ousafe

Pitchers need to bat. Period.

I highly recommend ThighPro.

In LL for this situation, the umpire is taught to verbalize emphatically "He's out, he's out, he's still out!" with matching hammer "out" mechanics. We celebrate progress if that actually happens.

Once you've made a call correctly (balk, bi, ci, etc), it becomes so much easier to recognize and get right the next time. After a few times it will become part of your natural umpire vocabulary and no big deal. You will be perceiving more of the action taking place because your brain has a place to put it efficiently. That's how you grow. Just be careful and only call things you can explain using rule language. Otherwise you may be accused of allowing the fans to call the game on a late call.

Would that be powder blue, polo blue, carolina blue, pro blue - and what about collar/side panels?

Seattle metro - never seen anything other than single games.

Josais Manzanillo and Mitch Haniger come to mind for this Mariners fan. Smdh

Don't forget your red flag!

I've never seen anything official, but I've heard it enough to think there's something to it. HOWEVER the selection process for Williamsport/ESPN has been completely overhauled (by Gerry Davis?). They have ditched the "can do LLWS only once in your life" edict. They have open ID camps now instead of the old nomination system. At least now to make it to Williamsport you need to be objectively good, as opposed to "due".

...for umpiring LL games. LLI will not ding you if make money umpiring HS, adult league, etc. At least one of our LL guys does college ball.

We had similar covid mechanics as @SeeingEyeDog described. Lesson was that protection was needed from both wayward baseballs AND wayward bats.

I'll grab the easy one - Gerry Davis was #12 on the field.

I think our LL district has only one league that pays for umpires, and it's one of their biggest expenses. All other leagues in the district maintain a volunteer corps of umpires. Basically the leagues are run as a parent co-op where *everyone* (including umps) is a volunteer. While not perfect, our umpires are decent, certainly good enough for rec ball. So there is another way...community based. If you wanna get paid, I'd recommend HS or above.

To be fair, you can say the same for any (non-parent) LL umpire...

Same situation as OP, also LL. The coach stood in the dugout doorway, telling the kid to run. Kid refused (was embarrassed about striking out) and tried to sidestep the coach, who blocked him with his hand. NOW I have an out! Coach INT. We chuckled a bit.