Mick

HWRUETLAA He Who Reads Umpire-Empire To Learn Acronyms

​ ​ ​It's also critical that the BU inspect the bat stretchers in between half-innings.

gone to the parking lots, every one~~~

Maven has it fully addressed.

​That's the one our interpreter quoted me. I'm never raising the eye black issue. I hope I never get partnered again with this rodeo clown who had to make a big deal out of it. All he needs is for a coach to ask him where the rule is, and you wind up with a totally unnecessary conflict before the game even starts. And even with this ruling above that hardly anyone knows, how do you determine if inverted bat wings are intended to ridicule, embarrass or demean? I say, until it's in the NFHS rule book, ignore this issue and play ball.

​Dang! They used to shove free beers my way. Oh well. I'll still check it out. I might venture over to the Millford Inn as well (I'll have to look it up). Are you going weeks 2, 6 or 8? I here 2 beers calling our names.

High School game, FED rules. My partner, without consulting me, approached one team and ordered them to remove eye black that he deemed excessive. When he told me about it, I said I don't care for excessive eye black either, but it's not a rule. Oh yes, said said, it's in there. It says no more than "a single stripe". Later, I checked the book, found nothing on it, and wrote to our assignor. He says it's a rule or Point of Emphasis. I then check Points of Emphasis. Nothing. I called out League Interpreter, and he's on it. I believe he's going to do a through investigation on interpretations, and get back to our assignor. Have any of you folks had to deal with this? The last thing I want to do as an official is to be part of an umpiring team where one ump enforces a rule that doesn't exist.

Gas..... I'm hoping Week 2 folks can get together on Monday night for wings & beers at Kelli Jeans steakhouse.

​Had a game once where that was the league rule, and they covered that at the pre-game. I said, "So if he doesn't slide at home, you want to to call him out?" They were quiet for a moment, but then said, "yup". I replied that I didn't like the rule, but I would enforce it. Guess what. Runner's coming in from third, and there was a play on. I'm not there to define the word "close". It was a play. The kid doesn't slide. I call him out. The coach goes crazy. I gave him a little rope, but then told him (quietly) if he said another thing about it, he was gone. Stupid rule, stupid coach.

The coach was foolish to accept the ruling. I tell coaches in the pre-game to take any issues to the umpire who made the call. Then, if requested respectfully, the umpires can conference (I tell them we're a team, just like you're a team, and we want everything right). If I were the BU and IF the PU allowed an appeal, I would've quietly but firmly told the PU he was wrong in his interpretation, and the call should be reversed. That's a lot of 'ifs', I know. I'm not implying that the PU should initiate anything on his own. I do think he should try to fix it if there was an appeal.

There's not enough ketchup in the world that will sweeten that old shytte sandwich.

Gentlemen... I do not mean encourage crying, nor do I Iike it being a part of a 12U game. And I don't mean to say it's the umpire's fault when a kid cries. My only point was there WILL BE crying. No matter what we or the coaches say or do or demonstrate, some kids will cry. Telling them to toughen up, trying to cheer them up, whatever.... those who will cry, will cry. They're emotional makeup is not the same as ours. They'll cry and then get over it Once they move up to the Babe Ruth level, or equivalent, then I believe it's time to tell them. "we don't do that here". But that's the coach's job.

they're children, for goodness sake. children cry. beyond 12U, it's a different story.

LOL. Literally.

My guess is, he was new to pitching, since he questioned you being "inside" while you were in the slot (not to mention that he mouthed off). Regardless, the coach recognized his inexperience was going to be trouble, and he did the right thing. I really appreciate good coaches.

​Totally agree; Specks saved me the typing. NEVER say ANYTHING if you don't want to call time. If you say nothing, no time was called.

At this level, there IS crying in baseball. There always was and always will be. It annoys us. That's tough nuggies for us. I see it at the lower levels while officiating, and I saw it when I coached at that level. There was a time when my son lost 2 games in one day as a pitcher [started the first game; the second 'game' was a 2 innings continuation of an incomplete game]. He went to our car and cried. Based on my experience with these kids, it should not overly concern parents. When the game's over, they go home, get something to eat, maybe watch TV for a bit, and it's over in their minds. They rebound quickly for the most part. As far as the called 3rd strike, I am generally very loud as PU, but at this level it's a good idea to tone it down just a bit.

I don't know, Kyle. I heard that ever since that happened, you've had problems controlling you tongue muscles.

I'll call time for any player who NEEDS IT. Here's a recent example of otherwise: The batter holds his hand up. I say nothing. The pitch comes in. "STRIKE!". Someone said, "Hey, he called TIME!". I said, "I didn't!"

This will sound like "creative umpiring" at its worst, but here goes: if he hit the batter below the head -or- if he went for the head but the batter avoided it, he's gets a warning. If he hit the batter in the head, he's GONE.

​That's the solution. Put the manager's head on the chopping block, and there will be results.

​Is this guy new? If so, he has to be told over and over with an explination as to why putting the ball back in play is so important. In my first year, I'd forget from time to time, and have to be reminded. If this guy has doing this for years, and is just being lazy or indifferent about it, he should be reported to the association board. I hate to squeal on anyone, but if he's just being obstinate, tough nuggies. His laziness can ruin an entire game.

Is there a Reader's Digest version?

The count is the PU's responsibility, but we're a team and need to back each other in every situation that's possible. Keeping the count in the brain doesn't work for me.... too many things leak out all the time. I use an indicator, but very selectively, with brief glances at safe times.

Favorite call is definitely "That's it!", arms up in the air. Weather has halted the game in the second inning, and I get paid and go home.