midmoump

I got you beat. I made a kid cry in a varsity HS game a few years back. Smaller city team played a large city team and this kid was the smaller city's starting pitcher. The kid was frustrated because he was two balls off the plate and I wasn't giving it to him. When he hit later he struck out looking at a pitch on (you guessed it) the outside corner. When he started his warm-ups he was sobbing like a little puss. I couldn't believe it! I saw him this past spring as a pitcher for a small college team. He must have switched to Johnson's shampoo because . . . . . . no more tears! Ha! Pete

HOORAY for instant replay!!!! I WANT to work some BS youth game that has a two hour time limit and instant replay! What a blessing! I would ask for it CONSTANTLY! I would ENCOURAGE IT! Me: "He's out!" Coach: That's ok, Johnny. He only got you by a step. Me: OOOOOH! That sounds like a challenge! Let's go to the film! We would have one hour of baseball, one hour of replay, and I get paid the same! How cool is that? Of course, all replays must take place in the shade with a cold drink in my hand. Coaches and fans and MLB and ESPN should be careful what they wish for! Baseball has an awful lot of "reviewable" plays. . . Come to think of it, maybe I'd just find something else to do with my free time since baseball does not need my experience, training, effort, or judgment. Pete

Yes. I too live in the bizzaro world called marriage. *sigh*

Ah! Thanks for the correction. I guess it would have scrambled if it had hit the toe box! Pete

Dix, thank you! I recently commandeered a closet for umpire gear and I was told that "No one else has this many umpire shirts!" Ha! I was able to FINALLY win an argument at my house! Pete

I agree with you completely. I think the disappointment lies in the expectation that the umpire will not feel anything when a ball strikes the steel toe. My expectation was that my toes were encased in steel, so I was completely safe. I have been hit while wearing Reeboks and the New Balance plate shoes, and both times it hurt! This surprised me, especially after viewing the New Balance video where a baseball was fired into the toe and an egg placed in the toe box was unharmed. Pete

I'm just trying to learn when I ask this...when the manager comes out to ask about this, how do you articulate what you have? More than "I have him out." Thank you. I'd answer it this way, "The runner poped up while the fielder was trying to make the tag. They collided and your guy came off the bag. He's out." Blah, blah, blah. "He wasn't forced. It was a collision. It happens." Blah. Blah. Blah. Piss. Moan. Whine. "You're done." -Pete

One of my favorite legal quotes comes from a hornbook on torts by Professors Prosser and Keeton. Speaking on the intentional tort of battery: In a crowded world, a certain amount of personal contact is inevitable and must be accepted. Absent expression to the contrary, consent is assumed to all those ordinary contacts which are customary and reasonably necessary to the common intercourse of life, such as a tap on the shoulder to attract attention, a friendly grasp of the arm, or a casual jostling to make a passage. . . . When a runner attempts to acquire a base, a certain amount of contact is expected as the fielder plays on the runner. The BRD cites Mike Fitzpatrick, former director of PBUC, as saying, "If a runner goes into a base without body control, he is out when a hard tag knocks him off the base." I interpret the term “hard tag†as one that is expected, is customary, and is reasonable during the course of play. The converse of the rule should also be true: if the runner has body control, and is forced off the bag by the fielder through unexpected, irregular, or unreasonable means, the runner should not be declared out. In the two examples below, the runner is determined to be out when he loses contact after a hard tag. http://mlb.mlb.com/v...tent_id=9600727 http://sandiego.padr...4826735&c_id=sd In this example, the runner loses contact during the tag and the umpire determines that the runner was pushed off the bag. http://oakland.athle...142091&c_id=oak In this example the runner and first baseman make contact. The umpire determines that the runner did not have body control and is out. [media=] The contact between DeJesus and Beckham is obviously a judgment call left to the umpire's interpretation. With the luxury of replay it is clear that Beckham attempted a tag and did not initiate a collision. DeJesus executed a pop-up slide over the bag. The fielder and the runner collided over the bag, and the fielder fell on the runner off the bag. http://mlb.com/video...ent_id=21543637 Did DeJesus have body control? Did Beckham execute a "hard tag?" For me I would also ask, "did an expected, customary, and reasonable tag force him off the base during his slide?" I would say that this was a collision between two players and not a “hard tag.†It is more akin to the Gant/Hrbek play and less like the other video examples. The runner's momentum and lack of body control was a chief contributor to the collision, therefore I don't think DeJesus was "pushed" off the bag. He's out.

Aw, just amusing myself. Pete

The baseball rules. They're mine. [media=] And I've come to the right place!

1. Pitcher must always take signs from the catcher only and must do do so while contacting the rubber. 2. If the pitcher takes signs from anyone, he must do so while contacting the rubber. (Jim Booth interp) 3. The pitcher does not have to take signs or may take them from anyone at anytime other than the catcher. However, if he takes signs from the catcher, he must do so while contacting the rubber. Even at the hs level I see pitchers getting defensive signals from the ss. Is that a "sign?" HTF should I know? The only reasonable interp is Rich's #3. Pete

I'm in contact with Jason and I'm told the cp is coming soon. I've also been assured that the shoulder area has been reworked. They are very excited about this new product and they want to have it reviewed "soon." Pete

:jerkit: Diaz should be held accountable! Accountable I say! Has anyone noticed how vocal the players and managers are this year? I think MLB umpires should start talking to the press. Imagine what they could say about a ballgame. . . "I think Russ is a pretty good guy, he just can't hit to save his life. I noticed tonight his batting average on the scoreboard. Wow. He should probably think more about hitting and less about how the ball is getting back to the pitcher. And how about that 2-2 fastball that Trumbo went yard on in the fourth? What a bonehead call! Nova couldn't locate to save his life. Maybe instead of asking for the ball he should asked me for a sign. I would have told him something offspeed. Seemed pretty obvious to everyone except Martin." If the public perception is that MLB umpires are incompetent and biased, why not give them an opportunity to fight back? Maybe Mean Gene Okerlund could do the post-game umpire interviews? Pete

Agree, Wegner should have warned as a matter of game management. However, everyone on the field knew why Pierzynski got doinked, so that should have been the end of it. Agree, when the pitch behind the batter is that obvious, immediate EJ. It is also a strong statement that any more BS will not be tolerated. Agree, Harrelson likes the attention. Pete

Late to the party, as usual. . . A Baseball Puritan, LOL. My religion is Baseball Orthodoxy: we believe in a strict interpretation of Rule 1.01! Personally, I don't get FED at all. No fake tags, verbal interference, slide directly to the bag. . . all in the name of safety? So what about a fake bunt? The purpose is to draw the corners in to an unsafe distance and then knock off a head, right? What about a steal of home? When has that ever been "safe?" Why are metal cleats allowed? Ever seen a spike wound? My point is, FED talks out of both sides of its mouth. Most of the "safety rules" are stupid and likely a reaction to something that caught someone's recent attention. The "flavor of the month" rule. When I played we could yell all we wanted. It was called "chatter." A successful fake tag was admired by offense and defense alike. Taking out the second baseman was expected. We did not play dirty, it was just good hard baseball. I like the trick play. The defense should feel foolish for falling for it. Yes, it is bush league. In my day (really not so long ago) someone would get beaned in the back for it. Both teams would expect it 'cause crap like that came at a price. *sigh* It is a different world now. BTW, I think the arguement concerning how "judgement" should be spelt can be quickly normalised by a simple acknowledgement and reflexion of Americanised spelling customs, and without further offence to any party. Pip pip cheerio, ya'll! Pete

From the MLBUM: Interpretation of Rule 1.12: Catcher's Mitt The catcher may not substitute a fielder's glove or a first baseman's mitt for a catcher's mitt during the progress of the game or on any individual play. . . Why, then, were the Red Sox catchers permitted to use a first baseman's mitt when catching Tim Wakefield? Pete

That's great! Be careful about talking with players or coaches. In the future, get your feedback from your partner. Video tape is also a great way to improve your game. Now that you have a taste, go kick butt during the summer! Pete

I smell a philosopher. . . where does the plate end and the end begin? Pete

The Things We Think And Do Not Say Late night ramblings By Umpire Jerry F’N Maguire Coach: Hey, Blue! Me: Yes, Bucket Ass? Coach: Blue, what’s the count? Me: You’re down by two, coach; it's late in the game; and you're not paying attention. It don’t look good for you. After my partner is talked into “getting help†on a play at the plate. Partner: Pete! Whaddayagot? Me: The batter runner touched first. No doubt about it. On a check swing Partner: Did he go? Me: No, but the pitch was a strike! Coach: You'd better call that all day! Me: Or what? To a pitcher struggling to throw strikes Me: Three balls! No clue! Defensive Coach: Where was that pitch? Me: In the ball zone! After calling a low strike Defensive Coach: The last one there was called a ball! Me: Oh! My mistake! Ball! After a close out call Coach: How can you call him out? Me: Like this, “He’s out!†Wanna see my ejection mechanic? Coach: That one wasn’t even close! Me: I’m glad we agree. I was afraid you saw it differently After a punch out Me: Next!

I was researching for another project and remembered this thread. During the 1968 World Series, Lou Brock was called out by GOD (umpire Doug Harvey). Harvey said he never touched the plate. Brock claimed he touched the black part and the photos seem to substantiate that claim. A debate ensued over whether the black part is part of the plate. Rule 1.05 is not crystal clear. It states that "The TOP edges of home base shall be beveled and the base shall be fixed in the ground level with the ground surface." So is the black beveled part part of home plate? Well, the measurements described in Rule 1.05 state that the plate area is 17" x 8-1/2" x 12" x 8-1/2". It also states that "home base" is to be made out of white rubber. As Rich says, its the white part, and a rule book and a tape measurer will confirm this. An interesting article (well, interesting to me at least) is here. Pete

Miller mad? Really? He is calming the situation when Rodney came off the mound. The K3 changeup is up, but looks in the zone. It does not look like, nor does the situation appear to be a FYC. However, I hope Lawrie gets to experience a few in the near future. Pete

I hate it when my partner shows up in a dress. Pete

Hmmm... New Balance's advertising claims an all steel toe box. My big toe claims otherwise. It surprised me. Nautilus makes a plate shoe with a steel toe box that is used in the big leagues. That may be my next purchase. Let me think about cutting the MU460 open. It would be interesting. Pete

My MU460s lasted about 40 college games. A catcher stepped on the Met guard and put a nice gash in it. Before I set them aside I was hit on the toe with a foul ball and discovered that the composite toe box is NOT very protective. There is just no substitute for steel. Pete

Hooray for reviews! I started reviewing products because I couldn't find good information on umpire gear, or objective opinions. I like reading the opinions of others because I am a consumer too! Speaking of rattle, the only time I have encountered this is when I bought a new Honig's mask off eBay. I assumed it was a "second" that Honig's rejected from the manufacturer. If the solder is rattling around in the cage tubing, then it is not holding the weld together, right? Pete