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I don't think I was using the scissors previously, just down on one knee. I changed both my stance and strike call for the day and felt more comfortable. I went with the squat like in @maven profile pic. I switched to the hammer because I didn't want to take my eyes off the field of play, especially in a JV solo game. I hope this clarifies things a bit.

“When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.â€- Stuart Scott my condolences on your loss

10 years in and finally my first Ejection of a High School Coach. This is my report I had to submit. No laughing please. I changed the names to protect the people involved. Top of 4th Inning. We had a Swipe tag at 1st base. I got together with my partner and we reversed the call. The Head Coach(JOHN) from High School came to talk to my partner. I told the coach it was my call and to come talk to me. JOHN started screaming at me, " Don't try and show me up." I said "Excuse me?" He repeated,"Don't try and show me up." His voice getting louder. I walked to the JOHN and said "Coach it is my call. You need to talk to me about the call." He said :Don't tell me what to do. I was asking BOB why you didn't let GREG come out and talk to you. I replied "I didn't need GREG to come out to me. I know what he was going to ask me." At that point JOHN got right up in my face and said "You need to own your calls and be a Man." At that point I warned JOHN to stop raising his voice or I was going to have to restrict him to the Dugout. Once again he yelled, "You Don't tell me what to do. Be a Man." At that point I restricted him to the dugout. He said to me "Why?" And I simply told him, he needs to go to the dugout and can not come on the field except to deal with an injured player. He said "Why are you restricting me?" I didn't answer him. Then he got right up in my face again and said, "You are just afraid. Be a man and Own your own calls. This is BullSH*#." At that point I Ejected him from the game. And as I turned to walk away he started following me. He was yelling at me and calling me a coward and a joke. BOB, my partner, was trying to rodeo him away from me.But JOHN was having none of that. He kept coming after me. And then he finally got around BOB and Said "This is F*#King BullSH*#!"and bumped me on the side. At that point I said "Cursing and bumping me? That will be going in my report as well." At which point he replied, "I don't give a crap about your report. Be a DAM MAN and own your calls. You are a joke and shouldn't be on a baseball field." At that point TOM, his assistant coach, came and took him away. The game continued without any further incidents. As soon as the game ended and we were leaving the field, JOHN showed back up on the field. BOB and I just left the field and went to our cars. There were no further incidents. On a side note, TOM was the Coach who came to the plate meeting. JOHN apparently showed up late. He never reported to BOB or myself that he was the Head Coach. I did explain to TOM that he needed to make sure in the future that that is taken care of as soon as the Head Coach shows up to the facility. If you need any further information, feel free to contact me.

Exactly. As little ballplayers (10U, 9U, 8U) are apt to do, the infielders routinely stand themselves on a base when receiving a throw. With R1, and a hit to the outfield (F7-F9), you'll probably see F4 or F6 run over and stand on 2B (and depending on coaching, start yelling "Here! Here! Here!"). R1 just runs like he's lit on fire and runs right around 2B without touching it whatsoever . He's already on his way to 3B, and the throw comes into F4/6 standing on 2B. BR is standing on 1B (or doing that silly "I dare ya, I dare ya" hop-around) and R1 slides in a dramatic, dust-cloud-spurring butt slide (that ends a foot short) of 3B, but no worries, there's no play happening. F4/6 is still standing on 2B looking back and forth at 1B and 3B with the entire coaching staff (usually, a dad of each the players) screaming "Get it to the pitcher! Get it to the pitcher!" (since they mistakenly think this is related to their daughters' softball games). And we stand there, saying nothing. Is R1 out? Shockingly not, because despite all that frenetic running around second base, he actually did acquire it. Do you think anyone really saw R1 miss 2B? It would take a Zapruder Film review for anyone else to notice, because despite having eight coaches in the dugout (area), everyone is watching the ball, and little Zachary's efforts to retrieve it and throw it without falling on his face. And again, we say nothing. It takes an actual appeal of/at 2B to rule that R1 is out. Now, not to split hairs, but that appeal – in OBR (and most/all modified OBR sets), a live-ball appeal is required. Did I read and remember correctly that FED only needs a dead-ball / bench appeal? So if this game was operating under FED ruleset, one of those coaches could just say, "Hey ump, their kid missed 2B!" ? (Yes, I am making this sound trite, since most high-school age kids, playing under NFHS, are capable of making an appeal. Those little kids, though, just stand around dumbfounded, or are off trying to tie their shoes (again) or tuck their jersey in (again).)

The difference is in the feint . If a runner feints to 2nd then an umpire is still liable to balk the step to 2nd .

I also work for Fred at NF. Haven't met you yet. Welcome David and avoid Jax at all costs. Best advice I can give you.B) Games worked 42

For those of you who officiated during week 6 of 2014, you may have met Dennis Fila. An easy-going, soft spoken gentleman. He bunked in 33B. We became friends right off the bat, hung out and dined together. It was a Tuesday or Wednesday when I asked him if he'd like to go out for wings & beers at Kelli Jean's Steakhouse. We went and had a good time. Then he dropped the bomb. It was there that he told me he had stage 4 cancer. I was floored! I knew two stage 4 cancer patients, and they could barely get around. This guy was still umpiring! The doctors told him in January of 2014 that he probably had six months to live (six months later, he's umpiring two games a day). He pointed out the bulge under his shirt, which was a device required, as he had no colon. My head was spinning. He acted as if he were talking about having a cold or something. This man became my hero instantly. He wanted no sympathy; he wanted wings & baseball talk. His only setback that week was his last scheduled game, which he couldn't do because he was "feeling tired". I watched him bid goodbyes to parents of his sponsored team from his hometown. There were hugs and tears; they all knew. I promised Dennis I'd see him again. We spoke on the phone a few times throughout the fall. He was always positive and upbeat. However, in December, it started to catch up to him. I made the trip to Maryland from upstate NY on December 28th. He was still coherent and positive. We talked a lot about baseball. Between him, his wife, his daughter and some other visitors, I had never experienced such a collective positive attitude anywhere. We had dinner together. We joked and laughed. I gave him a hug, and I was on my way. I got the call from his wife in early January that Dennis had passed. He won every round of the fight, but the cancer finally took him. He told me he thought "the Man upstairs" had some kind of reason for keeping him around, but he didn't know what that reason was. I do. It was a reminder to all of us to be strong, stay positive, avoid trivial nonsense, and -to his fellow umpires- pursue your profession with a passion and love for The Game.

I think I've heard that before. Can't place it, though....

I don't mean to pick on this or hijack the thread by any means, but a kid who's visibly wobbly after getting hit in the head? That young man is done for the day to me. By law in our state.

I try to keep my reports to 25 words or fewer. I'd state what he said and that he bumped me. Nothing that happens in the game warrants his bad behavior, so I don't include all that stuff. Sometimes when you strip it down to the bare facts, it looks even worse for the coach. That guy might be looking at a year off in my state. Have you examined your actions to see whether you might have handled anything better? He came out to your partner and you jumped in there — maybe let partner steer him to you? I had a little trouble following the exchange, but he certainly seemed out of control and ready to go.

Agree. Here's a reinforcing thought: Remember that we want angle over distance. What's going to give you the best angle on the play at 1B? (If there's a tight call to be made on this play, that's probably where it will be.) If the ball is not hit hard, the fielders will run up to field it. F3 is going to be stretching INTO the infield to field that throw. You want to be deeper and maybe closer to 1B: that's why you want something like B or deep B to take the play at 1B. If the ball is hit hard and fielded deep, F3 is going to be stretching ACROSS the infield to field the throw. Your best angle is going to be from nearer the mound, preferably in the 1B side (but still in the working area, as you have other runners). So read the batted ball: slow roller, step back. Hard hit ball, step up and turn with it. Maintain chest-to-ball through out the play, and pick up 1B as soon as you read a clean release.

This is precisely the reason I chose the 'face forward hammer machanic' when I began umping. My mentor asked why I chose it, I told him I wanted to keep my eyes out in front of me, on the field. Guys that work solo, or even 2 man IMHO, ought not take their eyes off the field.

To your assignor, your best ability is availability

In FED-speak, this means "The batter had the opportunity to get out of the way, but just stood there and took one for the team" A fastball to the middle of the lower back or hip isn't going to give the batter the opportunity to get out of the way -- so he goes to first even if he just stands there. A change-up to the upper arm give the batter plenty of time to get out of the way -- he'd better attempt to move.

He wouldn't be out for passing, but he (the lead runner) could no longer return to touch the missed base because a runner scored after the guy who missed it he can't go back to correct his baserunning error.

Another play. If that 2nd runner touches the plate while this dance is still going on, I have him out for passing R3.

Yes, I've seen a "casual step" touch of a bag. And, you act just as you would if the runner had touched the base -- same as if R1 misses second on the way to third. Up to you whether that's "acting casual." What you don't do is anything that draws attention to the missed base.