BillKen

Sorry for the confusion...yes the OP was supposed to read lone runner at 1B. We've debated this repeatedly and have pretty much left it up to the individual umpires to pre-game and decide how that crew will work it. I see advantages and disadvantages to both sides. Personally for me, the only two calls I'm ever going to make related to FPSR at 2B if I am the plate ump, are the hands being thrown up or contact beyond the bag (NFHS). For me, I've decided that I can get both of those from the 3B side of the field. Thanks for all who have chimed in to share. All great points and discussion! Love this board!

It is sold...a guy in my association picked it up.

It happened to me this week and I was trying to watch both and realized it was a trouble situation. I know that both are my responsibility...and both have significant priority. I appreciate the input on this from you all. I found myself glancing at the runner going to 3rd, but focused on the slide at 2B. Fortunately, we got the DP and there wasn't an issue, but it made me really think and wonder. We have a recently retired AAA umpire working with us this year and I'm going to ask him later today...will share what he says. Thanks for the feedback guys!

Runners at 1st & 2nd with no outs. Ball hit to the SS for a routine DP. As PU, do you focus on the slide (FPSR) at 2nd or the runner touching 3rd? Which is a greater priority?

If I talk bad about it nobody will buy it!!! It is a great CP...I felt completely safe and protected and it was a 5A varsity game. I just feel that it doesn't fit my body right.

Just got it, wore it once...it isn't for me. $175 Shipped to the lower 48. Paypal friends and family

OP...you need better friends!!! Or at least better umpire friends!

But now I have tan TW pads on it.

Marvin Hudson saw my mask at our clinic in January and called me over to check it out, asked me a bunch of questions, and then showed it to Fagan and Barrett. He got the Mask-It info from me and said he was going to have a Wilson Aluminum and/or a Nike Ti powdercoated with Tony's Silver Vane pattern if it wouldn't kill the warranty. Not sure if he will do it or not, but it made me proud of my mask!

You can put your WV pads in the washer...just use the gentle cycle with a low spin speed. Put them back on the harness with the plates attached loosely and hang it up in a well ventilated area. In 24 hours, you can cinch it all down tight and you will be good to go.

What wood bat league?

My new Unequal CP and Shins arrived yesterday...wouldn't you know it, there is a 100% chance of rain all day today and all day tomorrow. Upon initial inspection and fitting...the CP feels as if it will protect as good as or better in some ways than my WV. I took the "wings" off...not sure if I need those. I love the adjustability..I've made a few tweaks to the position of the shoulder caps and the collarbone pad. The "plates" that are under the skin of the CP are thinner than WV, but I'm certain that they will do their job combined with the Kevlar. I also like the way the shins fit. I won't know more until I get a few games on them, but so far I'm impressed.

Most likely an inexperienced ump that never played the game much. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt unless you know the guy is just a jerk...then he's a heartless jerk!

With a lone runner at 2nd, as the PU, I've always gone towards 3rd base on a ball hit in the infield. The only FPSR violations I'm going to call from PU is contact beyond the bag or hands thrown up etc...things that can't be argued and basically call themselves. I was recently told that we are now to go up the 1B line on a ball hit to the IF and then if the throw gets over F4's head, we have time to get to 3rd for a ball coming from the outfield. What say you? Discuss pros and cons of both and convince me I should change.

Where do I find this Deal you guys keep referring to?

Same here in east Texas...have lost 8-10 games to rain and snow and it isn't going to stop raining until Friday. Might be down $700 to $1000 once I finally get to call a game!

The Honigs is great...but it does have a left handed zipper pull. I wear it and I don't feel like a girl...nobody has ever stopped me and asked me if it was a girls jacket either! A buddy of mine bought two zippers and some fleece...and took it to an alteration shop to have some pockets put in it. I'm envious and I don't care if you aren't supposed to have your hands in your pockets...its cold and my hands need a pocket between innings! Does the Majestic have pockets?

My way of telling a catcher that I missed one is this: "Joe, that was a really close pitch and I don't want you to be afraid to come back to that spot. I'd like to see that one again." They always understand what I'm saying"between the lines"!

They can do it all night, but I'm not calling an out unless the runner does something so ridiculously dumb that he deserves it. It is crap coaching and crap baseball to do that and I'm not rewarding it...and I'm being honest and upfront with the doofus coach that teaches it if he needs an explanation. It isn't coaching...coaching would be me telling the runner how to keep a hand on the bag and walk it up.

I straight up tell the 1st baseman...don't hold it on him...you get your shot and then throw it back. I'm not calling him out. Never had a problem

You're missing a few things in that, though. There was a point in time when you would own that call - and if it was obviously wrong, you get on the front page of Deadspin or immortalized for eternity a la Denkinger. Now, it's at worst a momentary embarrassment but forgotten before the night is out. Doesn't even make the tidbits section of Sportscenter. And if someone doesn't like it? They can pound sand and get mad at the faceless remote entity in NY. I think replay - in its very first year when no one realistically could have expected perfection - has been an overall positive and will turn out to be in the umpires' enlightened self-interest. I don't disagree with you for the most part here...but let me pose a question for discussion. If you were a MLB umpire and were in the trenches...both as an on-the-field guy who is making decisions, and as a guy in NYC making the real calls...What changes would you lobby your union rep to make?

This is what you get when you put in replay. The ump knows that he can call anything and NYC will make the real call. So if you have a play like this, there was a point in time when BD would have sold this call to the hilt, and owned it like a boss! FF to August 2014 and Bob knows that selling a call is a waste of time and energy...and if you sell it hard and then get proven wrong, you look like a DA. So there is really no harm in just shrugging your shoulders and making a beeline for the headsets. The wussification of the MLB umpire is in full effect.

After seeing this, I took mine down and threw it in the wash on gentle. I have a front loader that does a good job with gentle cycles. It came out smelling fresh and all in one piece! Might add a couple of years to my gear!

I can tell you there is no funk on it. It was well taken care of when it was used. Sorry, I was referring to my own! I spray it with Lysol after every game, but there is no way it gets any wetter in the washer than it does when I work in the heat!

I didn't realize the pad would come out of the WV. Can that be washed...maybe gentle cycle with some vinegar to kill the funk??? Anyone ever tried it?