SeeingEyeDog

I would also add that there is a consideration for "The Batter's Eye"...and for that matter, The Umpire's Eye and The Catcher's Eye, too. If there is a reflection or distraction by said camera then the umpire can order that it be removed or relocated. I have had this occur with still photographers taking photos from behind the fence in CF but, they chose an angle that was causing problems for those at the plate and they were re-located. ~Dawg

I also find it helpful to give a waiving motion mechanic while I am also telling the batter, "Please keep one foot in the box...". Most coaches will see the waiving motion and know that a directed strike is the next step so, they will back you up with some form of, "Jimmy! Keep one foot in the box or the ump's going to call the next pitch a strike! Let's go!" ~Dawg

I wonder...how or if conduct of players, coaches, parent spectators...or even umpires might change when an umpire walks onto the field wearing a body cam. Would be an interesting behavioral study... ~Dawg

Thank you very much for sharing this. Ever since you pivoted to this new screen name I have spent way too much time considering the possibilities of why you made this change. Sometimes, the most obvious answer IS...the answer. ~Dawg

My thinking is...if you are telling me as an umpire that you want this (or anything else for that matter...) called because they specifically cited and I quote, "...this is a safety issue." and you and your fellow umpires are learning coaches and players during pre-season scrimmages on this and F2 (or any other fielder...) CREATES the unsafe situation anyway, throws AND hits the B-R? Then in my opinion we have malicious contact/conduct and by rule...an ejection. IF...that's what we have. Does it matter what the fielder "meant" to do? We're not mind readers. If they've been told not to do something because it's unsafe and they do it anyway...then how do we expect them to learn if there are no consequences? This is the side of umpiring a baseball game and enforcing the rules that people around the game EXCEPT the umpires just do not understand. Nearly every rule, nearly every rule interpretation has a cascading effect. We're trying to solve X and we then create Y and Z. Those instituting rules changes and rule interpretation changes do not always see the possible cascades. Umpires do. Reasonable adults who are caretakers of The Game...state officials, ADs, UICs, Coaches, Umpires and Parents can all agree we want a measure of safety. How much is enough? How much is too much? ~Dawg

So, under this interpretation...if F2 actually releases a throw WHILE on the same side of the baseline as the B-R AND hits B-R, is that also an automatic malicious contact call? Or is that part of it still up for judgement? ~Dawg

Yeah, I have had a few instances where I just grabbed the AD and told them to tell the folks in the box to stop displaying the count because it's disrupting the flow of the game... ~Dawg

@The Man in Blue, you indicated above that you are "not a fan of interacting with bookkeepers as a regular practice"... If you and your crew have lost the count or there is a dispute regarding the count, would you engage the home bookkeeper on that? I understand that "not being a fan" of something is not the same as "not doing" that same something. Also, for anyone...how do you guys handle a game with a scoreboard where the operator is not displaying the correct count? I will give the count with my sonic boom bellow with the appropriate finger-age and move on. I do not stop the game to make sure the scoreboard displayed count is correct...I'd still be out there finishing my games here in January...thoughts, brothers? ~Dawg

They won't (and I suppose can't) make you any guarantees about how many games you "will" work. There's just too many variables. I worked 15 games in my week clearing $975 before my travel expenses which were fairly minimal as I drove. I did take a few meals off-campus both to mentally reset and also to avoid financially feeding the beast. There's everything from fast food to fine dining within 15 minutes of the complex. According to this year's application link they want you to be in shape to do "3 games a day minimum" which is essentially what I did as pool play started Tuesday and went into Wednesday. I did a double in the morning and a double in the afternoon or evening 3 days and then 3 games one day which was also the day I went to the Hall of Fame. Elimination games started Thursday and went into Friday and then the final four was Saturday. There were some D1 umpires and other guys who had reportedly been to pro-school there my week so I didn't work Saturday. 15 games at the 2025 rate of $75 would clear just over $1,100. The big question is always weather. The week before I worked they had hurricane remnants coming through that created havoc with the scheduling. A lot of the umpires who were there that week said it was pretty miserable because in order to complete the tournament, they had games starting at 1:00AM. My week had 74 teams I don't know how many were playing during the hurricane week. Fortunately, there were enough umpires that guys who had the late shift weren't also on dawn patrol for the 6:00AM games. Of the 13 fields, I believe 7 are turf and the BEST part of their operation are the grounds keepers. When the final out is made in a game, they have their personnel and equipment staged just outside the field gates and they are rolling on the field and going to work before the field is even clear so, I'm sure everyone worked hard that week to keep the fields playable. I don't have a deep file on Cooperstown weather but, I suppose it's entirely possible to register, travel there and have the whole week get blown due to conditions. By contrast, my week was quite cromulent weather-wise. I think the highest it ever got was 83 and it was in the high 40s in the evenings. Really nice...some guys brought plate coats and wore them for their early morning games. If you have one, do bring it and wear it if you can. The kids do seem to like that "fire drip"... ~Dawg

2025 CASV Umpire Application Link Greetings brothers, Cooperstown All-Star Village is now accepting applications for the 2025 tournament season. They run 14, one-week tournaments of 12U baseball on the intermediate field at their superb 13 field complex in Oneonta, NY (22 miles south of Cooperstown) beginning in May and running through August. Compensation includes overnight accommodations in basic bunkhouse structures, 3 simple cafeteria-style meals daily, free parking, 2 umpire shirts, 1 windbreaker, 1 cap and 2 ball bags. Also included are a ticket to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and a ring upon completion of the week. Game fees are $75. Participation in their opening day skills competitions is required. I worked there last year and had a most excellent time. It was really beneficial to just be hyper focused on nothing but umpiring, eating and sleeping (and a trip to the Hall of Fame) for the week. I met a lot of great umpires from across the country and it was the times in between the baseball, back at the bunkhouse with our brothers swapping stories that really made the trip for me and solidified what a special place and time CASV is. The experience can be a bit overwhelming at times so, if it's your first time, I would recommend taking along a partner. You can work all your games together or mix in with all the other umpires there. For more information, please visit the link above... ~Dawg

Maybe I am not understanding the context...it's definitely under "Bat Modifications/Alterations" so, are there thumb-protectors that attach to the bat? I just presumed they were referring to those foam donuts batters wear around their thumbs... ~Dawg

What's the beef with "thumb-protectors"? I have this as an alteration to the thumb, not the bat...is there a competitive advantage to wearing a thumb-protector? Does this mean the hand is part of the bat now? So many questions... ~Dawg

Well, it came on New Year's Eve and I am nominating this for post/idea of the year. I conduct some training for my local LL and it's really daunting when there's nothing in place to have to put a program together from scratch. I have watched many of Patrick's free videos and I really enjoy his delivery and knowledge. From a totally new, incoming umpire's perspective Patrick never lords over his audience how good he is or bog things down with war stories. But what I really like about @NavyBlue's post is...making the individual umpire a "partner" in their own training and development with a reimbursement option, rather than just say an association or a league paying for this for a bunch of guys who end up not returning the following year. ~Dawg

I worked with a young guy who had the plate on a turf field and he wore clear Oakley eye shields with no prescription. When I asked him about it he said in a dead serious tone, "The pellets they use on these fields are from recycled tires and are carcinogenic. I don't want those in my eyes." I wasn't sure whether to tighten my tinfoil hat or get bigger frames myself with more coverage as I do wear a prescription but fairly minimalist frames... ~Dawg

Yeah...if pro guys want to make it harder for medical personnel to tell if they're conscious or not, that's their choice. Kids should not be given that option. Hopefully, they will still find a way to be motivated to play without their drip being so slay... ~Dawg