RC@54OUTS

Well I saw the replay and yes Mike blew that call. And once again the jackoff writers and commentators know everything there is about umpireing. So once again there is a big push for instant replay in baseball. I'm curious to hear your comments on instant replay.

I wear my hat in the shower then hang it up to dry. water alone usually does it otherwise shampoo. works great

i work USSSA here in socal. now i haven't had this level of problems but it's been close. i don't know if Big League Dreams operates outside socal but USSSA uses their fields. they have a full bar for the parents to use. now of course by the time a playoff comes the parents are all juiced up. let's say you have to squash any chirping before one thing leading to another.

i've never seen it at that level of ball. F9 must be up and the hit has to be a shot. i see it often in Pony. i read the situation and treat it like 2B coming over and giving you pressure. just don't get hit by the throw. most of the time you won't have to take the play in foul territory. i'm not a big fan of pivoting over the path of the thrown ball. if F3 boots it and R1 goes for second he's either going to get hung out big or make it safely to second.

can you spell ibuprofen.

i'm a little late on this one but had to chime in. i have the blackice and the rite temp cap inserts. the blackice works but i wear a 19" neck size so i'm glad i got the extenders and they come in pairs.e rite temp inserts are ok. i'm still on the fence withnthem and they don't come in pairs. i wnt to try the rite temp vests. i've heard good things about them. on their video the demo shows that they had their shirts modified with a zipper so you swap out easily.

another thing i noticed is there is usually little or no head movement, check that body drifting with guys using the scissor rather than the box or GD stance. Scissor guys are pretty much locked in except for looking down for the low pitches. Most of the time any movement is for that outside corner. the other thought i had is if you drift for that outside pitch your still not putting your head in harms way for a foul ball. i see way too many guys setting up right behind the catcher in line with the meat of the bat. PBUC calls that the black zone. not good

slo8140 what rite temp pads are you wearing. the cap inserts and/or the chest pads under your cp.

you mentioned the age of the players goes up to 15. you can runinto guys that age who can bring the gas. if I were in your position the one thing I would not go cheap on are the face mask pads. Team Wendy's would be a good choice.

i would say it's more like leaning or drifting like mentioned before. their head does not swivel. i myself have not been taught this but when my friend told me that Marsh said thiss to him i was surprised. anyway i'm seeing more high level guys do it.i guess when you get to that level you can do whatever you want.

has anybody noticed that more plate guys are moving their head with the pitch. some are leaning in and out. i was taught not to move at all. the ump doing the NCAA supers with LSU/SBROOK really moves allot. anyone being taught this at any clinics/camps. i was told that Randy Marsh reaches this.

you only go to OC for the price. i must say they do have good ball bags and a pro version shirt in navy blue. they are the only ones that have it that i've found. the material on my shirts were very thin and seemed to stretch over my plat WV. the honig's i've gotten in the past almost cause me to pull a muscle trying to get it over my cp. either way it's a good deal

i was just going to say. remember +POS. not sure what happened to the owner but his son is still running the biz. on there site he is advertising the old style plate shoes for sale. this is new be ause i've been trying to find a pair. i've got a call in to find out about the sizing. i wear a 4E in NB. hope he can deliver. $100 for the pair. they have a steel toe with a metatarsel plate made of ABS.

moving his foot a second time, taking signs after the set. does he do this everytime? WTH. this kid must cuase all sorts of problems.

i could only find them on mcdavids site. they used to have them with full leggings but i think they discontinued them. yes they are not cheap but they do work.

i'm with love2ump. box with mcdavid hexpads. at lower levels and fresh/jv and if it's not blazing hot i also use the forearm hexpads. icatch allot of lip from my fellow umpires until they get nailed.

do the best you can. your not a grounds keepe. i have the same problem at one place. they water down the field and leave the bases in. so after a couple of slides into second it is gone. you cant even see a bump. runners have to stop to look for the base. they know, i asked to change the way they fix the field. no change. oh well. you think when a triple is only a double because they cant find second they would fix it. go figure

it seems more and more coaches are asking to get help on everything. at my plate meeting i'll tell coaches that if the umpire made the call feels that asking his partner for help is needed he will but it's not automatic. so asking on a check swing when BU is in B or C to me is a cheap way to shut up the coach. 99% of the time he will agree with me on a check swing. so suck on that coach. PLAY

in one man , follow the ball. two plays to watch before seeing man coming home. no way you can see the tag up. good job. why anyone would go out to rf on any ball in two man is a mystery. PU has touch at third not BU.

if the mask'doesn't have any major damage like broken welds keep it and use it. i myself are a quasy equipment junkie. i've taken quite aa few shots to the face either uncaught or fouled off. i have the diamond ix3 which is a great mask but whats just as good are the team wendy pads with it. i believe the pads are more important than the mask. the light weight of the ix3 helps for the long days. good luck.

I had the opertunity to talk with Randy Marsh about face masks. He could have any mask he wanted given to him. he got a concusion wearing the wilson titanium. the masks are very stiff and transfer all the enegy toyour face. so whatever you get i would use the wendy pads. i have the diamond mask which is still'very lite. don't skimp on the pads.

I just did a varsity game where I got nailed in the face with a thrown bat. I told the coach to talk to his player. I should have done a formal,warning because it happened again. The bat flew Up against the fence. Coaches do not care about your safety. I'm tired of playing around being the nice guy with these coaches. Someone is going to get hurt. Warn then eject. The only way change will happen

How would you call a catchers balk? The catchers box is really pretty small but he can move anywhere he needs to catch a ball after the pitcher releases the ball. But when he locks in low and away in the next batters box before the pitch then you have it. It's the only thing in the book that can help. Heck if I knew he could come back hi and inside to catch the ball before my face does, no problem. We're down to drawing straws. Short one loses. Besides that I agree, don't skimp on the gear!! I just got my Wendy pads and love them.

No it's two man. Most of time getting hit is when the catcher swing way outside and the pitcher busts one inside. Like these guys can spot pitches. So one thing to do is call a catchers balk. I had a varsity game and the catcher was left handed. Second time in my career. That was fun. Odds are against you when most batters are right handed. This guy would also set up outside. I asked the coach if he had problems for the first two or so innings getting strikes called. And as a matter of fact he did. So the light went on and his catcher never set up out there again. Thank God!!

Mcdavid he pads. The only way to go. Guess how/we know. I also use the McDavid pads for my forearm/elbow. Not much else to cover up. Gotta love those coaches who put those four foot nothin catchers in there.