PonyUmpire

There's nothing worse than a partner who A) won't take any advice whatsoever, and B) who creates game management situations for you to deal with.

The discipline it takes to call a bigger zone consistently will help you if and when you move up to higher levels.

Calling just the plate isn't really appropriate for any level that doesn't have pitch f/x. Have fun balling the thigh high fastball that's 2 inches off the plate in varsity game. For LL fall ball, expand the plate by at least 1 ball's width on each side (probably more on the outside). If any part of the ball touches the expanded zone, it's a strike. With LL, you can get the upper-chest strike too, so establish that early and get it consistently.

#10's initial actions/comment (the golf swing) were 100% directed at you. They definitely merited a "cut it out" or a "knock it off". In that particular scenario, I might have also said something like "don't ever try to show me up like that again". After the tag play, where you thought he said "mother...", you shouldn't have let that slide, unless he mumbled it under his breath. If he said the phrase loudly, give him the death stare and a loud "excuse me?!" Being the little punk that he was, he probably would have repeated it, and you could have ran him right there. His last comment should have been an insta-hook

This, to me, is no more acceptable than the questions posed by the coach. There is no need to crawl down in the gutter with idiots, and make the game contentious before it ever begins. Step 1: Ignore... When a coach asks me, as I'm standing in full uniform and gear behind home plate, if "I'm even allowed to umpire here (because I'm so young)", the game is already contentious. IMHO, that coach needs to be put in his place, and I don't think that kind of statement can be ignored.

It was way out of line for the coach to ask your age. Don't let him challenge your authority before the game even starts. Tell him, "that's not your concern coach." Don't reveal personal information, especially something that can be used to question your abilities. A stupid question like "are you allowed to umpire here" is going to get a smart response from me. "No coach, I just like putting the gear on and standing by home plate. The real umpire will be here in a minute." As for the call at the plate, it sounds like you developed a decent angle on it. Going for help on something like that is going to undermine your authority for the rest of the game. Even if you aren't 100% sure, sometimes the best game management decision is to stand by your call.

I don't see anyone calling the book strike zone either. Which I don't also. But, a well respected news person has suggested that the book strike zone should be called. It would be hard to call it unless they changed it to the elbows and the knee hollow as the batter was prepared to receive the pitch. The integrity of the game has seen many different strike zones. Why would it be hard to call a rule book strike zone? At least two reasons: Muscle memory, and player (and coach) reactions. http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/cache/fastmap.php-pitchSel=all&game=gid_2014_09_08_balmlb_bosmlb_1&sp_type=3&s_type=7&cache=1.gif Don't mlb umpires call the upper limit of the rulebook zone?

I know! Where do people get this notion that youth baseball is about this kids?

Strike four, you resurrected a year-old thread with a post completely unrelated to the OP. If you want to start a discussion about a new topic, start a new thread.

How do forums work?

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/cache/fastmap.php-pitchSel=all&game=gid_2014_08_21_detmlb_tbamlb_1&sp_type=3&s_type=7&cache=1.gif Doesn't look that outlandish to me.

@Rulekeep, we're still waiting on video of your "dying moose" strike three

Thanks @grayhawk. Anything on my plate work?

Last 2 games are me and UE member guyinaredhat

Hey guys. I just realized that there's continuous video of every game I worked today. I had a 12U semi-final bases, followed by a 12U semi-final plate and the 12U championship plate. If you're so inclined, here's how to access the videos: 1) Go to www.yourgamecam.com 2) Click "watch the game" in the top right corner 3) Select "Twin Creeks, Sunnyvale, CA" from the drop down menu 4) Select field 5 5) Select "Week Ending 2014 -08 -03" 6) Select "2014 -08 -03" My base work starts at about the 5:23 mark. Some interesting stuff from my first game: - A banger at first, immediately followed by a steal of second (after 5:43) - A failed pickoff attempt at second, immediately followed by a pickoff at third, which I may have kicked (after 5:55) - A banger at first where F4 pushed me into foul territory (after 6:14) My championship plate work starts at around 9:58, following my remarkably on target ball roll to the mound at 9:55 Feedback is welcomed. Note that the times I provided refer to the number in the lower right corner of the video player, and not the time of day.

USSSA Northern California is great. All prospective umpires are evaluated before being allowed to work (you can be sure your partner will know proper 2 man mechanics). There is an annual field clinic run by several current MiLB and college umpires, who also work tournaments and do evals during the year. The UIC, who is a former pro ball umpire, works very closely with the TD's to make sure the umpires are taken care of. Umpires aren't expected to have a longer leash with coaches than they would in a youth game or HS game, and EJ's are backed 100% by tournament staff. Pay is $44 - 50 per game, with ages ranging from 9U to 18U.

2 inches inside at the knees sounds like a pretty damn good pitch to me.

Pony, I think my partner sensed from the tone of his voice ( and the type of play he wanted an "appeal" on ) that the HC was going to be quite the A-hole, and figured he better shut it down. From our pre-game he knew if I said a fielder was off the base, that I was dead certain on it and would not be asking for help. I personally don't have a problem with my partner telling a HC he had the same thing as I, if it saves from further discussion and delay on silly requests like this. The actual "appeal" request was that his fielder got to the base before the runner did. It will stop any coach dead turkey. @Jocko sure does !! Come on, now you're just axing fo' it.

Maybe. I just meant that there are some situations (like if a coach runs onto the field to argue while play is still in progress, or if two assistant coaches are trying to double team your partner), when you just have to kick it up a notch.

As a young umpire myself (20), I can definitely relate to the difficulty of commanding respect from coaches. I always try to be deliberate and professional in my exchanges with them, but sometimes you just gotta yell.

Sounds like your UIC needs to grow a pair. No way am I leaving a coach in the game who tells me I need to "learn how to talk to other adults properly." Just curious. Do you know exactly what it was you said that made the coach so incensed? It sounds like you did everything right, but could your tone or choice of words have made him feel demeaned? I'm not saying that that was necessarily the case; I'm just encouraging you to think about anything you maybe could have done better (even if the coach was being a jack wagon).

1st problem is your partner allowing the "appeal". HC needs to talk to the calling umpire, who can then ask for help if he feels it appropriate.

I'm definitely ejecting for "you're starting to piss me off". It's one of those phrases that implies a complete lack of respect.

'>

Having the PU take F/F all the way down the line is a compromise that needs to be made in a 2 man system when runners are on base. Why make that compromise with no runners on, when you can position the BU to have a better view?