coach. He gives me the number of the CR. Uh, coach, you can't use your starting F9 as your CR; it's got to be someone from your subs. HT coach's response: "oh, right. I was thinking travel ball rules." Issue 3: Bases loaded. HT is in the field, F1 throws a wild pitch. F2 scampers to get the ball at the backstop, throws it to F1 who is late coming to the plate. R3 scores standing up just before the ball gets to F1. HT comes out and asks if I'm going to call R3 out. "Why?" "Because he has to slide; it's a dangerous play." "Coach, that's a travel ball rule." "Right." Gotta love it.

The topper is when the other coach complains they’re breaking the rules

It’s a _prop_! Out of the dugout! College has already been experiencing this, and is addressing it (complete with POEs and videos!) with warnings and Ejections. Of course, the warning has to be there, first because college coaches insist that any punitive action that an umpire may take has to be warned first (unless it is egregious / physical). And do you know where this stems from?? Yup, pro baseball, and all their silly crowns, hats, and chains. And because cameras follow those guys everywhere, including the dugouts, that behavior gets celebrated on social media. And then it slides down the sewer pipe to college… and all the brooding tribalism that infests that environment, amplified by college football and NIL deals. And thennnnn the “misguided, impressionable youth” of high schoolers get ahold of it. Of course, it starts and festers in tournament / club ball, where there is no oversight, and most TDs & umpires “let it go” (or are told to let it go) so as to not upset coaches and parents (who pay the bills). It doesn’t crop up that often in tournament ball, typically because there isn’t that tribal element that school fosters. So our state (Arizona) is getting out in front of this, and is applying college-level restrictions upon props out of the dugout, and on “orchestrated celebrations” out of the dugout. Obviously, California didn’t interpret it this way. Heck, I’m surprised the broom 🧹 even made it into the dugout to begin with. It was likely labeled as potentially causing cancer in California. Unless the umpires promptly saw the player bring the broom out, we really cannot fault the umpires. We can’t. We’ve been directing umpires to get off the field as expediently as possible upon the final out, and to not linger around shaking hands and “basking in the glow of a completed game”. Nor should the responsibilities of the umpires be expanded to observe post-game interactions, but I fear that’s where it’s headed, because, of course, the NFHS lacks staff at these events, and places as much responsibility as it can on the only necessary component of an adjudicated game – the umpires (evident by that whole crap of the UIC is the final say). No, this one’s squarely on the school – its AD and its coach. If ya really want to send a message, then form it addressing props specifically – not “fighting” generally – and any violation, including this one, vacates a team’s playoff eligibility. That’ll see some broomsticks broken.

Noooo, not at all. They will posture outrage, strictly condemn the actions of those involved, and pontificate about how this isolated incident does not reflect the values of CIF. They will satiate the masses and the media by saying they take this matter very seriously and will look into adopting measures that will prevent this type of incident in the future. So yeah, basically nothing.

so basically do nothing

I can understand he moved into the ball but did you think he intentionally head butted the pitch?

Ball has to cross the foul line (or plate) to be a pitch. If he was engaged with the rubber and drops the ball and it doesn’t cross foul line, it’s a balk. Sounds like you knew that bc you even mentioned it didn’t cross the foul line. In the rundown, the runner is out. You do have a rule, and again, you said it, “intentional”. It’s alwYs tough to judge intent, but if he deviated to initiate contact, that’s intentional and he’s out. It is entirely possible to have interference w/out malicious. Good example is a runner swatting at the fielders glove to dislodge the ball. “Int, time, he’s out, runners can not advance any further”. If you allow this, you are supporting the new strategy of every run down, just chase a fielder and run into them and you’re home free

Unfortunately, it looks like Rich passed away in January of this year. RIP. https://www.pressconnects.com/obituaries/bps136031