Minnz

There is one key advantage to the HSM mask it is the top and sides of the head being protected by hard plastic. I myself do not wear it I am a traditional mask wearing guy. From my experience as a catcher and I have used both, the mask part if far better on traditional. I feel less rattling and pain using the traditional. When being hit in the mask with the HSM i felt I jolted more and protected me far less. Seems NFHS feels overall the HSM is better since they have the dumb requirement kids must wear the HSM and not a two piece. Talking to many varsity catchers and even some college guys now they often have echoed getting hit in the mask bothers them far less with traditional vs. HSM. Nothing official here but sharing my experiences.

I would suggest if you dislike the white so much...buy a different shoe?

Or don't grant time. Nobody says you have to give him time to give signs from the dugout.Just like when a fielder wants time at the end of the play to get the ball back to the pitcher. I am not giving time for that. Runners are on base and get the ball back to the pitcher and they will not go anywhere. Time is a request we choose to grant. Coach can give signals with the ball being live I say.

If you want to get into semantics it is a RULE BOOK double not a ground rule double. That is why most mechanics books out there say Call "Time" and award two bases. Ground Rule Double I guess is about as accurate as the foul line and foul pole language. He baseball just stands the test of time and some things will never be changed in our daily vernacular.

Because of no training, or no gonads ( excluding you )? Plenty of HS umpires don't call FPSR unless it is a really major out of the way slide. Some say he its baseball and breaking up a double play is part of the game.

Texas has a lot of issues from that article. The fact that the length of a playoff series and location and umpire selection are not all set up mandates by the state is asinine. Does the state sometimes have a 3 games series in one regional and a single in the other? Does the state not assign all umpires com tournament time?

Why give him time? Just because he asks doesn't mean you have to. If ball is live and runner takes off then we have a play. No reason to grant time. Just like when an infielder wants time after a hit ball or something that has runners on base. Screw it kid play on and make sure runners aren't moving.

I think if you hear that easily enough time to go into preventative umpiring. Remind the catcher the batter doesn't have to move. If he says my coach told me, then tell him to tell coach what you said. Coach may then come out and discuss it with you. You then explain to him and he gets it or he gets dumped. Far better to do it then before a player gets hit and both coaches are angry. One his player was hit and hurt the other because you didn't call an out.

What about the fact when he lifts the leg there is a pause, non continuous delivery, that is not normally part of his pitching motion. At that point you balk ti right?

I am hoping one day to patent one that has HC repellent.

Get used to this folks. That is the new way catchers are being taught at some of these academies as well as by their coaches. Runners are becoming better and sending location to the batter so not catchers are being told to not set up early. Especially the teams that use numerical type signals, QB style wristband etc. It calls the entire what and where of pitch and catcher will relay that to pitcher. So 1 may not mean fastball it will mean a certain location etc. Will be interesting to see if this is a fad or long lasting.

I put my chair right behind the catcher. Behind the backstop is too far for my liking. Plus then the catcher really has to move on a wild pitch.

Target spray is a good one. Been using it for as couple years.

One more thing I would ask...will they be insuring you if you work for free. What happens if you get hurt or if a player gets hurt and they sue you for negligence etc. Just have to think of the what ifs.

In addition he never disengages from the pitcher's plate. That back foot remains in contact the whole time which is a no no.

Oh so some states don't allow ups to "pre game?"

I see no use in paying for it. With email on phones it sends you all updates that the paid site would also do. Plus the website on a phone is easy to use without the mobile connected pay for use.

Actually the feed comes from NY, MLB headquarters, but ok. Not according to Joe Torre and his many quotes this week. Hockey they have it all in Toronto and no need for referees to make the call all done by league office. MLB needs to do the same.

Wow... I hear the bus.. a guy makes it pretty far, and miss a few calls on HDTV..and you say he's the worst and should be fired... you ever wonder maybe Angel likes to wear that hat?....who the F*&k cares what kind of hat he is wearing...LOL... worry about something else. Lifes too short to worry about a hat..( well actually a Cap) Oh I am not saying just based on a call he missed the other night. I have found him IMO to be one of the worst umpires year in and year out at the MLB level. I never said I can do it better than him, but there are for sure guys stuck in AAA that could and deserve to. Being a CC though it is like a Supreme Court Justice, you decide when to be done. Just because he is an MLB umpire does that mean I can't say he is sub-par? Also, I think it is amazing, others have pointed this out, we rip on HS or College guys for bad jackets or shirts or hats yet an MLB guy does it and we saw who cares? They got to the highest level, none of us here have, and good for them. Doesn't mean they don't make mistakes or shouldn't be criticized when appropriate as in this case!

All about safety. If everyone can play safe keep playing.

All turf field in New Mexico have signs posted stating "No Seeds Allowed." I think we are up to four of those in the Albuquerque area.

A strike is a strike is a strike. I mean we are told to call where it crosses the plate so the catcher's mitt has nothing to do with it. Strikes=outs=faster games. Or something like that.

Umpires have all feeds available now at MLB level. They get both teams' TVs as well as in stadium. That came from the mouth of an MLB official as he was speaking at a state clinic last summer. Umps blew this bad. Not a shock since Angel is a disgrace to MLB umpire quality.

So if you can't do seeds you just take out the dip can right?

Maybe he is just proving to us all he should be fired and is one of the worst umpires in MLB. Still amazed they allow this guy to be a CC.