UmpRandy

Yes. Agree. In my region (Washington state) the urban myth is perpetuated that softball is heather gray and baseball is charcoal. USA softball (on their bad "officalgear" website) shows only heather gray pants, so I believe this is one of the sources of the myth perpetuation. Having just said that....I guess it's not a myth....USA softball wants heather gray. ETA: I wanted more than one choice. I found the Smitty poly/spandex pants on a website I hadn't seen before....can't remember what it is right now.

Bummer. I was hoping for some more information as I need new pants this year and there don't seem to be a lot of options. I need heather gray and from what I can find online, heather gray is dying out. Seems like everyone is heading to charcoal. Ump-Attire can't help me here. They're not stocking anything in heather except for some old Smitty brand poly-wools. And anyone needing pants for spring HS softball (and baseball) are missing out from the new Gerry Davis line described above.

I'm looking to get a new pair for this season after wearing Magistrates for the past five years. Sigh.... I've read all the plate shoe discussions the past year and don't necessarily need to re-hash everything but wanted to throw a few things out there. In my never-to-be-humble opinion and not to offend anyone that has different tastes, but I think the current crop of plate shoes are just simply ugly and boring. I'm going to have to "settle" for something... I interpreted some comments in previous chats that patent leather is out; however, the current versions of the New Balance V3's are pretty shiny. If shiny is out, whey are the NB's so shiny? If shiny is still "in" then I'd prefer the patent leather 3n2's over the New Balance because I think they just look better and they're much more affordable. If you're going shiny, go all the way! You guys wouldn't make fun of me for wearing patent leather, would you!? ETA: BTW, 95% of my work is fast-pitch while still helping out the LL baseballer's during playoffs and All-Star tourneys. ETA again: The Magistrates are bucu-comfortable and not sure I'll be able to find the same comfort. Are the 3n2's that much of a "brick" as I've heard others comment? If so, I would hope to alleviate that with a good pair of inserts. .

If anybody else is interested, I found some decent looking all black shoes at Boombah. Decent price also. They actually have 2 or 3 options. Frustrating thing is Google did not show any Boombah products! Google doesn't find everything OR there is something more biased at work...that's another topic. I believe I followed a lead somewhere in this thread or another shoe thread on this site to find the Boombahs. Just ordered the Men's Epic Turf. On Clearance. $45 plus shipping. Hard to beat.

Yes, Thunderhead. Thanks. I saw all the other threads but maybe I didn't ask the question the right way...I should have said has anybody discovered any new tricks other than the typical jock, compression, etc.etc. Elk, you've got way too much time on your hands but I like it!

I haven't tried all the cups out there but NB has been my favorite so far. Problem is I can't keep it in place and it rides up and out constantly; looks like I have a boner (sorry for the crudeness but couldn't think of any better description.) I wear athletic boxer briefs, with NB jock strap but apparently that's not doing the job. Any other tricks to keep it down and in place? Or maybe its not the right fitting design/style for me and I need to try something else?

Same here...not for baseball but for softball. I need a good-looking all black turf shoe, almost with cleats. In my experience, the newer turf fields are very slippery. A "normal" turf shoe just doesn't seem to cut it. I can't even find an all black regular cleat...

Pony Baseball. R3. 1 out. Batter strikes out. Both teams believe it's 3 outs and everyone starts walking off the field. R3 heads to his dugout on 1st base side. Plate ump signaling only 2 outs. R3 by now is in front of pitchers mound. Seeing only 2 outs, he heads toward home and touches the plate. Is R3 out for being out of base path or does the run score?

This was an NCAA softball game but could apply for any defensive play I'm thinking. . . Runner does slide-by in to base (slides to side of base and grabs with hand as she/he slides by). Runner has hold of corner of base. Fielder (straddling base) receives throw, drops to knee to apply tag and in doing so, knocks/pushes hand off of base, Tag is applied. Runner called out. Fielder did not intentionally push hand off base. Obstruction? Or just a simple out?

This section of the 2017 NCAA rules are posted on another softball site I frequent. The 2nd rule below is pretty clear to me that what she is doing is illegal 10.4.5 Leaping is not allowed. The pitcher may not become airborne on the initial drive from the pitcher’s plate. The pivot foot must slide/drag on the ground.10.4.6 Crow hopping is not allowed. The pitcher may not replant, gain a second starting point and push off her pivot foot. Once having lost contact with the pitcher’s plate, the pivot foot may trail on the ground but may not bear weight again until the pitch is released.

Hmm. Maybe not enough softball umps here or nobody wants to touch this one...

Anybody here aware of the Kelly Barnhill (and a few others) illegal pitching issue? As a softball umpire (HS and below) this really concerns me. I'm obligated to uphold the rules of pitching and if I see an illegal pitch, should call it. However. . . if nobody else is, I'm not sure I'd have the stones to be the lone wolf. Thoughts?

Just getting up and running for calling some fast pitch using NFHS rules. "A throat protector that is part of or attached to the mask shall be worn and extend far enough to adequately protect the throat." Does the throat "extension" on many of the catchers masks meet this criteria? It also seems the words "adequately protect the throat" is also up for interpretation as I've been tagged in the throat even with the slight throat extension on my mask. I now have a dangling throat protector.

I mis-spoke. I can't download the rules in PDF. It's only downloadable as an e-book --similar to Kindle--and only works in Google Books. I guess I'm looking for anyone that has figures a workaround to get an electronic copy of the LL rules that is searchable.

Two years ago, I was able to purchase the LL Rule books as an app that worked great. It was very easy to search for words and scroll through pages. Now, book-apps are no longer available. I have to sign up in the LL Umpire Registry ($25) where I get Baseball and Softball rule books downloadable as a PDF. I'm probably missing something, but I can only view the PDF's in Google Books and is very cumbersome and doesn't allow me to search or scroll through anything. What am I missing? Or is this just a lame step backwards for LL e-books?

I may be over-thinking but what the heck. . . thanks for letting me be dumb and thick. Let me ask or put it this way. . . If the base runner in the original video was "smart", then all she'd have to do is stutter or otherwise stop and make it obvious to the umpire that her progress was "impeded" while the catcher was standing there before catching the ball. That's all that Zack Cozart did in that Marlins/Reds game a while back. . . he got the OBS call.

So. . . thinking in reverse. .. Using all the above-mentioned logic, I can't think of any play at the plate where obstruction would apply, then. I'm not talking 1st, 2nd or 3rd as runners could obviously be rounding trying to advance to the next base where they are actually impeded But at the plate? How would obstruction ever apply and the runner ever be awarded the run? There's the infamous MLB Marlins/Reds reversal at the plate, though. . . If this has already been hashed out on some other thread, I'd be eager to read there. I'll keep looking for one.

According to USSSA, if the player is set up in the base path without the ball, this automatically impedes the runner. Nothing else has to happen.

LL Rule 2.0 DefinitionsOBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. A fake tag is considered obstruction. (NOTE Obstruction shall be called on a defensive player who blocks off a base, base line or home plate from a base runner while not in possession of the ball. It's also in the following rule sets: ASA Rules Supplement 36-ObstructionIn past years, coaches taught their player to block the base, catch the ball and make the tag. Now defensive players must catch the ball, block the base and then make the tag. USSSA Clarification & Interpretation Topics Version 7If a defensive player is blocking the base or base path without the ball, this is impeding the progress of the runner and is obstruction. After the fielder has the ball, she can block the base and make the tag. It is obstruction if the player blocks the base, catches the ball, and makes the tag. The catcher in the video is merely set blocking the plate to start with. No ball. Just waiting. And she certainly didn't have to move in to the base path to get the ball. The throw was pretty much on the money. It look like she has to move to get the ball but look at the feet--the left foot doesn't move an inch. In the few seconds of video, I see the runner coming full steam ahead--no impeding, right? But what about before she enters the video? Did she stutter step seeing the catcher blocking the plate? Did she maybe think the catcher already had the ball and stuttered? I understand the catcher had the ball and the "throw beat the runner". Look at the USSSA rule; they simply state the runner is impeded and obstruction if you're in the base path without the ball, period. In my view, the above rules are trying to state "no setting up in the base path, period."

So no obstruction. in the LL rule set it's obstruction for sure. ASA and USSSA rules also suggest it is obstruction, though. Interesting.

Obstruction or not?

Awesome. . . thank you gents!

May I ask where you got and what type of rivets are used to move those ailettes up?

This may be covered elsewhere...no time to look right now... If you store gear in a foot locker or bag for the off season, any tips for keeping odor and other science projects out of the bag or locker?

ESS styling looks very similar to Oakley.. If what NWA_UMP is saying about ESS being a division of Oakley is true, then it makes sense now. Which maybe sorta validates my contention about Oakley. . . probably the same glasses being manufactured in the same building but one has a 1000% markup and one has a 100% markup. God Bless capitalism!!