BCBrad

Well Mike, While you do not have to wait for the cross Canada trek of five or six days, I have found that when I order something from the US (especially back east and the company is using stamps.com) tracking my package is easier that what it was before. I can track the package if the supplier gives me a USPS tracking number. Neat thing is that when it has cleared customs (that usually takes about 3 days) in the States and is sent to destination (Canada), you can use that USPS tracking number through Canada Post's tracking service. Not so much a problem for you, because there will not be days in between as the package treks along the Canadian Shield through the Prairies and across the Rockies into the Wet Coast, but for me, it does make knowing when it comes easier to track.

I was waiting for someone to say that the best thing about #11 is that each year you get older but the moms always stay the same age. Drat. Now I ruined waiting for someone to say it.

Had that happen to me on Sunday. Midget game (18U). We have no high school baseball in BC. Elite players play in Premier League. 2-0 pitch. Nice to hear defense coach yell at his catcher that he has to protect the ump on that play. I had the quote of the day when after spending a few minutes to walk it off, I asked, "Is that two balls or three balls?"

Plate: track the ball into the glove, mechanics for fair/foul, foul tips and check swings Bases: positioning, constructive hustling, keep your eye on the ball Both: timing, make your call with certainty Personally, don't like the term "sell the call." I tell junior umpires to "make your call with certainty." The closer the play, the more certain you are going to convey it in your call.

Matt, And how it did grieve MacBeth, Did he not straight in pious rage, the two delinquent tear. In my parts, there are two reasons for a time limit. One, there is a game following, and two, the Nocturnals are wanting to take the field. Sometimes, coaches complain when you assert the last inning (we have as open) 20 minutes before time, but I have done games where my partner said at 15 to game limit, sure we will play another before open inning and had the owls and raccoons being the only ones being able to see the ball. Heaven forbid, we have to add stoppage time to baseball games. Because then we have to decide when and what to add to the time. Hey coach, maybe if you hustled your team on and off the field, you would have made up those minutes Hey coach, may be if you did not have your hitters step out after each pitch to take signs, you would have made up those minutes. Hey coach, may be if you did not tell your batters to take pitches so they can walk rather than hit, you would have made up those minutes. Hey coach, may be if you did not get your pitcher to throw over 10 times every time you had a runner on first, you would have made up those minutes. Way too many factors that affect the duration of the game. @Tksjewelry get well soon.

Are you disagreeing with me or agreeing with me? We both agree that this is a valuable learning space for umpires to develop their ability as a umpire. You have said that you prefer new people to re-hash an older thread to assist in their understanding and grow in their work on the field. Thus, my statement does not apply to you. You welcome people using the best thread possible to solve their existing desire to learn about a facet of umpiring. We agree. However, many people in this thread seem to ignore my comments on working to creating a learning space for all to develop and progress as umpires, and support that life-long striving to being the best we can be. I believe this means being understanding when someone may want to inquire about a subject that others feel are closed. I think that someone selectively reading another person's thread is not welcoming, especially when their comments are being used in a ostracizing manner. A Princess is someone you can never please; you are in trouble no matter what you do. That was my original point. If you read the statement before, I set the context by saying it feels like a double-bind -- a no-win situation. That is Princess territory. As to the OP, I would hope that people would be understanding that people do not see the world like you do. Just as Thunderheads may not see the world like I do. Hopefully, the lively dialogue will evolve into a growing resolution where we feel that we have learned and shared from each other. In the end, people have grown to respect the insight that was shared. Thus, I would like people to be able to take something that may be a year or two years old and refresh it to engage the wealth of knowledge of this forum to support in their own differing progress as an umpire. That is why I voted never. Even with equipment, some people may be getting used equipment because they are just starting and may be wanting some longitudinal information of the gear. Everyone is different and the more diverse umpires are -- socially, culturally and personally -- the better we all are as umpires. Sorry man, you are not a princess. May be your family thinks otherwise, but you do not fit my criteria. I hope I have understood your post and not put words in your mouth. Please do the same.

I agree with Richvee. If you're sure, say he went. If you saw a clear attempt (hands out) then I'm calling what I saw. Our association really promotes going to your partner and respecting his/her call. I do not know of where you would not. If I was umpiring the dish with a younger umpire, I would have no problems if he/she said "Yes he did." How can you feel being showed up or being thrown under the bus because your partner said he went. That is their judgement and the rule book says this is the procedure. It says, in this case, it is their call. Now I have a problem when an umpire is not calling what he/she sees and instead calls what she/he thinks others want to be called.

I think we are promoting the same thing: the forum being a learning space for umpires to support and connect with each other as part of their development as they progress in their goals of being the best umpire they can be. However, you will never know how many people have left the forum due to the way people reacted to the inquiries because, well they will just leave. I hope a Internet Forum's goal like this one is to be welcoming to all, and the only reason for being ejected is because a poster committed one of the four "P"s. I just can't figure out what reviving old threads comes under. It's not physical, not profane, not personal, not persistent. But hey, I did learn something from this Forum.

Talk about a double-bind, especially for new people on the forum. The princesses complain when someone does not search for an existing thread, then they complain about reviving dead threads. Enough to turn out new members. I think to support and develop umpires, whether it be in Florida, Newfoundland and Labrador (got to add both now), Alaska, Arizona, or for me, British Columbia, the forum should foster a dialogue and inquiry about things that are relevant to anyone's stage of umpiring. They may not know that the princesses feel the topic has been beaten like a dead horse. It's new to them and they are looking to learn and connect, not to feel unwelcome into the fraternity. It's bad enough they get battered for wearing navy and heather, affording a $60 chest protectors and not knowing the difference between R1, B (P3) and FED/OBR. For the regulars, be understanding and supportive. The newbie you are ostracizing might be your partner one day. Instead of zombie threading the person, may be ask a question that can lead to a learning moment for another umpire.

What is the name of his wife.

I like the definition of a force as a runner having to advance to the subsequent base due to the batter becoming a runner. If the BR is put out before reaching first, then the force is removed. A force is not always on a batted ball. For example, bases loaded; 2 out; 2-strikes on batter. Dropped third strike. The catcher just has to touch home plate to force R3.

Use my ring system. Also, if anyone wants to go funky, you could use those football official sweatbands that has the attached elastics for downs.

I do not carry an indicator, but I have a metal ring that I use on my left hand. Thumb no outs, index finger one out, middle finger two outs. For mechanics and positioning, I need to know the outs.

So fellas, What kind of cps and do you have? I have an old school Rawlings cp and took one off the collarbone last year in a men's league game. It took close to two weeks to lose the colour of the bruise. Similarly took a couple of shots on the thigh last year. It is not about a little pain. So from my perspective, why are you wearing a cp that looks like you are from a Mad Max movie. It is just a little pain. We all have differing protection needs. I know of an umpire in our region that wears full arm armour. Keeps him in the game.

I just bought a McDavid Hexpad compression shorts for umpires through Amazon. Going to try that this year. They have a slot for jock/jill too.

As somebody who is on the plus side of 50, I work hard to make sure I can get to third. It is part of my professionalism and practice as an umpire. I go out the field by myself when no one is around and work on my positioning and mechanics. Yes, I huff and puff practicing those rotations, but I owe it to the people who expect me to do my best on the field. Yes, I feel more and more like I run like an out of control flamingo, but I still work to have good hustle on the field. I can follow a B/R around first and into second. Yes, I am finding twinges and tweaks in my knees, legs and back that I never had before, but I still try to get out a couple times a week during the off-season and go for 1-2 hour walk. If you are over 50 and think that a beer, bag of chips and a big chair in front of a tv is the way to prepare for the season, you are not doing anyone a favour. You are definitely not doing your health a favour. I enjoy umpiring because it gets me out and active all year round, not just in the spring and summer. I hope I can stay active enough to do it into my 60s too.

I bought the Wendelstedt manuals over the holidays and there is a section (pg 16-17) and 7 reference plays on this subject in the rules and interpretation manual. It says that technically the strike out happened before the steal. Batter is out 3. It is stated clearly in the manual that it is not a fourth out situation.

Am I missing something? Not with no runs scoring on the proper appeal where the third out is a force (eg. B7 not touching 1st), but on the appeal of the play. 1. If the coach comes out to talk to pitcher, would the play be dead? The ball has to be in play for a proper appeal of a missed base. 2. For a missed base appeal, the base must be touched by a defensive player on the field in possession of the ball while the ball is in play. The player must demonstrate to the umpire which player they are appealing missed the base. Why is the coach making the appeal?

I got these for my shoes. Wore them all last year. Work great. As I live in BC (Pacific Northwest), I like cleats over turfs shoes on a greasy field. Up here, monsoons are the only reason for a rainout. Although, I did have a sun delay last year. http://www.amazon.com/Kanga-Tuff-Metatarsal-Footwear-Attachment/dp/B005HEPWGG

My thought is you call what you see. If by F2 standing means that you cannot get into your normal slot position to call the pitch, you do your best from where you are at. If from an almost standing position the pitch looks like a ball to you, you have to call what you see - ball. It may be a low strike, but you are not helping yourself by thinking, it looked like a ball, but I think I need to call a strike. At the end of the day, if I feel I stayed true to myself in calling what I saw; I can live with the outcome of the game. If I start calling shoulds, oughts and have tos, I feel guilty for letting petty things get in the way of ensuring the integrity of the game.

I feel I need to play the devil's advocate here with three points. First, from a historical perspective, I find polo shirts in general tacky. I still have my light blue short-sleeve collared cotton shirt with the old provincial association logo that has a dogwood on it (BC) from 30 years ago when I started umpiring in my early 20s. I love the old logo. Our new provincial logo is black and red and looks like something someone designed in his basement with a cheap version of Printmaster. Put it on a black shirt and it looks like you are umpiring in the California Porn League. At least navy or powder makes you look like a real umpire. The Canadian logo on a black shirt is not much better. Second, being professional as an amateur umpire means working hard on ensuring the integrity of the game and making sure games are fairly played. This is done through a continuous commitment to work hard at studying rules and rule interpretations, at practicing and performing proper positioning behind the plate and on the bases, and at performing clear mechanics on the field that demonstrates your commitment to respecting the game. Substance over image. If you are caught up in the colour of a person's shirt, you may be missing out on building a good working relationship with your partner. Remember, there is no I in team, but there is no U either. This leads to my third point. All of you started out at one time. Your first varsity, your first collegiate, may be even your first international. Up here, it would be your first provincial, first premier, or for some your first national. Hopefully, you were lucky enough to have veteran partners who mentored you and fueled your passion to get better, to develop and to improve. Hopefully, they didn't ostracize you for the colour of your shirt; instead, took your first games as tools to teach you and push you to get better. Their support made you a better umpire. I can tell you it may be your negative first impression toward that new umpire that causes you grief later in the game because you made it clear in the locker room, you were not going to be part of the team on the field. He/she felt alone on the diamond and even things they normally do well positionally or mechanically, they forget because of the cold shoulder they got from the first step in the locker room. You made it clear they were alone out there. Be a teacher, not a pompous azz. PS. Still dreaming of the day to go retro and umpire wearing a bow tie.

I don't know, but the contact is either interference or obstruction. If F6 did not have a play on the ball, then it would be obstruction. IFF is a fly ball that can be played by an infielder with ordinary effort, but that does not mean that an infielder (your case ss) still cannot make a great catch on the play. If you thought that the contact prevented the ss from making a play, then call interference. To this, my hypothetical of this play is this, what if the ss does not get there in time but takes the ball on the bounce and gets R1 at 2nd on the force. Can you conclude that while he could not catch the ball, the ss could have made a play? If he could have made a play, I think it would be interference. R2 is out.

I think you have to follow proper procedure for an appealed swinging strike. I agree with the people who said you say nothing. I think if you call time and conference with your partner, you are heading on a slippery slope. Do you call time and conference with your partner when you think he missed a strike or ball call? Do you call time to tell another member of your crew that they missed a out or safe call? You are not in your partner's mind, so you do not know what they saw or what they are thinking. It is a judgment call and what you think is an attempt to swing at a pitch and what your partner thinks can be different. If the PU comes to you, that is one thing. However, if you think it is your role to tell your partner whenever you think she/he missed a call, you are going to find yourself on your own pretty quick. Remember you are a team. Read 9.02 (c).

Razz, live in Nanaimo, BC. Won't calculate shipping in order. Any suggestions. Thank you, Brad

I get the feeling of routing for the Def team to protest the game. Never thought I would actually want to see an official protest, but can't help it after watching that.