johnnyg08

IFF is in place to protect the offense. The defense doesn't get an out b/c they botched the play.

I think it's mainly B & E.

I do think there are times where this could be handled differently as you describe.

Those of you working NFHS baseball right now...are you seeing batter's tapping their helmets to "challenge" the pitch? How are you being instructed to handle these situations? Are you treating it like drawing a line? What state are you in?

That's a fair take. Especially with several complexes in your immediate area and if there are multiple assigners in that area.

Do any of you either as an assigner or work for an assigner who uses placeholders as a routine when they assign/schedule? This wouldn't necessarily be only for tournaments...but regular season stuff. For example, let's say that they know that they will need 10 crews on X day, but they don't have the schedules yet so they send something out that locks in 20 umpires on a given day...and upon receipt of the schedules, redistributes those assignments across the ten crews. Or for the inevitable reschedules, last minute changes, or emergencies...to have umpires ready to go versus having to send it out, wait for a response, only for find out that they can't do it? Or be able to more definitively tell clients if they can/can't cover a reschedule in a timely manner. There would also be a possibility that an umpire who was on a placeholder could be scratched and not work at all. Let's say that they only work for one association and wouldn't necessarily be losing an assignment b/c of a placeholder. Multiple association umpires would likely have a problem with a placeholder assignment OR they could simply say...I have an actual assignment that came up, please remove the placeholder. OR...they could choose to not accept placeholder assignments and just wait and see. If yes, what is your experience with it...what are the good things? What are the challenges/frustrations? Thanks!

Appreciate it. Thanks

We have a lot of fields that have multiple rule sets. Teams will be concerned about having a regular base and then the double 1b.

Appreciate it. Thanks!

That's gonna be the play. I don't think teams are going to want two anchor points.

I was asked this question and I'm not 100% on how to answer it. Your thoughts? No runners and pitcher steps off after the batter's eight seconds and they are engaged. They can step back on within the 20 seconds and pitch but what if the batter steps back out after the pitcher disengages?

Question on the double first base... Do they require a second post in the ground or is it simply attached to the main base?

If their interp is that allowing access between the legs is OBS, I can track that and agree. Where does that access end? What if the fielder goes into the modified splits...under NFHS apparently that's access. Could that be?

That would be the case regardless of the number of umpires on the game.

Yep, the collaborative group think can be really detrimental to getting anything done.

Oh...no doubt...we do a great job of overcomplicating things.

I'll put that on the slide for training. "Just go do the best you can"

I appreciate this and there might not be anything noteworthy from all the other compromising situations we're put in when working alone...but I also don't want to miss anything big either.

Of course. We have right of refusal on any assignment and I promise you, I'm far from a sympathizer.

I understand and I don't disagree. While I'd love to be king for a day and declare that we'll no longer work alone. I'm not the king and it will be what it will be. So...of the states that use it maybe are currently using it (where seasons have started) what challenges are you seeing or hearing about when umpires are working alone?

New photo to not distract from the intent of the thread.

How many of you umpire in states that use a double first base? For this...I think I can get advice from baseball & softball umpires at all levels. Next year, we're moving to a double first base for our baseball games and we also have situations where we have umpires working solo. Let's not turn this into a debate about whether or not you or anyone should be working alone. That's not why I'm posting this. In states that have the double first base what are the current challenges and what challenges will exist for umpires who work solo and now have to umpire plays that use a double first base in addition to everything else on the field.

https://davisofficials.com/collections/umpire-mask-pads

So...about those mask pads? 😂

I don't think anyone disputes that it's a better look, but at what cost? A $90 - $250 game fee? No thanks. I'll stick to the slot.