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As I prepare for my 13U/14U season beginning next week, I worked an unsanctioned scrimmage between two local teams over the weekend. This was essentially a practice game for both teams to get some work in, and the coaches for the teams had asked me to work the game behind the plate (they paid me, of course), so I agreed. I was the only umpire who showed up, so we had a coach for each team alternate innings as the field umpire. Some context, Team A is one of the "wealthier" teams... a lot of upper class kids and they pay a lot of money to play. Team B is probably the better team (although Team A is very good, as well), and more organized. Team B's coach was the one who organized my umpiring, Team A was the one writing the check. Maybe it's not a perfect system, but I was just trying to help out in an unorganized game and make some easy cash. As I'm working the plate, the pitcher from Team A gets called for a balk. He didn't come set, so I called him. No big deal. We moved on. Same inning, same pitcher, same situation, I called it again. The inning ended, I felt that the kid wasn't understanding what he was doing wrong, so I pulled him aside between innings and explained. I thought all was well. Team A goes up to the plate, 3 up, 3 down. Next inning rolls around, Team A is back in the field. Same pitcher on the mound. Gives up a hit, runner at first. Very next pitch, he doesn't come set again. I call him again. And then a second time that same at-bat. If you're keep track at home, that's four (4) balks for one pitcher in a matter of 2 innings. The coach was no longer agitated at his 14-year-old pitcher. He was misdirecting his anger at me. So he shouts, "Call it both ways, Blue!" Whatever. Nothing new. I ignored it. But the coach didn't like that I didn't address him, so he said it again. This time, I addressed it with him. "Coach, if you need to talk, please ask to talk. Don't yell from the bench." He approaches, we discuss... his gripe was that I called four balks on his guy, but none on the other team. Remember, his team didn't have a base runner... how could I call a balk on the other team's pitcher? I reminded him of this. "Coach, I can't call a balk when there are no base runners." The coach perceived me to be taunting his team, which only made him more upset. We end our conversation, resume play. The next inning, Team B has runners at second and third. Batter hits it to 2B, runner at third takes off to score. 2B attempts a play at home, and it's super close. I had the runner as safe, but again, it was about as close as you could get. Team A's coach LOSES IT. (Do I need to remind you that this was a scrimmage???) He argues with me about the call, I hold my ground. He then proceeds to hold out his hand and insist I give him the money back. "Give me back the check! I ain't paying for a one-sided umpire!" I eject him. I ejected a coach in a scrimmage game. And no, I didn't give him the money back (I quickly deposited the check before I left the parking lot... thanks for banking apps on your phone!). I'll get this coach another 8-10 games this year. Yay for me!

This is a product of absolutely having to get pitches correct, having fully covered health insurance, and still being paid should they be injured and unable to work games. We have to protect ourselves in the amateur game.

Nate, all due respect, if you don’t Umpire college baseball, you should not denegrade college umpires for directives you are not aware of. We have been hammered with national directives to handle this with warnings and ejections. A bat flip is at minimum an automatic team warning and can be an ejection if it is egregious and/or is accompanied with additional acts (taunting for ex). Umpires work for their assignors and associations. When you are told to not allow it, you don’t allow it. A bat flip and stare down, left unchecked, will lead to batters being thrown at, which can lead to fights. Since ncaa wants to avoid this, rightfully so, they are penalizing the initial acts rather than letting it get to the point where it spirals out of control. And to your point, it is in fact entirely possible to have fun and celebrate without involving the other team at all

When I first started umpiring, a wise, experienced umpire told me to avoid doing things that would make people question my ability. Making a noodle-armed throw is one of those things. Even if you have a very good throwing arm, it takes one bad throw for fans, players and coaches to look at you and go, "where did they find this guy?" Let the catcher be the one to make the bad throws.

Whatever you do, don’t get 3n2. You’ll thank me later

This is the single greatest cause of tension and strife between tournament hosts/directors, coaches, and umpires on the amateur circuit. TDs are terrified that umpires will Eject coaches “Willy-nilly”, and (a) coach(es) will enact stop-payments on the check(s). And then to compound the problem, they’ll take to social media and besmirch the tournament, and claim “umpires screwed them” (with or without video “evidence”). Then they proclaim they’re not returning. As such, TDs get these spineless umpires who are pushovers, or lack rules knowledge (and game management skills!), and just wilt when confronted. Then, coaches (and parents, and other umpires) complain that the “quality of umpires (plural)” has decayed, and that “this tournament series has gone to 💩”.

I personally do not ignore "call it both ways" from team personnel. If you think about it, the phrase is accusing us of cheating. Anyone other than the head coach, I'll generally tell to KTSO. For the head coach, I'll call him out: "Coach, are you accusing me of cheating?" Generally, they don't think it means that, so they say "no," and I'll say, "then that's enough." Most get the message. If they're eager to depart, I'm prepared to usher them to the exit.

It is the same reason why we note those things in ejection reports. So when/if we have to go back and figure things out, we can do it easier. Think about how much stuff can happen between outs... we are giving the exact moment in the game when the visit occurred.

Sunday night's umpire seemed to be in the slot. Anyone watch the KayRod broadcast on ESPN2? Real great umpcam for extended periods of play. Fun to watch.

In my JV games, if the whole ball is between the inside lines of the batters' boxes and bottom of the ribs to the bottom of the knees, I'm taking a strike. I've only had one coach ask me about it and my response was, "There were only 5 strike outs and 6 walks total in this game. Both teams were swinging the bats and making contact. What was your question?" He nodded and walked away. My partner was happy as we finished a 7 inning game in 1:39.

It is a stretch and as @BigBlue4u has not revisited his MLBUM to concede that he got the MLB play wrong when does FED tell you to call time after a delayed dead ball?

Warning given.

What I still fail to understand, after 30 years in baseball behind the plate, is how this molded plastic shoehorn – … is better, in any way from stylistically to functionally, than a wireframe cage “extension” –

Absolutely! I am totally doing this. I will email him and report back... ~Dawg

Best of luck 😂😂😂

“Everybody lies.” -Dr. Gregory House Filed also under the same as “he’s been using that move all year,” and “you’re the only one who calls that here.”

Not my best work, but …

https://www.ump-attire.com/Products/UC5-BC/All-Star-4-Dial-Die-Cast-Steel-Umpire-Indicator-3-2-2-Count Took some getting used to, but I LOVE this now. Base coach asked me the count several times during a game. Towards the end, he said, "I'm really impressed you never looked at your indicator and you were never wrong." I won't tell him my secret if you won't. There is a newer umpire around here I have worked with a few times and my biggest piece of feedback for him has been "stop looking at your indicator after every pitch." It's not subtle. It is call, look down. Every time. I pitched this indicator to him, but new guys aren't going to drop $20 on an indicator. Heck. it took me years to be willing to do that!

This is the proper mechanic although you might quibble and want a point to HP awarding it before or not giving the safe sign. The PU looks like DeMuth but I can't tell:

If you are on dirt, you should even ignore them then. 😁 Several years ago I was calling a local 14u softball tournament and had a "hot" game ... competitive and "very engaged" fans. Some of them knew me and my wife. Anyway, we hit a point where I had to tell the coaches to tell their fans enough was enough. They did, and things simmered down a bit. An inning later, my wife and daughter came by the field. Not something that normally happens, but they were bringing me lunch. I'm standing on the third base line between innings and I hear my wife calling me. She wasn't there earlier to know what was going on, but I'm thinking, "The way this game has been going, there is NO way I am turning around to the crowd." My wife starts calling me a little louder. I'm just smiling to the field. No way I'm turning around. Finally, one of the fans says, "Lady, you need to quit yelling at him before he throws you out." Another fan says, "That's his wife." A third says, "Oh ... he will DEFINITELY throw her out then!" 🤣 🤣 🤣 OK. I turned around laughing at that one.

Why would it be a foul ball? F2 caught it—even if it touched the bat, it's a foul tip, live ball, strike, play on. If he's on the field, we need to address that, while ignoring his question. "Coach, you can't run out of the dugout for that." I ignore people shouting at me (unless I'm married to them). At most, I might shake my head no. Stupid questions are especially ripe for being ignored.

I would have said nope and nope.

Had my first ejection of the year last week. Doing a varsity tournament here, 2nd of 4 games. Home field team is playing in this game and the 3rd. Bottom of the 5th inning rang a kid up on a pitch right at the knees. Batter was unhappy, turns to walk back to the dugout and looks at me and say "You're f*%$ing terrible". See ya! Easiest ejection ever. They got to play with only 10 players the next game as the coach sent him home. Punish stupidity whenever possible.

I do honestly mean this with respect - this should be your indication as to why an umpire manual hasn’t ever included an approved position to call a game from the dugout, bleachers, press box, etc.

Be careful not to remove that sticker. You will void the warranty...

Because it is easier than trying to read my toes?