cuban

I would love to hear 100 m.p.h.

T-shirts with the names on the front. Can't think of a single team with two different jerseys. Funding must be the difference...

Those are some pretty nice umiforms for an adult league...

This dosen't look like mens league too me. Look at how nice the grass is cut. Look at the lines for the Batter and Catcher Boxes. Look at how flexable and athletic the catcher is. Look at the hitters face. This looks like a D2 game to me.

Twenty minutes of Yoga each day will do wonders I promise.

It looks like he is working a college game. What is everyone else working? Yeah, I'd get onto him! I was thinking the same thing.

I think I got that one wrong.

Yeah, I know some really good umpires that don't use one either. Those are the guys that told me it was OK. Seven or Eight years ago I would have never even considered it.

I know I'm going to catch hell for this (I can't believe I'm admitting it to you guys). I don't use a indictor when working the stick. I bring one with me but it stays in my pocket the whole time. I know it's sounds kind of crazy but I loss the count more often when I try to use one. I probably haven't used a indictor in four or five seasons and I can only think of one time that it got me in trouble. I'm not saying that I haven't lost the count a time or two but normally the Gods have the kid ground out for me so nothing ever comes of it. Anyhow, everybody can act appalled now, I'm just curious as to anybody else like me? Kev, what do you think?

As usuall, I have to agree with Kev...

I dislike everbody the same.

I call all coaches by their first name. The only people I call coach are people I played for.

Silly question: 2 man, nobody on. B1 hits a blopper down RF line. U1 goes out to rule fair/foul. B1 trys to advance to 2nd, but is caught in a run down. Is it OK for U1 to come back to 1st to help with the run down? Or is the Plate Guy supposed handle the run down all by him (or her) self?

Your buddy is exactly why catchers who hate being touched won't usually say something - they are afraid of retribution. Last time I checked, the game is about the players, not the umpires. It's one thing to let a catcher know, for example, that you can't see a pitch when he is set up inside. It's a whole different thing to imply that you are going to F them because you can't use your peripheral vision to set up properly. Not. A. Fan. of this guy's attitude at all - at least not at the levels I work. I don't think he was implying that he was going to screw anybody over on purpose. I believe what he was trying to say was, that he works a certain way. If you ask him to change one day out of the year you might not get the same preformance that you get in all his other games. It would be like telling a hitter to change his batting stance for just one game out of the year. Atleast that's what I took from it...

I have never done heroin, but I some times compare umpiring to a heroin adiction. You love it so much, then you hate yourself for loving it so much.

WOW!!! I do not like that response from your buddy at all! JMHO Don't worry Rolando, it wasn't just you ......... I can understand how that response could bother some people but atleast the guy was honest.

I just spoke with a buddy of mine who made it to AA. I don't want to give his name but he is in the book "As They See Em" (for what that's worth). Anyhow here's what he said... "Screw them! If that's how you want to work, do it. If they don't like it they can tell you". He went on to say, "If a catcher does ask you not to touch them, you can ablige". However, he said he would say something like this, "Sure, I won't touch you. No problem. But hey catch, remember this, the other 150 games I work, I work them a specific way. If you don't want me to work like that today and you want me to do something different then every other game of the year, sure ok..." He claimed that if you say that, the catcher will change his mind. My buddy also told me a story about a time where a coach was bitchen about balls and strike. Well, the umpire told the coach that his catcher would not let him touch his back and that it was effecting the way he called the game. Coach put in a different catcher. lol

That's basically what my evaluator said. He said if given the choice, he would prefer I don't touch the catcher. However, he said he see to many "big time" guys (that know what they are doing) doing it to really say it's a no-no. I would like to add that I can only think of two times in the past ten years where a catcher has said anything to me about it.

I was wondering how different high school groups recruit new members?

Thank you for all the helpful comments fellas. It looks like I have a habit to break...

When working the dish, I will lightly touch the catchers back with the finger tip of my middle finger. In a scrimmage yesterday (my first of 2012) my partner told me I should not do this. He said that evaluators don't like it. Any and all thoughts, please.

Major Dave is selling his West Vest for $65. You should PM him.

Long live the King! I'm sure Dick has enough money already.

Thanks, Kev.

I just got the new NB base shoes. The all black ones. Well almost all black. There are two little white MLB logos, one on the back back heal and one on the tongue. I don't like the logos. What is the best way to black them out?