eric0531

I do verbalize ball even on the obvious ones, just not as loud. As far as the count goes I'm trying something different this season. I only "announce" the count, verbally and visually, after the third and fifth pitches. But after every pitch I give the count in a conversational volume to the batter and catcher. Keeps us all on the same page and reinforces it in my mind to help avoid brain farts.

Like you I opted to wait until I was vaccinated plus 2 weeks, which for me was 5/14. Had my first games last Sunday (one 16U, one 18U) and finished my first week with 6 games after an 18U double-header yesterday. A little rusty after no games last year but by yesterday I was feeling much better about things and was really comfortable behind the plate for the first time. Coaches have been pretty good so far other than the one who argued that his player couldn't possibly have committed interference because he was in the baseline when he ran into the fielder who was trying to catch a pop up. And that was an 18U coach! The pitching quality is down this year but given what we've all been through that's not a surprise. As of now I've got 40 games scheduled but there is talk of the summer leagues possibly extending their seasons through August rater than ending in late July so hopefully that happens and I end up closer to 60. It feels great to be back on the field!

Last year I had my first chance to call a couple of high school playoff games. Had bases for the first game, and then plate for the 2nd. Between games we had access to the clubhouse - the field was home field for a high school team. As were were relaxing and having a snack I noticed someone had written on the white board "win every pitch". When we took the field I was a little overwhelmed by the size of the crowd and a bit nervous, and as I settled in for the first pitch I took a deep breath, exhaled, and just held that thought - "win every pitch" - and would come back to it every time the pitcher came set as a focusing mechanism. I called a really solid game, I just felt comfortable and engaged and focused. Now I use it every game as mechanism to focus pre-pitch, reminding myself to do my best to nail whatever happens on *that* pitch, and then again on the next one, etc. One pitch at a time.

I will concur with everybody who is saying to avoid anything but a hard shell. I've got both a West Vest Gold (bought it used years ago and retrofitted it with the All Star harness) and a 15" All Star System 7. I rarely wear the West Vest any more. The All Star's pads are easy to take out to throw in the wash, and once I got the thing adjusted it's so comfortable I'll almost forget I'm wearing it during a game. You could probably find one used for around $100. FWIW I'm 6'1" and 215 lbs.

One of the senior guys in our association brings a stopwatch when he is doing bases, and my first year doing HS games a couple of years ago he was really helpful with some tips on keeping things moving between innings. 1:00 is pretty aggressive but keeping inning breaks to 1:15 or 1:20 does make the game feel noticeably snappier. I've got no qualms about taking a couple of warmup pitches away if the team is slow getting out and ready, and once is all it takes for them to get the message. My between inning rules are no chatting with coaches, players or my partner, and if I'm going to hydrate I'll walk over immediately after the last out but stay aware of the team coming out so that when I walk back to the line I know exactly how many more pitches they're getting. Had a JV game on Thursday, albeit two good JV teams, but we finished a 3-2 game in 1:35 - helped a little bit being on field turf as there were no cheap hits from bad bounces :-) Now if we could just get some dry weather out here in western Washington we could get some games in. Of the 19 high school games I've had scheduled so far, 12 have canceled due to rain. lol, just as I finished typing that my scheduler texted me to ask if I could do a re-scheduled varsity game this afternoon. Forecast looks iffy, crossing my fingers.

​I had what looks to be my last local summer ball game last night (nice to end on a high note, an excellent 3-2, 15U game with a home team walk-off win in the bottom of the 8th). As I was changing at my car I realized that not once all game had I even thought of my All Star CP - no adjustments, no shifting it around, etc., and in fact I couldn't really recall having to make any adjustments to the CP during a game all season, the only times I can remember even thinking about it was when I'd catch a bit of a cool breeze coming up the channel between the pads on a hot day. I bought an extra set of padding so I can pull one off and toss it in the wash, and keep on going with the other padding.

​I had a similar situation Monday night in a 14U game. Right handed hitter, my partner was in C. I did a "No, he didn't go" on a check swing, and the catcher asked if I could get help. I asked my partner who rang the kid up (it was a 3-2 pitch). OC at 1st did a "No way you can make that call!" and "He shouldn't even be able to ask for help on that!". We both ignored him and that was the end of it (one more comment would have gotten him a "that's enough"). Personally, unless a team starts to abuse it I'm just about always going to ask my partner if the catcher requests it simply as a courtesy, and I've got no issue going for help whether my partner is in A, B or C. I trust they'll only call a strike if they feel like it was obvious.

I'm pretty sure that here in WA the state tourneys are all volunteer.

I don't think just $$$ is the answer, although maybe it's part of it. While visiting my mom in CA over the 4th of July I had a chance to go watch some PONY district all stars games. Those umpires were certainly getting paid, and they certainly sucked.

She called the no-hitter last week in the CA/MI game and is blogging about the series: http://2013llws.blogspot.com/

How many cars get hit? More than a few, it amazes me that anyone parks right behind the 3rd base dugout. A couple of weeks ago we had a foul go right through an open sunroof and bounce around inside a car, that was amusing.

Here's our local LL field which is my favorite place to call games - 5 minutes from home, and field turf so no muddy or dusty shoes. Of the 50 or so games I've done so far this year probably 40 have been here. The Google shot shows the field configured for soccer though :-( https://maps.google.com/maps?q=13951+North+Creek+Drive,+Mill+Creek+WA&hl=en&sll=47.872648,-122.219338&sspn=0.010953,0.027659&t=h&hnear=13951+N+Creek+Dr,+Mill+Creek,+Washington+98012&z=19&output=embed&output=svembed"> Here's a great shot from behind the plate: http://www.cityofmillcreek.com/PARKS%20AND%20RECREATION%20FILES/MILL%20CREEK%20SPORTS%20PARK/3-22-11%20014cropped.jpg The picture is from a three years ago just after they had removed the dirt mound and replaced it with turf. Originally the field had dirt for the base & home plate cutouts and a dirt mound. The cut outs were replaced after a couple of years when the city determined that the dirt/clay was clogging the drainage system. So for a couple of years it was all turf except for a dirt mound. Then the city decided to get rid of the mound as well and went all turf. The league uses a portable mound now, although for next week when we start hosting Majors All Stars for WA District 1 the city will build a dirt mound. The all-turf nature of the field means we have virtually no rainouts, which is both good and bad! I have spent some miserable evenings out there when any other field would be rained out.

My favorite. I work tech support for a construction management/accounting application, and the thing that I tell the new folks is that they key to success in this job is to sound completely confident - people can sense uncertainty in your voice. It's great advice for newer umpires too.

This sounds exactly right to me. I also like to keep the batters with one foot in the box when taking signs and get themselves ready without a bunch of practice swings between every pitch. If the pitchers want to work quickly and the batters are getting ready quickly too, life is good! Had a LL minors league tournament game on Wednesday with two starting pitchers that worked briskly. Had to call a "no pitch" once, asked the kid to wait until the batter was ready, and didn't need to ask again. 6 innings in 1:30, and would have been less had the VT not rallied for 3 to tie in the top of the 6th to force the HT to bat again. It helped that none of the kids were looking for walks, I didn't have one called strike three all game.

Between the curved shoulders and the Delta Flex harness, the All Star stays in place extremely well without needing to be super-tight. The first couple of games that I used mine I was needing to pull it down from time to time, but it quickly began to conform to my body and now I rarely feel like I need to adjust it.

Is that a M/L Gold? It looks like the TW pads add a good inch in length, is that about right?

I agree 100%. He was right on top of it, and based on the replay it looked *really* close. It does take some guts to end a regional championship game with that call.

Exactly. I worked an 11yo LL District game last night as part of a 4-man crew, and our instructions specified the color of our undershirts and to make sure our shoes were shined :-) Before the game the District rep told us he'd like to have one of us go out on all fly balls to the outfield (not just "trouble" balls as the 4-man 60' mechanics normally recommend) because he felt that made it look like there was actually a reason to have 4 guys out there, so as the 2B guy I got lots of exercise! Our district is hosting state too, so I'm hoping I pick up a game there.

Ouch! We're heading for a balmy high of 63 today in Seattle.

Our league has always (at least as long as I have been around, so 12 years anyway) had a single elimination tournament at the end of the season for the Farm and Minors divisions. And our league does its best to get two-man crews of experienced umps to call those games. I did two of those games last week, one was pretty decent, the other not so much.

I've seen a few different variations of them, does anyone know approximately what year(s) they looked like this?

Here's a great article about the catch, and his team and coach. http://sports.yahoo....giant-leap.html