Umpirechick1

9th grade game tonight and I had the plate. Batter steps into the box in the 3rd inning, then takes one step back like he was getting a sign from his coach. Suddenly, I hear a fart and the batter says to me "Sorry Ms. Blue - I just had to do that before I bat." I couldn't help but laugh!

Haha - I know exactly how you feel on both parts - excitement for the season to start and the fact that your hubby doesn't want to hear it. We've been going for 5 weeks now but the fun hasn't worn off yet. Good luck - don't suck!

A buddy of mine called a dead ball strike on a batter earlier in the week because the kid leaned into it, got hit in the strike zone, AND it was strike 3. He was very popular with the coach. Turns out he was more pissed at the kid than the umpire.

Nice tribute! And it sounds like he lived the life that he wanted to live, and left this world doing what he loved and being with those that he loved.

They've learned that I'm capable, available, and ready to work! That's a good combination for assigners.

If it's not blocked on Arbiter, it's getting booked. I thought that I was going to get a few days off next week, but no... 7 games in 5 days. Thanks to the early season rain, we've had lots of double headers. It's a good thing I have a hubby that travels, because I'd never see him with the schedule that I have. Not complaining - I love it!!

I was just worried that the umpire would have to be removed from the game!

Working a good JV game tonight and I had plate. Things were moving along quickly (maybe a little too quickly for my partner) and he didn't keep his chest to the ball, turned when he shouldn't have and BAM! Took a ball to the back of the head that dropped him to his knees. Thankfully he was OK, but dang..... That looked bad.

I would also kill it, and warn the batter. No, I'm not calling a balk because the rules state that a batter's actions can't cause a balk I've known some coaches to actually teach this thinking they'll get a balk called and a runner advancing. Imagine their surprise when that didn't happen.

Definitely make the call first. Then, only on a question from the coach, go to your partner and ask. I'm of the "If in doubt, call him out" camp. You could be in a situation like I was Saturday in a State tourney and working with someone I didn't know. On the question from the coach, my partner acted like an ass and said "That's your call - do your job and I'll do mine."

I'm about 1/2 between Atlanta and Athens.

No, he can't go this year. We are hoping to go together next year as well as our oldest son.

Check out the Cooperstown forum. There are several posts about it in there. You'll get lots of good advice. You might want to bring earplugs.

Happy to say that I got my info packet from CDP today!!

Labguy1971, I'll be there that week. Be sure to introduce yourself.

We had quite the after game conversation. He didn't like me very much when I was through but that's ok. Yes, I would've been better off working by myself, but that shouldn't be the case. The baseball in our area is top notch and only in extreme circumstances would we have only 1 umpire. We've all had some training through our group but this guy needs so much more than that. I told him I'd worked too damn hard, and spent too much time and money on clinics and camps to have a game go like that. I suggested he get more training.

I had the pleasure of working a dbl hdr this week between 2 very good teams who are also rivals. I should've known I was in trouble when I saw him walk up to the concession stand with his ball bag on his belt (even though we'd agreed that I'd work first game plate). He stayed there talking with someone at the backstop for 10 minutes then I finally called him over to have our pre-game talk. First thing I told him (very nicely) was that he wasn't going to need that. He gave several reasons why he should wear it, but most importantly because "it just takes me too much time to put it on - I really have trouble with it - and I'm afraid I won't have enough time to do it between games." OMG! Yeah, I told him it screams rookie and I'd rather work the game by myself than have him wear that. Sadly, it went downhill from there. The guy didn't know positions, 3 screwed up calls at 1B (pulled foot) and all were reversed. He didn't know what a time play was, and he didn't put the ball back in play after a foul ball or a coach time out. He wore his hat backwards when he worked the plate. He left me hanging in RF twice when I went out on a trouble ball. He left me hanging again when I had a long fly ball down the RF line while I was in A. I signaled fair, then turned right to rotate home (like we'd discussed in pre-game) and he's standing behind home. I stopped in the 1B coach box and was pointing and yelling "that's you - that's your call!!" and 2 second later, he's banging a kid out at 2B from 1 step in front of home.

Hey Zebrastripes - is it true that she is much cooler than her hubby? Haha Maybe that's the reason she's going back this year and he's not.

I've been to Baseball World (as well as CDP) for the past 2 years and Deb, who is in charge, is great! Yes, it's on the college campus and the boys stay in dorms and so do the umpires. Shuttle buses take you where you need to go. Fields are beautiful and built up the mountain. 12u has 3 fields, the older boys use the college field as well as a few fields in town. You eat in the college dining area. It's a smaller group - 12 teams - so it's perfect for teams who want the Cooperstown experience but maybe can't compete with the big, big teams that end up in championships at CDP. I couldn't have asked for a better experience than what I had at Baseball World. The team I first went with went there after they couldn't get into CDP and they were very happy. It's great that the older boys can go back. I love CDP as well. I guess there is a reason there is more than one place to play - not everyone wants the big experience (or can't get in). It's a beautiful area in Oneonta.

I haven't had any trouble with anyone either. MUCH better than what I have here at home sometimes. And with the bunk beds, I just put a sheet on the top bunk to drape over the side of my bottom bunk and I have privacy to sleep. I agree with Mick - it's easy to stay within the rules that they set.

My 7th HS game cancelled today because of rain. The double headers just keep adding up - I'll be happy when we can play them. Snow last week (small amount), 60's yesterday and 50/rain today. Gotta love GA weather!

That would have been funny. Since our game was on a time limit, the coach was much better off taking the out. That kid could've been gone for 20 minutes. After all they were 11 yr olds and you never know! :)

My favorite thing about the set up of the CDP fields is the fact that no one can be behind the backstop. It's like a privacy fence behind you. The fans are all sitting down the RF and LF lines - it's awesome. Yes, Mick is right about coaches being banned for life when they're ejected. They are also told that they'll be "digitally removed" from their team picture. So, they are careful and while we're told to give them some slack, we establish those boundaries early.

Weeks 1 and 2. Mick, I'll wait til week 2 to try Kellie Jean's.