basejones

I say call it a strike. Using your words, "no doubt an attempt at the ball". Yes, he did pull the bat back, but look at it another way. Batter "makes an attempt" on a pitch, but checks his swing pulling the bat back before the ball arrives at the plate. Do you call that a strike or not? Randy

Here’s another video that we can watch on taking plays at the plate. In this play, Eckstein hits a bases clearing double down the left field line. The percentage for this play would be up the 3rd baseline, so the starting point was closer to1st extended. However, as the play developed, Phil Cuzzi read that the throw was slightly offline, the runner was coming inside and there was going to be a swipe tag. So Cuzzi moved from 1st extended to 3rd extended to get a better look. http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7707349 Randy

The point that I was trying to make and show by Jerry Layne’s video was that there is no magical spot. While the percentages may say one thing, we have to be able to read the play and be ready to adjust our position to get the best look possible. Unfortunately, I believe that this is a skill that is learned by being in the wrong position. We all learn from our own “mistakes”, but hopefully, we can learn from situations that other umpires face. I will be using this video for umpire training in EOA. Randy

I don’t like to criticize any umpire in an open forum, but there was a play in the Angles – Yankees game on April 15th that I think we can all learn from. We have talked until we are blue in the face about where to take plays at the plate - 1st extended, 3rd extended, the point, in fair, etc. and each one has their benefits. In my association we teach two methods. The preferred is start at the point of the plate, read the play, and adjust to not be blocked out. If someone is struggling with that, we have them go to 3rd extended since this will give you a good look on most plays. Now to the situation. Matsui is on 2nd with Napoli at the plate for the Angels. Napoli hits a single to center and Matsui tries to score. Granderson charges hard and throws to Posada to get Matsui at the plate for the 3rd out, or so it seems. Watch the first part of Granderson’s highlights at the below link. http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7469019 As you can see, Jerry Layne took this play from 3rd extended, or maybe a step to the point of the plate. Does Matsui look out? Yes and no arguments from anyone. Now go back and try to stop the video when Matsui is starting his slide. Posada is completely blocking Layne’s view of the plate and potential tag. Layne tried to lean to get a better look, but had Layne gone one or two more steps to his right, I think he sees the play completely different. This is not a bash Jerry Layne post, but rather, I would like everyone to see is that there isn’t a magic spot for plays at the plate. I am a firm believer in starting at the point, reading the play and adjusting to try to get the best view. Does that mean I’ll be at 1st extended – maybe, 3rd extended – maybe, further around than either – maybe. Randy

I have to say my all time favorite was during a HS game, a mom from the visiting team was on me from the first pitch. It didn't matter, she had something to say. In the 2nd or 3rd inning, she said "I guess you missed the regular bus and had to take the short bus to umpire school". Now, that was funny, but I had a comeback for her. I asked the catcher if he knew who made the comment and he said that he did. I asked him to tell her "my daughter is mentally handicapped, and I find that comment very offensive". I apologize to all those who have or know handicapped children, but the lady didn't say a word the rest of the game. And when I apologized to my daughter when I got home, she was laughing so hard she almost peed herself. Randy

After the first weekend 1 James C 42 33 98 41 Kansas (179) 1 Randy J 42 32 162 45 Duke (147) 3 Brian H 40 31 104 41 Kansas (179) 3 tom g 40 32 128 41 Kentucky (134) 5 jim k 37 29 97 38 Kansas (141) 6 Arik Gt 36 29 108 36 Kentucky (186) 6 Warren Workman 36 30 92 38 Kansas (134) 8 Aaron K 33 27 109 34 Kentucky (133) 8 Brandon B 33 27 85 35 Kansas (135) 10 Michael T 32 27 64 31 Kansas (145) 11 Larry S 29 23 77 30 Kansas (125)

This is how it works with the mascots, etc. They come to the locker room before the game and talk with the crew chief about what they are going to do. The umpires have the option to either participate or have a stand-in. And yes, many, many, many more times than not, they will take the stand-in option. So the safe bet is that it's not a real umpire.

Okay Chief. The main benefit of your steroids/HGH is recovery. By using them alone, you do not get stronger. You have to still hit the weights. When you lift to gain strength, you break your muscles down, and your body will heal/recover naturally. When using steroids/HGH, you body heals/recovers faster allowing you to workout harder and more often. As you probably know, a 162 game baseball season is a grind. How many times have we seen various records on pace to be broken at the All-Star break, but the player falls off in August and September. Some of that is due to nagging injuries and the grind of the season. So, if you are taking steroids/HGH, those nagging injuries heal and don't take away from the players production near the end of the season. If you have noticed, there have been just as many pitchers (recovery between starts) taking steroids/HGH as position players. With that being said, HE CHEATED, and so did everyone else who took steroids/HGH. What the PEDs allowed McGwire to do, is stay on the field and not have to sit out with nagging injuries later in his career. As McGwire, Bonds, and....., got up in their careers, they became much more knowledgeable and smarter hitters. But, instead of age and injuries keeping them on the bench, steroids and HGH kept them in the game. Thus, more homeruns. Randy