Tksjewelry

Why on earth would they wear them on their belts? Isnt it easier to look at them on the wrist? I see lots of them in kid ball but I've never seen one worn on the belt.

I was doing 13u Majors today. I was BU and an AC (while I'm in A) started going off on my partners strike zone (which was spot on). My partner is mostly deaf so didn't hear him but I told the coach we're not discussing strike zones and that's enough. Then he came out with "I've umpire for 26 years!" I cut him off with "Well then you should know better". He was quiet the rest of the game.

I couldn't care less what a manager wears. This, however, is a different can of worms. Here, if officers are in uniform then, yes, they are required to carry their service weapon. I also don't think weapons belong on a ball field. The officer should have been required to change. I've never seen an officer without a t-shirt under their uniform shirt. All he had to do was take off his uniform shirt and bingo, he's "off duty". I'm pretty sure his command would not have been happy that he thought it was appropriate to be in full uniform while coaching.

Tournament ball today 13u AAA. Yeah, today was much much better. Thanks guys so much. I even had a complement on my field work from an umpire I didn't know who stopped by and watched our game for an inning or two after his was over.

Not signaling on a not close play Zero verbalization, especially from a PU Navy and Powder

I just got some of the Officials Choice shirts. The fabric is very nice and will definitely be nice in hot days. I got pink, burnt orange, grey, and the one that will make UIC crazy, the camo. The thing I notice is the stitching, it's a great quality made shirt which was surprising considering the prices. They are also longer shirts than my Smitty's, which is good for guys who have a problem keeping them tucked in. My delivery took longer than I expected so I emailed them to check on the package. I got an apology and shipping information directly from the owner, which was an pleasant surprise.

He balked the catchers throw to an unoccupied base!? I had to watch it a few times to understand what I was seeing. I thought I missed the pitchers throw or something.

OK, last night was way better. I only got caught outside on a ground ball to F4 that got thrown poorly. It was such a bad throw that I went straight to third (no pivot!) to see the touch on second and was in position to see the touch on third as the ball sailed over the third baseman head. *shakeshead* yeah, it was a l-o-n-g hour fifty. On the bright side, I got to work on this a lot.

In Fed, I believe you draw an imaginary line between fielder's, if past that line, nothing, live ball. In OBR, if the ball was close enough for F5 to make a play on the ball, then it's nothing and live ball. If not, dead ball, runner is out, BR gets first.

Good for you!!! That's awesome! I had a similar freakish team run in last year. My first tournament, early in the season. I had the dish. I really didn't belong on a tournament but UIC loves trial by fire. Not 10 pitches into the first game and DHC goes off on me. He wasn't wrong but TD came over and dumped him. He cursed me all the way out to the parking lot. The rest of the game went about as well. The whole day was completely demoralizing. I felt so bad for my partner, who normally works college ball. ​Towards the end of the summer, I get called out to fill in for a sick umpire at a small tournament. Guess who's there? Yup, that same coach and team. Ugh, 8 games that day and probably three with that coach. I was dreading it but the coach didn't seem to remember me at the first plate meeting (really, I'm the only female ump in the area, I KNOW he had to remember me) The tournament went without a hitch. No chirping at all. The above team lost a close semi finals game with me having the dish. After the game, coach came up to us and thanked us saying we were the best umps he'd ever had. Really!?!? I go from the worst thing that's ever happened to baseball to the best ump you've had in a month and a half!? I've had that coach at a couple of tournaments since, he's always happy to see me and never a chirp from his dugout. Last time I saw him was TC 14u championship game (again, I was a fill in). Coach sees me, waves and a big smile, turns to his boys as I'm walking in through his dugout and says "OK boys, it's the tiny girl umpire, you know her zone so be swinging those bats because she WILL ring you up. Stay in the Box and for heavens sake [catcher], STAY DOWN." He lost a tight game but came out after the game and thanked us, side hugged me, told me he was sorry for the very first game and he'd see me next year with his younger sons team.

Don't quit. Every once in a while you're going to have these idiots no matter how much experience you have. Here's some things I'll add to the great advice above: Assistant coaches are to be seen and not heard. In youth ball, it's in my plate meeting. "Head coaches only on the field. If assistants have a question, they must go to you and you can talk to us." Plate meetings in youth ball aren't going to be as simple or short as they are in HS or College. Daddy coaches don't understand the decorum nor do they have the same consequences as paid and trained coaches do for breaking decorum. My plate meeting has morphed a few times as I've heard senior umpires do theirs or they've said to leave things out of mine. I've added things and taken away things but always kept it shortish and direct. Also, memorize the plate meeting speel, when you go to the plate role it out of your mouth like you've said it 10,000 times. Make sure it's said sharp, quick, and matter of factly. "Um's" aren't authoritative, commanding, or knowledgeable. ​Don't allow the bucket brigades. Make them stay in the dugout. Especially if you ever do one man games. Bucket brigades breed problems. ​Never get with your partner and a coach. Always pull your partner in, talk where you can't be heard, make a decision and then inform the coach. Letting the coaches in on those conversations can lead to discrediting you further into the game. ​If a game is deteriorating, many times (I've been guilty of this) your calls get less crisp, loud, and direct. Start crisp, loud, and direct and stay that way. It keeps the authoritive judgement perception in your corner. ​Don't allow sideline calls from the coaches. "balk", "got him", "safe" or whatever. When you hear these. Go talk to the head coach. Explain to him that it's confusing the kids. They have to be listening for the call from the umpire. The kids can't listen to you, the umpire, if the coaches are shouting over you. Coaching is fine, but sideline making calls isn't. Ignore the fans and leave the rabbit ears at home. Never engage them. You have to find that ignore switch in your head. If they start affecting the players on the field, then go to the head coach and tell him they are his responsibility. If he can't get them to stop affecting the game, then he pays the consequences. Coaches don't generally want to get tossed because little Jimmy's mom is out of hand. ​If you don't have to fill out ejection reports, then keep an umpires journal. Write down how things went down and what caused a dumping of a coach. Sometimes the dumped coach will go to his associations director who will then email or call your UIC pissing and moaning that UIC's crappy umpire dumped his fabulous innocent daddy coach for no reason. Having the facts handy gives you all the credibility. I've seen a few daddy coaches booted out of associations for lying and loosing credibility with directors. ​My first year was full of chirpy coaches (who were often right on how much I sucked), crappy ball, horrible fans, and I ate a lot of sh*t sandwiches. My first year I wasn't allowed to dump coaches unless they got really really bad. It was a part of learning game management, pushing me to learn rules, and seeing if I had the stones to stick it out. I learned so much my first year and it pushed me in the off season (and even now) to learn where I could be better. My first year was a real humbling experience. A lot of guys won't agree with that process, but it worked on me. Now, 50 games into my second year, I've had no issues that I couldn't shut down, but even they are few and far between.

​Actually, if you'd like the details, they called the state director of Utrip before the game during a rain delay and told him specifically that they weren't going to take a field with a woman on it. Oh, and this was 8u ball. If you'd like to know more, they also didn't want my partner there either. The most experienced and respected umpire in our association (probably the state) who also coached his son into the MLB. Would you like specifics on the lovely racist things they said about him? I don't hide the fact that I'm a second year umpire. I'm on this site to learn. Smug condescension like you displayed in your post only shows your lack of perspicacity.

@Umpirechick1 that eerily similar to how my above pregame game unfolded.

I have heard all sorts of wrong interpretations of rules from some very experienced umpires, and even some umps that perpetuate baseball rules myths.

I've had a few games where the catchers were so bad that I took my gear off between innings and called the game from behind the pitcher. I'm no one's piñata.

Yeah, that's what I was doing. I knew something was wrong about how I was set up, just didn't know how. Thanks! I'll try that out tonight.

Now that I have plate shoes, I'm trying to decide between these and the UE's. Do you guys that have them think they would mold well to smaller legs?

I have the TW pads, I've yet to try the doe skins. I don't have the whole 5 o'clock shadow issue because I don't get 5 o'clock shadow. I've taken a few good hits to my mask since putting on the TWs. I'm satisfied as I barely felt the pretty good hits. I'd like to try the Wilson pads as I've heard great things about them. Interesting that someone mentioned the feel better as it gets hotter. Nebraska in June can be horrendous so that definitely peaks my interest.

@Umpire in Chief on the mobile version, is there a way to either move, or set a verification for the flag feature. It's so sensitive and right at the point on the screen that I hit it all the time when I go to scroll. I don't know if you get the flag reports just for hitting it, and I don't mean to make more work for ya'll.

A lot of our 10u games are actually pretty decent. I've seen some pretty good pick offs at 10u, of course they aren't instructional teams. Even some of our 8u's have open bases. 10u regular season games, pitchers get one warning per pitcher per inning. Usually coaches ask that the umpire go out and explain. Most common is double set, shoulder turn in set, or a start/stop. Tournaments get called straight up. Around here, regular season games are just training for tournaments unless it's true rec ball.

I had a 14u wreck ball game last night. I'm BU in A. BR hits a pop up to shallow LF. F6 goes out for it, should be an easy catch and an out. I'm out at a 45 ready to watch the touch on B1. F6 misses the ball and it shoots of his glove to deep LF. BR heads for 2nd. Now I'm trailing the runner. This has happened to me a few times. On a short field it's no big deal because it's only really a few steps and can get into position, but when I get to the big fields, this becomes a problem for my short, stubby legs. I've tried busting inside to button hook over if I need to but it seems to be infield plays where I've run into the most crazy dropped balls or crap throws. I know I'm doing something wrong but what I can do better I'm not sure. Suggestions?

I like mine but it's a bit heavy for me, but for older kids, yeah, I'll wear it. I took a direct center one off a 14u Majors, a big 14 too. It must have sounded or looked horrible because coaches from both side yelled some version of "oh sh*t, blue, you ok". I was fine, didn't feel a thing. I'm calling Wilson about mine thought, some of the pads fell out and are gone as the glue didn't stick. I've only had it 6 months and most of that it was stored in my closet.

I talked to his doc, he may be out on BU in time for TC during CWS. I hope so, he loves it so much. So many coaches and other umpires have emailed, text, and called to check on him. I love our baseball community. Thanks Thanks @Majordave & @LittleBlue he's doing great and even making me take him to the senior umpire breakfast in Thursday.

I did have one this weekend that screamed "balk!", ugh, he was annoying. I told him "coach, you scream over my call one more time and not only will you not get the call but you'll also be sitting in the dugout and possibly your car for the rest of the game. Capeshe?" he stopped. Then he stopped me in the parking lot after the game and told my partner and I what a great game we called. Stop the BS right as it starts. If you here smack talk about a judgement call, say something. "coach, we're not discussing judgement calls" "my strike zone isn't up for discussion coach" If a coach comes on the field without getting time, "coach, I have not granted you time, live ball, get off my field" if he doesn't leave, put a strike on his batter. Never ever listen to AC's. AC's don't get any acknowledgment out of me at all beside when they ask for the count. If a coach asks where a ball was "it was a ball coach" or "it was a strike coach" and repeat until they quit asking, usually 3 times and they shut up. If the bucket brigade gets too chirpy, send them to the dugout. Coaches that aren't coaching bases aren't to be on the field. I don't allow the bucket brigade on my fields at all any more. Hey, it's in the rules so use it. Don't be afraid to toss them for the three P's. UIC hates it, but he will always back you, always. He'll grumble, but that's just a big Bear grumbling, listen to him grumble and forget it, he does. You're working with a certain umpire this week. Talk to him. He enjoys helping, especially when asked (make sure you say something before the game or he'll hide out between innings by the outfield grass). He runs a great field and puts up with NOTHING and very few coaches pull any of that stuff on him. Watch how he commands the field and how he answers the things you're talking about. Ask him how he would handle these things if. He gave me a lot of pointers that totes worked! I used what he said and Sunday, and today, not one word from coaches after I shut them down, and I even had the championship game.

That's awesome! You go on with your bad self. Don't Suck!