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I was working on this very thing a while back and may revisit it BTW I sell to UMP-ATTIRE...same folder no logo and will be soon be able to laser etch Association logos and names onto blank folders if this laser works out.

Here's a FED only play: Top of the first inning. First two batters walk; so we have R2, R1 no outs. B3 due up, but B4 bats instead. B4 hits a one-hop scorcher that is picked by F5. F5 steps on third base (R2 out on force) then throws to F4 (R1 out on the force). F4 throws to F3 but the B/R is ruled safe. Defense then comes and appeals that B4 batted out-of-order. Upon appeal, B3 is called "out" and we have a FED special triple play.

if he adjusts his hat with both hands, then the answer is the same

And more importantly, heal up soon @TKSjewelry!

I'm just adding to my list for the committee meeting in June.

I'll summarize: (1) As for going out on every fly ball: let your crew chief decide. When I'm crew chief, I state that we don't need to go out on obvious hits, but I do want someone out on every fly ball (even a can of corn) and trouble balls (possible home runs, ground rule doubles, fair/foul, etc.). This is the method we use at the Legion World Series, too. But just adjust to whatever your crew chief wants. (2) U2 is on the outside with no runners on base or R3 only. When U2 is on the outside he has the "v". When he is on the outside, U2 is the key. Thus, if a ball is hit to the left fielder and you are not sure whether it is your fly ball or U2's fly ball, you need to glance at and read U2. If you both go out...it is your fault. (3) With no runners on base, if U2 goes out, you have any play against the B/R at second base. So, when U2 goes out, you need to bust across the left side of the diamond into the second base cutout. [The plate umpire will rotate up and take any plays at third base and U1 will go home for an inside-the-park homerun attempt.] As you get more experience, you don't have to necessarily go into the second base cutout to take a play against B/R. For instance, you can take plays on the outside of the bag. But, if you are not experienced, your best bet is to just hustle into the middle of the second base cutout. (4) With R3 only, if U2 goes out, you take R3's tag-up. U1 will come in and pivot and take the B/R into second base. [Be advised that this is a fairly new CCA mechanic. It used to be that U3 would hustle into the second base cutout to take a play there against the B/R and the PU would take R3's tag-up. If your crew chief is not familiar with this recent change, don't be surprised if he tells you that he wants you to do the old mechanic.] (5) When U2 is on the inside (any runners on base except R3 only), then you and U1 split the outfield. U1 has F8 straight in and straight back. On a ball that causes F8 to go back towards the fence, I tell my umpires to read which way F8 turns. If F8 turns toward you in running back toward the fence, then you go out. If he turns and opens toward U1, then U1 goes out. However, the bottom line is that you (U3) need to read U1 as U1 is the key. (6) With any other combination of runners (R1 only, R2 only, R1 & R2, R1 & R3, R2 & R3, bases loaded) you are either going out on the fly ball or remaining at third base (of course, if you remain at third base you may need to view R3's tag-up.) But this is the best part of being the U3 in a four-man crew: You either go out or stay put. (7) The bad part is that you (U3) get left out of umpire rotation signals. When the crew signals, before the first pitch to a new batter, their rotation (or reverse rotation) signals it is actually the PU, U1 and U2 signaling what they are going to do if you (U3) go out. You don't need to be involved in giving the signals because you are either going out or staying put. Thus, you can feel left out; it can get lonely over there. (That's part of the reason why they call U3 the rocking chair.) (8) With any runner combination that includes an R3 it IS okay for you to stand partially in fair territory. In fact, if you stand in foul territory only, R3 will likely block your view of the plate area and you will not be able to rule on any check swings or see if a batted ball strikes a batter's foot/leg. I usually straddle the line. (9) If F2 makes a snap throw down to third base in an attempt to pickoff R3 (or even on a steal attempt by R2) take several hard steps into FOUL territory. It will give you the best view that you can get. I got MAJOR evaluation points on an evaluation for doing this on a pickoff attempt. (10) There are some advanced four-man mechanics that some MLB/AAA crews will use (such as having U2 go out on a fly ball, in certain situations, with multiple runners on base). These are not CCA mechanics and, in my opinion, are too advanced for amateur umpires (who usually only work a handful, at most, of 4-man games a year) to attempt to use. Good luck and have fun.

Under rule we should have left the field the moment of injury and called the game since it was regular season (so it counts for nothing other than practice for tourneys), we were more that 3 1/2 innings in with the home team in the lead and at bat. If you want to get technical, he was wrong on all fronts, plus being a SH*#ty human being. Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

I've worked two games without shinguards. One in my first season, over 10 years ago, a middle school game. Didn't pay for that mistake. Thank God. Second was two seasons ago. An NAIA game that went 11 innings. Again, not made to pay for my forgetfulness. I was extra fast getting down the lines those games. Didn't wonder why until after games when taking my gear off. WTH! Just lucky I guess.

Is it just me or do the pants seem to be different this year? I personally have not purchased any as I am still using some Ump-Attire PolyWools that I bought several years back when they closed them out (bought several pairs at a great price). The new pants appear to have a slight pattern to the print and seem to be thinner. Just wondering if anyone knows about any changes that have taken place. Maybe a new manufacturer? Any insight would be appreciated because I will be in the market for new ones soon.

In HS if you don't call it is still an IFF. Just enforce it.

True, but he only mentioned the Wilson part of the equation. And I was trying to beat you to the did you searched first part.

I was once at a game where two inexperienced umpires called a runner "out" on appeal for leaving too early on an uncaught infield fly. Virtually no one in baseball except well-trained umpires understand this rule.

Why wouldn't it? All the elements are there.

I have the Force3 ones and love them. Doesn't affect the mobility and doesn't show up under the plate pants.

Well, that's a bit paperist, don't you think? Irregardless of this opinion, I think I'm on solid ground on the use of thusly. One of the french benefits of forum writing, IMO, is the flexibility to adapt and change outside the normal strictures of grammer. Supposably there are these rules, but trying to stick to them will literally make your head explode. For all intensive purposes, this is the proper usage. To those who claim otherwise, I could care less. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm a bit nauseous. Perhaps a nice expresso will help.

If a batters time at bat comes when he is in base then he is legally skipped. So 5 would get to bat with no penalty is 4 is on base.

Knock it off. Stop looking for an argument.

You're reasoning is wrong. It was the bottom of the sixth, the home team was winning, and time expired. I'm not sure where the conceptual hurdle is here. What issue do you have with her opinions on the coach? It sounds like the coach was being a douche-nozzle. B*tching about not getting extra minutes because the umpire broke her toe, in *preseason* game, when you're losing by 6 runs. That's putting the "rat" in "rat". From the other posts I've read from the OP, she manages the game well and doesn't go looking for confrontation, as you seem to be worried about. Still can't figure out if you're trolling or not.. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Absolutely a balk. If he doesn't start or take his initial position with both hands in front, then any motion involving both hands simultaneously is the start of the motion. Start with both hands is ok. Moving one hand then the other is ok. Starting with both hands down and then moving both - better keep going, cause that's the start of the motion. This was a POE from our state interpreter, as well as being explicitly defined in Rule 2 under definition of time of pitch. 2.28.3 SITUATION C: With R1 on third base, F1 steps on the pitcher’s plate to take a sign from F2. After taking the sign, F1 brings both hands up together in front of his body and then stops to adjust the ball. RULING: This is balk. R1 is awarded home. The time of the pitch occurred when F1 moved both arms. COMMENT: What is the time of the pitch for the (a) windup or (b) set position? For the windup position, the “time of the pitch” occurs when the pitcher (a) after stepping onto the pitcher’s plate, with both hands in front of his body first starts any movement of his arm(s) or leg(s) prior to delivering the pitch; (b) with both hands at his side, he first starts any movement with both arms or the non-pivot foot prior to delivering the pitch; (c) with either hand in front of his body and the other hand at his side, after bringing his hands together, he first starts any movement of his arm(s) or leg(s) prior to delivering the pitch. In (b), it occurs the instant the pitcher, after coming to a complete and discernible stop, starts any movement with arm(s) and/or leg(s) that commits him to pitch. Rule: 6.1.2

Did you not learn that the game was complete (even with the clock) and she toughed it out - most likely so the kids could keep playing ball? At that point, game clock = irrelevant.

Right: I edited to clarify.

First, please be aware that this thread is in the HS section. OBR citations are not appropriate (even though the rule and mechanics are the same). Second, FED 8-2-8 states the same as OBR: a runner acquires the RIGHT to a base by touching it. That right entitles him to the base until he is put out or forced to advance, as the rule states. This is a claim about how a runner becomes entitled to a base, and nothing follows about missed bases. I don't think you are reading these rules too literally. They simply don't answer the question you're asking, which concerns how we should treat a runner (in this thread, the BR) who misses a base. According to 8-2-8, such a BR is NOT entitled to 1B, because he has NOT touched it. No argument there. The operative rule is 8-4-1f: the BR is out "if any fielder, while holding the ball in his grasp, touches first base or touches first base with the ball before the batter-runner touches first base." Based on that statement, we might wonder why the BR isn't out according to this rule: even though the BR passed the base before the tag, F3 has tagged it before the touch. Why isn't that an out? Because we require the defense to appeal a missed base. And until then? What is the runner's status? He's not out automatically (FED ditched the automatic appeal some 20 years ago, and the accidental appeal soon after). If he's not out, then he's safe, pending appeal. And that entails that he has acquired the base, pending appeal. Not the RIGHT to it — a proper appeal will be granted, so he IS liable to be out — but we're going to call him safe because he beat the throw. To do otherwise would contradict the appeal rules. So the key is fitting all the pieces together, and using the rules as a system, rather than piecemeal. It would be a good idea for FED to include a case play on this, just to clarify the situation (are you listening, @lawump?).

Okay, I will share my story of the only time I've ever had (and used) a cell phone on the field. It was Game 3 of a Best-of-Five American Legion Playoff series. The home team was leading the series 2-0. At noon on the day of the game, I received a call from the state American Legion director who informed me that there was a protest during game 2 about an illegal bat. The protest was dropped because the protesting team won the game, but that if they had lost he (the director) would have upheld the protest. He called me to tell me that, "during this year's playoffs a bat cannot have any composite material at all. It does not matter if the bat has a BESR or BBCOR stamp or sticker. If a bat has composite material it is an illegal bat, and if properly appealed to the umpire, the batter should be called out." He called me to make sure that I knew the rule, and to make sure that I knew it could be an issue in that night's game. I said that I understood. Fast forward to the game. In the top of the third inning, the leadoff batter hit a single through the right side of the infield. The home team head coach/manager came out to protest that the bat was illegal. I looked closely at the bat and could not tell if it was made of composite materials. Nothing on the bat stated that it was "composite". I told the manager that there was nothing on the bat to indicate that it was made of composite material. He said that if I did not rule it an illegal bat, he was going to protest the game. When he said the word "protest" I signaled to my two partners to come it. (FWIW, I was the crew chief.) As I was standing there (a few feet out in front of home plate) by myself waiting for my partners to jog in, a brief moment of inspiration hit me. When my partners (who were previously informed about my conversation with the state director during our pre-game meeting) arrived at where I was standing, I said, "he's saying that it is an illegal bat because it is composite and that he is protesting the game if I don't rule it illegal." I asked my partners to look at it and they said they had no idea if it was composite or not. So, I decided to put my moment of inspiration into action. I said, "I'm not losing the first f*****g protest of my career." I then told my first base umpire to run to the locker room and get my cell phone. When he came back, we used the phone to go on the internet to the bat manufacturer's website. We looked up the specific bat model and sure enough in the description of this bat model it said, "made of the highest quality composite materials," or words to that affect. I asked my partners if they agreed with me that it was composite bat. They agreed. I then banged out the runner and told my first base umpire to go and put the bat in our locker room. The visiting head coach came out and was very mad. I asked him, "you agree with me that a bat with composite materials is illegal, right." He said that it was a stupid rule, but he agreed it was the rule. I then said, "then look at this," as I handed him my phone. He said, "this could be any website." I said, "no, this is the manufacturer's website. That is the only website I would go to because I can defend my decision to the state director by referencing the manufacturer's website." At this point, the visiting head coach look defeated and just said, "this is ridiculous. I only have two bats left." I said, "I feel your pain, but there is nothing I can do. I'm not losing a protest." The game continued without further incident. And that's the story of how I avoided a protest by using a cell phone on the field.

I'm confused. But I'm sorry for your broken toe also. Were you wearing another pair of plate shoes that had composite toe protection? Or base shoes. You already called yourself an idiot so no further comment is needed. Except if you want to hear about when I hung my mask on a dugout pole to free my hands pregame. Or when I took my shinguard off postgame. That's right. I only had to take one off.

Pffft. You're letting facts get in the way of my fantasizing.

People get hurt doing everything possible to be safe. You can commit no mistakes and still fail. That is life, and when some stupid ass parent pulls a gun or a knife or a draino bomb because I won't talk to him, I'd like to keep mine. Your foolish umpire-puritan pride is not worth getting the crap beaten out of you in a parking lot.

I've experimented this past season and have settled on wearing three. One on each side, and one in the back like a fanny pack. I tried a fourth in front, but it looked too much like a loin cloth and one of the parents complained to my association that I appeared culturally insensitive, so they made me take it off . Fine. I was willing to make that concession, but not without an argument. So in my right bag, I keep baseballs and my brush. In the left I keep a facecloth, spare clicker (yes, I said it!) and my watch. In the rear I have a collection of autographed Glamour Shots that I pass out to any attractive single moms in the stands between innings. So far I've been arrested once, slapped twice and got a fake phone number for my efforts. I'll keep at it, though, because I'm no quitter.