Ring 'em Up

thanks..! ron-

Hi everyone... ! it's been a month of sundays since i've been here. i'll be going to the MIB 3 man clinic in Huntington Beach this November, and am totally excited about it.! http://mibumpirecamp.com/index.php what do you guys think about this one?? ron-

+1 if a pitcher can show me control of the strike zone, i'm more likely to call a strike on that outside corner. ron-

there were 2 outs, and w/an R2 my position is behind the plate. there was also a FBC, which blocked my view when backing up any further... this is definitely a HTBT situation. R2 broke off SB with the hit, and if managed correctly the play could have been an out at FB. Obviously, i had to watch R2 touch 3B & if the ball was fair touch HP, BR move into the running lane, watch F3 for obstruction, and watch for the fair/foul call,. as for asking the coach to call his boys in.. i've asked a few times this season to bring the boys in.. and there has "never' been any problem whatsoever. additionally, both my mentor, and the instructional chair for my association, have told me to always apply the rules as you never know who's watching and or evaluating you. as mentioned earlier this is an evaluation point, therefore i'm not gonna get dinged for it because some coach want's to battle for something so small. oh, and he wasn't "a little miffed", he was over the line completely.. running out onto a live field, yelling, and throwing 'F' bombs.. ron- READ OBR GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO UMPIRES!!!! It clearly states "It is better to know whether a ball is fair or foul than to know whether a runner touches a base" Right out of the Official baseball rules, your first responsibility is ALWAYS FAIR/FOUL followed by CATCH/NO CATCH if you miss the touch of third so be it, because it's better to know where the ball is than to see that, yes you need to look to see it but only after you see whether the ball is fair or foul. On top of it all, since you are by yourself when the defensive team appeals whether he missed or touched third base all you need to say is "I'm by myself, i'm doing the best I can to get it right, that is the best look I could get." I'm not blasting you here at all i'm just trying to help you out in the future, umpires have priorities, and if a call takes priority over the other then you need to see that call, even if it means not being able to see the other... you are. one of our brethren sent me a pair of combo pants, and inside the box he placed 2 'ring em up' stickers. i just thought it was a cool 'nickname' for UE. no i don't nitpik. 3 ejections : one for a coach coming out onto a live field, and yelling that i said something to a boy "which i didn't" and he started cussing, one for a coach who didn't agree with a strike call and was calling out 'chickensh*t' at a pinto game, and this last one. so, each and everyone of these coaches deserved to be tossed. as for my pre-game stuff, i refuse to get dinged on an evaluation because a coach can't just call 'em in. (by the way, i had a call yesterday from the AD from the school of the coach who i tossed on Friday. to say the least i was very supprised.. he told me he called the president of our association to see if he could talk to me about what happened. i guess the frosh coach was at the game and called the AD right after i tossed the JV coach. this AD is the Varisity coach, and when talking to him about the pre-game conference, he agreed with me 100% about bringing the boys in, and said that he always calls the boys in as soon as the ump calls the plate meeting.. and even said that is what he has told his JV coach to do previously. i also explained what happened on the fair/foul call and he expressed that yes, it was a one man umpire game and allowances need to be made by the coaches.. he also said that that's not the first time an umpire has had a problem reading a fair/foul call down the R-line at his field) again.. this is a HTBT sitituation ron-

Check here: http://umpire-empire.com/index.php/topic/52489-catchers-interference-i-banged-him-for-it/ this said, OBS rule 5.03 covers this explicitly. : " The pitcher shall deliver the pitch to the batter who may elect to strike the ball, or who may not offer at it, as he chooses. " rule 6.08 spells out the penalty. ron-

it was a defiant "no way".. since i had tossed the HC in the prior inning, i decided to play it in an 'out of the box' way. that way the only people who even knew about it were the BR, F2 and myself. it worked just the way i wanted it to. by him coming up and sticking out his hand, he's showing me that hes a man and deserves respect. and i showed that, by my response to him. ron-

there were 2 outs, and w/an R2 my position is behind the plate. there was also a FBC, which blocked my view when backing up any further... this is definitely a HTBT situation. R2 broke off SB with the hit, and if managed correctly the play could have been an out at FB. Obviously, i had to watch R2 touch 3B & if the ball was fair touch HP, BR move into the running lane, watch F3 for obstruction, and watch for the fair/foul call,. as for asking the coach to call his boys in.. i've asked a few times this season to bring the boys in.. and there has "never' been any problem whatsoever. additionally, both my mentor, and the instructional chair for my association, have told me to always apply the rules as you never know who's watching and or evaluating you. as mentioned earlier this is an evaluation point, therefore i'm not gonna get dinged for it because some coach want's to battle for something so small. oh, and he wasn't "a little miffed", he was over the line completely.. running out onto a live field, yelling, and throwing 'F' bombs.. ron-

POE..?

A) FED Rule, I believe. absolutely it is: FED 2.10.2 "Both teams shall remain in the dugout (bench) or bull pen area until this meeting is concluded." ... hence the reason i enforced this rule. So T-Rav, are you saying you're not enforcing this rule? Booger picking...??? um, seems to me as umpires we are there to enforce all rules.. not just the ones 'we' like. so tell me..., what other rules are you 'not enforcing' because you don't like 'em? ron-

i had a HS JV game on Friday, ... rivals i guess. i had a bang/bang play at FB and banged the BR out.. as the BR passed me, he looked straight at me and 'shook his head no', and said.. "no way" while passing by.. when cleaning the plate after "taking his 5", i told the F2 tell that BR if he did that again, i'd give him a formal warning and he should mention it. (i wanted to do this the easy way for this problem.. as i had ejected his coach in the 2nd inning.) at the start of the new half, that BR came right up to me stuck out his hand for a shake, and apologised saying: "i'm totally sorry sir, it won't happen again, i was just frustrated". to which i said, "thanks for coming up.. i appreciate it." i thought it was a nice gesture. ron-

ya.. i got beat up some yesterday too. ron-

HS JV game, upon calling the conference at the plate b/4 the game, i noticed that the HT players were out of the dugout so i asked the HTC to call out to them to get' em in the dugout while we had our meeting. immediately, he comes out with, "well i've never had an umpire tell me to do that before" in a not so pleasant voice (i could already tell he was mad). to which i replied "i'm not everybody" he complied, but.. his demeanor had changed. come to the 2nd inning, the HT is losing by 3 or 4 runs. VT up to bat, R2, R1. B3 hits a high fly ball down the r-field line, since this is a one man game, i'm staying about 3 steps in back of HP, F4, F1, & F3 all converge on FB. my last look is 'fair', BR moves to lane and... bam! i don't have a view. i put out my l-hand and point in, for fair and before play even stops, the HTC come charging out of his dugout screaming "that's bull sh*t... that's bullsh*t.... i can't believe you made that F(*&(*( ing call...!" . he said the 'F' word so many times, i couldn't even count 'em. actually.. i couldn't believe it... everybody in the stands.. from both sides gasped at his outburst.. at that point, i just put my mask under my arm and waited for him to stop, and when he did, i banged him for ejection... then.. he really went ballistic.. cussing and cussing.. my gawd.. he wouldn't stop.. think he'll get fired? ron-

i had a call when driving to my HS game by one of my assignors.. he had a game that needed umping last night, which i did. so 41 now. which brings up a conversation i had w/my mentor on monday. he was suprised at how many games i've did. he said he is going to re-evaluate me tomorrow, at a HS JV game that i have. it'll be interesting to see what he says, as he evaluated me when i first started.. (remember, i'm a first year (he had a laundry list of items i needed to work on at that time)). ron-

Absolutely.... (but isnt Pinto 5-6 yr olds? and coach pitch?).....................that being said......I got no tolerance for profanity at that level.......gone....... i think there 8 & 9 yrs old.. def not 5 & 6. either way, i'd had enough.

i had my second ejection two weeks ago.. this said, it sure was easy.. that time. roll back one week earlier, and i did not have my game management skills.. at all. basically what happened was that the HC of the home team was the league president. (i didn't know it in the beginning of the game). i had gone over the Bronco rules, which stated "4 coaches allowed on the team, 2 on field, 2 dugout". whcih ment to me that on offence, 1 coach as FBC, and 1 coach as 3BC. top of 1st this HC had his bucket sitting out of the dugout and i asked him to push it back so it's flush w/the dugout door, and he yells out in a condecending manner "I don't know where you got that rule, but its not here at our park". I let it slide... which was totally wrong of me. as i found out later. in the 4 inning, the VHC was catching for his pitcher (the 5 warmups)as the catcher was getting ready. i asked the coach to let the catcher take the 5th (and final warmup) and do the throwdown, and he just ignored me. so when the catcher comes out, i asked the pitcher to step off the mound, to make that throw as he had already taken his 5 from the mound. Well the VHC say something to the effect "i've never heard of that rule" (meaning only 5 pitches (returning pitcher)). Then the HTC, starts in and talking in a loud voice. i asked him to come out and as he approached, he said "I write your check, this i gotta hear". then he started in on me and my assignor.. least be said, i was demeaned in front of about 70 people.. i was fuming mad at the situation i was in .. and was thinking that i should have warned him in the first inning about his 'demeaning voice" towards me. this game.. was in shambles for me. anyway, when leaving, i was approcached by several people who applogized for the behavior of the coach/manager. but what got me... is that it was TOTALLY MY FAULT. i swear i got into my rule books as soon as i got home, and studied the sportsmanship/ejection rules... move forward 2 weeks: 10 minutes to drop dead, pony/pinto game, top of 5th, score 5/8, home team winning. R2, i call a strike on B2, VHC Coach yells out "HEY THATS A CHICKEN SH*T CALL, LET THE KIDS PLAY". i'm thinking.. what.. "TIME!" he was in the dugout, and walked over about 3 feet and said "that's enough coach, i don't want to hear anymore from you, this is your warning". and then he started complaining and threw out one more cuss word. i ejected him at that point for profanity. i promise.. i won't be manhandled, demeaned, or disrespected again..! i wasn't going to post this because i'm embaressed that i was a panty waist 3 weeks ago.. but i'm hoping another first year will see this and not let some disrespecful coach dump on him, like what happened to me. ron- (flames to dev/null)

today at 3.15 i'm umping my 14th HS game and 40th game over all.. humm.. am i a 'hoe'.. hahaha... ron-

There's only two words that describe people who kill innocents: ...F*&** Cowards... sorry for the language, but this scum is lower than my caca.. ron- edit: watch your language please

this season i've worked with the same F2 LL JR a few times. i know his name and he knows mine. i totally think he is the best player on the team and we chat. he is very respectful, and in the 18 or so innings i've been behind him he's only asked twice "was that a little out ron?", to which i reply to both he and the batter can hear, "yes, just bring it in a little and you've got it". (other converstations we've had are: hows school, hows the team doing, mostly general stuff, he's asked what type of work i do, and i did tell him my son's an F1, so he asks about him also) we normally do this talking w/o looking at each other. (one thing.. i don't cut him any slack at the plate.. strikes and balls are the same for him as everyone else and he totally accepts this)) so in the last game we did together, we have R3, R1, 1 out, B4 hits a line-drive to the SS, and he throws to F2 to catch R3 coming in. Play at the plate is bang/bang and R3's slide us just under F2's glove.. SAFE! so the DC is calling out to F2 about that play , and this F2 immediately yells out "he was safe, under my tag".. the coach dropped his head and turned around and there was no other converstation about that play (if there was, i was ready to warn). ron-

Gawd.. i just love this place..! FED 6.3 sentence 4 states: he shall go to the set position without interruption and in one continuous motion. i've got a feeling that F1 is gonna jerk his non-gloved hand to catch that ball, or that the continuous motion will be averted. ron-

interesting.. even thou i have not done hundreds of HS games.. out of the 12 i've done this year, none of the pitchers have tried to quick pitch. at the HS level, most pitchers are aware that they need to give the batter a chance to setup. this said, in lower level games the pitchers wanna throw, and are antsy to get that next pitch off. therefore, i do hold my hand out in the DNP.. but, i'll not hold my hand out if the batter delays by running the bat over HP drawing lines (one of my 'peves). i immediately tell the batter i'm not holding for there delay, and give the pitcher the 'pointed finger' to play/pitch. the next time that batter steps in, and holds his hand back for time, i don't give it (normally). ron-

Based on the last part, I'd say this makes the FED rule different than the updated OBR 8.05(k). However, that said, .... I can't see anyone really barking if you balked a pitcher in this situation (OP) and using 'start/stop-hand separating' (sorry, I didn't cite) i've got a BALK.. 6-2-4a specifially states "any dropping of the ball" &, the OP, states "the ball pops out of the glove and then he catches it" Lets take a look at this.. if the ball popped out of the glove, gravity would take effect and the ball would "drop" and it doesn't matter how far the ball drops.. 1/10th of an inch, or 3 feet.. Period. Where's the confusion? ron-

And not a bad thought at that. Our association CIF (FED) liaison has assured us if he receives a written report on a parent acting so idiotic as to disrupt a game, CIF will take action - up to banning that parent from all future games. I am sure this is more for the truly unruly parent, but it would be nice to see some action taken against the idiot who, in effect, influenced the outcome of a game. although, i would hate to call it, yes a balk.. but in my opinion, the action by this unruly parent did influence the outcome of the game, and hence i would definately would have a written report, and send if off to CIF. ron-

Roofing Inspector... so i'm on the job early, especially during the summer when the crews start at first light. my hours change somewhat, but i get off between 1.45p and 3.15p (3.15)during the winter months. basically i stay on the roof making sure the crew applies the roof per specification. these are not residential roofs, but commercial applications where the costs are over $200K

my sons ratio of ground outs, to fly outs is right about 85%. he has a natural sinker to the right, and uses that to his advantage. he is not the fastest pitcher at his school, but he has 4 solid pitches. FB, CU, CRV, and 2 seam FB (which is a natural slider). i def like to watch him pitch, the batters are golfing quite a bit on his crv, and his FB really likes F2's r-knee. so far he has pitched 2 shutouts, one against a top 10 nationally rated 17U club team, and in his Moore League here in Long Beach. he's just coming off the DL as he had a double tendonitis in his r-sholder which he's working thru (he's going to his pitching instructor 3x a week), and should start pitching i would think in the next two weeks. pretty much the dr said 6 weeks ago ... 5 weeks of no throwing. my gawd i thought, the whole season, but i think he'll be able to pitch the last 4/5 weeks of the HS season. then there's the AL after that. r-

sometimes when the count has 2 strikes... you just know that the batter knows it was a strike.. you can hear 'em let their breath out in a sigh, turn and walk away, knowing we're gonna say those magic words.... ron-