UmpCast_Wes

I wanted to let everyone know that UmpCast is going to be starting off season two on February 10, 2019 at 8:00 PM Central Time on Facebook Live! Join us as we talk about our pre-season preparations, and let us know how you are preparing for the upcoming season. We hope to see you there!

Jason Blackburn will be joining UmpCast this Sunday (Aug. 26) to talk about the Mid-American Umpire Clinic. Jason runs the Mid-American Umpire Clinic and posts on Umpire-Empire as @MidAmUmp. If you've ever wanted more information on the clinic, this will be a good episode to tune in and listen to. We will be broadcasting live on Sunday, August 26 at 8:00 PM Central Time on Facebook Live. You can find our Facebook page HERE.

The topic on UmpCast for our next episode is going to be ejections. We will be focusing on when you should eject, and what to do after you have ejected someone. If you can make it, please join us on Sunday, July 1st at 8:00 PM Central Time on Facebook to join in on the discussion and share your ejection stories with us! We've been looking forward to this episode for a while now and hope you will be able to make it!

Try to give the count before the pitch when the scoreboard is wrong. You may have to do that for a pitch or two until they correct it. If the person controlling the board is behind you, hold up the count above your head where they can see it. As to the play itself, the ball is live and the batter hasn't given up by leaving the dirt circle. I think standing off to the side like you did and waiting is the best thing to do here. Eventually someone is going to take the hint that something isn't right. Hopefully a coach asks "What's the count?" and you can answer "That was strike three." Eventually though, and I caution against this unless it's taken FAR too long, I would call the batter out for failing to attempt to reach first base. I had a play last year where a balk was called and the ball was put in play. F3 came close to touching 1B with the ball but never did, and the batter didn't run. My partner never signaled an out, and I stood a few feet up the first base line with my mask off. No one was moving, and I eventually asked him if he called an out. He said no. That was enough to make a play happen so we could get an outcome and move the game along.

We just found out today that UmpCast was approved to be listed on Spotify! You can now download all of our episodes there, in addition to iTunes, Google Play, Podbean, and our website.

No. After the pitcher has engaged the rubber he has to step to a base before he throws. If he steps off and throws he would be fine (although it would probably be difficult to do without falling over).

From the sound of things it seems like everyone in the place thought you couldn't see the play. Even though you did, I think it would have been a good idea to get together before a call was made. It never hurts to get their input for something like that anyway. Who knows what you may have missed as you fell. That's an instance where I can definitely see a manager getting himself thrown out when you refuse to get help. The call was correct, and now you know how to better "sell" the call next time so maybe there are fewer ejections.

Good point. I had a manager come out last weekend and I was certain he was going to argue that the HBP I had just called should have been a foul ball. Instead he asked me to get help on a check swing.

I am in agreement with @noumpere that it should have been fixed at the plate meeting. Errors like this are why it is so important for us as umpires to actually check the lineups prior to the game, not simply glance at them, fold them up, and then put them away. Most people are anxious to get the game started, and want to cover ground rules as soon as the plate umpire has the lineup cards in his hand. It's worth the extra one minute to check the lineups thoroughly for duplicate names/numbers etc. However, it should have been an easy fix even though it was found after the game had started. #25 was listed twice in the lineup but was playing 2B and was the first batter. That should have meant #44 took his place in the lineup where the pitcher was listed. Neither player should have been ineligible for that error. That said, umpires are human and make mistakes too. Hopefully they looked up the correct ruling when they got back home after the game so they won't make the same mistake twice.

Our upcoming discussion topic on UmpCast for this week is going to be game management. While it's always an important part of officiating, it's an even bigger part of the game when we get to the end of the season and enter playoff time. While the term "game management" can be pretty broad, what sorts of techniques do you use as it relates to trying to de-escalate a discussion with a manager? If we like your answer, we may use it on the show! Join us Sunday, June 24, at 8:00 PM Central Time on Facebook as we discuss this and other game management techniques.

Okay I'll do the shameless plug thing here. UmpCast did an episode over common baseball rules myths in Episode 6. We cover the "base the runner is going to plus one" myth as well as several others. I have to say it's been one of our more popular episodes, and we've been considering doing another episode about rules myths in the future.

I agree with @Gfoley4 on this. It sounds like what you are thinking of is the criteria for a catch from a batted ball. In order for a tag to result in an out, the fielder's release of the ball immediately after the tag must be an intentional, voluntary release. If it is knocked out of the glove by the offensive player (barring any intentional attempt to dislodge the ball), then the runner is safe.

Thank you everyone for your kind words. We are on Podbean, Google Play for Android, and iTunes. You can also listen via our website or on Facebook (links are in my signature). I've seen a few players that have single episodes available, but we directly upload to the places that I listed.

With virtually every tournament game working on a time limit, at some point you almost have to say something as the umpire. I had a similar situation where I just said, "The ball is still live." I wasn't coaching anyone specifically. No one was moving and we needed a play to be made on the BR.

There's nothing against a batter changing his bat during a plate appearance, even if there is nothing wrong with the bat he is using.

That's pretty much what happened. I think it's just one of those casual moments that happens a hundred times and every now and the the batter and the PU get too casual and it happens. I would agree. Most pitchers are good about waiting, but that's not always the case. It's good to see here that the pitcher realized he messed up and apologized for it.

I allow the pitcher to come set and stay that way. However, he cannot pitch until I've put the ball in play. If he starts his motion while my hand is still up, I will verbally call "time" or say "wait" hoping he stops his motion. If he pitches, of course, the pitch won't count. Some pitchers want to push their luck and will start their motion the exact second that I put the ball back into play. In those cases I try to make sure to hold the pitcher up long enough that the batter is ready.

I try not to call time unless the fielders are holding the tag on and the runners aren't getting up. The fielders are holding the ball or keeping the tag on in case the runner gets up and leaves the base in the process. I've had an out from a runner sliding in and getting up with a tag on him, only to come completely off the bag. However, if they insist on holding the tag on and the runner isn't going to get up, I'll tell the fielder "Throw it back. Let's go." If he still holds the tag, I'll repeat myself. That usually does the trick. I've never had a coach get confrontational about it to the level you had, but I think just calling time to let the runner up once he started yelling might have avoided some of the problems. If he complains about you calling time, you can just say "We need to keep the game moving." Technically speaking there is no rule from the fielder holding the tag on the runner all day and the runner refusing to stand up after sliding in. The runner has a play being made on him and is in danger of being put out, and the fielder has a legitimate chance to make an out as the runner stands up. I would be very hesitant to eject anyone, at any level, over this. I can't imagine that report going over very well.

With the umpire calling time it would be nothing (assuming accidental like you said). However, if we remove the called "Time" from the play as well I would have a ball and the ball would be dead. My reasoning here is that in 5.04(b)(2), if the batter leaves the box after the pitcher has come set, the umpire is supposed to call the pitch. Since the batter was hit while clearly standing outside the box I would say he cannot go to first base, as he has left his "position."

I'll echo what these guys have said about trying to find something to work on, be it for the rest of the game, the inning, or the at bat. Those games aren't easy. Sometimes I start trying to notice things I have no intention of penalizing for or even saying something about, just to keep myself in the game (uniform violations, "nit picky" balks, etc.).

Brandon Barelmann, another host of UmpCast, would be able to help you with this. He has started an association and would know how to go about it. You can email him at hosts@ump-cast.com

Try to find out before the game where the official scorer will be sitting. It helps in case the press box is large at that venue. When you get a sub, wave at the scorer and make sure you have their attention. Then signal the number of subs you have, and point to where they are on the field. If you have more than one sub at a time, show the number of subs and signal "straight up" (F3 subbed for F3, F8 subbed for a new F8) then hold your hands in front of you like you're showing how big of a fish you caught and make a chopping motion. If that doesn't make sense, think of those aircraft control people that guide planes by motioning up and down with the signal cones. Then point to where each fielder is. Try to go in order of where they are subbed in the batting order. If you have two subs coming in that are "flip-flopped" (i.e. new F3 comes in at F8 spot and new F8 comes in at F3 spot, signal the number of subs first, then hold your hands in front of you just like you would with "straight up" except don't move them up and down. "Flip flop" your hand positions so one hand goes over the other and they essentially "change places." @noumpere had a good explanation for that. I feel like mine was terrible lol. But then signal where your subs are. If you have more than one sub or multiple switches, just do the best you can. I've found that scorers/announcers that have been working a long time often announce the changes before I can mark my own lineup card. If you have a substitute batter, I often just look up at the scorer and point to the batter after I mark my lineup card. Again, they'll usually see it and announce the sub before you can point him out. I'm not sure if there is a signal for an elimination of the DH role. For a protest, as @Gfoley4 and @Stk004 said, look at the scorer and draw a backwards "P" for the signal. Weather delay and Suspension of play aren't signaled. If necessary they can be called up to the press box via a phone in the dugout, but those should be pretty self-explanatory when everyone leaves the field.

That's awesome @Typhoon. It's good to hear most importantly that your health is good, but also that you're able to make it back on the field.

Typically when I go to my partner but don't want to ask a question, it's because I know I need to change the call. I've gone up to a partner before and said something to the effect of "I just messed up and need to change that call. Do me a favor and nod your head yes and I'll change it." Usually the guys I work with only do that if they know the umpire they're working with and also know they messed up (or didn't).

No, he wasn't passed. I see why with a left handed batter it could be assumed that he was passed, because he "retreated" to take off his guards. However, to me this is no different than if a right handed batter stays put to take his guards off and the runner scores. When the runner from third legally scores, he is no longer a runner, and thus cannot "pass" anyone.