JonnyCat

Maven is correct for calls on the RF line, and that communication is very important. I would also like to add, that the BU should be ready for any call at 3B, unless the PU calls him off. As a BU, don't automatically assume the PU will take calls at 3B, even on a routine rotation situation. PU should always communicate that he is covering 3rd, and BU should glance over his shoulder just to confirm. PU could fall down, have a brain fade, or an unusual play may prevent him from covering 3B. Sometimes even seemingly routine plays can change quickly and prevent the PU from rotating. Had a situation this year in a HS varsity game that my BU bitched me out for not covering 3rd on a play. (We had a little talk after the game.) Play went like this. R1, outs don't matter. I'm PU. R1 stealing on the pitch, Left handed batter hits a flare right down the LF line. I get up the 3B line a few feet, communicate "I've got the ball", come set and straddle the line to render a fair/foul decision. By the time I point fair (ball landed about a foot fair), R1 never broke stride and is almost to 3rd. There is no way for me to get to 3rd, and I never communicated that I would take 3rd. BU should have realized the situation and made the proper adjustments. There was no play at 3rd, so no harm. However, partner comes up to me after the inning is over and lets me have it saying that "You need to get up to 3rd on that play, that's your responsibility!" He's a senior guy in our association and I'm a newbie, so I let him talk. I calmly told him that we could discuss it after the game. We did, (partner is a good guy and decent umpire, but admitted that he hadn't been to a clinic since the 80's, so perhaps he isn't quite up to current mechanics.) I explained to him that as BU, he has all calls on the bases unless the PU calls you off. He understood what I was saying, and it turned out to be a good learning moment. Anyway, it's the BU's call unless the PU calls him off. Never assume that the PU will rotate.

Is that where they came from? I just thought I inherited some of MajorDave's mojo!

They're more of my entourage, and some may or may not be related.

I just hand my sunglasses to my umpire groupies in the stands. Doesn't everyone have them?

@‌Mad Mike. The interpretation in the PBUC Manual is an exception to 8.05d. Also, an appeal is not to be considered as a play or attempted play in order to allow appeals on other runners. For instance, if you had 2 runners leaving early on a play and wanted to appeal both.

​Agree. See section 8.7, page 92 of the PBUC Manual (2014). Last paragraph allows for a pitcher to throw to a base from the rubber to make an appeal play.

​Allow the appeal. 7.10. Can't be a balk, no runners on.

We all know about the multitude of knucklehead coaches in youth baseball, but I wanted to share a great story about a good friend of mine and the honor he received yesterday in San Diego. Click on the link below for a story that appeared in our newspaper. My good friend Joe Schloss has been honored for his 60 years coaching Little League baseball in San Diego. I've known him as a youth and got to know him more when my kids started playing at North Park Little League. My kids play high school ball now, but I spent 13 years at NPLL as a coach, umpire, president, and board member. During that time, I got to know Joe and I can tell you what an incredible guy he is. He has been a board member of the league since its inception in 1957, and continues to coach and serve on the BOD to this day. They had a ceremony yesterday at his league and the City proclaimed May 16, 2015, as "Joe Schloss Day", in San Diego. The field was filled with hundreds of people that lives have been touched by Joe. It was a great ceremony and afterwards we did a 4 man for his game with yours truly on the plate. Although it had been almost a year since I have done a small diamond game, it was an honor to work the game for a man that has given so much time to the youth of North Park. I wish I had time to tell his whole story, but it would fill an entire book. His awards and accolades alone would fill entire rooms. You can imagine his stories about baseball, but also he is a walking historian about the North Park community in San Diego. He truly is a one of a kind and a San Diego gem. I feel fortunate to know him and call him a friend. Check out the nice article: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/may/15/joe-schloss-north-park-little-league/ I think there are more pictures on the Facebook link on the leagues webpage. You can access it from their website. Just click on the Facebook link: http://www.northparklittleleague.org

​Herve actually played second base opposite Billy Barty at shortstop. They were a formidable double play combination, second only to Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker for most DP's ever turned.

Whatever you do, don't move to Southern California. The weather sucks, beaches are polluted, no scenery on the beaches either, not enough games, too many umpires, can't work games year round, constant earthquakes, (in fact, I'm feeling one as I write this), gas is $800.00 per gallon. Why anyone would want to live here is beyond me.

​Mmmmmm, Farcicals, especially on a hot summer day!

In my opinion, you should not umpire your kids games, but not for the reasons you think. I always try to watch my kids play and never umpire their games. You can never recapture the time missed not seeing them play. When my kids play, I do my utmost to see their games. Their time on the field playing baseball is very short, so try not to miss it. Sit in the stands and enjoy the game. There will always be another game for you to umpire, but your kids playing baseball will end sooner than you think. You'll never regret watching the game, and you will never have to struggle with a perceived conflict of interest. JMHO.

Here's an interesting story about overunning 1B on a BB that I have been wanting to share and this post seems appropriate. At TUS this year, we went over this subject in class, it's even explained in the PBUC manual on page 65. When I returned home from school my HS association was having our weekly rules meetings and at the first class back this very subject came up. Some of you may know that in my HS association we are very fortunate that MLB umpire Mike Winters teaches the rules to us each week starting in January until he has to leave for spring training. Even though he teaches OBR straight out of the book, we go over the HS rule differences after he is done. He's a great guy and spends alot of time with our association. He is an excellent speaker and has lots of information and stories to share. Anyway, this particular Monday night, Mike explains to us that in OBR, you can't overun 1B on a BB. I look at my buddy that attended TUS with me, and we both say quietly to each other, "that's not right." Luckily I had the PBUC manual with me and I found the ruling on P-65. Now being the young upstart that I am, (pun intended) I just couldn't let that go. So I timidly raised my hand and explained to Mike that TUS and the PBUC manual said otherwise. Needless to say he was taken aback, not in a bad way, but rather how could this be. After class I showed him the page in the PBUC manual and he said he would get back to the class on this one. The next Monday, Mike came back with his report to the class. He told us that he first checked with his MLB umpire buddies and they were split 50/50. Half said yes you could overrun, half said no. He checked with someone at PBUC and they obviously said you could. He checked with Hunter Wendlestedt and Hunter confirmed the correct ruling. He even checked with Charlie Reliford, and he also confirmed the correct ruling. So Mike's conclusion, he had thought the wrong ruling for 30 years. He was good about admiting it and was glad that he never once had to rule on this situation. In my eyes, Mike further solidified what a standup guy he is. By his own admission, you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Looks like an exaggerated heel/toe in order to get your head farther into the slot. Interestingly enough, TUS taught heel/instep, rather than heel/toe. They wanted then opposite of the "super slot" foot work, with a bit more of a torso lean to get your head into the slot. They did want you pretty close to the catcher. I was at a Wendelstedt Clinic in Pomona last year and one of the minor league instructors showed a few of us his plate stance. His was very much like the described super slot. Wonder if that is what Harry's might be teaching now. As long as you can see the zone well, I say do what works best for you.

Whoa. Wait, what???!! JV is Junior Varsity, which is ballplayers between 14-16 years old, right? This is fairly serious baseball, eh? And you were... actually... working... alone??!!! I don't mean to completely hijack and sidetrack your thread, @RingEmUp, but your calling of that game – solo – is a travesty according to some other umpires here (U-E topic), who cannot wrap their brain around the concept of a baseball game being worked by a single, lone umpire. We do what we have to do because, well, it's baseball. Well done, soldier, well done. I work in the same association as RingEmUp and JV has always been single man. Don't know why, but that's the way it is. There are 2 associations that cover HS ball in our county. I'm not sure how the other association handles JV.

It gives you a better angle on a pick off and also looks better, IMO. It does seem redundant at times as F2 usually doesn't throw down, but when he does, you're ready.

TUS taught a post pitch step with R1 only or R3 only for potential picks by F2. With R1, after the pitch is caught, take a couple of steps towards the midpoint of the runners lane. With R3, take a couple of steps towards the 45' point. With R2 only or multiple runners, you do not do a post pitch step. The post pitch step is a new mechanic for me, and while I try to do it, I find myself doing it only about 75% of the time. I'll get it, but it takes time for an old dog to learn new tricks!

At TUS they told us to not move up or back. Stay in your normal starting position and adjust left or right as needed when asked by a player to move. That is what they taught and is also in the PBUC 2 umpire manual. I personally follow the PBUC manual. I think it keeps you in the best position for all plays and pickoffs, but YMMV.

In FED-speak, this means "The batter had the opportunity to get out of the way, but just stood there and took one for the team" A fastball to the middle of the lower back or hip isn't going to give the batter the opportunity to get out of the way -- so he goes to first even if he just stands there. A change-up to the upper arm give the batter plenty of time to get out of the way -- he'd better attempt to move. I agree, and that's how we teach it. The OBR standard of making an "attempt" is higher than the FED standard of "not permitting" the pitch to hit him. Pro players are expected to do something and make an attempt; the HS batter who freezes and gets drilled by a fastball right at him is going to 1B because he did not permit the pitch to hit him. FWIW, I apply the FED standard in any game with HS players. I also like the NCAA rule about getting hit by a pitch that's in the batter's box. I hope FED considers adopting that provision. This is pretty much how I rule on HBP. I just was wondering if the standards are different in FED because of the wording "shall not permit." Thanks for all the good input and advice. Another testament to why UE is a great site!

Still trying to make heads or tails out of some of these goofy FED rules and I would like some input. Varsity game on Monday, I'm PU, batter sticks his arm out and gets hit by a slow inside curveball. No brainer, I call time and keep him at bat with a ball added to the count. During the game, 2 other batters at different times, get hit by pitches. Nothing special, I award first on those two instances. On one of the HBP's, the catcher squawks that the batter didn't make an attempt to get out of the way. The batter made a half a$$ed attempt and that was good enough for me. (I did not tell the catcher this, I told him it was a HBP and he didn't say anything more.) No complaints of any kind from anybody else. Sooooooooooo, the catcher's comment got me to thinking and I got home I looked up the FED HBP rule and 7-3-4 says "A batter shall not permit a pitched ball to touch him." My question is, how do you guys interpret that? Does he have to move? What is your criteria for awarding first or keeping a batter in the box? I know how to handle it in OBR, just wondering what you all do in FED games, if anything different. Thanks.

I agree John ....not calling a strike here because it'll cause too much grief .... (rule or not) ....I'm killing....then warning the batter I've never had that particular situation with both feet arise in FED games, and frankly I doubt I would notice if he stepped out with one or both feet and the exact moment the pitcher stopped his delivery. Just kill it and move on. IMO, no need to pick up that end of the stick. I'm with you, Jeff.

OBR. See rule 6-02b comments. Kill it and start over. FED. Slightly different. See rule 6-2-4(d1) for particulars. If batter steps out with one foot or holds up his hand for time, then kill it and start over. If he steps out with both feet, then you call a strike.(Not sure I would call a strike, but maybe others will weigh in if they have or not.) There are other considerations if he actually throws the pitch, but in your case a pitch was not thrown. Other rule sets, I'm not sure.

Awesome! Good luck and have some fun!

Assuming you are talking about R1 only with a ground ball to the infield, the PBUC mechanic is to move up the 3rd base line, unless you have Fair/Foul up the 1B line. When moving up the 3B line, if R1 is declared out, retreat home, if not continue up the line for a possible play at 3B. There are other parameters in the 2 man manual, but you basically move towards third on most GB's to the infield with R1 only. If you do go up the 1B line for a F/F decision, BU assumes responsibility for all plays at 3B. I do the PBUC mechanic and would not go up the 1B line unless I had F/F. I do not believe you could get to third in time from this position to make a call on R1.

Our association gives a 100 question test. Don't know where it comes from, we print it off the association website. Maybe they make their own up. I have a feeling they use this years test and add questions from last/previous years. I really don't know, I just do as I'm told! LOL!