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So with a day off and the rest of the family getting ready to depart for their spring break sojourn, I thought it would be "fun" to get them started with a ballgame with dear old Dad. So, we caught a nice minor league game today. I certainly "enjoyed" it... Before I get to my "performance", part of what I like about going to an A-League game is that those games are umpired with 2-man crews so, it's a chance to see high level 2-man up close. My kids are casual baseball fans at best so, on the way to the game they're asking me questions like who is my favorite player, who the best players are, how good is this team, who is going to win, etc...all of which I answer by putting on my sunglasses, starting the car, staring into the distance and saying, "Those are good questions. I don't know...I'm here for the umpires." (That needs to be a shirt, btw...) So when PU comes out to brush the plate at the start of the game, there's a lull there which I proceed to fill with, "Wow...I mean...look at that guy brush that plate! I haven't seen a plate brushed like that since Doug Harvey worked the plate at Three Rivers Stadium in 1973! Now...I wonder if this guy is using a Libman 1030? Or maybe that's a Lehman's Amish special...it's so hard to tell these days..." Later, on a routine rotation to third base, "Kids! Look at that! Look...at that...rotation right there! Gettin' all the way into the cut like that?!?!? Like a Boss?!?! That...is how they do that! These umpires, man! I'm havin' a moment right here..." Good times, brothers...get out to your local A-League ballpark soon! Good seats still available! ~Dawg

So I just got a PM from Senor Azul this morning. He wanted me to pass on some information. It's true, he is battling some health issues. As of late, he hasn't felt like posting, but he does check in here from time to time. He says he hopes to feel better soon and maybe will post again in the near future. He does appreciate everyone's concern. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers, and send good vibes his way. I'll keep in touch with him, and post updates at his discretion.

We plan on offering every frame we make as is. Obviously when we finish developing our pads we will offer them bundled (and if you purchase before we offer pads and want them we’ll offer them discounted and free shipping for folks who do want to pick them up) but have no plans on forcing it. Use what pads and harness you want/like!

DITTO THAT!!! I've worked 2 plates since receiving my Mirage12, and I am blown away!! Moving (most recently) from the FM4K MAG (and previous to that a DynAlum.) This is the first mask that I've felt confident in not using a DTG due to the beautifully designed XCG. Just the slightest tuck of the chin and my mask taps my chest - providing assurance that I am, in fact, protected. Not having a floppy DTG makes handling/carrying/stowing the mask so much easier and eliminates a few more ounces from an already ultralight package. The biggest WOW factor is the field of vision!! I didn't realize how accustomed I had become to the view from behind my FM4K MAG. I can see better in every direction, hands down. Thanks to the efforts put into this design, thanks for the open communication on this forum! Fantastic work to all who had a hand in this!

For all the ones that had a hand in designing and making this one happen… THANK YOU!!!! no stones left unturned!!! @DerekGDS @wolfe_man @MadMax @concertman1971

Not at all. I am standing completely upright (at attention) in this photo. In natural posture (and even more, dropping into a plate stance) you have to tuck your chin to create contact. I've always worn a DTG attached to all my masks. My first year umpiring, we had a guy in our association take a tipped pitch to the throat and it spooked me. I am not one for taking chances, and I do not feel at risk with this mask. I am so pleased - I don't think it could be designed any better.

It is time to put the defensive conference limit in. Remove the eye black police. NFHS needs to re-write the pitch timing rules to actually be enforceable. But we will likely get a rule change that isn't even listed on this survey.

Love what Davis is doing

Nice to see the AS MAG pads work with the Mirage. I just happen to have a new set of gray pads and an extra harness. Kudus to @DerekGDS for making this available as a frame only purchase. Excited to get one and give it a whirl.

Just used my Mirage for the first time last night. Outstanding product, nice work all!

Good news for all the lovers of Navy 🫠

I have obstruction. When the runner deviated his path, neither fielder was in the act of fielding the ball and neither would be protected at that point. The ball was misplayed and was not in their immediate reach. That said, PU has a whole lot going on in a small area in a short period of time. This is a bastard play.

These are two great improvements in the collegiate game! Games have pace and are usually finished in a reasonable amount of time. Too many HS games are too long because of stepping off, stepping out, asking for time (that's our fault), players visiting the pitcher, backup F2 for F2 on base at the end of an inning, and everything else that adds 20 seconds here and 30 seconds there. Before you know it, 20 minutes are added to the game

Not in full uniform, but I think you get the idea:

@Rock Bottom this is my mask with the AS4000MAG pads on it. They fit perfect! Also most any traditional sun visors will fit.

Two games in my umpiring experience has a batters foot been alleged to have been on the ground outside the batter's box when making contact with a pitched ball. Neither one was so egregious that even casual observers would have taken notice. Both times I spoke to the aggrieved DHC about the circumstances. One was a pants on fire coach and the other was not. Both received the same response from me. "I can watch each pitch or I can watch every batter's feet. Which would you like me to watch?" Both returned to their dugout and the issue was suddenly no longer an issue.

I'm just using the caseplay as a guide. It says there's no obstruction if the collision happens after the bag. He's not out for being off the base..He simply hasn't returned yet from overrunning 1B.

Who's got two thumb and just bought their 4th mask in two years?

In my postulated play and the actual OP we are getting into/got into Carl Childress territory: "I hope this doesn't happen in your game".

FWIW, this experience is nearly identical to mine--except I was the one that took the ball to the throat (thankfully it was only LL). I like this mask even more than my AS Mag.

The dress code has nothing to do with "umpiring". It has to do with organizations and their administrations. Any time you have an organization, you invariably and inevitably have an administration entrenched installed to run it. Of course, they have to justify their administrative existence by installing their rules and guidelines... often at the most petty and pedantic of minute detail. Memorized? My good man, I've called games in those states. I had to have navy shirts... because! As of 2024-5, this has been relaxed. Black is now on par in acceptance with navy. @orangebird, ya wanna hear a rich one? As I said, Wisconsin used to be one of those "navy or nothing" states. Why? Because we had a stubborn, stodgy, close-minded oligarch sitting in the director-of-officiating chair who said, famously (or I said, "notoriously"), "Black will never be allowed so long as I sit in this chair." (paraphrased) Well, the little dictator retired. His replacement issued this edict of reprieve – "Black is back" (paraphrased)

Derek! You didn't explain yourself, and your "news". Also! This is "good news" for all those harangued, weary compatriots suffering in stubborn, oppressive states like Michigan, Indiana, Ohio*, Virginia, Pennsylvania (are there more? Need I go on?) who are forced to buy/use navy shirts. This... this is a care package. A modicum of relief. A lifeline. ... still not yet where we need to be, which would be the stamping out of 10-1-9. What Derek hasn't mentioned? GerryDavis Sports now carries and is (or will be very soon) selling the MLB 2016 Panel-style shirt... in navy! * - Who am I kidding? There's no hope for Ohio.

It’s an optical illusion. It is a Mirage, after all. 🥁 Anyway! That’s the hitch about photography with a smartphone… there’s a spherical, convex effect on objects shot close range. … draw your own inferences… and stop giggling in the back! 🤭

Is it possible to like / love this any more than a single upvote??!! Weak, cheaply made, pathetic pads equipped to a mask frame, by default, are a holdover of the retail market. Whether it was perceived value, or a matter of liability, or a blend of both, a retailer – first in the brick-&-mortar space, then in the warehouse-&-website space – was compelled to arrange the product lineup so that any/all options were paired together and packaged, ready to go. As consequence, you (the manufacturer) either limited options (every mask frame in silver, or black; every pad in black, or in a limited range of colors), or you had to overproduce to numerically stock all options, increasing your production costs (and introducing waste, which accrues). Champro, Champion, and Diamond were all guilty of it. Mask frames would only be found in black or (bare) silver, equipped with perilously pathetic pads (how's that for alliteration, eh?). Wilson could produce the volume needed to stock mass quantities of their variations, but at least their pads were decent. Instead of being innovative, though, they relied on their density, and fomented the directive to "change mask pads yearly", thus precipitating the purchasing cycle of thousands and thousands of umpires buying new pads just because it "felt time to". Honig's and +POS offered, for quite some time, to sell frames, pads and harnesses ala carte; they would even rig them for you if you requested it. This signified that they were intimately familiar with their products, not just drop-shipping them from the manufacturer, or pulling them from some box in a huge warehouse. Rest assured, Gerry Davis is not only revolutionizing the mask, but also the entire way in which pads are purchased and maintained. It'll take some different way of thinking, and a smidge of reeducation of the market away from the mindless droning of "change your pads when they look bad".

I ain’t got one yet 😂. Probably wouldn’t though, been less barbaric lately

Hello All! After several months of scheming, crafting, and a literal hurricane, the time has come! I’ve gotten everything sized right, fitted it with a brand new Ump Life harness, and tomorrow, I will be taking this CP on it’s maiden voyage!

And this is why I don’t like the automatic base award. Id absolutely protect him back into first base, so if you say that’s nothing bc he isn’t getting second, he could theoretically get put out bc he is on ground hurt and tagged. Id make no call as someone else suggested and wait and see, and if they’re going to get him out bc he was knocked to ground, get obs and rules require he go to second. Much easier call in ncaa and obr bc you can call it, and not award anything you don’t feel he’d have gotten

This! And I’ll add, if I’m on the bases, and my PU waits that long to come to me (and we’re not using a voluntary strike mechanic) The chances of me having a swing are pretty slim. It would need to be almost a full swing…..especially if I’m in the middle. I’d rather shut down the DHC barking about a check swing not called a swing, than starting the 💩show that ensues after I say “yes he did”

Not necessarily. If the runner isn't hindered by the unprotected fielders additionally to what they are hindered by the protected fielder, we have nothing.

Pretty clearly OBS. A fielder has a (nearly) absolute rule to field a batted ball, but once he misses it, he has a (nearly) absolute obligation to get out of the way.

Standing water, mud on the mound or batter's box with poor footing. All the things that I will look for to call a game. One bat slips out of a player's hand and we're done. Likewise, if almost every pitch results in a ball that's too slippery to grip, or pitchers are having trouble controlling pitches, it's over.

@cgroom i got you.

I must have missed it. When a runner gets hit with a batted ball, the default is that he is out (with exceptions). As in law, the specific overrides the general. 8-5k is general, whereas 6-2e Note is specific. In an NCAA game, if the case play above happens, I'm killing it and calling him out, and I suspect not a word would be said about it. "Play on" would be a SH*#house waiting to happen, so why pick up that end of the stick? Also, we love outs, don't we?

And I will reiterate – that should never be the burden of a sub-18 yr old umpire. Yes, we have an umpire shortage; yes, we need more umpires; yes, we need to develop umpires under the age of 18. I am not invoking that umpires should have less responsibility or authority. I am simply stating, that if-and-when using sub-18 yr old umpires, then an adult, whether that be an umpire on an adjacent field, or a UIC out-of-uniform, or the field custodian, or a member of the league – who is not a coach of the game underway – has to be the one to suspend/end play. This ain't college baseball, and this ain't professional baseball. Brilliant. Bravo for Florida.

Ordered mine as well. I'll be rocking All Star pads until I can get my hands on the new Gerry Davis ones.

When the pads are released - anyone who purchased the frame only will be offered them at a discounted rate equal to the price as if bundled plus free shipping. There is no real penetration. This is a better angle.

not so much equipment but a little cred for a revolutionizer https://www.unionleader.com/sports/mlb-pro-shares-his-record-setting-life-between-the-lines-with-aspiring-officials/article_96306e50-429d-4554-862e-4f54188153c4.html

This wouldn't be MC. This is USC/fighting.

I appreciate the feedback from all parties. The case book plays are tangential and provide some direction but no clear guidance. The wrinkle here is that the overthrow offered the potential for B1 to advance to second which was nullified because of the contact with F3. That's what pushed me toward obstruction. On the field I ruled it as obstruction immediately and in an animated fashion. The DHC and I had a spirited conversation offering many of the points raised here that ended with something like: We can go round and round on this and neither of us is going to convince the other. Ultimately the advanced runner had no impact as the offense was retired without scoring anyone.

If he overran 1B, collided with F3, never made a move to 2B, there’s no obstruction, he simply over ran the base and hasn’t gone back yet. Casebook 8.3.2sit k

Wouldn’t that assume Kevin had the BR making a move towards 2B? I think if the runner made an attempt to 2B before the collision, it would be obstruction no matter of a tag attempt or not. If Kevin didn’t have the BR attempt towards 2B, the tag would just require a “safe” call.

I do not advocate coaching this. Nor do I advocate coaching the batter to just run first on any strike three. They both teach bad habits and invite chaos...and in some cases even nonsense and altercations. Believe me, when you've just whiffed on a fastball right down the pipe the last thing you want to feel is the catcher slapping you on the ass with a "just in case" tag. Players should be taught situational awareness, and how to apply judgment. Sure, your team of ten year olds may give up some outs by not just auto-clicking...but in the long run they will be smarter players for it. I'm fine for a tag, or running, on 50/50 plays, but that's it.

From 2008 (but I think it's still in the case book): SITUATION 14: With a lazy, one-hop single to the right fielder, the batter rounds first base with no intention or action of advancing to second base. As he takes a few easy strides past first base, he contacts the first baseman who is partially in his path. RULING: Since the batter was making no attempt to advance to second base, the first baseman did not hinder him or change the pattern of the play. As a result, obstruction would not be called. Any benefit of the doubt would be given to the batter-runner if there was a question in the covering umpire's mind. (3-22-1) Normally, when we see "something" that's really "nothing" we should signal safe and verbalize "that's nothing." In the OP, though, I'd hold off. If BR remains on the ground and F4 retrieves the ball ad tags BR, I think we now have to have OBS. In OBR, we *could* call the OBS immediately. Since no play is being made, we can just put BR back at first if he's tagged.

Yes this would be a legal slide. The sliding directly between the two bases only applies to force play situations.

I love the NCAA's halted game rule because of this, and... Why for free? We halted a college game two days ago with the home team leading at the start of the ninth. Full game fee for the resumption last night...first pitch at 5:00, off the field at 5:02. And coincidentally, this is something visiting AC asked me shortly before halting...not a chance.

This really isn't a HTBT play. It's obstruction. In fact, it's pretty close to textbook obstruction. PU didn't see it because he was focused on the status of the ball. (Correctly btw)

But there were two fielders there.... one's protected. The other is obstructing. Even if he deviated before the ball got there. Plus, if you want to say he deviated prior, then F5 is obstructing.