JHSump

There's an easy fix for this that some of the more experienced guys know... Oh, I think I know what you are referring to: say your name is Nestor Chylak (or some other hall of fame umpire that they probably won't know). As an addendum to my story I should say that a reporter for a local newspaper approached me at the end of the game and asked for my name. I looked at him for a second, thought about saying "John Conlan" but instead asked him why he wanted to know. He said I was in one of the action shots he took and he would like to put my name in the caption, if it appears in the newspaper. I didn't go the "John Conlan" route. Gave him my real name, I will see what comes of this. Maybe I'll have to go the "Conlan" route in the future.

No I don't give out my last name at plate meetings either! But, the director of the tournament seems to think it sounds nice to have the umpires names announced at the beginning of each of these all-star games. Now that I think about all this, it might not be so funny if someone decides to look me up in the local telephone directory and come egg my house!!!!!

...or at least it was certainly a different experience than the usual. Let me preface this story by saying the highest level I have umpired is HS. Mostly I've done lower ages than that. Ok, here we go...12U district all-star tournament, involving teams mostly from within about 30 minutes drive (farthest team had to drive about 1.5 hours to get to the tournament). In tonight's game I was BU. There is a banger at 1B and I call the BR out. Fans for the OT react negatively, as you might expect, but this time they call me by my last name! It's not "C'mon Blue!" Instead it's "C'mon ________!" !! I've never had that happen before. I felt kinda honored! At least they didn't call me "Blue"! Of course, I didn't acknowledge any remarks, or even look over there. But I chuckled a little to myself when I got to short RF between innings. Now the only explanation I can come up with is that some of the fans actually listened when the umpires names were given, right after all the players and coaches were introduced. Even that is sort of interesting. I should say I live in the area, but I do not come from the OT's town, and I certainly don't personally know any of them. I expect umpires working the minors (and certainly MLB) get harassed by name, by fans. Have any of you fellow umpires that don't work the minor or major leagues gotten yelled at by name? What were the circumstances? What did you think of it?

Exactly! It's amazing how much time is wasted on shoe tying.

LL was instituted with 60 foot basepaths generations ago, literally. Since then nutrition has improved greatly, so kids are bigger and stronger in general, and mature earlier. Many kids at 12 are on the cusp of young adult maturity. On top of that, *bats* have improved tremendously. The bats I used in LL (1960s) were small barrel wood bats --- pretty pathetic toothpicks compared to the technological weapons of today. Sometimes It is very scary.

OBR 8.05 (w) Comment: If, when in the set position, the pitcher blinks, breathes, smiles, or winks, this action alone shall not be considered a balk. C'mon guys, you need to study the rule book more carefully. I suggest enrolling in The Baseball Announcer's Rule Clinic --- it's online at www.lmao.org

You're watching your favorite TV show, but here comes a commercial break... <Image appears of two parents at a sporting goods store, frowning while looking at high priced metal bats. Junior stands nearby with a hopeful look on his face.> Voice of Morgan Freeman: "Do you spend hundreds...even thousands...on...bats??" <Image of JHSump, giving a stump speech...> JHSump: "I say bring back wood bats! For all leagues. Let's end the technological arms race! Let's end the dugout visits by umpires looking for weapons of mass destruction!" Morgan Freeman: "Sure wood bats break, but they cost less than metal and composite bats. With proper use --- keep the label up! --- you can get through a season with just a few of them. The total cost is about the same as for a new metal bat. And maybe there won't be any WMDs." (Fine print on the TV screen --- "Source: Congressional Budget Office") JHSump: "...Even metal and composite bats wear out, and need to be replaced! Or, they need to be replaced just to keep up with the arms race! Let's stop this madness! If I'm elected, I'll outlaw metal and composite bats. Let's go back to the way baseball was meant to be played." <Video of parents listening to the speech, chanting...> "Wood bats, wood bats, wood bats,..." <Fade to still of JHSump, in his umpire uniform> "I'm JHSump, and I approved this message."

Do they frisk you before the game? One could simply ask at the plate meeting. This would be like asking if all catchers are wearing a protective cup, or "are all your players properly and legally equipped?" But I would be inclined to skip the cellphone question. I think Dixie wants to disallow the *use* of cellphones. Then if you see a coach using one, you can address it.

Interestingly, Dixie Youth Baseball bans cellphones period. Doesn't matter if they are used or not. 3.01 ( b ) No personal cell phones or other personal electronic communication equipment, excluding those carried by on-duty medical or security personnel or required to be “on call†by their profession, are allowed on the playing field or in the dugouts during all local league and tournament games.

Did someone notify the local press? Sure, it's just a slow pitch softball game, but a perfect game MUST be very^10 rare.

Just quoting you so you will be notified and drawn back to this thread. Please read the case play I posted and tell me if you saw on the field what I see in your OP. O.K. the case play is closer to what happened than originally thought. I would say that as written the case play does justify what the players did to an extent. In the play on my field the batter-runner clearly was attempting to give the impression of tagging up rather than rounding the base. But that would be difficult to legislate as it really depends on how much he slowed down. Plus the height of the fly ball is going to determine whether he even has time to effectively impersonate R2 tagging up. My takeout from this is that since coaches also have access to the case book, that I would not be able to rule interference in this case. The case is too close to my situation to not consider that coaches would likely think this was a legal play. I am actually surprised and disappointed that there would be a FED case that does make this legal. It will only perpetuate the bush league tactic. I really don't see why they would do that. I think that all cases/interpretations should be designed to get knowingly put-out runners off the field of play. I am also disappointed that the FED case book makes this legal.

If your timing is good.. you will be able to tell if the runner is coming... Speaking of timing, I wait a heartbeat before calling a pitch a strike or ball, like most (all?) of you. And I vocalize both, for two reasons. One, if I don't vocalize the ball, my rhythm is thrown off. Two, if I don't vocalize the ball, it's not at all obvious to the players (I think) when the wait for my call is over! So, this seems to slow things down unnecessarily. I've actually had catchers say they were glad to see I am their PU, since I vocalize balls. Of course, I don't vocalize the balls as loudly as the strikes --- and I don't use any hand signals for balls, and I don't vocalize "high," "low," or whatever. Just "ball." Now, if the pitch bounces in front of the plate or flies very wide or over everyone, and is not touched, I don't say anything --- everyone knows those are balls. I do vocalize balls that are way inside, so the players know the pitch did not hit the batter (but, of course, I do say "Time!" if it does hit the batter).

Do any of you officiate other sports (football, basketball, volleyball,...)? Some of my local umpire friends have suggested I branch out into other sports. But I only know baseball well --- been playing, coaching, or umpiring baseball all my life, but never got beyond 1 or 2 kid seasons of anything else, and I have never officiated any other sport. If you officiate other sports, how does it compare to umpiring baseball? Do you find other sports harder, easier? Why?

Great story! It's pretty clear that many a kid's baseball experience would be better if adults did not coach the kids from the stands. And, I've seen plenty of bad adult coaching from the field as well --- from the point of view of mechanics and psychology. Wouldn't it be interesting if this story started a trend of no adult coaching, period? Or, maybe adult coaches will learn something from this story? I know...pure fantasy.

Hahahahaha! That's funny! I've done similar things. Our problem is...not that we're looney tunes, but that we have no way to practice outside a game! haha

So, I realize this is a discussion of a HS situation, so the FED case is the final word. But, just to change the discussion slightly, what would the ruling be for the same situation in OBR? OBR 7.09 (e) Any batter or runner who has just been put out, or any runner who has just scored, hinders or impedes any following play being made on a runner. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate; Rule 7.09(e) Comment: If the batter or a runner continues to advance after he has been put out, he shall not by that act alone be considered as confusing, hindering or impeding the fielders. I read 7.09(e) as saying that if the BR had continued to run after the catch, as if his momentum were carrying him along, then the Comment applies and that act alone should not be considered confusing. No interference. But, since the BR did not just continue to advance, but actually stopped, waited on 1B, "tagged up" and took off for 2B, *that* *act* could be considered an attempt to confuse the defense --- and would be interference. What do you guys think?

Yeah, how about that?! It's almost always true! It's almost laughable.

Good job on the EJ, mjr. And congrats on making it through the marathon relatively unscaved! Any dreams/nightmares involving umpiring since then? haha

How did you get it?? I saw it yesterday, read a few bits, then figured I'd come back today --- but now I can't access it. Just what did you do to get it today??

Isn't that the truth! It applies to almost everything we deal with in baseball, before the game, during the game, after the game. It's not that the coaches/players/fans are "bad" people --- it's just that they are too emotionally involved in the events. We, on the other hand, can see things from a reasonable vantage point, precisely because we are not emotionally involved in the outcome. Actually, that's our whole purpose, and has been our whole purpose ever since Alexander Cartwright wrote the first rules for that first game of the "Knickerbocker Base Ball Club" (see http://www.19cbaseball.com/image-knickerbocker-baseball-rules.html). We are the "honored gentleman" selected to oversee the game, make rulings, settle disputes, and "fine" those that act in an unsportsmanlike nature. There is such a person (the umpire) precisely because emotionally involved humans (even members of a "gentleman's club") can't be counted on to be totally reasonable in the face of competition. It's just the nature of the beast.

Glad to hear you say that! I thought I might be the only one that thought this is hard.

I think Tom Hallion (the base umpire) was perfectly fine in doing what he did. He simply told the catcher he has to catch that pitch (to protect the umpire), and, as an MLB catcher, is certainly expected (by the umpire) to catch that pitch --- he's not accusing him of missing in on purpose. It looks like Hallion thinks the pitcher and catcher were not on the same page (signs), because he adds to the comment by pointing at the pitcher, which probably means "get together with your pitcher and make sure you have the signs correct." Hallion was not screaming at the catcher. He was just stating the obvious --- and protecting his partner.

Wow! That's a balk kiddie pitcher's commit! Didn't think an MLB pitcher would make such a mistake!

This is not a ground rule. I wouldn't discuss the details of this rule at the plate meeting. If the topic comes up while pointing out the places where a ball might go through, I tell them if the ball goes out of play, we'll award bases as necessary - I'm not going to go into a rule dissection at the plate meeting. Oh, I agree totally. I was not saying *I* start talking about award of bases on overthrows at the plate meeting. I've never had a HS coach bring it up at a plate meeting when they give the ground rules at their field. If I am giving ground rules (e.g., at tournaments), I never bring up award of bases. I just point out the DBT lines, etc. But some rec/summer/tournament coaches will then mention it, as if they are adding a well known bit of info to the discussion. If I acknowledge it at all, I say we'll award bases according to the book. I'm really just saying "one base on an overthrow" is a myth that a huge fraction of coaches, fans, and parents believe. Right up there with "hands are part of the bat," I think.

Number One myth I hear constantly: "One base on a overthrow." A variation: "one plus one" The one-base-on-an-overthrow myth comes up so often because overthrows are awfully common. Everyone seems to think the BR gets second on an overthrow of 1B because "he gets one base." They see it happen all the time, and "know" why it happens. It just reinforces their belief system "One base on an overthrow" also comes up often at the plate meeting, when ground rules are discussed. After DBT is pointed out (e.g., line extending a fence), a sincere coach will say, "...and runner gets one base" as if he is adding some obvious piece of information. Oops!