mepperson

A couple of years ago, I was working the Plate on a game that was part of a tournament the proceeds of which were meant for disabled and handicapped children. About halfway through the game, two players on one side got into an argument about how a play was completed. The continued the argument all the way to the dugout, all but getting into a fist fight. My partner on the First-Base side finally had to make the tough call, as their argument was having an effect on the game - everybody began watching the dugout, waiting for the punches to fly, instead of paying attention to the game. What's worse is that the team was managed by one of the tournament directors. With little hesitation, my partner emphatically ejected both players for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. As the players left the field area, they apparently had not yet heard that they were ejected, but wanted to "take it outside" anyway. Quietly, my partner explained to the manager (just to cover all scenarios) that neither player was to return to the field, or even to the stands for that matter. No argument was given as the manager replied that the only return he was wanting was the jerseys that the guys were wearing.

Always talked about doing it, but haven't ever really done it. I have gone behind the backstop during between-inning warmups, though, and threatened fans with staying there... My favorite, though, is to take my glasses off for a couple of pitches if somebody's really riding me. When I ask which they prefer, they usually admit that they prefer me with the glasses, and don't say another word.

Are you sure the coach knew where his catcher was setting up? You just can't tell from the dugout where a pitch or a catcher is relative to in and out. Maybe coach thought his catcher was setting up with his left leg behind the point of the plate when F2 was really setting up with his left leg behind the outside corner. Maybe they were just trying to get you to call strikes on pitches off the plate. Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

Hopefully it'll make people think more than they did originally when they start to do this in the future. Heck, they may even do the smart thing and come up with a set of rules that are "standardized" for the inter-league games. We can only hope...

I've had those games, too, and can only say that I feel for you just reading this. I'm glad for you that the coach provided the "extra" - even if it wasn't much, especially when you had worked probably about twice as long as you should have, at least he showed his appreciation.

For several years when Select Ball (I've found it's call Travel Ball in the East here) first started, the group I was working with had the opportunity to call some of the first tournaments of the year each year - these were in early February, when it was cold even in Texas. Each year, we happened to not only get the 20- to 30-degree temperatures, but also a nice drizzle that never developed into ice. During one of these, I had the opportunity to work the plate on a game involving the director of the organization running these tournaments. His 10-under team was favored each year, of course; and his being the director seemed to only accentuate his self-worth. Although it was a close game, the director couldn't help but make it miserable by constantly griping from the bench about ball and strike calls. In the second inning, I had already had to warn him about this, and began to notice a trend - he was griping mostly on pitches that around the corners of the plate. So, in the third inning, I finally decided enough was enough. He hadn't gotten so out of hand as to deserve an ejection; besides, keeping him on the field would keep him out of the warmth of the car or the concession stand. Calling "Time" after one of his comments, I walked casually to where he was sitting smugly on his bucket, just outside of the confines of the bench area, and leaned down next to his ear, looking toward the plate. Quietly, only loud enough for him and his assistant to hear, I remarked casually, "You're right, Darrel. You can see the corners better from over here." I didn't hear another word from that bench for the rest of the tournament.

Bigdog - While you're right that one gets hit less at the levels - when we do get hit at these levels, though, the shot is tougher than at the lower levels. We've all seen the guys in The Show who have had to back away for a moment after taking a shot... I agree that, at the levels Wally's doing and aspiring to, the pitchers don't throw as hard, lessing the shot that one would take. I think Wally's looking for what I would look for - what is going to provide the best protection for the best value... You've made some great points regarding two of his choices. Personally, I use a traditional, ribbed, "foam rubber" inside cp and have had no problem with it. I do adult ball, and have taken shots from some who have pitched in MLB, and had no problem. Probably, Wally, my recommendation would be - think about the hardest shot that you've ever taken, triple it, and get the least-expensive cp that would keep that shot from breaking a rib or two. Unless, of course, you're looking for something to "write off" on taxes - then, go for the most expensive you can afford!!!

A few years ago I was working the Field on a JV game at a public school not known for more than its basketball. As the game went on, it was about as expected - the home team was keeping in the game despite extremely lackluster play. The home team's coach finally got his team in position to try and make a run at a lead - runners on 1st & 3rd with only 1 out. So, as with the batter standing with his right foot in the box and looking down the 3rd base line, the coach gave the signals and looked for the confirmation from the 3 offensive players. As the pitcher completed his stretch and started the motion toward the plate for his 0-1 pitch (no balls, 1 strike), the runner on 1st took off toward 2nd Base. The pitch came in low; but, the catcher quickly recovered and came up throwing. Being in "C" position, I slowly spun to my left and moved in toward 2nd behind the ball, looking for the play. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the batter running, not just trotting, toward 1st Base. To this day, I don't know if the runner from 1st was there ahead of the throw and tag or not - I thought that the Texas sun has caused me to lose 3 pitches somewhere; and I wasn't going to call the runner out only to find out that the batter had just walked. I called the runner safe, and luckily did not get argument from the defense, then followed him to 3rd as the throw went back to Home Plate to try to get the second half of the delayed-double-steal. After the play was over, I looked at my partner quizzingly, wondering where I had missed the 3 pitches. I noticed that he was looking at me with the same look. About to call for Time so that my partner and I could straighten things out, I heard the home team coach yell across the field, "Leroy, what are you doing on 1st Base?!?" Looking back at his coach, the player exhibited why the school is not known for their baseball when he replied, "You gave the steal sign, Coach!" Needless to say, I spent the rest of the half inning facing the centerfield wall to keep from embarrassing the kid further by showing how hard I was laughing.

...is that everybody took the Report as an authoritative statement about the situation. The press lightly touched on Mitchell's position as a part-owner in the Red Sox, and that there are no Red Sox mentioned in the Report; but, how many people outside of the baseball world picked up on that? You're right it's a joke. My other question is why Congress was investigating this, other than to get some members' names in the press. If there were laws broken, then shouldn't Law Enforcement have been performing the investigation?

Definitely a train wreck. There are a couple of ways of handling this: To the defensive coach - In this particular situation, the runner has to make an effort to interfere, and has to have intention. As you judged there was no intent, then there is no interference; it's the same as if the throw had hit the runner instead of the runner and F5 colliding. To the offensive coach - Explain to him that, if you grant his wish for Interference, then he's going to make the other coach extremely happy. When he looks at you confused, explain that, if you award Interference, his runner is out. Let him go look up the correct term on his own after the inning or after the game. Granted I'm a bit of a S.A. at times; but, the latter - telling an offensive coach that I'll be happy to grant his desire for an Interference call if he wants his runner Out so bad - seems to quiet base coaches regularly. Mostly it's their confusion that causes the quiet; but, at least they're quiet... They usually forget why they wanted the Obstruction in the first place.

I understand the fear of having shards of wood flying around a field; but, how often does this really happen, especially in recreational and youth play? One of the biggest unspoken concerns regarding aluminum and other non-wood bats is not the speed with which the ball exits the hitting area, but instead the hearing loss that is associated with them. Surely we all have had the experience of our eyes closing and body flinching from the sound of a certain hit using a non-wood bat; the same hit that caused our body to react this way also momentarily paralyzed us. The reason for this is that, as has been proven by study after study, the decibal level associated with these hits is extremely high. Combine that with the studies that show that certain decibal levels (exceeded by most of these hits), even for a split second, can lead to hearing loss. The pitch of the sound also has a devastating effect on hearing. These hits are equivalent in some cases to the "flash bangs" used by police forces to momentarily disorient criminals and so that the S.W.A.T. group can enter and subdue the suspect. The primary difference is that the bats don't create the smoke, and have a higher pitch. When using flash bangs, though, the entry team is usually wearing hearing protection, while we and the players don't. I'm not sure that it should be up to the State Legislatures and State Assemblies to take a stand, I wouldn't mind if these bats were removed from the game. Besides, they take out a lot of the tradition of the game. Instead of worrying about whether/not the State is going to remove these bats, I'd like to concentrate on making it a Felony to assault or otherwise accost a sports official.