RichMSN

Let him go find the site director. Sadly, he won't be able to participate in the game anymore. I can't stand these tournaments where they think people outside the fence have more authority than those running the game. Too often, it's cause they've had someone outside the fence interject themselves where they didn't belong at least once before. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Depends how much political capital you have in your group. "I don't tell you how to "f--- up calling balls and strikes, don't tell me how to work first." I have a foot up against the line, but I'm in closer to have a look at the pickoff. I still have fair-foul responsibilities, so I'm not abandoning the line. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Oh, look. There was more to the story. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Here only 4 umpires are first time umpires at state each year. Statewide. Once selected, it's a 2-year gig. State has 12 umpires. 4 first timers, 4 second timers, 4 returning crew chiefs. I just completed my 2-year stretch, which means it will be 5-7 years before I will even be eligible to return as a crew chief. How did I get on the list? I really don't know. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Perhaps I mis-Tapatalk-quoted.

Well, I disagree with that -- I assign as well and the minute a start time is pushed back, the contract has changed. If it's a 1pm game and the game is moved to 2pm, the umpires have every right to decline this change. I've done it and have had it done to me. Once the game starts, I'm not sitting around for 2 hours. I'm banging it and going home. If they don't like it, they can hire and pay a replacement crew to come in and work it. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The conference I assign - I've assigned all of 2016 for baseball and softball. I'll be doing 2017 in a few months. We do things differently here. Wish it wasn't that way... Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hey, it's fixed! And better, too! Thanks!

My avatar is me working the plate on ESPN a few years ago. I should change it, but I haven't gotten a really good picture since then. I had all kinds of butterflies before the game. During the anthem, I was so nervous I actually got a bit emotional thinking about my parents back home and my family and friends watching me work in a few minutes. I called the first pitch a strike and I wasn't nervous the rest of the game. Seriously, it was like flipping a switch. I did remind myself to SLOW DOWN the entire afternoon, though. As critical as I am of my work, I was really happy with the result that day. Since then, I've called 2 HS state plates and I was a bit nervous for the first one. This year, I felt no nerves at all at the experience. I'd been there before. Going 9 innings was probably not part of the plan, though. Later this week we'll start our LL tournament and some younger umpires will be feeling those nerves as they work a District and eventually a State final. I actually enjoy sharing the field with those umpires -- it reminds me of those times years ago when I had those experiences myself.

I think Warren's referring to the server plugin for Tapatalk -- the mobiquo folder that is put into the root of the server.

Worst update / upgrade ever. Seriously. Should be completely rolled back.

The replies are still all messed up.

Frankly, nothing surprises me with a significant percentage of WI umpires. There are some that are top notch -- I tend to work almost all my games with them if I can help it.

A lot of fields ground rule it out -- especially if the throw goes over stands or part of the dugout.

I guess I'm just old fashioned. I'm in B with R1 or R1+R3. A with the bases empty. Every other situation I'm in C. And there is no deep anything in 2-man.

One thing, though -- the batter has every right to move within the box until the catcher receives the pitch. It's when the catcher is throwing where he needs to know that the path he chose will not all-of-a-sudden have a batter in the way.

I worked the 2 D1 semifinals (the last 2 on the first day), the 2 D3 semifinals, and the D2 and D1 finals.

And it's over. Worked 4 state semifinals and 2 championship games (we have 4 divisions). Now I go back on the list and if I'm lucky I'll post again in 5-7 years.

​ Well, in Wisconsin navy is the color for high school baseball. So that's what I wear unless I want my post-season assignments pulled. 16 games at the state tournament 2 weeks ago and 16 games worked by umpires that wore navy. The state allows "powder blue" which usually gets translated to "that softball shirt" although we tend to wear the polo blue with black collar when not in navy. Otherwise, I'm usually in black. Black for college, black for summer, black when a partner thinks that "it's too hot to wear black" which is just stupid, IMO. I get what you're saying, but there's quicker indicators to me on the likely quality of an umpire than the color shirt they wear.

Not a chance I'd eject on this and I've worked a WS and 3 regionals.

Eh, life's too short on this one. The kid can learn by being ejected.

​Too much thinking. I can call a check swing strike from anywhere in the park. Ask me and you'll get what I have every time. Tell me to agree with you and you'll still get what I have every time.

​I'm not sure what that means -- the fielder has every right to make an unimpeded play on this baseball and the runner did NOTHING to provide F4 with that.

​If I can't read the message and just the quoted bit, it's useless. So's your snark.

Catcher presentation was a lot more important to me 15-20 years ago. These days (I only work up through NCAA D3 level), I never throw away a strike. Not saying that a good catcher might not make those borderline pitches look better -- but I'm not penalizing bad catching if I can help it.