ukce1861

I had a LL coach this year who wanted me to call it on a girl who wasn't stepping at all, but she was up in the box. He said something on the second pitch of the AB and I let it go. Third pitch, I said I had her in the box. Fourth pitch, he's still whining. Finally I call time, take off my mask and tell him that's enough. He tries to argue and I shut him down. Finally, he says, "Well, can I at least come talk to you?" I looked at him like he was crazy and said, "NO! Let's Play!" Some coaches just don't get it...

I saw this and it looked good - I just wasn't sure if it matches CCA. Thanks!

Hey Umpire-Empire, long time no talk... Had twins last August and it's been a whirlwind since then, so I haven't really been around. I'm hoping some of you fine gentlemen can help me out. I've got playoff games tomorrow and Thursday and we're doing three-man CCA mechanics. We were supposed to get a handout with those, but haven't. Looking online, I can't find anything definitive of what that is. Can someone point me in the right direction? Diagrams would be great, but written is fine too. Thanks!

Pretty dumb call by the PU. I mean, you either gotta have the stones to live with this call (wrong though I think it is) or you don't call it. It's obvious to everyone what's going on when the kid swings at the Intentional Ball. If you're going to call it a ball, you have to be prepared to defend that ball call to the death. This way, he just looks weak and stupid.

My longest was 15 innings - 4:30. It was the first game of a doubleheader too. Luckily it wasn't too hot (mid-80s) but it was cloudy and probably 90%-95% humidity with light sprinkles most of the game. My waterproof ball bags soaked through in the 11th or 12th and I had to have them throw balls in from the dugout... Of course the second game was 13-0 in 4 1/2 innings...

Well according to extremely credible eyewitness testimony, it was enough. How are you gonna argue that without at least a HTBT? Thanks for considering me a Credible Eyewitness Trout. Pretty sure he was talking about the 3B Coach...

I hate it when it gets stuck way down in my pocket. The coaches really get frustrated when I'm fiddling around for it. I never let them get close enough to see that it says "Out" on both sides.

I'm guessing the penalties are called in 90' increments?

So I had a tournament this weekend with several teams from South Florida and most of the players on those teams spoke spanish. One of the players and I had a small disagreement (in English) about the size of the strike zone as he walked back to the dugout on a called strike 3 for the third out. Our disagreement became a little more pronounced as he ran across the infield and screamed something at me in Spanish. At that point, I dumped him for arguing balls and strikes. No big deal, easy call, etc. However, I was curious if anyone had a list of EJ worthy spanish phrases.

Johnny, I'm sure I'm being obtuse but I have no idea what you're saying... "Look across the plate"? What's that mean?

Had To Be There

This is the story I'm much more interested in. Why IS he working an All-Star game of even Tiddlywinks? Like the E-trade baby once said, "This is not the venue." That's how I got my start... My 2nd and 3rd games ever were 12YO AS games as PU. Needless to say, they weren't that great... Some places are just that desperate. I went to a clinic before All-Stars, wanting to work some games in the next fall season. They needed people so much they scheduled me every time I was available.

I don't think that's correct Johnny. Based on the definition of interference, it says return to last legally touched base at time of interference, unless otherwise specified by rule. This is one of those situations where there's no advancement, but typically it's return to TOI base, not TOP.

7.09(f) is this situation. "In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner."

Not correct for LL. LL is very close to OBR with some safety modifications and a few modifications for the teaching aspect. This would be an appeal.

Scott, you're exactly right - there is an official NFHS umpire manual. Personally, I disagree with several of the mechanics in there - here's a few. PU has BR on a triple with no one on. Once BR commits to third, BU rotates home to take BR at plate. BU in C with R1, R3. PU has tag up of R2 if there's R1, R2. All that being said, our association uses FED mechanics, so I use FED mechanics when I'm doing a HS game. On games where I get to choose, I don't. From what I've read here, most HS associations don't use FED mechanics. As others have said though, you need to do what your evaluator tells you to do.

The standard NFHS mechanic is you're only in B with a runner on first only - any time you have a runner past first, you're in C. Most other mechanics will have you B with 1st only or 1st and 3rd. Any time there's a runner on second or no runner on first, you're in C. I'm almost certain that this is what Maximizing the Two Umpire System has and fairly positive that this is what CCA teaches as well. I prefer B for first and third because I've got almost as good an angle for any play at third and I've got a better view for the steal of second. I can't imagine why you'd be in B with 1st and 2nd or 3rd only... In both of those, your most immediate play is likely at 3rd. If you've got a batted ball where the play will be to 1st, you've got time to get over there.

Saturday, I had a 15 inning, 4.5 hour marathon behind the plate. The visitors scored a run in the top of the 7th to tie the game at 2-2. From there, we went 8 innings of scoreless ball until, finally, with 2 outs in the bottom of the 15th, the home team got a base hit to score the winning run! Of course, this was the first game of a doubleheader and the second game was a 13-0 4.5 inning mercy... What's the longest game you've had?

Windows 7 and IE8. Maybe it's an IE issue...

My best player story was a LL Jr. game. Pitcher and catcher are both hispanic and the catcher says something to the pitcher in spanish. The hitter goes, "I know what you said, I speak spanish". Right about that time, the pitcher paints the corner with a fastball that the batter whiffs on for strike 3. Catcher goes, "just cause you know what's coming, doesn't mean you can hit it..." and we all three laughed as he walked back to the dugout.

Haven't had that happen, but I almost had my own misuse of the EJ mechanic. We run a small youth camp every summer. I was administering a sporting event during the camp and one of the kids was whining about something. My first instinct was to turn and dump her...luckily I restrained myself. Pretty sure I would've had to have dumped her mom too who was instigating most of the whining... Would've been a little awkward at church the next Sunday if I'd dumped them...

I'm a firm believer in drinking gatorade (or its equivalent). Last summer when I started doing a lot of weekend tournaments, I was only drinking water (before games, during and after). While I was hydrated, I started cramping (calves and legs) and just felt beat. Since then, I've added a gatorade in between games and I notice I do much better. During the game, it's nothing but water (usually two bottles), but in between I always drink a gatorade.

I've definitely had the issue with the formatting...which is why this post is underlined. I kid you not, I went to reply and the underline got turned on.

Verbal interference? On the pitcher talking to his players?? Absolutely! He was running towards the Runner to tag him while he was yelling trying to confuse him. Maybe I was wrong but it sure sounds like a verbal interference to me! So, you called the runner out, right?

Post of the month! O2B - love it!