Mister B

I ordered the F3s. After working 13 games in 2 days I figured I could afford to spend a little more. Now, gotta save up for the F3 mask. And my apologies, I totally forgot there was an equipment forum.

There's always the 4th out if it's available and you need it.

This is what convinced me that my next mask will be a F3.

I wish it would go higher, my forearms have been targets for foul balls this season.

So my Diamond Featherweights have served me well, but are a little short and have a cracked knee plate. So it's time to upgrade. I know the Force 3's are all the rage, but I have some concerns about the knee straps. I really liked that the diamonds didn't have a knees strap, as I can get pretty sweaty. I was a runner and did some bike racing in my younger days so I have fairly large quads and calves. Can I wear the F3's with the top strap very loose? Any other models to look at? I do like the plastic clips but I can work around that. I also loved that the Diamonds were so light, it didn't feel like you were wearing them. I could also take up Muy Thai and kick trees with my shins to build them up.

So I'm helping out my freshman son's HS team by coaching the seniors for a Spring Break Tournament. District rules don't allow the school coaches to do so. Being the beginning of the season after missing last season, I want to make sure the seniors get maximum field time, but I have some underclassmen with us since there are only 7 seniors (Covid was awful, his football team only has 1 returning senior). This is my first game where I haven't batted the roster and could substitute on a whim, plus I may decide to start working higher level (for me) games, since Covid has also wiped out the ranks of sport officials. So are players linked to each other or to their space in the batting order? Let's say I have the following scenario: F1 - Abel F9 - Bill F6 - Cain Bench - Delta Bench - Edger Abel is reaching his pitching limit (it's pre-season, nobody is going over 40) Can I substitute Delta (>F9) for Bill (>Bench) and then switch Abel (F1>F9) and Delta(F9>F1) on the field? Can I then switch Cain (F6>F1) and Delta (F1>F6) on the Field? or bring in Edger(Bench>F1) for Delta (F1>Bench) then substitute Bill for Delta or Edger at either F1 or F6? Players would only be changing in Bill's original hitting slot. This is fairly confusing, so thanks for any help. I could find rules about subbing in pitchers, but not other positions. So I believe a starter can be brought back in a second time, but a sub is done when he's pulled.

If the teams don't have correct baseballs, just ask if they have cash. $20 from each team, that way there are no favorites.

Check with your local dry cleaner as many of them do alterations. We have one that will fit and hem pants for $10. They don't advertise, I think they just do it for customers. They aren't same day, but 2-3 days is quicker than I'd be able to get to them and they do a better job.

Stealing signs from fair territory is part of the game.

With our 13u team last year, I tried getting a player to keep a paper book, but it was too difficult to teach them as well as coach. It's a great teaching tool though. When I'm coaching, I keep a small notebook with batting order and PA results. When keeping score, I like to be behind the plate, too many umpires here mumble and too many point for a strike and then point to show where the ball missed. Had a pitcher working on his curve and walking kids, I showed him the notebook and explained that the next 3 batters were out swinging the last at bat. I told him to use the fastball and get to a 2 strike count, then try a curve. Just, don't walk guys who can't hit.

While not impressed with his decision making during the game, pissing off a huge defensive player, and then chasing him after he rips your helmet off, just made Rudolph worthless.

So, the family is heading to AZ for Thanksgiving. Our 13 year old son is hoping to get some hitting in while we are there. Are there any public batting cages near Cashman Park? Or anywhere in Phoenix? Like a HS or something. I'm sure we can find an indoor facility with pitching machines, but we are working on hitting locations and correctly reading the outside pitch. I'm fortunate enough to be able to locate the strike zone. Can't throw heat, but shortening the distance works for BP. We are lucky here as some of the high schools have outdoor tunnels with L-screens and our little league has 2 outdoor tunnels with L-screens. We are unlucky as the weather is not going to be as cooperative over the next few months. Other ideas are welcome. Thanks.

I'd prefer they mandate breakaway bases for FED, before the orange base. IME, the orange base reinforces the horrible habit of F3 standing or having a foot on the base.

Once the ball is dead, he can't do anything. So no. Thrown or batted, it doesn't matter. Bases awarded might change, but that's it.

Note: reaching for the base with a bare hand is a bad idea. Spikes plus hand is not a good combination. If the batted ball gets trapped in F3's shirt, umpire should call time and place the runners appropriately. So no, F3 doesn't have possession.

Having a hard time figuring out how the 2 collide 20 feet up the line, with B/R running into F2. If it's closer, would it be tangle/untangle?

I figure my political views are going to differ from many people I meet. One of the beautiful things about this country is that, things like that can happen. I don't care if you love or hate the president or either party. But calling for, or insinuating, any kind of violence is wrong.

Cole was on top of his game and was painting the outside edges of the zone. I thought Barksdale was outstanding, I would have passed out from mental exhaustion by the 4th inning. Watch Gomes' mitt on that first one. If he sticks the catch, he's probably got the strike, but he pulls it back in. All-in-all, the Nats hitters weren't seeing the pitches very well, so they probably shouldn't project onto the umpire.

Wear a rubber band and make a donation to umpscare.com. The rubber band should remind you of why you are doing it.

These kids will move up to a JBO program for Middle school, which uses FED rules. I just told both coaches to have the kids all pitch from the stretch as it will make the transition easier.

This was a LL majors game, so none of this was illegal, but I was having a hard time parsing what was happening. And how it will affect these kids at the next level. Out of 12 pitchers, 8 of them did a very similar action. Pitcher is in the stretch, taking signs, comes set, free foot then steps back towards 1B, and goes into a wind up. Outside of LL, this is a balk, correct? Second question, R1 right-handed pitcher, pivots to throw to first but realizes that F3 isn't there. So he doesn't complete the throw. Is this a balk? F1 didn't step off the back of the rubber.

If you have so many players that you need a visual indicators for captains, you have too many players. Youth level captains are for leading warmups and talking down pitchers on the field. Although, the latter may be too difficult for them to fathom. Don't need to burn a visit to tell the pitcher to take a deep breath and slow down.

We pounded that our guys need to know the count every time. Similar play, but ball bounced, B/R takes off, F2 fires the ball to F5 who tags out R2 trying to advance. Offensive coach, wanted a do over, didn't get it.

Expect many new/young umpires to get this wrong.

Teach the pitcher that with R2, there's no need to hold the runner at 1B. With R1 and R2, F3 should be playing defense. R1 isn't going anywhere. RHP, should be watching R2. I was the 1B coach in a game against a lesser-skilled friendly team. F3 was holding with 2 outs and R1 and R2, I suggested that F3 play defense and not worry about the runner, so he did, next hit was a hard ground ball just to his right. Had he been holding the runner, it would have been a base hit. Not holding, it was the third out.