dlongbucco

If both hands are moving at once, he's committed to pitch. It's a balk. Agreed. 100% once he brings his hand together if they started apart, then this is a balk.

Chicago

So first off, control what you can control. Can you control your partner, no? Can you control your body language and reaction to all the drama? YES Work the game like a professional. Get off the field and into the locker room, if no locker room, then have the discussion later. But I feel that you need to give your partner the feedback that you would tell your assigner. If he doesn't want to hear it, great, then report back to your assigner in a very neutral way, what happened, stating facts. If you assigner wants more, let him call you. Then if you have the option, go in and block his ass.

Maybe a little hustle by U1 would have made a different. Spring training umpiring

Here is a good bit of advice. Timing is using your eyes properly. I'm sure most of us have heard this before. So on calling pitches, the most important item is seeing the ball caught. If you can't see the ball caught, then you are guessing and will have poor "timing". Guys get all flustered when the batter and catcher squeeze them, just go into the pitch knowing you probably won't get the best look and relax, track the ball as best you can, but make sure you see it caught, then you can determine ball or strike. I'm gonna repeat that last part "See it caught, THEN determine if its a ball or strike." If you do both at the same time, you will miss even more pitches.

Hey all, My username is dlongbucco. I worked NCAA D2, D1 in the midwest. Been umpiring for about 10 years now, at all levels, started in Little League, and have substituted for Pro at the Single A level. Looking forward to some good discussion. My best advice to young officials: Don't over think the rules. All questions we have to answer is yes or no. Don't get confused by trying to apply multiple rules for 1 situation. It either is or isn't, safe or out, ball or strike, fair or foul. Thanks.

No balk. First baseman was moving towards first, pitchers movements were legal. Stop looking for balks that aren't there. That is the #1 thing that will get umpires in trouble, making crap up. If its a balk call it, if its not don't. This is not a balk.

Why do you say this? If a fielder turns his back and runs under a fly ball and is camped, I would still call an infield fly even though he turned his back to the infield. If you go back about 4 years ago, when the Braves and Cardinals played in the 1 game playoff, the call of infield fly in shallow left field, I thought was the correct call, the shortstop was under it, then was called off and the ball dropped. The defining characteristic here is could an Infielder have made the catch using Ordinary effort. If you say yes then call the IFR.