treydawgmt

Im not sure if they don't know the rules, i think its more them testing the umpires understanding if the rules in an attempt to exploit any lack of understanding to help their club I don't know that I could give the vast majority of them this much credit. There are some, but they seem few and far between. I quite concur. Most of these coaches don't know some of the basic "misconceptions of baseball," they really probably aren't testing us. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

@spiritump - do you have any rules backing for your statement? As a few others here have said, FED has a specific case rule allowing balls thrown over media area, which IS a dead ball area. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

In a case study somewhere I think it specifically spells out that squaring to bunt as an action does not itself constitute an attempt. So it's specifically allowed even. (Don't ask me rule set or where it is, but I'm sure it's there somewhere) Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I just went to a minor league game and can't remember where he stood... The clinics I've been to for high school and college level taught by good high school and college umps locally and then the Mid Am Ump Clinic taught by college and pro guys all have taught hands on knee set. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I concur with the eject must people are saying and like Jockos post. I'll add a few things I'd do in a situation like this. Normally a simple "That's enough" or "We're not arguing balls and strikes today" should suffice. However, the "proper" way to do it and a method I would employ here is "Coach, this is your warning, we are not arguing balls and strikes here." Specifically add the "this is your warning" language so there is no way they can get around the fact that you warned. In your report - FACTS ONLY. This goes for anyone reading this, I've read multiple reports people have asked me to proof or things that have been posted, etc. There is absolutely zero room for opinions in any report but even more so here, where there are lots of problems. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

And Tucker, even those who are older when they start umpiring still make stupid mistakes, etc still get made. No matter your age when you start, there is a huge learning curve in this profession. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

However, if you don't hammer your strikes they will know you're not a softball umpire. It might be a rule, might not be, but every softball umpire I've ever watched (and I watched every softball game at my high school for four years and most at my college for six) uses the hammer. And I think you signal and then call or maybe the other way around. But not simultaneously like baseball. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Completely legal. OBR it's rule 8.05(d) "The pitcher, while touching his plate, throws, or feints a throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play" NFHS it's rule 6.4.b. I can't copy that on my phone but it says basically the same thing. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Okay, I decided this probably could use its own thread. Hopefully there isn't a thread already about this. Tried searching with Tapatalk and nothing came up. I was reading a different thread where some people mentioned announcing outs. In six years I have never once announced the outs unless asked by someone. The evaluators at the clinic I went to didn't mention it either. The games I do have a partner I don't notice most of them doing it, but two or three have. Is it customary to do so?

I was doing a sophomore game a few weeks ago. End of six, 3-1, home team winning. Visiting team is pretty good usually, but hasn't done anything today. 1:05 so far. I KNOW not to say anything, try to not even think it, but the thought does cross my mind for a split second. Top of 7. 13 batters, 8 runs, 2 defensive conferences, 2 pitching changes, 1 offensive conference. 0:45 for the half inning. It was BRUTAL. Still finished at the 2:00 mark. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I had two balks in a more "elite" tournament for 14U today. Could have had about a dozen more. All for the gorilla arm motion. However, I gathered in the first game of the tourney I do most of these guys don't play FED based rules, or really understand them (or both), and since none of them were HUGE gorillas, I tried teaching. Kinda backfired because by the end I really wish I had just called them. And I NEVER do that, I usually just call the balks whenever I see them. Don't know what made me teach and not call them.

I only do tournaments where the TD and/or UIC for the event have my back. 100%. IF I was ever in a situation where a TD came and talked to me during the game and told me to - not eject someone, un-eject someone, or restrict someone for 4 innings, or any of that crap, I would immediately walk off the field no questions asked. Let the TD finish umpiring the game himself.

wow When you do 6 games in a tourney that are each 6 innings, yeah, I'll bet that's over 1000 in a day. I've done it a few times. All single umpire games. Wouldn't recommend it if you can help it! Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I agree with scrounge. If I toss a coach specifically, or a player in travel ball or adult leagues, I just tossed a whiny person usually. If I toss someone in a high school game, I question what did *I* do wrong. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I didn't see Matt's reply until today, but everything I've been taught says 10-15 feet behind F3 when you're in "A". By moving "in" I meant towards second base on a line parallel to the line between 1st and 2nd base. It's what I've been taught at every clinic, but maybe I should be closer to the 15 feet back to see things like this better?

Honig's does not give your discount until they place the order. They also don't run your credit card when you put in online, they save it and run it when they place the order. Kinda confusing (they could easily attach the discount to their store if they had you log in, but anyway...) Just for a heads up.

Ok. I did talk w/the 1B coach discreetly. I think I was in a pretty good position. Started about 12 feet behind the bag, on the hit I moved in a few steps, planted, allowed the ball to open me to 1B. Like I said, I saw something that could have been fishy, but wasn't sure. Just wish I had seen it better, if he really did throw an elbow, I'd have dumped him in about 1/2 a heartbeat had I been sure!

I once saw an R1 steal 2nd base on a foul tip. I correctly signaled "foul tip" with the finger tips touching each other followed by a silent strike call. Never once did I utter "foul" or any words for that matter. Watched R1 trot back to 1B, and no one did a thing. Exactly the opposite of yours, but still something I thought I would never actually see!

I'm BU. Varsity game. BR hits a grounder to the infield somewhere, out by quite a few steps. He runs all the way through the play still, as many players do. He alters his stride a tiny bit as he gets to the base, and he and F3 touch. I don't notice anything, but thought to myself "that is really funny." A few moments later (BR is already in his dugout now), F3 says, "He elbowed me." Any way to watch for this, any thoughts on what to do. I really thought that MAY have been the case when I said "that's really funny" to myself, but certainly wasn't sure.

I get asked questions like this at games sometimes, usually the travel ball, lower level stuff. One game I was doing for an organization I rarely worked for and finally decided it wasn't worth it at all I did kinda throw an ump under the bus. This organization is kinda sloppy all the way around. I worked once with a guy who had a hat I SWEAR was 20 years old. Routinely for all the games I worked my partner showed up 3 minutes before game time and asked me then if I was dressed for the plate because he was "running a few minutes behind." Or he was "tired". Or any other of hundreds of reasons to not work the plate. (No worries, I'd really rather not see your strike zone anyway...) Point of the story is, a coach asked me about a play in an earlier game. He said the ball bounced on the ground, hit is player, but it was called a dead ball. He didn't think it was right. He said he talked with him and the umpire told him that whenever the ball hits the ground it is an immediate dead ball. I sorta threw that guy under the bus... Most of the time it's a simple "had to be there."

Back when I was counting calories and such, all the research I was able to find online suggested between 250-500 calories as an average for a plate umpire. Not sure how accurate it was, but I found that on many sites. As others have suggested, weather, how much you move, and your body type is key, but I'd put 250 for colder or quicker (more strike out games) and 500 for a very hot, 7 inning game with a TON of scoring.

They did file Chapter 11 (http://home.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/dec/04/hardwick-clothes-files-for-bankruptcypbgc-orders/) and no comments or postings have been made on their Facebook page since the end of 2013. Not sure if they're still in business or not, but it doesn't look promising.

Thanks Johnny. I figured the season is late. Here in Illinois I'm betting middle of April, really. We have two feet of snow in my yard still and rumors are off 6-8 feet freeze depth... Is all of MN two man for all high school? I live in that area of Illinois where basically everything except varsity is one man. (And a varsity game or two on a busy day has been known to be one man too) Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

Hello, I currently umpire in Illinois, but am possibly moving to Virginia, MN. How does umpiring work up there, is there decent openings, etc. And the bigger question - what colors are allowed for high school? Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

I have a few brands of shirts that are hard to put on. I've occasionally put those shirts over my chest protector and then put the whole package on at once. Makes it a lot easier!