Stan W.

Back in the day, I was ALL +POS. I had the +POS BB2000 CP and those shin guards........the shin guards are great and are still being used today by a friend of mine. The BB2000 with its resemblance to Samurai Warrior Armor was tops in protection!..........But Oh, what a furnace that thing was...............no breathability at all.....I was happy to move on. I never got the attraction to the Resin Mask, it was lighter, but I never liked the view. Then of course after some incidents with the first release editions, they have been relegated to collectors.........haven't seen one used in years.

File that one away in your "great umpiring game" memory bank.............sounds like a Kid program that gets it........

I think a break away from anything, even something you love, can be a good idea. I always thought the beauty of umpiring is that I can control my schedule. If I need a break, I can just take myself off the assignors schedule. Good luck on your sabbatical!

you've been at this avocation long enough, so I wont bore you with how to deal with "idiot" fans.........If the guy was riding you for 7 innings, he was for sure trying to get in your head and rattle you. Addressing him would have been exactly what he came to the park for. Ill never understand that kind of guy.

I have no problem with what @VolUmp did.....I don't have any 1,2,3, step program in how I handle my game. I feel like with my experience level, I'm the best judge of how to proceed. I certainly don't have any problem with ejecting a miscreant......if they got to go..........., they go.... Some days I just may be a bit more tolerant than others...... When the pitcher had an open negative display on a called strike, I think my tolerance level would have been exceeded as well....@VolUmp handled it....

I always cringe when I see these types of schedules...........Its not "how many games an umpire can do"..........we've all done tourneys and packed schedules, but it is definitely "How many games you can DO WELL"....... Good Luck...

Back in the '80s the league I started umpiring for had a Director of Umpiring who was an old SAL league umpire from the 50's. He would prowl the complex every night looking for umpire violators of his pet mechanics. One was the Plate Umpire had to point to the plate after each run scored...and verbalize "score 1. score 2" ........the other was at the end of the game he wanted to see you cross your arms in an X fashion and say "ballgame"! He was a great guy, great rules guy and lots of fun to talk to........ and the stories about the Sally League in the '50s?..........worth every penny of the $9 base/ $10 plate fee we got. I pressed him on these mechanics and found out that the "pointing to the plate" was to communicate/ confirm with the official scorekeeper in the pressbox ( regardless of the fact this complex only had one pressbox and it was on the '90 ft field) The crossed arms and saying "ballgame"....made less sense, "How else would everyone know the game is officially over?"..........( I figured the scoreboard, the fact the players ran off the field, the announcer etc.) But he would have none of it.........."NOTHING HAPPENS UNLESS THE UMPIRE SAYS IT DOES" he'd holler at us..... Hey, I liked my $10 a game.........so when in Rome........

I'm sorry but I've never regretted an ejection for malicious contact...... plus I have no interest in who wins or loses......I just want the game to be well and fairly officiated....

The Rules of Baseball very often rely on "umpire judgment" So often and at many times in my career, the quality of the fields I call games on require more than a fair share of "umpire judgment".....If we use the adage of "use the rules to fix problems and not to create problems", then a good umpire feels comfortable with making that ruling of being at a correct amount of distance from the rubber.

Gotta love a kid like that.....

During a game........I have..... Probably the most blatant one was 0 outs, runners on second and third, a batter hit a hump backed liner over third baseman's head........I failed to clear the catcher far enough to keep the very tall catcher from momentarily blocking my view. I picked up the ball just as it bounced foul...........and called it foul........ Problem was everyone in the park, including the hot dog vendor, saw it hit fair first..........then foul.......costing offensive team at least 2 runs. Took tons of heat over that one......but foul it stayed. I admitted I missed it..... After a game- Not so much At another game- No (BTW baseball gods bailed me out.....batter returned to plate....next pitch doubled into the gap scoring both runs.)

"sometimes a CP just isn't right for you" ....really good statement.....I've had a good many CP's over the years and they all had some great features..........but I'm still searching for the holy grail.....maybe hasn't even been invented yet....... Until then, I use my personalized WV Plat for HS Varsity and above, and my +POS Zero G for anything sub varsity.

I had to resort to the heat gun with my WV Plat. Bending just by hand never went far enough. Be patient, go slow....be careful those heat guns do exactly what they say they do.........you can go from pliable to melted in a heartbeat...

single

well done Tony!

Welcome to the International Brotherhood of Umpire Gear Upgraders............(of which, I am either a founder, or member, or associate gear junkie...I really cant remember now) My advice to all new umpires is like the above, buy the best gear you can afford!..............and it is advice clearly seated in the "do as I say and not as I did" club. Now I understand the initial outlay for gear is a hefty price. Especially so, if you buy before you get enough game fees under your belt to offset the costs. BUT....if the best financial bottom line is your goal, pay now to avoid paying way more later......

I tried TW..........went back to my Doe skin leather pads.....

very well done........many thanks!

Previously I had worn a Honigs K1 and it had served me well. I had picked up the +POS when I felt the need for something more protective. The K1 was light and it fit good but always seemed to a little lacking. The K1 always felt like it fit on me, while the +POS fits around me....... I just like the way the +POS conforms to me. Big highlights are that it breathes well and protects well. My only upgrade is that I am looking to upgrade the harness this year, but that isn't because the +POS harness is bad, its just that there are so many new improved harnesses out there. I also have a WV Platinum that I wear for the big boys.......but I have worn the +POS for higher levels and its taken a few really good hits without any notice.......

I have it, and I like it very much..........

This past October doing HS Fall ball under NFHS rules , Pitcher did the 3-1 move, no balk called of course............3rd base coach starts screaming for a balk........only to be told that 3-1 move still legal in NFHS rules. he states "BS! everyone knows that when there is a difference OBR rules trump NFHS rules!".......... Not ....

Agreed............and that umpire gets his choice of two signs to wear.............."OOO" or "sandlot myth guy"..........

No Coach, I made 2 separate calls that were totally unrelated.....lets play...

always 2

You did great...........!