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Im sure when the State org Heads and assignors are not 60+ and stop using the "back in my day" phrase like its a Biblical quote, creased hats, patent shoes, all black ONLY requirements, and (sorry @MadMax) NAVY shirts will all but disappear. Look at any younger (below 35) umpire out on a field. They are not creasing hats (unless pressured by those 55+ guys) and they certainly aint wearing patent leather shoes. Sh&*t, even softball is coming around on the pant color! I am at an age and a space in my career that I wear what is comfortable. Nike Golf shoes with the FORBIDDEN white logo on the bases, and whatever plate shoes I have in the car on game day. Just look at the 50th anniversary of Referee Magazine. The advertisements in that thing CATERED to the 55+ crowd, but articles were written about the "aging out of officials" and the "lack of officials". Im guessing the marketing departments at these places are the same Old Heads (for you Old guys, thats what the young generations calls you, and they most definitely mean it with all of the respect you think it carries) that run the state orgs.

Based on all the glowing feedback on the UA FB page, I think the demographic that loves the patent leather monstrosities exclusively belong to states and groups that still mandate navy shirts and plate/base pay differential. I will die on this hil lol

It absolutely matters! You need footwear that screams "Respect my authoritAY!"

This is definitely a game our colleague Clarence Callsafew will be on!

Are you using the All-Star Axis or the new matte umpire cobalt helmet? If your referring to the new one; I'm pretty sure your supposed to be using a harness that has a grippy back (ex; delta flex, ump-life, pretty much any neoprene ones)

Tonight's Wilmington vs. Frederick game will feature a fill-in umpire who came up through our local Little League Junior Umpire program. He's still in college, but has been doing high school and wood bat summer league for a couple of years. Apparently one of the regular guys got hurt in a DH yesterday, and the development guy for MLB knew him and called him up to be a fill in. (I don't know if he knows him from the local high-level work, or the MLB camp I encouraged him to attend). Anyway, as a mentor of sorts (he surpassed me, very early on), I'm stoked as hell and sorry I can't swing up there.

Crease for sure on my base caps. Far more difficult to crease my skull though.

All this crap will disappear when we – the umpire community – stop equating value to these things, insofar that they mean “you’re a better umpire than __________ because of them.”, and treasuring compliance to their edicts – which are simply opinions – as a virtue.

Your “foot Ferrari” is this guy’s foot fryer. No thank you. If we’re equating to cars, and polish-&-patent is a gleaming black sedan, out here in the wild? Gimme a land rover with the top off, if ya please. If I gotta stand out here for 2-3 hours while you scrutinize the strike zone, then I’m going to need something comfy. #PizzazBeDamned

D. Don Kelly is one miserable POS.

It's actually really funny you mention this. We had a discussion just this year about the differences in coaches/levels of play, and who we need to hold accountable to know the rule. Then, help accordingly. In not so certain terms it was something like, 'The programs that pay their coaches full time, enforce the CI and move on. Let them bring it up. Your 16u, or 14u junior league games, enforce it, and help educate the coach on the options.' At the level where the coaches are basically still volunteer dad coaches, help them. But once the coaches are paid by the programs to just coach, they need to know what's going on. What we get are some High School soph/frosh teams who are just surviving because some mom volunteered to help coach so they could have a team. Then, some American Legion program where the head coach makes 60k a year. They are not expected to know the game the same way.

I’m rocking a cap crease on the bases. Wearing a helmet on the plate now. But to put this back on track I just saw John Tumpane wearing these. Those are very sweet.

I get what you are saying, but cutting costs goes hand in hand with reduced benefits (and reduced opportunities). I will be curious to see what the outcomes are over the long run.

Clarence will also be on his phone between innings. I'm sure he is just checking his e-mail to see which higher-paying game he wants to pick up tomorrow (and then find replacements for the two he already has booked).

I get the frustration, but the new camps actually cut costs for newcomers. The shorter tryout still leads to the same MLB school and shot at a job.

Saw some time at the MLB level with guys like Jim Joyce and was a little popular with MiLB guys who wanted something lighter to wear

A mnemonic (memory aid) for this: Are there any letters from “choice” in Balk? No, so there is no choice in a Balk. Are there any letters from “choice” in Catcher’s Interference (CI)? Obviously. Thus, there is a choice available in CI. Consider, though, that in the pro game (both uppercase and lowercase), we (umpires) are taught to enforce the penalty of CI, unless it is satisfied by the outcome of the play. We enforce it, and then we allow a manager to inquire about (the) option(s); the managers are paid pros, and the burden is on them to know (the rule). However, in the amateur game, it is best practice to mention that an/the option is available. We should still enforce the penalty first, though, to make the rule’s application innate upon ourselves, but after that enforcement, be accommodating and thorough in discussing the optional outcome. You’ve got plenty of time. Once you apply the penalties of Balks and CIs, you start to recognize and realize the differences between them.

I was in the Navy for 20 years and never saw a single ball cap with a crease. I like to crease my umpire hats and it has nothing to do with my Navy service. Just think it looks sharp. And I don't shine any of my shoes. Maybe the soles on the plate shoes. I like white on my base shoes. I saw a comment on this site by somebody claiming that military personnel only like all black shoes. Not true. You do you.

Mark me in the camp of patent leather too. I blame it on my military time (21 years). I see the umpire uniform as exactly that--a uniform. And I try to look as professional as I can when in uniform. Patent leather is part of it. Same reason why I have my plate shoes prettied up by Leather Luster. But if we're trying to offend each other for comedic effect, I personally think the Reebok Magistrate shoes look like a war crime. Point being, we all have a different sense of style and that's okay.

Mizuno Japan beat you to it, TMiB.

Easy. Plate shoes. This is the one piece of equipment that should, and needs, to completely alter its convention. They are a – pardon the obvious pun – walking contradiction. As a company, you can only put so many resources into these shoes, make 'em like tanks (which they do), only for them to invariably wear out in some way. Whether that be internally, the sole / traction diminishes, or they get stepped on and damaged. Then you have the wildly broad range of size combinations – from as small as 5 (I'll never forget ya @Tksjewelry !) all the way to 16-17, and then from D to 4E in width! ... and then there's preferences on low, mid, or hi-top!! ... and then there are those cantankerous, stodgy users who want demand all-black! (How in the heck are you supposed to promote athleticism and advertise your company on an all-black shoe??!!) It is a daunting design challenge. Certainly, with the latitude of "money no object or barrier", something may one day emerge as a solution. If I was to undertake this one, I'd separate the protective components from the shoe itself. Let shoe manufacturers (continue to) make shoes in the variety of sizes, widths, and styles – and white embellishments!! – like they're fully capable of doing, and then develop a toe cap and tarsal plate that is durable, protective, (relatively) easy to install, and secure enough to be used by a variety of umpires, at a variety of levels, for both baseball and softball. Surely, with all of the resources we now have available to us, we can come up with something more refined and adaptable than heavy leather shoe-boots, in a restrictive array of sizes, at an exorbitant price point.

Assuming the SB rule is the same as the BB rule: 1) This isn't "tangle / untangle" -- that can only happen in the immediate vicinity of home plate and nearly immediately after B becomes BR. 2) It appears to me that F5 was the protected fielder. So, BR would be out for INT.

Hey everyone, I finally got my left knee replace a week ago (and will get my right one done in September). Thus, my season ended early but I had some success by getting picked to do the State Quarterfinals this year. Still got the goal of getting the plate on the championship game but that will have to wait a year or so. So since I am laid up and bored and achy, I started thinking about getting a tattoo on my scar (not really going to go get one, just thinking about it). I came up with one and asked AI to produce the picture. The description first base umpire down in a stance straddling the first base line looking at the foul pole and we only see his back and butt -- with my scar being the foul pole. Hey! my balls would always be fair! AI still has a ways to go. What I got was: Anyone got a thought on what their scar tattoo would be on a knee replacement scar? lol

Thanks, @MadMax...and by "lap the fabric" do you mean by leaving the loops intact, the tailor can then cut them off themselves and layer them under the area being stitched so that the bags are a bit reinforced to bear the weight of the baseballs? ~Dawg

There are 6 features that should be built into every production* (Honig's, GDS, Fechheimer, etc.) and bespoke (homebuilt, like mine) plate coat that gives you the most amount of value and use of it: Velcro (loop (soft) side) landing pad on the right sleeve for the placement of numbers. I use my plate coat across several levels, leagues, and events. Some (eg. NJCAA, AZ HS) do not allow numbers. Others (the league I work for) require numbers. So I can take off or put on my number (6) to suit. And, I am not bashful about loaning my plate coat to a colleague, especially since it absolutely sells the look. I have several numbers with velcro (hook side) on them, so I can always put a number on it to at least not conflict with the other crew members. That velcro landing pad is 3" high x 4.25" wide. Velcro landing pad on the yoke (center back, up by the collar). This is to place a national flag, if desired or required. I have the US Flag (white border) for my own use, but I also have the US Flag (yellow border) for military veterans, US Flag (blue border) for LEOs, a monochrome (black) US Flag for use on military observance days (when I'm wearing it), a Canada flag, a USA/Canada split-flag (because some of the leagues I work for cross into Canada), Color-correlated (black or navy) landing pad for league / conference / association logo-patch. Left chest, so that you can easily stitch / tack / pin / adhere / magnet -attach the corresponding logo patch of the entity you are calling the game for. Bellowed ball pockets. They should be a robust fabric, heavy enough to maintain shape when balls are inserted; Should be able to carry 2-3 balls each. Name tape and/or inner pocket to hold an AirTag or Tile. Box Split, instead of Center Split For best fit of the plate coat, it should have a box split – meaning a split on the bottom hem on each hip – instead of a center split. * - There is a producer of plate coats I left off the list on purpose; until events are apologized and rectified, I will not endorse or recommend any of their products.

Sounds to me as if he works with baseball umpires who do not or cannot put the effort into understanding the rule.

It will be funny... Coach LoseALot gets a text mid game from Parent KnowItAll that his Billie only got to bat twice last game and needs to bat more. And, tell him to keep crouching over like Pete Rose did because Pete had over 4K hits in the show. They will get what they deserve if they abuse the cell phone policy.