blue23ll

My response to "I used to umpire" is "I used to coach"....

The coach pitch kids love seeing 3 real umpires out there

How nuts did you go?

That's where the umpires 'phone a friend'

Frazier just has got to get better.....

Coach, they are prescription sunglasses, are you sure you want them removed??

That's it Rolo, I'm never working with YOU again....

That's like trying to tell us that Gibby is a deep thinker....duh

Sounds like the coach got what he wanted. Sometimes I feel it's better to say..."No way Bill, I'm not letting you off that easy. If I have to suffer through this game, so do YOU"

There is no rule based justification for getting an out here.

I mean if they are tapping like 20 times before each bat...tell them 'knock it off' and if they don't, eject.

Who is Archie Bradley anyway?

You will mostly be working in the infield, between the 1st base and 3rd base side of the mound. Generally you won't need to go past the mound. Work for angle vs distance and with multiple runners don't over commit to the lead runner. You must watch the ball and glance at runners, but if you need to focus on a trouble ball or a ball ripped down the line you won't be able to follow the runners very well. On the steal play, all you can do is get out from behind the plate and give a good guess. On pick-offs at 1b, the runner has to basically fall down and not be able to get back to the base to be out. Good luck.

The trick to one man games is to just hustle, and be sure to follow the ball. There will be times when because you have to focus on the ball you will miss touches at 3rd, or tag ups with multiple runners. It can't be helped. Also, don't take one bit of crap from anyone about a judgement call.

Sometimes I hear the cheers on the baseball field from softball and I'm tempted to go over and tell them to 'knock it off'

If I had it 110% and the coach asks for help, particularly on a judgement call, I will tell the coach "No, I had this all the way!".....now if I'm not completely sure, I will go talk to my partner to see what they have, and I am perfectly willing to change the call with more information. Just to meet to placate the coach, in my opinion, is not the way to go. I feel that if the call is close even if I get it right the coach will probably still be pissed at me. If I go to my partner with no intention to change anything, I have the coach pissed at BOTH of us.

Of which only FED has a definition of 'tag of a base" GO FED

There would be your answer.

What kinds of umpire interference do the rules allow us to call? And is this one of them?

You could always ask the 3rd base coach

So is my oven and I don't spend 3 days in it.

He looks like John Tumpane, have to be young and limber for that stance! I used one that looked like this one just one time but that was right after taking a shot in the nutty buddy.

Discretion is the better part of valor

Which pants are you referring to?