Engineer

Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, Geneva, IL

I was my high school's student manager and used game changer for 2 years. It is an amazing product and saves tons of time by compiling all the stats for you. The first year I was manager we used a paper book and I had to fill out a paper totals sheet at the end of the game and the coach would give it to one of the parents to add to the season totals. Game changer just synced everything automatically when I reconnected the iPad to the internet and one season we even had it doing live updates.

The BR was ejected but I think was due to the resulting fight, not MC.

I found this video and was wondering what you guys thought of how the play was ruled. It was ruled a hit. I agree with how the fight was handled (UF Zack Powers & Danny Young; FSU's DJ Stewart were ejected) , but it looks like Stewart was running outside, so shouldn't he be out? http://deadspin.com/fsu-florida-fight-generates-more-jameis-winston-rumors-1551691502

I found the video. http://deadspin.com/minor-league-baseball-player-strikes-out-on-one-pitch-1014450914?autoplay=1

I do mostly park district game and I've had this happen many times. I normally tell them to throw it to the catcher and won't personally take the ball unless it's between innings. However, I have had situations where everyone is ready for play and a foul ball gets tossed back in where I have stuck it in my pocket until the end of the at-bat.

I've umped my younger brother's games and all his friends. Luckily, I've never had any issues with any of them and they sometimes ask me if I'm umping them again soon.

I once at a catcher start crying and dive out of the way on each pitch. Luckily it was 3rd grade ball and the coach smartly switched him after 2 or 3 pitches.

The local ump trainer always gave the same answer when the hands are part of the bat debate came up, "When you go to Dick's to get a new bat are there hands attached to it?"

Me and my partner restricted a board member to the dugout last season because he pushed over a cooler of ice and spilled it on the field while yelling about something. We couldn't tell if he was yelling at us (the umps) or one of his players.

I umped for 4 years with glasses and never had an issue getting my mask on and off. Just practice doing it and get consistent. I now use contacts because I like to wear sunglasses for day games.

I started umping when I was younger then you are now. Talk to your local Park District/rec council or baseball/softball league and see if they are in charge of hiring umpires or if an outside organization provides them. At this point, it is probably too late for the 2013 summer season but some places have fall ball. I would still call the park district/rec council and at least get in the loop about when ump hiring starts for next season/ fall ball. Good luck. I'm sure anyone on the forum would be glad to assist you as necessary.

I was checking the sports news this morning and stumbled on this funny article. http://deadspin.com/drunk-ump-passes-out-on-field-tries-to-fight-medics-i-505211197

I do park district and travel ball and if I ever had someone jump out of the box and yell at me that a pitch was not a strike, they would be watching the rest of the game from the parking lot.

What happens if three or four runners end up on a base? I'm guessing just wait until the defense makes a play because there is no rule handling more than 2 runners on a base.

I just thought of this but what does "attempting to steal" actually mean? Personally, I would say it would be the runner obviously committing to the next base without the batter putting the ball in play.

As long as the runner alters his path or slows down as a response to the fielder, it doesn't matter if there was contact or not

Since it looks like basically everyone came out of both dugouts, what happens? Double Forfeit?

Yes, they never understand why we award the number of bases or TOP vs. TOT and always come up with some stupid reason to try an persuade us to give more/less bases.

I was thinking about the types of calls that coaches argue most often. I came up with a few: -Balks (probably #1) -Tag/No tag -Catch/No catch -Interference/obstruction -Infield fly -Fair/foul down the line What about in your own experience?

I had a coach yell at me for not verbalizing a fair ball. I pointed fair twice hard and then hustled to get in position. I told him that umpires never verbalize a fair ball and he asked, how is my team supposed to know what the call is?....Facepalm

Oh, I forgot to mention that the trailing team is always allowed to score enough runs to tie or max 8 which ever is more.

I talked to the rule interpreter and he removed it from the question set.

The 5 run rule does not apply for the final inning aka unlimited scoring is allowed. They try to use the rule to speed up play and not to limit scoring opportunities.

While the spirit of your league's rule may be admirable, allowing 8 runs is an illegal modification of the 5-run rule, unless you have a waiver. It's minors, so it's pretty much what ever rules the parents can think up. Red deuces and black nines are wild in my league. My rec leagues use modified NHFS, not LL rules. So they can have their own version of the rule.