Out&UglyToo

New sniglet: UMPHOLE, noun =a jerk who happens to own umpire gear and disrupts baseball games, a BUBBA, a person who could, indeed, cause to give rise to a rule allowing one umpire to eject another. (I don't believe 9.01 ( c ) necessarily covers this topic.) 'nuf said?

I suppose I have a very long fuse, but my grandfather was a GREAT cop who usually left his ticket book in his pocket, talked to the lawbreaker about law and ethics, and almost always made a new friend. People he talked to almost NEVER broke the law again. I take his approach to umpiring. In the minor leagues, the foul language can reach truly amazing planes of imagery and imagination. I'd smile, chuckle, shake my head, and say, "You must be a sailor with Tourette's Syndrome and a serious case of jock itch". I don't consider myself THE LANGUAGE POLICE, just a good-natured umpire. So, I propose a few alternatives to the proposed legislation. 1. Spectator curses at U: Ump explains the NFL code, "Do you care to repeat that?" If he does, BANG, he's gone for 2 consecutive game days. IF the spectator then apologizes and buys the U an burger, he can stay. If the snackbar is closed, he can drop and perform 25 pushups, I'd let him stay. If he is ejected and gives further abuse to include ESCALATION or THREATS, he's gone for a year, and gets his photo in the league newsletter with my report published. 2. Coach curses at U: No pushups = ejected for 1 game. <20 pushups = restricted to dugout and warned. <30 pushups = warned for language. 2nd offense = ejected for 3 games. 3rd offense = ejected for the season. Becomes combative with ESCALATION, he's out as coach for life, but is allowed to apologize and become an umpire, but not a coach. 3. Youth player curses at ump, he's out and automatically out next time at bat. 4. Spectator encourages harm to an Umpire or other(s): Immediate ejection + 1 year ban. Must re-apply to league to return, subject to board + UIC apporval. 2nd offense: He's gone for life, his photo and my report gets copies sent to every league I can think of every year for the rest of my life. 5. Coach encourages harm to U or other(s): Immediate ejection, 1 year ban from all baseball, lifetime ban from coaching, but he may apply to become an umpire after 1 year.

In talking a pre-game meeting with a new umpiring partner, discuss Fair / foul responsibilities Catch / no catch responsibilities Infield fly and time play* signals and responsibilities Swing / no swing appeal communications Foot off the bag? communications Rundown mechanics Field rules, any time limits, mercy rules, league exceptions / options This is a great time to talk umpiring, and not enough of us take full advantage of it. It is valuable if both umpres know the "holes" in coverage in 2-man field mechanics, they can make fure they communicate and adjust for any situation. Incidently, other than when I have to see a base touch or a play, I try to sneak a peek at my partner. If he slipped and fell or collided with a player, I prefer to have a correct call in my pocket than, "'Uh, I didn't see it, I think..." I don't make the call - I'll call "Time!" when the action stops, go to my partner, give him any info he needs and let him make his call. * - If a greenhorn partner does not understand time play mechanics and communications, DO explain the importance of this and reinforce it to the point of offering to trade positions. A plate umpire MUST know this critical aspect of baseball. Could you imagine blowing this in Game 7 of the World Series?

Does the Pope get dressed in the parking lot before mass at St Peter's Basilica? Please treat Baseball as a formal occaision, arrive not only dresed, but immaculate and ready to conduct the grand old game with the utmost dignity. Your dignity will be challenged anyways. Do not offer any possible opportunities for displays of disrespect for umpires, nor supply ammunition to the curmudgeons known as coaches nor to managers. They create plenty without any slovenly habits exhibited by our lot. If one must change into a uniform in a vehicle, do so most discreetly elsewhere sufficiently before gametime to walk the field, inspect equipment, obtain game balls, accept the lineups, conduct a propper pre-game meeting, and declare "Play ball" before Joe Dirt or Leslie Nielsen should happen to attempt to start a game in your absence and create a debacle for you to untangle.

Similar to Merkel's boner, in a way...and the time play/how many runs score? issue could cause a riot, literally. On video, there will likely be media "experts" who don't understand the rule and lambast you on the front page, never to retract their stupidity. A call like that against the league president's son could end your umpiring career. This is why umpires park in the first space facing out.

Could you please quote the actual wording of this rule? Formerly 7.13 was unique to Little league due to the requriement to stay in contact with the base until the pitched ball was in the vicinity ot the batter. Thank you.

Be sure to export better officiating in all your travels! I hope you still give a clinic or two - It really helps the new guys! May you live long and prosper.

When a caoch goes way out of bounds with language, I explain to him the NFL officials' "signal" to the offending coach, "Coach, do you care to repeat that?" (said with a cross face, not in a baiting way, shaking my head as if saying "No") They usually do not repeat the offensive language. If the coach is still really hot, I'll remind him that we are allowed to discuss rules & interpretations, not judgement, nor personal or family genetics, nor personal hygiene, etc. I sometimes remind him that other umpires would have already ejected him, and that I think his team would probably appreciate him staying in the game, so could we please just stick to rules and interpretations? If does not appreciate all the slack I cut him, he gets an early shower, courtesy of my index finger. The only things I say to a coach after an ejection are that he has 30 seconds to get off the live ball territory, and 60 seconds to get out of the game viewing / interacting area. If it is a visiting coach, I suggest that he go to the bus. If he violates the 30 second limit, I remind him of what comes next, forfeiture of the game and a resulting score of 7-0 in a 7-inning game or 9-0 in a 9-inning game, and that pitch counts are not ignored. If he walks away, I do not hear anything he says after that. If he bumps into me, I tell him, "That's a bump. Do you want that to go on my report?" I remind him of the probable results of a bump going on my report. If he bumps me again, I pull the plug on the game, and it goes on my report. If he turns and walks away, I let him go, and I don't check my watch. If he returns, I ask him if he really wants me to forfeit the game? If he does not leave, it's over. If he leaves as requested, I go to the scorekeeper, report the substitute coaches name, go to my position, remind the players of the inning, the score, the runners on base, the number of outs, the batter and the ball and strike count. Then I say, "Play BALL!" Two breaths later, I feel normal again, thinking about, "is infield fly on or off?", my positioning, communication with my partner(s), watching for base touches, etc. Unfortunately, despite having a reputation for a very long fuse, I have memorized the above sequence. It usually keeps coaches in the game, and keeps baseball happening. I hope this helps.

About moving up a level - regardless of age - Work as many games as you can, especially in 2 or 3 seasons in a row. Your mechanics will improve, your pregame meeting will be focused, you'll know when to "not see" a balk when the defensive team is down 20 runs in the (hopefully) last inning, your communication skills with other umps will be praised, AND YOU WILL GET SEEN. One other thing - get an economy car! You'll be putting miles on it. The other umps suggesting clinics are right - that's where we get to work on mechanics the most. You're not likely to learn advanced stuff on your own - take the following situation: BU at B, Runner on first, ball three to batter. Runner steals, pitch is caught, catcher throws down to 2B, who applies a tag. BU's eyes saw out, BUT HE DOES NOT CALL AN OUT YET. BU says "Hold on, gentlemen!", turns to PU, asks, "Hey Joe - was that pitch a ball or a strike?" If PU answers "That was strike 1", BU calls R1 out on the tag. If PU answers, "That was ball four", BU says, "Lucky dude, you're on second base." Bu moves to C, as Batter-runner walks to first. I overheard this at a clinic. I learned the mechanic for a double-play at a clinic, and used it the nest game, with an adjustment to call my first triple play. Could not have done it, nor have looked as good as I did doing it without that clinic the day before. The other big move up is going to pro school. It's competetive, guys want to go to the major leagues. Everything and anything counts, even the clothes you wear "Off duty" in the lounge. You're all business at pro school. Attending pro school more than once is not looked down upon.

I'm delighted to find this site. It would have helped so much so many years ago. I umpired about 6 years, the fifth year I did 300+ games in 18 leagues, then , just as I was gettingsome respect from some of the older umpires, I left due to multiple injuries. That was a good number of years ago, and I hope to try my older, slower body out at it again, if it will let me. Fortunately I was handed some gear at the end of last season. I do need to get sharp on the rules again, so plenty of reading and playing with the little magnetic baseball field asking myself "What if?" I'm already being asked to do UIC and instructor, to which I say, "Let me get back into it for a year, first - I'm WAY too rusty for that!" Is there a regular, weekly chat room get-together for rules study? That would be a help, as would a review of mechanics, a calendar of umpire clinics (league, date, location,) and classes. Play Ball!

I'm no kid either. Take good care of your knees and feet. Keep your protective gear pointed at the ball. Try to be the "invisible facilitator" - impeccable positioning and mechanics, no ego, no showboat, good with rules, great with people, tolerant but firm with win-at-all-cost nincompoops, and have fun. Its the best seat in the house, and you get a hamburger!

G'day, mate. Glad you're aboard. Aussies often do well in ump attire as they usually already have thick skin. It is my sincere hope that you get to an excellent umpire school somewhere. Little League has a week-long school (used to be about $200.00 USD) in Western Region Headquarters in Riverside, California. Last I heard, only one Pro School now, that's in Florida -Wendelstedt's school is 5 or 6 weeks long. Get to every clinic you can first. Hook up with multi-sport officials, you get the right attitude quick. GOOD LUCK!