grayhawk

I have a C5 - T2 fusion after a spinal cord injury that left me paralyzed from the chest down before the surgery. It took me about 2 years to plateau in my recovery. Today, I still have weakness in my right leg, including spasticity and hyper-reflexivity. I can't feel hot/cold/pain from my chest down on the left side. This is called Brown-Seccard syndrome which is where one side of the spinal cord suffers an injury. I can't run very well, certainly nothing like I could before the injury. But I generally get to where I need to be. Working the plate is actually easier for me than working the bases because except for getting the touch/play back into 1B, or rotating to 3B, there's not as much movement required. I work more 3-man than anything and most of my games are at the JUCO level, though I've worked as high as D2 after my injury. Given that your whole neck is fused, one of the more difficult things you'll have to adjust to is that your head is most definitely not "on a swivel" anymore. You'll have to turn your shoulders much more while you're running to see touches, pick up the ball in the outfield, etc. Depending on how far back you get with your mobility will determine if you can get back on the field. As far as safety is concerned, my surgeon told me the same thing. My neck is locked in with the fusion. I had a F3 mask but opted for the Nike Ti with Wilson memory foam pads and am glad I did. The F3 is very heavy, and I think my current setup is better since I've taken countless hard shots without feeling a thing, whereas the one hard shot I took in the brief time I used the F3 rung my bell a bit. I wish you the best in your recovery. It's hard work but as long as you have a positive attitude and give maximum effort, that's all you can do and I bet it will be enough.

Does this mean they're getting rid of the box entirely, or are they just not showing the circle filled in (strike) or empty (ball) anymore? I pray they just get rid of the whole box.

This seems like creative spam. What umpire association orders uniforms for their members? Every association I have worked for expects the members to order and pay for their own uniforms. Sorry bro, you're not going to make "Fetch" happen.

Yes, as long as he breaks contact with the rubber before he fakes the throw to 1st.

When I worked HS ball, our association had a 110 question study guide, from which 30 questions were selected for the closed book qualification exam (in class). We had study guide sessions held by more experienced members, but you couldn't enter unless your study guide was completed (enforcement of which was different for different sessions). We would then go around the room, question by question, read the question and give our answer. If there was agreement, we moved on. If not, then there would be a brief discussion and then we'd move on. Giving the rule or casebook reference was encouraged.

Do make sure to keep your blocks up-to-date. Assigners HATE declines and hate turnbacks even more. Some assigners keep the assigning fee when you turn back a game. You'll move up quicker if you are religious on keeping your schedule in order.

NFHS did define MC in it's 2014 Rules Interpretations. Why they never put it in the rule book, nobody knows. Contact or a collision is considered to be malicious if: The contact is the result of intentional excessive force; The contact occurs close to the bag or home plate or above the waist of the receiving player; or There was intent to injure. Malicious contact can occur without these conditions if determined by the umpire, but these provide a starting point.

The umpires were incorrect for ejecting for MC. This should have been an unsportsmanlike ejection for fighting. Eject R1 and enter a substitute.

Congrats on moving to the next level. I think, overall, you will find HS baseball easier than rec or travel. For the most part, the players do more of what you expect them to do and you'll have less funky plays to officiate. I'm sure your training will cover HS rules. Some of the major differences: ALL obstruction is a delayed dead ball, and ALWAYS results in at least a one base award from the runner's position at the time of the obstruction. There is no "in the act of fielding" in HS. The fielder either has possession, or he doesn't. Force Play Slide Rule - it's different from the bonafide slide rule in OBR Runner's Lane Interference - pay close attention on how your association wants it to be called. Follow-through interference (sometimes called backswing interference) - same as batter's interference. Someone is going to be out. Pitching positions - I'm not up-to-date on them, but they'll be different from OBR Dugout Restrictions - nothing similar in OBR. Part of your "toolbox" to manage a game, which will be important in those freshman games that might only have one babysitter coach. You'll likely be asked to confirm game details a few days in advance via email with the coach or AD. Game date, time, location (JV field, varsity field), and if you'll have access to a locker room (more for varsity). Get examples of emails from a varsity umpire you trust. We always asked our umpires at all levels to arrive no less than 45 minutes before game time, wear decent clothes (business casual) and then go to the field and find the coach to let them know you have arrived and to reconfirm game time and when you'll come back for the plate meeting. There have been several times in my career that the visiting team will be late because of bus issues or traffic. Good to know before you show up 10 minutes before the game starts for the plate meeting and only the home team is there. Your association may do things differently.

Would you say a fielder can be hindered and still make a catch?

I don't see how there would be a code difference on who leads off. B4 did not complete their time at bat because the ball was foul. The catch never happened because the ball was dead the moment of the interference. We leave it live only to determine the fair/foul status of the batted ball.

Can you compare the quality or manufacturing processes to the Nike or Wilson Ti masks?

I had two rolled steel +Pos masks earlier in my career that served me well. Both got bent on wicked shots and I moved on to the Nike Ti. Is there any reason to believe the +Pos Ti is of lesser quality than the Nike?

Correct

Yup. The questions are randomized for each person, and attempt 1 will also have a different order from attempt 2 (if you take it twice).

I've submitted and missed one and can't figure out which one it is. Thoughts on this one? I suppose it's possible for the batter to swing and not hinder the catcher, but I don't like how answer A is written saying it's legal if the bat does not "contact" the ball or the catcher.

Maybe we should ask Hunter this question.

Perfect, thanks.

How about this one: Seems to me that both A and C are correct, but maybe A is MOST correct? Certainly, we are told that with runners on base, when F1 toes the rubber and his free foot in front that we are to assume that he's in the set position unless he notifies us that he's pitching from the windup. So it seems that A should be the answer. Thoughts?

I seem to recall that last year there was a lot of confusion on this point. Maybe they are clearing that up through this test. Whether there was a previous reset or not during that at-bat, with runner(s) on base, a pitcher starting his motion before the batter is alert and ready (for the first time) is a warning and a reset. Next time is a ball in all cases.

Since both questions have the same correct A and B answers, the correct answer must be All of the above on both.

That's what made me go look. I couldn't imagine that embroidery being allowed in an actual game. It was probably added later for an auction at that event. Either way, this was not game worn.

I'm not doubting the authenticity, but he didn't wear this coat in Game 3 of the 2007 WS. He wore a long-sleeved shirt.