Texas Manny

Give them a chance. The complete staff at TUS is the same that runs PBUC and they are dealing with a lot of releases, promotions, and other issues closing out the 2013 Minor League seasons. If you've sent your money in, be a little patient. They will get to you. If after 30 days you haven't heard anything, inquire. If you placed your deposit by trackable means, such as check or credit card, verify the transaction with your banking institution. I'm in a similar situation with Wendelstedt's school, but in reverse. It's been eight days since I contacted them, and haven't received even an acknowledgement, but I realize that there are still things going on in Hunter's life and his administration. I'll give them the courtesy of time, and make inquiries at the appropriate time if I haven't heard back. Addition (10/30/13): Hunter Wendelstedt got back to me this morning. My situation is being resolved. Give your instructors/admin at TUS a little time. They will come through for you.

What about on an uncaught third strike with 1st base occupied and less than two outs? If this happens and the retired batter starts to run, I will give an emphatic "out" mechanic, and verbalize, "He's out! Batter's out!" so that each side knows what I am ruling. Are you saying I shouldn't be doing this? I do the same thing Gray. On an uncaught third strike, the mechanics taught to me by Joe Brinkman's are: "Strike Three!" "(safe signal)No Catch!""No Catch!" Then pumping the first, "Batter's Out! Batter's Out!" You have three things to rule on: 1) Pitch: Ball or Strike; 2) Catch or no catch of the pitch; and 3) Batter is out when 1st is occupied with less than 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd. Little League doesn't allow a dropped third strike (1990) so if the rule has changed, pardon my dust. But that's what I do as taught, regardless of the level.

DeMuth calls it an instant after Joyce, but that hardly means he is echoing the call. Uh, er, um....OKAY! OKAY! OKAY! OKAY! OKAY! C'mon Grayhawk, I know you're better than that. That obstruction call belonged to Jim Joyce at 3rd base. If he didn't see it and called nothing, and Demuth or one of the other umpires saw it, they'd call it, but Joyce saw it, and called it first. It's clear Demuth echoed it as in the video analysis. Y'all are giving me grey hairs!

Rarely, if ever...and when it comes back to bite you in the arse, one has no one to blame but themselves. Whenever I give a smart-ass response to something stupid a coaches says, I usually regret it. It doesn't set a good example for junior partners. I was just trying to be funny with the Geico remark. At least I didn't tell 'em to go to Motel 6 where they'll keep the lights on for him. Trying to be funny, eh? ...leave that to the professionals. So I'm the one lecturing on professionalism and you're the one saying it's only a joke...now that's funny. Don't be so touchy...I, for one, knew you were trying to be funny I was being funny with the . You had me laughing, not crying.

Dang Jocko. Don't hold back. Tell 'em how you really feel. LOL. I was just trying to be funny with the Geico remark. At least I didn't tell 'em to go to Motel 6 where they'll keep the lights on for him. Manny, you're losing it - that was another thread! I just fixed it.

Rarely, if ever...and when it comes back to bite you in the arse, one has no one to blame but themselves. Whenever I give a smart-ass response to something stupid a coaches says, I usually regret it. It doesn't set a good example for junior partners. I was just trying to be funny with the Geico remark. At least I didn't tell 'em to go to Motel 6 where they'll keep the lights on for him.

Dang Jocko. Don't hold back. Tell 'em how you really feel. LOL.

Sorry to disappoint the Demuth called it on it's own crowd. In the video below you can clearly see that Jim Joyce called and Demuth echoed at around 3:32 seconds. Both Joyce and Demuth called and pointed the "obstruction". Then Demuth, under delayed action, waited to see what happened to the runner. He called the runner "Safe!" "Pointed back at Jim Joyce, and the obstruction, and then scored the run automatically. Here's the video http://wap.mlb.com/play/?content_id=31187345&query=obstruction

That's totally unprofessional....I like it. Nothing unprofessional about it, but coming from you, I'd expect such a comment. I like it too! huh...and I was starting to warm up to you, kid. ..and here I was giving you a compliment. Now you hurt my feelings.

Bwahahahahahahahahha!

Very nice. Not a scissor guy, but very nice. I like the uniforms with the SCHSL on the hats and sleeve numbers. I wish that my TASO group had numbers and the TASO patch on the breast. What a stadium for High School ball.

If Demuth made the obstruction call on his own, he would not of pointed to third base and yelled out to Jim Joyce. Demuth saw Joyce call it and reverberated it, both at the moment it occurred, and again, after he declared the runner safe. I do believe the onus of the award of home plate was on Demuth. When did he point to 3rd base and yell at Jim Joyce? I believe what you saw was he pointed to the spot of the obstruction and called obstruction, then after he called the runner safe, he again pointed back to the spot of the obstruction and announced he had obstruction and was awarding the runner home. I agree with others that his mechanics might have been a little screwy at the plate, but I'd also say he was probably pretty amped up at the fact he was ending a WS game on an obstruction call...so I think he can be forgiven. When the initial call was made by Jim Joyce, it was echoed at home plate by Demuth. After the tag play at the plate, when Demuth signalled "Safe!" he pointed back at Jim Joyce and the area of the obstruction and vocally acknowledged Jim and the obstruction call. He then scored the run. The only mechanic that I thought that Demuth didn't execute was the "Time!", with both hands overhead. Other than that, it's the excitement of the moment that put the "Safe!" before the "Obstruction" mechanic. I loved how he "boomed" the run home with a firm pointing to the stick. The overall is that Joyce called it, Demuth echoed it, and they were both on the same page in scoring the run.

That's totally unprofessional....I like it. Nothing unprofessional about it, but coming from you, I'd expect such a comment. I like it too!

Aggie, Would you be willing to share some of your thoughts on the clinic? Such as what goes on, what you do, etc? Thanks!

I think a lot of arguing would stop if folks on here took the time to actually read what others write, rather than skim for the key words, and ask questions, before just making blanket assumptions, and stop trying to piece quotes from multiple posts together to prove your point. It would also help if folks had a learning attitude rather than an I know better type. Yes, these words cut me first, and I am working very diligently to listen, process, and not make blanket assumptions.

"No, but I did save 15% on my car insurance by switching to Geico!" "Boom!" "You're gone!"

Jax, I'm curious. How did you determine he didn't call it right away? He called it as soon as the pitcher faked a pitch and then wheeled and feinted the throw to third?

8.05 If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when -- (g) The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch while he is not touching the pitchers plate; Assigner is wrong. Since he is a friend, kindly point the rule out to him. Either he will be humble and acknowlege his mistake and ask for forgiveness, or act with ignorance/indifference like he did in your game. Then you'll need to decide what is your next course of action. Didn't you have your rule books in the car that the two of you could have discussed it after the game in the parking lot?

If Demuth made the obstruction call on his own, he would not of pointed to third base and yelled out to Jim Joyce. Demuth saw Joyce call it and reverberated it, both at the moment it occurred, and again, after he declared the runner safe. I do believe the onus of the award of home plate was on Demuth.

Thanks. I'll take a look at the map and see where the fields are and the hotels. What is the name of the field complex?

What hotel is everyone staying at?

Jocko is right. I didn't want to be the first poster, but you should have called "Time!" Pointed at the first baseman and said "That's obstruction!" Then point to the runner and say "You! Second base!", when the fielder tried to tag him by second base. Manny, you wrote your post in a way that suggests calling time at the moment of obstruction, but I don't believe that is what you meant to say. You are saying to call time AFTER he is tagged - correct? So the sequence of events: When runner is obstructed, point at the obstruction and declare "That's obstruction!" Runner continues and is tagged near second base - "Time, that was obstruction!" (pointing back towards F3). "You! Second base!" (pointing at the runner." Is that what you intended to convey? Time is not called until the moment the fielder applies the tag on the obstructed runer. That's why I said, "Blah, blah, blah.., when the fielder tried to tag him by second base." When the obstruction originally occurred, you simply point and say "That's obstruction!" Let the play continue. I could have written the response better.

Jocko is right. I didn't want to be the first poster, but you should have called "Time!" Pointed at the first baseman and said "That's obstruction!" Then point to the runner and say "You! Second base!", when the fielder tried to tag him by second base.

I disagree respectfully. The Cardinals came out of the dugout on their side, and then the Sox manager came out to argue. Demuth talked real brief with him, then walked away with his entire crew. They would not have left the field if there was any chance of an appeal. That also would have been a dead give-away. Demuth scored the run, and they talked about that in the press conference.

Per JE and HW, obstruction is called with the right hand. In fact, the only left hand signal given is on a check swing appeal, so as not to confuse the request with a strike call of the right hand, and obvious "foul" pointing on the baselines depending on your umpire position.