BobUmp

I'm late to the party, but last fall I started wearing my Samsung Smart Watch versus carrying a small watch in my ball bag, The Samsung looks like a normal digital watch, except it stays dark unless i prompt it, or when the alarm goes off: 1) By the rules, Umpires are REQUIRED at the tourney facility here and in most travel leagues here to keep the time 2) The countdown timer on it has basically eliminated any arguing that there was still a minute left or whatnot: if the alarm goes off before the inning is over, that is the last inning, no arguments. If it goes off seconds after the third out is made and sides are being switched for the start of the top, we are playing the inning. 3) it tracks my steps, my miles, and my heart rate during the game(s) = very cool 4) phones do look shady to me.. Its asking for trouble, i think.. are you looking at how much time is left or are you checking messages/social media? If I look like an inexperienced newbie, so be it. Hopefully I convert most newbie haters by the end of most games...

For the first scenario (DP started at 2nd, 2-man mechanics), I as PU (especially FED HS rules) need to help BU with illegal slides/takeouts, BUT also need to cover pulled foot, overthrows that may go out into dead ball territory, etc. This is where the PU gets some exercise: I move out from behind the plate, and if the fielded ball gets thrown to 2nd to start a DP, I veer towards the mound a couple of steps, but at this point try to stay in front of and towards the 1B side of the mound (don't overhustle). If, as in most cases, the slide is OK or at least a non-factor and the throw goes to 1B, I then follow with my body to 1B foul line to get a look for pulled foot and cover overthrows etc.. if the slide at 2B causes interference per your specific ruleset (typically for FED its oversliding 2B and interfering with the throw to 1st behind the 2nd base bag, or sliding to either side of the bag to interfere, or perhaps a pop-up slide that interferes), then there is no need to move to 1B foul line - either I'm calling the interference or my partner is calling it. Consequently I am then stepping directly towards 2nd base and selling my call. This typically has me stepping past the mound or even on to the mound dirt as I step towards 2nd to sell the call. As BU in the DP I try to make sure that I am staying in the working area near the aft end of the mound to make the call at second, then moving perpendicular towards the 1B line to make the call at first. This gives me a really good angle for pulled foot and runner foot placement versus catch, so i can cut down on the number of times we would need to get together to discuss a possible pulled foot on these plays. From the working area, if the throw to 2nd gets botched and I have a situation that requires my attention at 2nd, I can step up from that working area towards 2nd and make a call once a throw to first is out of the question. Same with an illegal slide or interference call, I can step from there towards 2nd to sell the call.

I don't know if this would help, but I too line up my outside foot first, then my inside foot with the catcher, but initially set up a little farther back than where I intend to be when the pitch comes in, to give the catcher time to get himself where he wants to be. You probably did the same "dance" in scissors.. Also, I don't set down with hands until the pitcher is receiving signs, then once his pitch is started I creep up to where i want be relative to catcher, and finally "lock" myself to follow the pitch.. With catchers that move as the pitcher is starting delivery (either to fool the batter on location or because they are always moving around), the steps are distinct and follow as i state above. For catchers that "stay in place" from where they gave signs, the hands down, creep up and lock is really one movement. Some games I feel like for one half inning i'm waiting locked for a long time each pitch with a catcher that hardly changes position, and the other half inning I'm just finishing moving when pitcher is finishing his delivery motion and releasing..

We've got a tourney complex here with 7 all-turf fields, and the township here has put turf down on at least the infield in about a dozen locations. In addition all the local NCAA colleges and a bunch of the local HS and JUCO colleges have turf infields. One big PRO is that for the seasons here which start late Feb/Early March for College, then mid-March HS, going to just before Thanksgiving, the local schools can move games on rainy/crappy days (or the first good day after bad weather like snow) to these fields and get them in, and during the busy season (summer/fall ball) if you are assigned fields at these venues, the cancellation rate goes way down, assuring you get your games/fees. That said, in the heat of the summer on a nice day, I want to work a dirt/clay field with infield/outfield grass over turf.. I also use my plate brush.. Get those little black granules off the plate when they pile up past just using my foot, and as a timing thing with pitcher/coach conferences.. I watch the coach out until I figure out if he is changing pitchers or not, indicate the conference if its FED rules on my scorecard, then brush off the plate and walk out to break em up..

I would add use the 'common sense meter" we all have. In the OP above, the kid literally passed third base to go into the third base side dugout. So, either you judge he abandoned BEFORE he passed third base and is out for abandonment, OR you rule he did not yet be considered abandoning when he passed third base and R3, and is out for passing R3. I admittedly don't do much LL and don't have a rule book with me right now, but i think LL rule would lean on him not yet abandoned when he passed third, so the the Umpire got the call correct by ruling he is out for passing R3. As for the diagrams above, common sense would say the R1 did not pass 2B yet in first one, R2 did pass R3 and is out for passing R3 in the second one (A), and R2 did not pass R3 or 3B in third one (B)..

For the first time ever for me, it worked in a 13U tourney game last Saturday, believe it or not.. OBR rules EXCEPT FED FPSR and fake to third is legal... R1,R3.. Pitcher steps to third and fakes, R1 started his steal of 2nd on first move, obviously to draw a throw for a possible delayed steal of home... Defense yells out he's going, pitcher turns from facing third and throws to second for the put out of R1.. R3 does not attempt to steal home... Only time I saw it work! BONUS: in the SAME game, with 2 outs, I had a swinging strike three at a pitch that hits the lefty batters' back leg and rolls in fair territory up the 3rd base line.. I yell out "Time!!!!... he swung, he's out!.... it hit him, he offered, he's out!" - and NO yelling or protesting from anyone, not even the parents.. Kind of a confused "what just happened?" pause from everyone, then the teams go about changing sides... DOUBLE BONUS: in the SAME game, I am PU obviously, no one on, 2 man crew, partner in A, shot down right field line, he goes out, I let him know I've got the runner, RF doesn't make the catch, ball bounces around, I follow BR around to 3rd, hear my partner say he's got the plate, and they wave the BR around third... perfect relay throw and my partner has a legit play at the plate OUT call as BU... A MEMORABLE 13U game.. I am officially recharged!

Yes, certainly uncomfortable, but like any other job or profession, when "they" (whoever they are) try to divide and conquer, or at least gather ammunition to shoot the other guy up with, you are now put in the middle of the sh***, so "embrace the suck" : "You know what, coach, just rank me the same as him, because I don't think he is all that bad, and you're putting me in a bad situation here"

Ejected himself. .Did everything but give himself the arm and point signal...

The way you wrote it, it seems like the pitcher delivered a pitch from windup as second base was stolen. I'm guessing from your info that also means: 1) The pitcher did not balk in any way, and the pitch was a legal pitch from windup 2) There was no delay from the runner taking off and acquiring second and the pitcher starting his pitching moves. If, for instance the runner acquired second, got up if he slid, and maybe even started to take a lead from second before the pitcher started any move, the judgement could be that he stole second before a pitch, and the fouled off pitch was after the stolen base.. The way you wrote it, i am guessing this was NOT the case.. I am guessing this because, in all likelihood, even if the pitcher delayed starting his pitch to process what the coach was yelling and the runner who took off is slowing himself coming into second standing up on an uncontested steal, it would be VERY unusual for the pitcher not to have started his pitch moves before the base was acquired, and, if he did delay so long, it would have been obvious it was a steal first, then a pitch... If i guessed correctly above, then the runner returns to first after the foul ball. If i did not guess correctly, then the runner has second, either by balk or by acquisition before the pitch. And, whoa, the batter probably runs laps after the game for being so brain dead as to take a swing on a so clearly swiped base (unless he was protecting on two strikes, of course!) This would be all rule sets..

Had a similar thing happen in a game only about a week ago.. I saw this post, so when it started to develop in my situation, I decided to give the catcher the 3rdBLX extended to hustle back, and to NOT go to 1stBLX, but instead to pick up the action at point of plate. When the tag went to about the same place this tag attempt went I crept up to the plate a tried to look down on the play. My catcher was "closer to" the plate at the critical moment (did not really go up the 3BL) and actually behind it a little, so there was a clear path for the sliding runner to maybe get his hand in there.. and he slid outside towards the mound side the same way as in this video EXCEPT he slid head first.. AND, it was still a tough one, even from my "almost above the action" view, and I decided the tag was made before the hand got the plate... I banged him out with a big sell, and stood my ground for a few seconds, to really sell it.. And I guess i got it right, or at least sold it enough, because nobody came out to argue, the fans/parents in the seats behind the backstop did not protest all that much, and the runner himself didn't put up a fight.. So i don't know if I got that much better of a look from point of plate and back pocket, to tell you the truth...

TWs in the warm (above 55 degrees) weather, and Wilson or All-Star leathers (like warm couch cushions) in the cooler/cold weather. Threw out others immediately like the ones that came with my Rampage frame and my Diamond AL frame. I did not like the memory foam, felt like it was going to going to lose integrity pretty quickly, but that was just my opinion, i don't have any info or witness statements to that matter.

Each year, I take some fees money and experiment with a different or new mask planform. So over the past few years i have gotten games in with AL (Diamond and Wilson), Magnesium (Champro Rampage), and a bunch of steels (Wilson Low Profile, +POS ZERO-G, Honigs K4, Wilson Dyna-lite, All-Star FM-25 are the ones I had positive experiences with). I have a couple more i plan to test drive in the next few years.. My experiences so far are that you can get really light planforms in AL, Magnesium and Steel that at least rival, if not beat, the weight of a TI mask. TI looks great, and should have great sightlines because it is so thin. But it is expensive, and if it does bend, say goodbye to a couple hundred dollars. Also, as many said, the pads will be your most important protection item for the mask. Don't forget to have a good and properly adjusted harness as well.. So, really then, it comes down to personal preference on look, as well as sight lines and some extraneous protection items that may help you if your plate stance is a little different. For example, the K-4 is surprisingly not that heavy even though it has big throat, upper head, and ear protection areas. It was a decent planform to pair with TWs when i was less experienced, because if i was "inadvertently" moving my head with the pitch a little, I was still protected somewhat from re-directed pitches or foul-offs. The same with the Diamond AL planform. Not as pronounced as the K-4, but still quite protective with TWs in it. And noticeably lighter than the K-4, even though the K-4 is not what i would consider heavy. As I became more consistent with being perfectly still through a pitch, the planforms above felt "too big" to me, and I preferred something more demure, like the Wilson Dynalite, Wilson AL, and, my current favorite, the +POS ZERO-G. The Dynalite steel was too heavy for me, so I took that out of the lineup and sold that only a few weeks in. The Wilson AL is super-light, the sight lines are good, BUT I definitely feel shots more than with a steel planform. So TWs, or at least relatively new Wilson Leathers, for that Al mask. The ZERO-G is steel, yet super light-weight. i cannot tell the difference in weight when comparing it to the Wilson or Diamond AL and using TW pads in them. But since they are steel, they seem to "soak in" some of the shot, and a similar pitch that raises my attention in an Al planform with TWs is barely anything at all with the ZERO-G and TWs. And the sightlines are great. The only bad thing for you is it would be very difficult for you to obtain a ZERO-G because of the inconsistency with ordering from +POS.. As for the Wilson Low Profile, I have the CROMALY version and it was still quite noticably heavy, so i got rid of the plastic coating on the planform and painted it to thin it out and take weight off. The sight lines are fantastic, but while TWs kind of fit, that planform shape is really set up to use Wilson wraparounds. The other annoying thing is that I prefer 6-8 stitch caps for the plate, and this planform really demands a 4 stitcher, which makes me rarely use it.. Same with the RAMPAGE Magnesium. I can squish a 6 stitch cap, but it is a tight fit. It is super light, like the AL, same stiffness as AL i think (so have good pads), and looks totally cool. But I am not crazy about the sight lines, so i rarely pull it out of my storage box for a game... Finally, To add a little bit to earlier comments, i had actually found an old +POS AL planform on EBAY that had black plastic on it, which i burned off and painted and used for awhile. I think it was sold by +POS in the early 2000s.. Under Mask Porn thread there are pics and comments on it. Well, it met its demise with a high 70s low 80s FB back a bit.. I have it just for show next to my baseball collection...

This may not be what you want to hear, but I recommend just not paying any attention to anything outside the fence that isn't a direct threat to safety or directly affecting the kids on the field. I do tourney ball, and some of the things that come out of parents' mouths at these things are unbelievable. I am only guessing, but since they are 'trapped' at these things all day and all weekend, a chunk of them are probably half in the bag from tailgating between games. They pay a ton of money and are travelling and using their free/vacation time to support the kid on his tourney team, so they are in full vacay mode which means there are a subset that are going to get unruly, and not only go after the umps verbally, but the venue, the concession stand attendant, their coach, the other coach, etc etc. Much like some yahoos you see at MLB or Minor League venues. Best thing in the long run for your sanity and the experience for the kids on the field is to keep yourself out of their swamp and ignore any crap you get from outside the fences. Now, if it turns to taunting the other teams' kids, or violence or threats, or trying to encite their kids into doing something unsportsmanlike, call time immediately, get your partner on the same page, then both approach the coach you think "owns" the trouble makers, and get them removed either by the coach or the TD. An example, the FIRST Tourney of the year in late March, I had the plate for the 13U Final, which were the oldest playing since school ball was underway. A close game until about the 4th, when one team's BR hits an inside the park grand-slam, a "little-league" like shot off the fence that bounced crazy and got away from the two fielders, ending with a play at the plate that was a non-controversial safe call. As cheers were calming down and a new ball given to the pitcher, I hear two "dads" on the defensive side behind home plate say "The last two kids were WAY too comfortable up there, he should brushback the next hitter to make them less comfortable" and " YEAH, you're right.. HEY JOHNNY, throw at this kid, brush him back!".. I was shocked, 13U spring tourney and we are going to start a bean ball war?? I whip around and look at the two suspects, and get the "not guilty, guilty" look-ahead pose from both. I call over the defensive HC, and tell him "you will NOT believe what I just heard" and made him take care of it. Now, of course, after doing this, if anyone from behind the fence said anything unsportsmanlike i would be forced to call over the coaches and TD and shut the seats down and clear the area, because i already made the move and gotten myself involved beyond the fences, but i would have been able to justify it as a "safety" thing and reasonable parents would understand and comply. So, unfortunately, i would say just eat it and ignore it if it is sent your way...

Thanks for the above, and I must give credit to this site. Somewhere in here I believe there was a link to an NCAA PU that had an ejection on a play at the plate that was similar.. just not a rundown, a tag up on a fly out I believe. He calmly called time, indicated the out, then the EJ. He had the player pop up right into his face to protest and another kid who was signalling him to slide near the dirt circle and he calmly put up the stop sign and explained to them the call, they calmed down, backed off, the coach came up and he did the same with the coach and got out alive and well. I remembered that and tried to emulate it, and it worked.. @urout17, I'm not sure why i went over to the gate either.. NO its not the norm for me or anyone, especially at this Tourney Site where the game was played.. It was just a read i got from the mom and kid that this was going to be a learning moment, not a "kill the ump' moment, and wound up making it a memorable EJ.. probably dodged a bullet, in hindsight..

I'm in Suffolk County LI, same fees. It's the publicly posted NY Section fees in the contract with Section, right from the document. Pretty good pay for baseball in these parts. JUCO is just a little more per game than the varsity, and NCAA is more on top of that, but every other level is less per game except the top summer college baseball leagues. The issue is that officials can get those SAME fees, or very close to same, for girls softball, boys and girls lacrosse, field hockey, etc. And, track and field pays well. All of those other sports are timed, except softball. But I've NEVER completed a Varsity (or JV) baseball game before the Softball game ended at the same school. In addition, most of those other sports do NOT have the "tradition" of abusing the umps/refs, verbally or physically. I played lacrosse through college. Div III, but a four-year starter. I NEVER heard the phrase "this guy is BRUTAL" uttered EVER in my entire lacrosse career. I hear it (luckily not necessarily towards me or my partner) at least once a week at baseball games (I do rec ball and tourneys as well). The talk about field hockey is that there is a whistle blown constantly - the officials are stopping and interjecting almost every play - and almost no issues with coaches, players or fans, and the games are over in less than 90 minutes.. For the SAME PAY So the guys that are "Section" guys (can get off early enough for HS schedules year round) prioritize field hockey, track etc over baseball when accepting schedules. That leaves College guys looking to add to the earnings, and "Baseball only" guys like me. in my case, i need to take vacation days from work to make my HS schedule. I make more money in ONE WEEK from my regular job than I do the entire season of Varsity HS baseball. So as long as I still love the HS competition and skill level (still do!), and it doesn't turn into a slog or a gauntlet of shenanigans and crap from outside the fence and the dugouts (it hasn't!), I will pay my fees and accept baseball games. Other baseball-only guys have other motivations as well, some being that the fees are healthy. But we have lost a least 6 high JV - Varsity level officials the last year or so that had enough of the crap and either jumped to another sport or just stopped HS baseball, so the issue is a real concern. I think it is a combination of a few factors - official abuse/general unsportsmanlike conduct left to officials to clean up by AD's and coaches is one; the scheduled times being before most people are off their day jobs is definitely another major one. Fee-wise, while again its quite large compared to rec ball and tourney fees in the area, it is competing against the other HS sports that are easier to schedule and officiate and in many cases do not have the culture of riding the officials. Another thing in my observation - at JV and Middle School levels, the large majority of coaches and ADs at the games are looking for an educational and fun experience for their teams. They are playing to win, but also to represent the school in a positive light. At Varsity, it feels like its every man for himself -coaches vs ADs vs officials vs. Section vs parents. Kind of a blame game, and a "pass the buck" mentality. I can't say if that's just my impression, or if that is the same for all sports, just an observation from my eyes.

First One of this Year: 12U Tournament, OBR rules with NFHS Slide/avoid for all bases.. Both teams from out of state, OK baseball, pitchers throwing strikes, batters swinging bats, fielders making plays.. I am PU. R3, 2 outs T6: passed ball, R3 makes a break towards home, catcher recovers ball right away, run down ensues, ball gets back to catcher, he steps into baseline to apply a tag, and R3 TRUCKS him, both arms make a pushing motion. I call TIME, he's OUT and he's EJECTED HC from 3B box barrels down like Earl Weaver, but I get my Stop sign up before he arrives and he controls himself and is respectful while i explain he neither attempted to slide or avoid contact, so he is an out and an EJ.. All pretty Vanilla, EXCEPT R3 is crying... He has wandered to the gate to go off the field and his mom is there to hug him HC asks me if i could explain to him why he is ejected and i agree. i toss his pitcher a new ball to start warming up for next half inning and head to the gate for a conference with R3, HC, and MOM.. First thing i say is "I'm NOT mad at you.. Noone is MAD... You just did not attempt to slide legally or avoid contact with the catcher, so by rule you are out and ejected. This rule is in Middle School when you start playing MS ball, so it's a good lesson to learn now" Somehow i get out of the "conference" unscathed, and R3 even shook my hand for some unknown reason... man, i do love umpiring the younger guys as much as i love the higher levels, just for different reasons.. May the rest of my EJs this season go so smoothly.. PS, later in the same day, I have the plate for a 13U tourney game, with a "nationally ranked" 13U club which are the VT. During WARMUPS before first pitch top 1, I had to warn their bench and coach and read the riot act for taunting the pitcher of the HT DURING WARMUPS. Somehow, I got out of that game without an EJ.. I had to fill out an EJ report on the website anyways for the earlier EJ, so I had no issues doing two..

HS game, bottom of 1st, R3 on 3rd, R1 on 1st, no outs, and its possible the HT will win by a big margin (undefeated vs a 2 win team).. Due to rain (what a surprise), we are on a town field that is all turf, with bases that are NOT anchored.. Steal of 2nd to get a throw to second for a possible steal of home, i am in B.. Throw goes down, F4 alertly steps up a few steps receives the ball and guns it to third to try to get R3 diving back. as the ball is caught, R3 is heads-first sliding back to 3rd, reaches out, and I can clearly see from my angle now about two steps toward 3rd from high end of the working area that his fingers pop the base an instant before the tag is applied to his arm - bag moves, then the tag.. bang bang.. bag jumps about 3-4 inches, so i did realize that, in real time, if your eyes go from tag to hand, it looks like he didn't reach the base yet... i safe him, call time immediately, and ask for the 3rd base coach to fix the bag position.. The Defensive dugout on first base side are moaning and groaning.. DHC asks for time and asks to come out to me, I grant it.. He says something like "come on Bobby, we aren't lasting long if we can't get these obvious ones, he was obviously short on the slide, were you blocked out or something?". We are standing basically where i called it from, and I explained to him that the fingers popped the base back, and that, although the loose base created bad optics, i had it all the way and the base moved from him hitting it before the tag got down. he said Ok and walked back so i think he may have bought it, but i won't know for sure until ratings are published i guess.. Thanks loose bases...

Maybe we will adapt.. We will be sitting in an environmentally controlled computer/video room, maybe working from home remotely, observing with the camera and laser systems, and remotely entering our calls on a screen by buttons. Of course, if the strike/ball computer locks up, or the fair/foul laser becomes un-calibrated, or a camera goes down, we would have to be certified to be the onsite technician to get them up and running ASAP.. maybe for being the technician/play reviewer/replay official, we get 200 bucks a game, or maybe 75-100/hr.. A bargain for a technician that is on immediate call for onsite repairs.. We could even do multiple games at the same time if we are working remotely, with a slight delay on judgement calls like tag-no tag, safe-out calls, for a slight discount on the rates.. We will be rich!! Of course our equipment purchases become computers, screens, tools, maybe digital multimeters, and lots of coffee... Not as cool as the latest japanese throat guard... Another plus, if the "system" or one of our judgement calls is getting business from the parents behind the backstop, we just press our mute button.. Also if a coach starts arguing about a rule, we display on his Heads-Up-Display Oakleys the rulebook citation..Of course he would actually have to take the Oakleys off the top of his cap and don them to see the HUD...

Another option to the F3, I think, is the ZR0-G steel. I use them with TW pads. I have an all-black setup that is sharp looking - looks almost like a Nike if Nike had black frames. i know you said in your original post that you don't like TWs, BUT: 1) they are lightweight 2) they are washable, so are great when it gets warm - washing machine, then air-dry 3) They are designed to disburse the force. Combined with the steel frames that give, those dead-on shots have been a non-factor for me for a couple of years now. And my setups are under 16 oz. I like the setup so much that come Memorial Day here on Long Island (HS ball complete and warmer weather in) I normally use/rotate three mask setups: All ZR0-G frames: Black frame/ black TWs, Silver frame/black TWs, and Charcoal frame/tan TWs..

I like Matt's original post.. Prioritize the fair/foul, then catch/no catch, then tag ups/touches. Take your sweet time IMO... You can get a few more steps closer, and had he dropped the ball he would be retrieving it, popping up, and aiming before hauling it to home or another base, so you will have time to get back for any plays and react.. On the "show me" comment, in a HS Varsity game last year, I was BU, 2 outs with R1, routine attempted steal of second on a poor (thick dirt, dry, big dust storms on slide plays) infield. Throw was accurate and beat the runner by a mile. 2B catches ball cleanly, steps off 2B towards the head-first sliding runner to lay a tag on his backside a ways off the bag. BIG dust cloud, I wait... Guys are jogging off, 2B is two steps jogging off, I tell him to show me the ball, he displays his glove closed up, tucks it under his armpit and continues jogging... I stand up to give the out hammer, but luckily look over once more at the prone runner, and see a ball half buried in dirt between his legs.. I stop myself half into my hammer, step closer, and sure enough its a ball! I stand high again and start signalling "Safe! Safe! Balls on the ground!" I turn around to the 2B, who is circling back with a big grin on his face.. You almost got me number one-four!!

You just beat me to the post! What MUDISFUN said!!

The first attempt to put out the runner was the throw that stayed in play off the fence. If that went out of play by itself, then the BR gets second, and all others are two bases from TOP. Once a second play was made on the ball in live territory, and booted out, the BR gets two bases from the time it was booted. Since he had previously acquired 1B, he gets awarded to 3rd..

I'm happy with the Out West Plate Coat I have.. High Quality IMHO - I wear suits often for my "real" job.. The pockets are perfect size also.. 3 buttons, so you can do the one button deal at various heights to get the correct look with your CP (I use the middle button with my XV)..

A couple of us were just talking this up the other day! I agree, they should start introducing and prototyping the robo-ump at 9U-11U (pre-middle school).. The kids, who are used to computers making gaming decisions via video games, would not only adapt to it quickly and easily, but also be less stressed about it at the plate than having some (in my case) 6 foot 3 giant black-outfitted grown-up, who is getting yelled at by all the daddy-ball coaches and half-drunk moms, standing there judging him/her for every pitch. They would also find all the "back-door cheats" in the system faster than even a pro player!. For instance can you lob a Giant EUPHESS pitch in that crosses the 3-D plate of the computer and calls a strike going practically north-south? well, an 11 year old would find out very quickly! Can you create a new "scrunched up" stance that tricks the computer into giving you a six inch height for your strike zone ? A ten year old would be flexible and smart enough to experiment!

Sorry to hear about Jonathan's hard decision, but everyone has their limits, and you can't let caustic negative people lower your life quality. Enough is enough, and you know when you've had enough. Hopefully you are able to follow your Pastor passion more, and instead of it being a murder, it turns into just a (hard) push into another direction for you.. Everybody who officiates has stories like these, I imagine. Someone once told me that 90% of all people are good, positive people.. 10% are A-holes.. Unless you are in a very rural area with less than 10 people, you are going to encounter them every day, so deviate from the Aholes and spend your time and energy on the good people... With that, that's where you probably had gotten your enjoyment of officiating: you as an official are legitimately helping those "good" kids and coaches and parents be able to take their competition to the highest level they can. If they take the officials out, or only have officials that can be harassed, cajoled and intimidated into subjective calls, the level of play and competition degrades. So most of us work and train hard to be the most consistent, timely, rules saavy and in-position official we can be to help up the quality of the game for the "good kids". Problem is, sounds like it got way unbalanced for you, where the Aholes were taking over and degrading the whole thing to the point it was affecting you not only on the the field but off the field as well. Well, they made their own bed, and pooped in it then. By chasing away you and I'm sure other good guys and gals, they will degrade their game to the point that none of their "superstar' kids will go anywhere with the game, and may give it up just from the stress those same Aholes probably dump on their own kids.. As for the level of nonsense changing throughout the years, I think it was always there, at about the same frequency. The only big difference is with technology, Aholes and bullies have many more resources and power to attack and belittle more good people faster and in front of larger audiences...