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For sanctioned games, the absolute minimum is 2 umpires. So, if this game was supposed to be 6, or 4, or 3, you just excuse or exempt the “missing” umpire, and go down to the lesser -man system. There are plenty of stories in recent Pro baseball where they’ve finished a game with 3 umpires (from a start of 4). In one noteworthy case, an Umpire (ie. Pro guy) was on furlough, and just happened to be in the same city wherein an Umpire crewmember either got injured off-field or ill (I don’t remember), and the furloughed Umpire reported in, used the spare uniform, and executed the game alongside the other 3 Umpires. Many high-end tournaments and leagues have an on-call or on-site spare umpire. Youth/rec ball, unless they started solo, can complete a game with a solo umpire – even if that means calling B&Ks from behind the mound. 😬🫣 However, in that same rec/youth ball, if there is a “qualified” or competent umpire in the crowd, then by all means, if they’re willing to take up the role, facilitate them. I’m grateful to the College umpire who gave me my first opportunity to call college baseball (outside of scrimmages). My apartment bordered one of the city parks in Milwaukee that hosted a stadium-esque 60-90 with 300+ fences, and the lights were already on for warmups when I pulled into my driveway after work. I peered across the street, and saw that the players were fairly large, much more mature than young teenagers. So I headed over just to see who was playing, and it turns out it was a local small college (D-3?) hosting a non-varsity club team from a BIG D-1 school (if you know me, you know which one). I only saw one umpire standing at the backstop, in plate gear, and I approached him through the fence. It turns out that his BU partner got sick or indisposed, and he was about to do a college-level game, solo. So I asked him if he was willing to give me a try on Bases. He asked, “Do you know so-and-so?” “Yeah!” “Does he know you?” “Yeah, I worked with him 2 weeks ago!” “Well, I can’t pay you, because it’s paid electronically, but if you want to, sure… “ I flew back to my apartment, changed into Base Umpire uniform within seconds, and flew back… stepped into the field in the bottom of the 1st inning, and went from there. I learned a lot that night. Far more, and far more promptly, than any camp, clinic, or classroom could ever teach. … and I got paid $40 cash… $20 from each team. 🤑 We can all look back on our careers, and we can identify those 2-3 games that defined our careers. This is one of them for me… all because I was a last-second fill-in.5 points
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In the OP -- make it known to the other team what is going on -- and the specific relationship of the umpire to the team. Leave it to that coach to accept the umpire or go with one (or, if the state allows, suspend the game). That said, almst anytime I was not working a HS playoff game, I was out watching somewhere -- with no relationship to either team.4 points
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I start my assignments for LL Tournaments in our district, 3-4 weeks BEFORE the first District game. I don't have an overflowing pool of umpires, however, I have umpires that I trust. This year, I had to also assigned 3 sectional tournaments, and 1 state tournament. HOW would I know what team is going to advance from what league? I set the schedule based on availability. I have guys from several different leagues working sections. The ONLY change I am willing to make, is if the umpire has a league affiliated team in THAT game. Then we will swap. Bases? I don't think so. My guys know this well enough, that I don't even need to tell them to alter the scheduled rotation. I get it, we are in the perception business. However, just like regular season, I don't care what coaches think. I'm not there for them. In the past, even at the LLWS, if your region was playing, you would not even be on the field for that game. Last year, one of my crew members was from TX, one from VA, one from Canada (eh?) and me from PA. When I asked leadership, the response was, if I TRUST in your abilities enough for you to be here, I trust you to umpire fairly. The question stemmed from our 1st scheduled game. I had 1B, in front of the PA dugout and my partner from TX had 3B, in front of the TX dugout.3 points
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From the Minor League Baseball Umpire Manual: When two umpires are working a game and an umpire is forced to leave the game due to injury or illness, the game should proceed with the remaining umpire working behind the plate with full gear. Under no circumstances should the umpire call pitches from behind the mound. If league policy dictates, each team should be asked to nominate one player or coach to umpire on the bases with the duties being determined by the professional umpire working the plate.2 points
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There have been a couple of times in my officiating career where I was a random fan watching and an official did not show up for the scheduled event. Event 1: I went to watch a home match of my school's volleyball team. One of the officials did not show up. The HC of my school's varsity team talked to the VHC and the official who did show up about me officiating as the down official for the varsity match. Everyone was OK with it and there were no issues. Event 2: LL Sectional tournament where one umpire was stuck in traffic and I was there to watch. I (of course) had my gear in the rolling locker room and was asked to fill in. No one had any concerns Twice in my career I have been removed from tournament assignments because I was originally scheduled to officiate the tournament final long before the participants had been decided. Both times one of the finalists had a close affiliation. Finally, I was working a varsity baseball game as BU when my partner took a foul ball that went straight down and then back up under his jaw. He was knocked silly. Across the athletic fields the JV was playing. My partner sat on the bench, I geared up, and the BU from the JV game received an upgrade. All this to say it depends. Is it better to have fewer officials? Probably not. Should officials character be questioned just because they have an affiliation with a given program? If so, why not question their character in all their assignments? I think we put more thought into this than the collective efforts of everyone outside the officiating world. I think any team would prefer a good official on their event without regard to any affiliation. They would know that the official will do things the right way and their team will be fortunate to participate in a well officiated game.2 points
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Caveat up front: I take our "neutral arbiter" role very seriously. When I'm working games, I don't talk to coaches in between innings, I don't converse with spectators. I don't even store my water bottle in either dugout. My military career trained me to believe "perception is reality" and if something appears to be biased or having favoritism, people will tend to believe it is biased or has favoritism. On the OP, I don't think having affiliated fill-in umpires is an issue up to, but not including, formal LL tournament play. At the pre-tournament, league-play, level of LL, everyone repeats the mantra of "it's for the kids"--even though that could be said for every level of amateur umpiring. At the LL tournament level and up, I think it's better to go down one umpire--even if that makes a 2-man crew go down to a solo umpire. Everyone at the game--coaches, players, spectators--understands what that means and will (probably) understand, potentially begrudgingly. This thread does bring up an interesting question: for MiLB umpires in two-man crews (high-A for certain, but others as well), if one of them goes down and is unable to continue the game, what's their plan for coverage? I think we're all willing, if needed, to go put our gear on and finish a game behind the plate; a MiLB game with a solo PU would be a strange sight indeed.2 points
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<insert> But we've been doing it this way all year <here>2 points
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You're generous. I've told the catcher "balls in" and NOT let them get the "two more". As we are "chatting a little" during the game, this is an opportunity where I would let F2 know that if he gets his pitcher to hustle out faster, he could get more warm up. They usually get the hint.2 points
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2 points
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This past weekend I worked a PBR event at 15u and 17u levels (they say NFHS with OBR pitching, but they only explicitly ban the feint to third and do want balks kept live). I had two situations that I was asked post-game about not ejecting. I believe we don't show the shower often enough, but I didn't think either of these arose to me needing to eject. What say you? First . . . Pitcher starts having some issues in the third inning, but gets out of it and is frustrated. To start the 4th inning, he gets to a 1-1 count, then pulls a Nestor Cortez, circling the leg and yo-yo-ing it up and down. It catches me a little off-guard, so I let it slide and tell the first baseman, "He can't do that." First baseman says, "Yeah, he knows that." 2-1 count. He does it again, I point and yell, "That's a balk!" (Semantics, yes.) The batter lines it to F8. I reaffirm the call and the offensive HC and pitcher start screaming "What did I/he do?" Instead of explaining it twice, I try to get the pitcher and the coach together on the foul line. I get them close, and start to explain. I explain what I saw and before I can even get to the explanation of my rule application, the HC walks toward the mound and starts yelling at the backstop "I need the tournament director! I need the tournament director! That's not the rule!" The guy is a very demonstrative and loud coach, that is just who he is (I noticed it even when he talks to his players). My PU, a first year guy, comes out and he starts to bark at the coach, but I head him off. "Just take him to the back stop and get the TD or UIC, because he isn't going to listen to me. I'll talk to the pitcher." Meanwhile, Coach Karen is carrying on and being demonstrative, but not directing anything at us. Not personal, not profane, possibly prolonged? He wasn't really arguing with me, he just didn't want to listen to me. I was fine with that, I'm not going to get bent out of shape because he wants somebody else to explain it to him. I'm not going to waste my energy or get upset over it. Coach Karen wants my manager, Coach Karen is going to get my manager. Meanwhile, I am explaining it to the pitcher who is saying "I never stopped" that being in continual motion and delivering in a continuous motion are not the same. He doesn't like it, but he isn't arguing. The HC is waiting for the UIC, so he starts to walk back over to us. The HC injects himself with "But Nestor Cortez is a BIG LEAGUER and HE does it!" I calmly say, "Let me stop you right there . . . " and then, in effort to inject some levity (and keep myself calm), "Can I say a bad word in front of the kid?" The coach is take aback a little (and diffused some), "Not in front of the kid, no." "That's OK, I will say it this way then: Nestor Cortex is an idiot. He makes more money than you or I, but that doesn't make him right. We are playing baseball, he is a paid entertainer." The UIC arrives at that moment and I excuse myself to go give him the rundown. He says, OK. "Sounds like the right call to me, he needs to deliver in a continuous motion and up-down-and-all-around is not continuous. Let's get the game going, and I will talk to the coach." We work on getting things reset, and the UIC pulls the coach over towards the 3rd base coaching box and his dugout. The UIC tells him, "I am going to stand here and talk to you as long as we need to, but the game is going to go on. I won't get in your way, but I want to make sure you feel you are heard and then accept the ruling. You don't have to like it or agree, but it was right and we are keeping this moving." We played on without much more concern. The UIC stood down there by the coaches' box for about 15 minutes, through the inning. POST-MORTUM: The UIC asked me about ejecting him. I said I didn't feel he was there. He was loud and possibly over-demonstrative, but not in a defiant way. That was just his personality and his culture. He was the same way when talking to his players, positively and negatively. He wasn't personal, he wasn't profane. He didn't argue with me, he just didn't like it and/or didn't understand it. I was rather pleased with the outcome and joked with the UIC that I like this surrogate/therapy umpire concept. Coach, you can go yell at this guy all you want, we are playing on! POST-MORTUM with partner: As I said, my partner was a first year guy. We talked about his reaction to escalation versus my efforts to de-escalate. This coach was an animated person, we knew that from the beginning. He was perceived as "escalated" from the get go, but he really wasn't. That is cultural, and I would encourage umpires to take culture into consideration when calling games. You can't change it, but not understanding it can make things much worse. What say you on Count #1?1 point
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Something I've noticed working in the off-season is that there is so little hustle! Working college games exclusively during the season has made me accustomed to seeing players hustle in the out to their positions, for the pitcher and catcher to hustle out to get their warm-up pitches in, and for someone to take the catcher's place if he was on the bases to end the inning. Part of this is there is a 2:00 between innings clock so they know their time is limited, but most of this was happening before that due to coaches instilling hustle and discipline as part of the game. Yesterday, I was working the plate for a 5 Tool tournament and these kids have no hustle coached into them. I noticed the catcher was out and ready but the pitcher was lolly-gagging and then just slowly walked to the mound. I was at the backstop where the site director (and his friend) were sitting and remarked about the pitcher and how there's no hustle and they both said that it's been going on for a while. After 2 pitches, I walked out to the foul line and said, "Two more," and the catcher said, "But he's only had two" and at the same time the pitcher gave me a quizzical look. I looked at the pitcher and told him that he took his sweet time getting out there and we need to get the game moving. Have others noticed this trend? What the hell is wrong with coaches letting their players be so lazy on the field?1 point
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I wonder if PU is on the short list for Williamsport…1 point
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So the grandparent in the 5th row should replace us every game? 😁 I randomly carry my gear to games as well (not saying I slashed anybodies tires but, y'know random things happen). Back to serious, thanks for the thoughtful response.1 point
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I don’t know the particulars of LL, per se, but at other tournament events I’ve operated within and staffed? Yes. No question. Done. [facetious] We’re supposed to be all eqUals, are we not? [/facetious]1 point
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I don't think it's dumb so much as it is to try and take control of the game. And why does he try to do that? Because other umpires, unlike you, let him do it. Good job!1 point
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I would expect bullpens to be prolific in these sorts of tournaments. We're having our State championship this weekend and even our po-dunk fields have cordoned off bullpens. They're not formal bullpens (with permanent fencing) but that's what they're there for regardless.1 point
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I'm willing to give a little leeway when it is a hot and humid weekend, but come on. You would think having time limits on tournament games would get a burr in somebody's butt. I have long said that you can give a girls' fastpitch softball team 75 minutes and they will play a full 7 innings because they hustle in and out and are ready to go; but you give a baseball team 2 hours, and they will fill every single moment of it, and then bitch when you call the game in the 5th inning. We set the tone and the pace, though. We do have time limits in the rules . . . use them.1 point
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The only thing that doesn’t make sense is that you bought a “Wilson West Vest Douglas”. Which was it? A Douglas or Wilson?1 point
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Update: Followed up with my GP who did some more tests and such. My lungs are "crystal clear" at this time. The condition was apparently transient. He made some medication adjustments as one of the meds I'm on has a common side effect of a persistent cough. He's not sure if the condition was related to an impact but he's unconcerned about recurrence. "Keep breathing deeply. Eat better. Exercise more." Either way - listen to your bodies, take notice if something is "different" or just "off". Have a great game!1 point
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Sometimes 10U Coaches get confused too. Even if it was a planned play, my experience is that many coaches and parents get too wound up by "bush league" tactics. I always told my teams and their parents not to let these things bother them. Everything is a learning opportunity. We can let a player learn that stealing home legally could get his coach ejected or a catcher learn that he doesn't need to be aware of the game situation because the umps will bail him out. Why perpetuate myths when you can just enforce the rules as written?1 point
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10u shouldn't be using the D3K rule. But if they are, by rule, the defense should be aware of the count, and not throw to 1B. Proper application of the rule would to score the run, and bring the batter back to the plate with whatever the count is. However, it is 10u, and if that is what the umpires did, then in a perfect world, the adults would not get worked up over this situation. The rules should be tailored to the age and skill level of the players. Did I mention that 10u should not be using the D3K rule?1 point
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Many times I have been tempted to say "Do you want to know what's wrong with youth sports? Find a mirror."1 point
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You jinxed me! I was doing good this year (and last), with no gouges, until this post... F2 got me last night on the first pitch.1 point