CS-Blue

How do you all feel about umpires with beards? I have one (big and burly in the off season, nice and even cut one during the season). I have had many umpires say it's a no-no while others don't seem to have an opinion. No one (coaches or other umps in my association) have had anything bad to say about mine. Most of them consider it a way to pick me out of a crowd (kind of like a signature look.)

Sadly nothing matches GDs. And they are ALWAYS on back order with the exception of about a week in November.

I use Smitty plate pants (they are great by the way) and I used the Diamond featherweights and have loved them.

I can tell you one thing...I see that in high school BALK!!!! I see that in summer league BALK!!! I see kids trying to do stuff like this all the time because they see it on TV. And when I balk them for it, their first reply is "the pros do it all the time." And I always say "when you have a million-dollar contract, you can do whatever you want."

So I was half right....

I find it a great place to put my thumbs from time to time.

Is F3 making a play on the throw? Or is he just in the way?

I luckily haven't had many 9- or 10-year old games, but the few I have had have a set number of reasons to call a balk. If it isn't on the list, you don't call it. It covers most all the usual stuff: (K) A violation of any of the following six pitching rules should be the only reason to call a balk in the 8- 12 year old age divisions. (1) The pitcher, while touching his plate, makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery(2) When a pitcher steps on the rubber before the set position, one hand must be at his/her side with the other hand free. The ball can be either in the bare hand or in the glove. (3) While in the set position, before going to the plate pitchers must hold the ball in both hands in front of his her body and come to a complete and discernible stop with both feet on the ground. A complete stop shall not be construed as occurring because of a change in direction of the hands and arms. However, the pitcher may throw to any base before or after the stop. The stop is necessary only before throwing to home plate. (4) While in the set position, a pitcher must step, with the foot that is not directly in contact with the rubber, directly to the base that he/she is throwing to. (5) While in the windup position, the pitcher must step back off the rubber with the foot in contact with the rubber, not free foot, before attempting to pick a runner off base. (6) While on the rubber, the pitcher fakes a throw to first base and does not complete the throw.

You know why umpires don't wear the HSM in great numbers? It is because of other umpires. Most of the time, it has nothing to do with comfort, protection or anything that makes sense when it comes to choosing your mask. Associations with older umpires will almost never have a large number (if any at all) choosing to wear an HSM. Whether it be to fit in or to keep the established umpires from making fun of them, they just want to be like everyone else. That, and too many evaluators are ignorant and think that an HSM is something to be marked down as unprofessional appearance.

I use the hammer as well (especially since I came up doing a lot of one-man). On a D3K, I signal the swing with the hammer, then verbally say "no catch" with a safe signal. Never once (even at the younger levels) have I had anyone get confused. And if the kid can't run on the D3K (occupied 1st with less then 2 outs) I give the hammer and verbally say "batter's out." That way even if the coach is screaming run (like they always do) the batter and catcher know he is out and we don't play "throw the ball all over the infield."

Oh Boy!!! I am one of those blessed ones that don't need one. Since I have no neck to speak of...the bottom of my mask (and HSM) actually almost touches my CP when I am in my stance. So unless I actually look up on a ball in the dirt, I am safe. I have been hit on the masks'/HSM's built-in throat guard many times and have been fine. With that said, everyone I know that does use a TG puts it on the second-tier.

I have the same mask/pad combo. I think it looks best with powder shirts. Very cool on those hot summer days.

You should put this in the right forum (http://umpire-empire.com/index.php/forum/56-buy-sell-or-trade/)

I think I was looking too early. I search at about 9:40 this morning.

I did the same thing this morning and it wasn't there. Thanks anyway.

I haven't found a video yet, but did anyone else see the third-to-first balk by the Rockies' Edgmer Escalona against the Reds last night. If it wasn't for Tulo's homer, it would have cost them the game. I knew it was going to happen eventually.

Not to get off topic, but an umpire with a 28-inch waist? Holy crap. I haven't been a 28 since I was in middle school.

I have taken a 90 MPH fastball square to the knee with these (catcher was nowhere to be found) and felt little. Scared the hell out of me, but it didn't hurt.

I love cricket. I learned to play from a group of Pakistani students where I went to college. They played every Sunday near my dorm. It was awesome. When I first started, they kept having to tell me to stop swinging the bat so hard (we had very limited space). But once I got the hang of it, it was awesome. It is a lot more like baseball than you would think.

No, 3B literally trotted over. It was a little windy and I think that along with the "infield drift" caused him to miss it. It was definitely within ordinary effort.

How much?

This happened to me the other day in a U13 game. Bases loaded and I was PU and made the call. The third baseman came up to make the catch and overran it by a good bit in foul territory. The ball never touched him and shot straight to the right into fair territory. I reiterated that the batter was out and then runners took off. The defense just stood there for a minute as one run scored and everyone moved up a base. Of course the head coach for the defense came out and asked what I had. I told him IFF. He then said, "I thought the runners couldn't run on those." I said, "No, they can advance at their own risk." He shrugged and walked away.

It is a ball in FED as well. Rule 6-2-1 says that anytime the pitcher, away from the rubber goes to his mouth without wiping afterward and then engages the rubber a ball shall be called. The only time it is a balk is when he is already engaged with the rubber with runners on and goes to his mouth at all. It simulates a pitching motion.

How freakin tall are you?