BT_Blue

He only refers to umpire as outfielders just once but its still funny. As for the main group of videos. Man, nothing against Bostonians and all but damn it, cant we get someone without the uber thing accent? It was like nails on a chalk board! I couldnt even watch the first video cause of it. I tried another but couldnt make it through that one. And I so want to see them!!!

Ive only left a game early a hand full of times. The first time I can remember was the second half of a double header when the first game went 4 hrs and lasted 11 innings. It was just a really long day at the ballpark. Other ones are blow outs when I go with friends that are rooting for the other team and sticking around would cause more pain than needed.

I dont know what all the complaining is... Here in LA, when it rained two weeks ago, it only got down to the mid 50s. Its supposed to be beautiful this weekend (Im saying this as I am looking at the sunshine through the front screen door) and should top out at 76 for my game tomorrow. Looking at low to mid 70s for the next week or two. Anyways, here in LA, Honigs is the norm. They are close by which explains why that is to some extent but if they were POSs then why would everyone have them. Poly-wools are now the only pants I plan to EVER wear since it sounds like HS will be going to the charcoal color soon. I have a pair of heather grey pants just incase but its poly-wools if I have the choice.

Brian, Have you thought of getting something to fill that gap between the mask and the CP. Living in Los Angeles we all remember Kerwin Danley taking that shot. Something I dont want to hear or see ever again.

I would seriously concider getting them from you but Im a little bit wider in the waist region. I would be interested in some if they were size 40.

I think, like when I was talking to Jim Kirk about my Silver Diamond mask, its just so new that no one has tried it yet. I say you could either be the guinea pig and get it or wait till closer to the end of the season and buy it when people have had a chance to post reviews.

umpiring and sci-fi?

Should be fun. First game on ESPN at 1:30am PST on March 5th and will be replayed so I can watch it at work at 11am. Finally good things are happening. Thank god for the baseball season.

However, a good catcher can "manipulate" how and where he catches pitches to make them look better to the umpires. When I was catching I got very good at it. A slight turn of the glove or even receiving the pitch and pulling it towards your body (usually on a borderline low pitch) can deceive an umpire and get that extra strike when needed. Now that said... knowing the tricks helps a lot in not falling for them.:DB)

warren, I remember getting a link to these on the other message board. I had issued trying to watch the entire thing. They were just SOOO stupid! Ill have to watch them again. Especially since you posted them on here. What was it this guy called himself. The Ultimate Umpire videos? By the way, nice dazzle shirt thats 3 sizes to big and looks good with the backwards cap.

I can totally agree with that. Like I said, I used to go into that hybrid scissor/HOK style set after taking a step or two into it but an evaluator and senior member of my college association recommended I go to a HOK set so I have. Only a couple base games so far but I like what I have seen.

Same here. Everything is on the Arbiter and even before that it was written on paper what position we were in. As for DHs we go by the first game assigned. For instance, I have a JuCo DH at the end of March in which I am to be on the plate the first game. So we will go with that and I will work the plate the first game and the bases second. If we want to change we have to call, notify, and get the ok from our assignor. It makes everything easier (that and the plate guy has to file a game report after the game).

Ive never been an instructor but I have been at clinics where people have done that and it really takes away from the learning process.

Michael, Doesnt the standing set counteract the HOK set? As for going down as late as possible, that is a little hard due to the fact your are moving in the opposite direction of where you want to go when the ball is hit. I recommend that if you use the HOK while in A with no one on that you come set when the pitcher starts his wind up, if not a little before. That way you are not moving when the pitch gets hit. I used to walk into almost a scissor/HOK set in A but was told that is not something that some of the coordinators higher up here in SoCal want so I changed.

this is so unfair! Now Im hungry for BBQ.

Best recommendation would to be to keep your mouth shut and your ears and eyes open. Soak in everything they are going to tell you. Give it a try. If you like how it feels, then incorporate that into your game. If not then maybe they have some suggestions. Also if you do have a question. Keep it short and for gods sakes please do not include "war stories" in it unless it is needed to support the question. Most of all, to repeat what I said earlier. Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut. Take in what they tell you and use it. Also a lot of times, they will tell you what your evaluators, conference, league, etc. want from their umpires and that will help you move up the ranks quicker.

Dont feel bad. I was supposed to have a double header on valentines day that got rained out (yes it does rain here in Southern CA). Im hoping to get to go and watch some baseball this weekend myself since Long Beach State plays their home games less than a mile from me. Hopefully I can grab a seat next to an evaluator or something so that I can pick their brains and see what they are looking for in a D1 umpire. As for rain... yeh probably. I started my season on the last day of January and will end in April. Ill do summer ball this year as I made the mistake of not working it last year. Never again. What I would really like to do, is take another trip up to Portland/Vancouver and maybe get to work some games during the summer up there. I think it would be a lot of fun.

SoCal HS 1 or 2 for JV. 2 always for Varsity. JuCo - always 2 D3 2 or 3 man D2 and above always 3

Some worse than others. I do recommend though to follow along with the schedule for positions of the umpires. If you are scheduled to work plate first then do that and the bases second. There can be problems if you work both plates as something could happen and the assignor gets called and is looking for your partner rather than you... or vice versa. Only way you should ever switch is with the approval of your assignor or if you absolutely have to due to an injury to your partner or yourself or if you have to work the game solo.

I agree. We cant dwell on stuff whether its the same inning, game, day or week. We just have to move on.

Im guessing thats for all codes?

Widac, You are probably leaning forward to much at the waist. Do you have the same problem in B or C? I recommend bending at your knees a little more and that should put your back into better alignment. Give that a go when the rain stops up there and let me know how it feels.

I agree... Keep it up. Also have you given any thought to my recommendation to become an evaluator or instructor or even a board member for a local HS or College association? That way you can still be close to the game not just on the computer.

Simply... NO. NEVER.

In all codes this is a balk. Only thing is that at 12 years old or so, I would first want to talk to the pitcher and the coach between innings. At this age they are still being taught. If its travel ball I might give a short and very quite warning to the pitcher and then balk from there on out. If its Bronco or Babe Ruth or one of those leagues during the season then I would talk to the coach since I have to assume the kid doesnt know what they are doing.