BLarson

Good luck with the surgery and speedy recovery.

I don't do a ton of 2-man games...but seems like when I offer my partner plate or base, they always choose base. Doesn't bother me for a single game. But I agree with @SH0102 I try to have a strategy when doing multiple games a day on a Saturday/Sunday. On hot days I try to volunteer to do the plate the first 2-3 games in the morning.

Broken from getting hit by a baseball?

Maybe tell her...you should see the other guy

How long after the fact can we correct an improper ruling? Years ago our team (while I was coaching) had an IFF (called correctly). OBR rules. R1 & R2. 1 out. Batter pops the ball up to the 2nd baseman and umpire called IFF. Batter out for 2nd out. Our defense did not catch the ball...R2 attempts to take 3B. Ball is thrown to F5 beating the runner, but F5 does not tag the runner. Umpire calls R2 out for the 3rd out. Both teams leave the field (with me knowing that's not an out) Pitcher throws his warmups and our batter takes the box when something must have clicked (or the opposing coach was asking them about it) and the umpires made us go back on defense with R3 and R1 and 2 outs. Would there be a difference if a legal pitch have been made after the missed call?

If you, or if you know of other brother umpires, that will be umpiring the USSSA Autism Awareness tournament next weekend (April 9-10) in Glendale AZ at the Peoria Sports Complex please have them/you stop by and say hello. Our Omaha Royals 14U AAA team plays at 9:00am and 11:15 on Saturday April 9th on Padres #4 field. It would be great to meet you and even better if you did our game.

I always thought it was a dumb rule in the grand scheme of things. Here in Omaha we typically play USSSA rules so there's nothing against necklaces/bracelets/whatever. They can play wearing it from 7/8U (heck, earlier I guess) to 14U. Then they CAN'T play while wearing it in H.S Then they can wear it in college and pros?

That would be so awesome to meet in person...not to be weird. When I get game times, I'll update the post.

Kept the Cobalt, returned the Adams. Haven't got to use it yet...have a scrimmage scheduled for Thursday, but high temp will be about 53...so no heat test yet

Just wanted to give a heads up to the Phoenix/Glendale umpires that the team that I volunteer coach with, 14U Omaha Royals, will be coming to play in the Autism Awareness tournament at the Peoria Sports Complex the weekend of April 9th/10th. I was waiting to post this until we got confirmation on where we would be playing due to the MLB lockout. We don't have field or game times assigned yet but hopefully I can meet some of my fellow umpires while I'm there or even get to do one of our games. It's a USSSA tournament and we'll be playing in the 14U AAA division. Our team will most likely be going to the Diamondbacks game on Friday the 8th. If you'll be at the complex that weekend let me know and I'll make sure I come say hello.

I have been wearing an older All Star HSM...just got the 2500 for this year. The padding in the older one is just deteriorating year after year...but it's so comfortable. I find it easy enough to remove with my left hand and do everything I need to do.

I decided on the Cobalt. I really liked both but in the end after adjusting them and trying them on several times, I thought the Cobalt fit me and felt better. Both are a huge upgrade to what I was using. Thanks to everyone on chimed in...much appreciated. I just picked up a scrimmage Thursday night for a 12U team so I'll get to test it out then.

I got both of them...adjusted them and tried them on and both fit well. I do have 1 question...the side straps on the Adams didn't have any triloc/ladderloc to hold the strap in place after I adjusted them...they freely move. I was able to pull them tight and get them clicked into place but it certainly wouldn't hold up during use. I found another thread that I can pick them up separately and some people had Shutt send them ones. I posed a question to Shutt's online "contact us" page on Friday morning but hadn't heard anything back.

I ordered both from Ump-attire...should arrive tomorrow. I evaluate them both and send one back next week.

Thanks...pretty much what I expected to hear from everyone. I might get both from Ump-Attire and try them to see which one I like best.

I've been umpiring youth baseball, mostly USSSA select, ages 7-14...the majority being 10-13 age groups. When I started umpiring almost 9 years ago I didn't know anything about equipment and went to my local sporting good stores and got a Diamond ix3. Their selection wasn't great and I needed one so it's the one I ended up with. It's been very serviceable but during the the hot/muggy Nebraska days and nights it is not breathable at all...especially when doing 3-4 games in a day. On the cooler/colder March/April days it's nice to wear. I'm thinking getting the Cobalt or the Adams XV. I went back and searched this forum for each brand but I'd like to know which one you guys recommend for breathability and ventilation. I assume for the age groups that I do both will offer superior protection. I'm 6 foot and 220lbs if that makes a difference.

We play mostly on non-turf fields...and last year as 13's a lot of tournaments required non-metal cleats on their pitching mounds.

I do youth (8-14) baseball, mostly select and some rec. I see this a handful times a year, mostly the younger ages and/or lower levels of baseball...and mostly with runners on 3rd and 1st. Sometimes with kids new to pitching, they don't know how to make a play on the runner.

Our team (14U USSSA Omaha Royals) is coming from Omaha to Glendale the weekend of April 8-10th. I believe we have a 6 game guarantee. When I get more specifics of the fields/game times I'll post a thread to see if anyone will be picking up games in that tournament...would love to meet some of you guys/gals. The wife and I are coming a days before and staying a day after as a little getaway...we don't have a boy playing on the team...I volunteer coach.

Wow...that's a pricey tournament for a 3 game guarantee. Hopefully some of that money goes to a charity/foundation.

I always figure every call I make 50% of the people there will love it/agree with it and 50% of the people there will hate it/disagree with it.

I do a lot of 9-13 USSSA games. For weekday games, I ask what the coaches want to do about balks. If I don't ask, I'm asked about so I want to make sure everyone's on the same page. Early in the season they want to do 1 warning per pitcher. Typically the older age groups and the upper levels of USSSA ( AAA, MAJORS) want it called straight up more often than not...by the end of the season there's no warnings for anyone. For the lower levels and younger ages where they want warnings I let minor stuff go like twitching or turning their shoulder when looking at first. But they get warnings for not coming to a stop/pause in set position. Not throwing to the base after stepping to the base. I typically don't warn when the start at the mound in windup and the coaches are all yelling to switch to set. This doesn't happen that often but for these groups I bet only 10% actually do it correctly. Some coaches want me to explain why I called a balk so the pitcher knows. I tell the coaches I'll let him know what he did, but it's up to you to teach them what to do OR not do. Our USSSA tournaments are NO warnings.

@mac266 I live in Omaha but I don't do Triple Crown games because they're during the day...plenty of games to do at night, plus I still volunteer coach. The biggest difference between TripleCrown and travel ball around here is that we use OBR/USSSA ruleset while TripleCrown uses Federation so in some cases it can be confusing between the 2. Just curious...was the team complaining from Omaha or not? I've done a lot of youth travel ball games of teams around the Omaha metro over the years...I have yet to see a coach act like this. HOWEVER...I do hear stories of coaches from both travel/rec teams who treat teenage umpires poorly...even in meaningless friendly week night games. Anyways...not sure if you're from Omaha or just coming in to town to help out. We are extremely short on umpires in this area and a tournament had to cancel their 9u and 10u tournament games due to a shortage of umpires.

I typically only use courtesy runners for pitcher/catcher in the following situations: Pitcher/Catcher is slow or bad baserunner and the CR is faster or better baserunner...most times it's a wash and we don't CR. Some pitchers/catchers we would never CR for. If it's extremely hot/humid I will CR for the Pitcher/Catcher to get him out of the sun and get them hydrated.

I drive a Jeep Wrangler 2 door and keep the top off as much I can do in the summer and doors off when we have extended no-rain days. I work from home so I only load what I'm going to use when I leave...I'm also typically less than 15 minutes to the diamond. I do bring a backpack and load whatever food/supplies I need. During long days 3-4 games in a row, I'll bring a chair and cooler but leave it in the Jeep to visit between games as time permits.