wolfe_man

You may be right, but I truly feel this is one he would like to have back. It smacks of over-reaction from a young umpire trying to get to the next level. An old, confident veteran might laugh that one off with JT, but he (no doubt desiring to show his poise and confidence in all situations) decided to show that no one is going to make him look foolish. We'll probably never know the full spin on what happened, but if words were spoken then I'd watch for a video from JomBoy. He's a good lip-reader and can tell you if anyone said anything or not.

Thanks Chris. This stuff is good to know. I really hate the expandable waist system in the Smitty pants. It's a tug of war every plate game. I get in my stance and they slide down in the front, so when I stand up I'm adjusting my waistband/belt in the front every pitch. I've got to find a better way. Fitted pants are best, but with weight loss (especially in the waist) during the early season I don't think there's an easy fix using one singular pair of pants, so I am going to try another brand with a better expansion system.

On the surface, this just looks like an angry umpire upset that F2 moved his glove late and caused him to bounce one in the dirt. It looks like he thinks F2 was showing him up and making him look bad (on the throw). Perhaps something was said, perhaps it's about the pitch clock violation, perhaps... It's not a good look, no matter what the details are. The optics of this one are almost as bad as the umpire calling the FU 3K on that batter a few weeks ago to make his point. This can't happen in today's game, especially at that level.

Public Service Announcement Hurry, while you can, get New Balance field umpire shoes until stock is sold out again. Both PO and UA got in shipments of New Balance field shoes today. UA only has them in black for most sizes, but PO got B&W's also. I wear an 11 and UA has well over 100 available in D, 70+ in EE and 50+ in 4E for example (black only). I was able to buy a pair 11 D's in black & white from PO - and I've been looking for a pair since January. Don't delay - get them while you can. This is a friendly PSA. I have no skin in the game other than wanting to help my friends out.

I find no fault in how you handled it my friend. Some situations require different, more precise handling. Should we be consistent in our punishment and accurate with our calls at all times? Yes, but different coaches may require different volumes. Different situations, no matter how similar they may appear, may require different approaches and remedies. If you have kids, then you know that each is different. They may ask the same question, but in reality are looking for entirely different answers. This is why a good rules guy may not be the best umpire. They know the rules, but its the personal part (coaches & players) of the game that may avoid them. It's what we always hear, what makes the really good umpires stand out is... game management. The good ones seem to have a knack of knowing how to respond in every situation. They can avoid the minefields and are prepared for the coach's objections before he even opens his mouth. That said, they don't cut him off, but really listen to what he is saying/asking and make sense when they reply. Again, I have no trouble with your response here. Perhaps some will, but I don't think anyone would say you mishandled it. We all desire to learn and do better, which is why we keep coming on here and learning from our peers. The only time we fail is when we think we know it all and start being "that guy" on the field that no coach, no player, no fan - and no partner wants. Until then, we keep on doing games and learning how to do things better, how to say things better, how to be more approachable and yet stern when needed. It's also important, but challenging, to learn when we shouldn't say anything. These all come from time and experience - and experience, as they say, can be a painful teacher sometimes.

I've got you covered brother!

Because they're coaches! 🤣 But seriously, I don't try to figure them out - may as well go bang your head on a wall. It'll do you as much good as trying to figure out what a coach is thinking. And I would have probably answered him too, but I know a few guys who would have warned him not to come back out without requesting time first.

I work HS, Legion, some Babe Ruth (preferably 15U and up because lower levels are mostly bad) and travel ball with a catch. I only work 15U-18U travel ball, nothing below that where you have to deal with crazy parents and coaches. In my area, I have found the Prep Baseball Report (PBR), Worthington Wood Bat and the Buckeye Elite tournaments in Ohio are really good and bring teams in from several states around plus Canada. I've had an EJ on a player, but never a major issue with a coach or fan yet. It's normally good baseball, $65-70 per game and I can work multiple games per day all within less than an hour's drive (sometimes as close as 10 minutes away). For me, the issue becomes a danger of over-heating physically due to the sun & humidity more so than a danger of over-heating from stupid comments from ignorant people. But with the increased cost of everything umpire-related, I would like to see them keep giving us an increase annually, even if only a small increase versus waiting 5+ years for the next one. In OH, we have gone from an average of $50 per game to $60+ per game for summer ball. HS Varsity is up to $69 while JV and Freshmen are $60 this year (was $55 V, $42 JV and $40 F). Most of the tournaments I'm seeing are offering at least $65 for this summer. I got $70 a few times last year if I had to drive more than 30 miles, the assignor threw me some gas money which was nice of him. And one of the assignors that I know who is looking for guys for tourneys this summer has already offered hotel stays for those in need. So, I guess it all depends on the area and how badly they want/need the good umpires.

Welcome aboard and best of luck!

@Thunderheads lock it up please. Thank you.

@Thunderheads lock it up please. Sold the Gold instead. I didn't want to take a chance and tear it up. It was too nice and deserved a better life with someone using it.

Wow! The regular LUCs are up to $39.99 now? This makes it a no-brainer then to spend the extra $5 and get the safer MAG LUCs with the plastic plate insert and larger jaw profile.

Thanks. I'm trying to modify a TW Gold that a previous owner cut the wings off of for some reason. I'm an XL, 46R jacket and need that coverage!

Thanks. I'm trying to modify a TW Gold that some previous owner cut the wings off of for some reason. I'm an XL, 46R jacket and need that coverage!

I'm looking to buy a set of Adams/Schutt CP "wings" that someone didn't need or want on their CP. Below is a pic of what I'm looking for. If you have any available, then please let me know. Thank you.

Oh, I agree. If a kid bails on a good curve ball and ducks or leaves the box and the pitch is close, it's a strike.

It makes me feel better if I can think that I allowed them to leave. 😇 But you're not wrong, their behavior has made the decision that they are unable to continue in this contest any further.

I think you may be right about Tumpane. After re-watching, it does appear to be a MAG.

If he had pushed or said one more thing, it would have been restricted to dugout for him. The warning for us in OH is written, there really is not such a thing in OH as a verbal warning. You get warned, restricted and then ejected - unless you do something really bad and blow through all three at the same time. I average about an EJ a year, although I gave two last year (one HS, one travel).

No, those are the basic ones. We're talking about the MAG LUC pads. They have a plastic blast plate in the chin pad to help soften impacts and to greater disperse the effects felt. They're also more comfortable and cover more of your jawline. You can buy here (Pads are $44.99 each and Free shipping starts at $99): https://all-starsports.com/collections/helmet-parts/products/fm4000-magnesium-replacement-pads Or here (Pads are $59.99 each and Free shipping starts at $129) https://www.ump-attire.com/Baseball-Umpire-Equipment/Gear-Footwear/Replacement-Mask-Pads-Straps/?page=1&perpage=36&cat=37&orderby=price desc&brand=&search=

Agree. If I remember correctly, it's the ozone in our breath that causes the pads to break down and become unsafe. If they were sealed, I'd guess would be fine. Do we honestly believe the manufacturer's are only sending us pads that they just produced this year? If we do think that, then what do they do with their new, unused & unsold pads if they go bad after a year or two in storage?

Here's Guccione from Miami (PR vs DR) Also a FM4K Steel with his trademark TG strapped on.

Here's Tumpane from Miami (USA vs Cuba) a couple nights ago. It's the steel model too. Notice how skinny the bar is for his eye socket. Cuba's catcher is wearing a Mizuno Titanium mask.

Gucc had a steel FM4K on in Miami the other night. It really caught me because he's had a MAG for a long time now.

Ding-ding! We have a winner. LS on plate (layer up when cold). It looks so much better and it even "feels" better in all honestly. A jacket just never felt right and gets in the way of reaching into ball bags, pockets, etc.