refump10

I had a pair of those too. I think they were either Riddell or Saucony, can't remember. TheVelcro closure at the bottom worked well. I had a pair of 450's with the same issue of the stitching at the bottom fraying out like many others described. It seems a simple solution to this problem. I even asked the guy that "fixed" my 450's a couple of times about adding Velcro to solve the problem but it couldn't be done because of the steel toe getting in the way. I tried to get some Velcro tape to do it myself, but the tape wouldn't adhere to the mesh bottom of the met guard.

Fair enough. This is part of my HS pregame so we are all on the same page. Our HS association has pretty much come around to OBR/NCAA to go ahead and appeal if asked. I don't really understand the reluctance of some umpires to go to their partner if asked by the defense. What's the worst that can happen? You get another strike...which is closer to another out...which is closer to:

Sorry, this is the mechanic taught at umpire school. If it's good enough there, it's good enough at any level I work (for me

The only time you use this is with 2 strikes and no runner on first or with two outs. The only reason I can think of is that the defense either: a) ball goes to the backstop and they have no hope of throwing the BR out; or b) the ball gets away and they want to have the catcher get back to next to the batter before they appeal. Either way, the mechanic is there to protect the offense and keep the playing field level. I don't understand the push back on this. BTW, this is the mechanic taught at

Ejection

What Maven said. Also, if you are the BU, and you have a swing, don't necessarily wait for PU to ask. Come out big with a hammer and yell "That's a swing", "Yes he went", something like that. More often than not, the offense will complain, but the purpose of this is to give the BR a chance to run to first. Some people think this is an advanced mechanic, but if you think about it, this mechanic is about protecting the BR

Good job. You saw the entire play and made your call. The only time you need to go for help is when there is a possibility that your partner might have a better look at some element of the play. Don't go to your partner just to appease the coach.

Good point. Didn't notice R2

Thanks for posting the videos. In the spirit of learning and not in any way criticizing the umpires on the field look at U3's position on the second play. He starts in C, then moves three or four steps toward the working area. My thought is that if he just stays put and maybe even takes a step towards the cutout he would be in about as good a position as he can be to see everything that happened at 2B. I know its tough to bounce back and forth from two- to three-man and back. It's my natural inclination to move on every play since that's what we have to do in the two-man system; I've caught myself over-running plays at times. Just throwing it out there as food for thought

He's probably a college umpire. The NCAA definition of a catch has been interpreted as the catch hasn't been completed until there is voluntary releSe of the baseball. Thus, no voluntary release, no catch

I belong to three different associations, two in baseball and one in basketball. Our basketball association has a requirement to work a summer team camp that our association provides officials to in order to be eligible for post-season play. We do not pay a fee for working the camp. Either that, or attending one of the "for pay" camps that are all over the place, generally regarded as college identification camps run by various college conference assigners. Our HS baseball association has no camps, but there is a meeting attendance requirement to be eligible for post season. The college group I'm in requires each umpire to work at least four college scrimmages each fall. As a newbie to the group, I've worked as many of these scrimmages as I've been able, as well as having attended two "identification" camps to try and get into a couple of conferences. I've got nearly $1,000 invested in camps this fall. Will I get in a conference? Who knows, I hope so. And if I don't, I'm going to try again next year. But every association/conference I've ever belonged to has language in their bylaws or contracts that I'm an independent contractor. However, that doesn't absolve me from having to do certain things to qualify for a schedule, or be a member in good standing, such as camp/clinic attendance, paying dues, etc. In the environment we have today, the only way of moving up is to be seen by the people who assign the games; the way to be seen is to attend camps. Officiating is a business, and just like any business, there are associated costs. As far as the OP goes, is the cost too much? He will have to make that decision. I agree with others that if this is nothing but a way to line some pockets, that's wrong. But, if there is good, quality instruction, and other costs of running the camp justify that level of expense, then I don't see any problem.

Sorry, I searched under 7.05 but couldn't find anything. I scrolled through the rules forum, and must have just missed it. Thanks for the answer, though.

Sitch: R1, 0 outs. B2 bunts down the first base line. F2 takes his mitt and throws it at the ball as it is rolling down the line in foul territory. I know the NCAA rules allow for an award for a "fair ball or a ball that has a chance to be fair" (not sure of the exact wording, but that's close) OBR rule 7.05© just says the three-base award is for touching a fair ball with detached equipment. I seem to remember an interpretation somewhere that would make the award decision the same as NCAA rules. Just looking for some enlightenment.

Game management (which to me mostly means people management) separates the pretty good umpires from the really good umpires. We've all worked with partners who are sound fundamentally, have fine judgment, generally call a solid game. But they hang themselves with their lack of people skills. Sounds like your partner has a history with this guy, and he let the past seep into the present. One of the things I used to really like is the baseball tradition is that you could EJ a manager today and a general sh!tstorm, but tomorrow it's a new day. That is eroding somewhat in anything but pro ball, and I understand the reasoning, but I did like the clean slate approach. We expect that from coaches, but we also have to hold ourselves to the same standard. Now, especially in school ball (and many tournaments) there are automatic suspensions that result from EJ's, and I find myself trying very hard to keep coaches in the game if they will let me. I have worked over 100 games this year and can think of only one game where in the past I would have easily EJ'd the coach. I didn't launch him, and that's okay. In retrospect, I feel like I didn't because I knew that if I did, it's a $100 fine and an automatic suspension from the state. The world didn't fall apart, my authority on the field wasn't diminished, and everybody lived to fight another day. I used people management skills to defuse the situation. I happened to see him again three days later on the same field. At the plate conference, he looked at me and said, "hey, we battled the other night but we got through it." I just told him yeah we did, but today's a new day, let's have fun. I also referee basketball, and a rule of thumb that is used in regards to technical fouls is "will calling it make the game better?" Meaning that is the behavior enough that it's affecting MY game, or the general atmosphere of the game itself? If I had launched that coach, I think it would have made things measurably worse, so I felt like I handled it okay. 20 years ago, I wouldn't have had the people skills to handle that coach and he would've been gone. I'm not saying I'm now a doormat: if they gotta go, they gotta go, and I'm not afraid to get rid of them if I have to. So far this (my first year back on the diamond in a long time) has served me okay. That said, I have a doubleheader Saturday, and since I've jinxed myself I'll have three EJ's and both games will go extra innings!

Getting ready for my first camp in a couple of weeks. Can't wait. Going with a couple of guys who are where I want to be level-wise. Thanks Jason, for the points you make. Seems to me like common sense, until I think back to other learning situation I've been in and some of the "that guys" I've seen in all their glory. I promise to not be "that guy"

I had a dugout-clearer once in a college game. My partner and I both tried to head them off in front of the dugouts, but couldn't come close to stopping them. Big scrum ensured between the mound and the plate. I circled the pile and got with my partner. Pulled the lineup cards out and started writing down numbers. IIRC, we ended up getting 7-8 from each team. Good times.

I also do basketball. Different animal than baseball. You are constantly making decisions on the floor, especially contact situation where you must determine advantage/disadvantage. I think that a feel for the game is much more important in basketball because of the flow of the game. In baseball, you have more of see-it/call-it. In basketball, you see it, then have to decide if its worth putting air in the whistle, based upon how the game has evolved up to that point. A whole lot more discretion involved every trip down the floor with your decision-making. I have a ton of respect for the guys in the major D-1 conferences that do it every night. The parallel is in game management. The same techniques I use on the baseball field transition very well over to the court.

Yes, I have admitted to kicking a call. I've done it more than once. Happens more often in basketball than in baseball. Maybe once or twice a year, I'll go tell the coach that "I'd like to have that one back" or "hey Coach, I kicked it, you know and I know it. But I'm working real hard and it won't happen again." Sometimes you just gotta own it. It can be a great diffuser for a coach who is on the verge of losing it. It's a game management tool, but one that had better not come out of the toolbox more than once or twice a season. Any more than that, and you probably have some issues yourself. My $.02

Boning up on NCAA rules and have a quick question to make sure I'm reading this right. Let's say R1, and an attempted pickoff. F3 blocks the bag before having possession of the ball. Am I reading this right that R1 would be awarded 2B? (I'm reading A.R. 4 under 2.54)

1. Rarely call time to brush the plate. Usually only with R3 or if BU needs to get into another position 2. Always go HOK when pitcher engages the rubber. Just a habit I got into a long time ago. Not that anybody is really paying attention (other than another umpire who may be around) but I think it shows that I'm engaged in the festivities.

Great pic. I can hear it now: "Daddy, what's horsesh!t mean?"

I got my convertible jacket Friday in the mail. Nice price! No issues with the shipping whatsoever.

It's pretty slow here on the boards lately, so I thought I'd give a little season wrap-up for this first season back after the long hiatus. For the most part, the year went very well. I didn't really know how it would go when the season started: there was a lot of rust to knock off, but I was anxious to see if I could still do the job. The high school season flew by for me. I worked 4-5 days a week, which was a good work load for me. I got to work with some good umpires most of whom turned out to be good guys as well. From what I could gather, my evals were all positive. For the summer season I got hooked up with a group that handles most of the travel ball stuff in the area. Wonderful group full of very good umpires, for the most part. The travel ball I saw this summer left me a bit unimpressed, for the most part. Again, I've been gone a long time and the landscape has definitely changed. I am still a bit in awe of the money that some of the parents spend on baseball. It's always dangerous to compare, but when I think back to the American Legion teams I played on, none of the teams I saw this year could come close; even the so-called powerhouse teams in some of the tournaments. Of course our Legion team back in the day had a 20+ roster with an 8-9 strong pitching staff. I think most of it is that there are so many more teams, and they are broken down by age divisions, that there is a significant talent dilution. And I get that there's no way a travel team today could have a 20+ players and still get away from charging the money they do. I had one game this year where a coach got a call from somebody in his organization that one of the parents had called back home to complain that his kid wasn't starting. (The coach told me about it when I went to break up a mound visit). Anyway, there's not much baseball left around here for the year. I'm definitely going to miss it. I have a couple of camps this fall I'm trying to get into and I'm gonna try to get into what little fall ball there is. My goal is to get back into college ball next Spring. I've made some contacts, so we'll see. Wish me luck. Been a fun season, and love this site.

Can't wait to see it in the "Mask Porn" thread

As was said, textbook RLI. And, since we don't hear it much, kudos to the broadcast crew for backing up the umpires' call. Didn't quite get the rule down 100%, but close.