yawetag

@ArchAngel72, you're fairly new here and - according to your experience - probably new to officiating forums as a whole. What I say next is probably a shared opinion by a vast majority of people here. The "brotherhood" you speak of carries off the field for most of us, which includes this forum. We've all laughed together, celebrated together, prayed (or your relevant method of wishing well on someone) together, even grieved together. We're diverse in all aspects of life: geographically, economically, politically. We have different levels of experiences, different desires on levels we want to work, and different abilities. But we all have a common desire: to learn from other and to teach others. We want to better ourselves and learn from others who have the same passion for the craft as we do. We often discuss incidents that can't be answered by a simple rule cite. Threads can reach hundreds of posts, sometimes without a clear answer. We are the reason so many books are written to expand on the rules. So while there may be a disagreement here, you can rest assured mutual respect and "brotherhood" will win out. Those who don't have that same desire as the collective group will eventually leave, making the group stronger. Please note this isn't a "conform to us or go away" mantra - it's a "don't be a dick" mantra. tl;dr: We're getting along just fine.

Congrats! If you have any games on the evening of the 15th, let me know. I might drive over and watch. Unfortunately, I'm busy the other days.

No one asked you, @Kevin_K.

If there's a state (or NFHS) guideline for timing between-inning breaks, then I don't care what impression it gives - they want 60 seconds, they'll get 60 seconds. I'll stand there with the timer in my hand; not necessarily staring at it for the whole 60 seconds, but casual glances after about 30 seconds, then looking at it more closely when we're at 10 or less. As for looking at it for game-timing reasons, there's no reason to even glance at it until there's roughly 20 minutes left. In most cases, I can time that closely enough. After that, it's checking between innings. As the base umpire, I can do this while heading to my between-inning position and have it back in my pocket within a few seconds.

If they throw the ball away, the runner gets the chance to advance even more than they would have been awarded.

Hoping it's a permanent change and not just for the holiday.

Because a watch is on your wrist and a stop watch is in your pocket. If you want to put a watch in your pocket, I've got no problem with that.

I wear calf-length with tights, whether I'm PU or BU.

I understand fashion choices change and today's society is a lot more casually-dressed than before.... But, seriously... ripped jean shorts?

No. It's a dead ball. Batter's out and runners return to TOP base.

Yet we still have the immediate dead ball on a balk because "the other rule is too confusing for umpires". Not saying this is a bad rule change. Just saying that it's going to take just as much brain power as waiting to see if a balk can be ignored.

That umpire failed throughout the whole at-bat. It would have never gotten to the HBP had he actually been protecting something with the cup he was wearing.

My suggestion: never walk on a field without wearing a cup. And if you're the PU, always wear shin guards.

Never say more than 5 words. "John, he stuck his knee out." (yes, that's 6, but it has the coach's name)

As an analyst, I'm not using one game as my sample size. There's no doubt games are longer. But to take one game and compare it to one game is not significant. Yes, the pitch count was the same, the score was the same, the number of pitchers was the same. But, was the number of strikeouts? The number of hits? The number of runners? Walks? Errors? Any injuries? Reviews? What about pick-offs? So much goes into the length of a game. You can't pluck a red apple from one bushel and another red apple of the same size from a different bushel and instantly make a comparison of all the other apples, nor an expectation of how many seeds or worms are inside.

I'm with @Thunderheads here and would have called the INT myself. Perpendicular to the oncoming fielder and the leg kick are obvious signs. In these situations, I would think stopping or beginning to return to 1B would be better ways to "break up" the DP.

ILEGS is great. Never heard it, but it's the exact order I do things myself. For "Equipment," I'll add the "emphasize sportsmanship at all times" that Fed enjoys. And, as ground rules are discussed, I'll get the lineup cards folded correctly and placed in my holder. I could probably write full posts on each section of the plate meeting and always thought it should be taught as part of training for newer umpires. So many get thrown out there with no knowledge of what's involved with a plate meeting, thinking it's taking a lineup card and stuffing it in your shirt and having a coach tell you where there's holes in the fence.

With the number of "um"s and "I mean"s, you aren't far off.

OK... it's not a rulebook. It's no different than a Case Book for Fed or the scores of other interpretation manuals out there for OBR.

Fed (bolding mine): 3-3-4: Whenever team members are loosening up in an area which is not protected by a fence or other structure, another member of the team with a glove must be positioned between them and the batter to protect them from a batted or thrown ball within the confines of the playing field. No one is to interfere with a live ball.

What's your concern exactly?

Don't say that too loudly, or coaches will be using the word for anything that goes against them. I'd rather quality over quantity when it comes to coaches using it.

Makes sense, but I'd hate to penalize F5 for all three bases, when F3 and F9 are standing there next to the ball.

So I've got: E6, 2nd on OBS3 (not sure how OBS is scored), 3rd on E3, home on E9?

While it's legal, I don't understand the rationale by the coach. Pitch to the batter; if he gets a hit then appeal the BOO. If he runs into an out of some kind, wait and see who they send to the plate next.