Jonump

A few random thoughts with no conclusions: I wonder if a partial/half-pay hold would be useful in this situation? You could also have a hold and it "goes hard" a certain time in advance, maybe a day or so. I've had plenty of last minute assignments so there is certainly time to readjust on the assigners part. Arbiter has blocks and firm blocks ( I don't understand that one--override a block on me, firm or not and you are on your own) so you could have holds and firm holds. One is paid perhaps the other adjustable? Maybe do it by level? Games at a certain level or distance are paid on the hold I wonder if a bidding system could work? I wonder if you could arrange it so you could have only so many cancelled holds before the ump gets paid? Like I said, I haven't thought these through, but it feels like some creativity could improve stuff on both ends.

I'd just like to say that as a 3rd year, 57 year old umpire with aspirations to be better, you have been a helpful and inspiring voice on this forum for me since I started and I'm sure thats been true for others. Sounds like you are in a tough stretch and I hope it gets better. But you should know that what you do and share has a really meangingful impact. Thanks.

ejected and suspended for the season, coach ejected, maybe same. If the coach objects to either of that I look forward to the appeal and to having the video played in the hearing

So I posted a question/concern about the temperature range capabilities that Derek was kind enough to provide a thoughtful answer to. Have since used the DX30 in multiple high school games in the (alleged) low 50s with wind chill and took a couple of solid hits to the foam and with no issues. Very happy since it's incredibly comfortable to wear. I kept it inside the truck cab instead of the bed to be sure to keep warm just in case. And of course its in the 40s today. Sheesh.

Machado is a master of the intentional unintentional play. He is uncannily good at anticipating what position will be most disruptive and getting there to mess things up while maintaining deniability. I feel like he is in the middle of these plays regularly. Certainly has been against the sox, and that's leaving aside his very intentional takeout of Pedroia back in the day Still, I don't think I could call interference here...not enough evidence of intent when its plausible he was just going back into the base on the pickoff throw. Master criminal

What I don't see mentioned much is the adaptation period expected and how long it took to equal out in the minors when they were experimenting...I mean, at this point many of the players have more experience with ABS in the minors or on rehabs than the major league umps do. And some of these "misses" may be perfectly accurate pitches under the old rules of "any stich of the basebal over any part of the plate is a srike" as opposed to the new middle of the plate standard and a height formula that DOESN'T HAVE A VISUAL REFERENCE POINT. Some guys leg proportions are different than others, for instance so bottom/top of knee (for instance) may have diffferent results for different guys even though the umpire is calling the same reference point accurately.

The Fed Case book has an example of the batter legally switching during an at-bat: (6.1.1 F under pitching) and concludes an ambidexterous pitcher cannot switch in response. He/she has to wait for the next batter. But the switch by the batter is legal. I vaguely remember another reference but I can't find the cite right now. I mean, if you are going to get one wrong you picked a fairly rare one

This thread and brother beerguy55 made me remember this: It was a JV game I attended as a parent in my first season umpiring. It was certainly informal, one was team mainstream decent the other was from an underesourced program that had lots of new players, many from families where English wasn't spoken at home and where baseball wasn't necessarily a thing. Our coach was younger and the other had been coaching in that school for decades "retiring" from varsity down to JV and now "just helping out". He had a great "been there done that" vibe. This story is from direct observation and our coaches recounting. The umpire was older and obviously infirm, hunched over and walking slowly. Players noticed and were laughing to themselves a bit. He told the coaches he was retiring soon, wasn't physically able to do much, having just got out of the hospital and would have trouble calling the low strike especially and he wouldn't be able to move up the line. He said didn't do many games but he grew up in the neighborhood and knew the program and when the desperate "we have no umpire" call went out he volunteered to do the game. Our coach after the plate meeting said, "guys, the umpire told me he is basically blind. Don't freak." and then told them what he said. I think the other coach did the same. So the set up was somewhere between comic and sad, depending on your mood, and the game started. Pretty raw level of play, terrible zone. Some pretty long distance base calls. And the teams were.... great...simply great about it. There were some shocked looks on some calls, but NO complaints. The coaches occasionally conferred with each other. One coach told the ump "blue I think he got him" on a close play at third against his own player. After the game EVERY SINGLE PLAYER on both teams fist bumped him or shook his hand. It was amazing.

Just a shout out to the forum here and all the members who post constructively. I've been lurking for a while with only the occasional post, and this forum is BY FAR the most helpful of all the social media umpiring sites. 3rd year here and have learned a LOT on the forum and so appreciate the almost always civil tone and friendly expertise. It's rarer than it should be and important to those of us trying to get better. In contrast, I had to stop reading almost all the facebook groups, as the threads constantly devolve into insults, sniping and one upsmanship--not to mention proudly incorrect information. It can be lonely without this site. I think I was 25 or 30 games in before I even saw another umpire, and then it was like pulling teeth to get some of the senior guys to talk to me at all, much less do a pregame or postgame or explain some rationale behind a technique or movement. I've often thought this is the number one problem in attracting and retaining new umpires, not the crowd antics. "Survive the suffering!" is not the best recruiting strategy, perhaps? Around here there is barely any infrastructure for mentoring, monitoring, evaluation, etc. especially if you aren't cut from the good old boys club cloth. And there are plenty of people in the old boys club who may have a lot of years, but mentally froze in place years ago. I've had a few career changes (57), so I knew how to persevere in the face of indifference, but man did I appreciate--and still do appreciate--the significant exceptions, the veteran people who enjoyed helping someone else get better. They are awesome. And lots are on this site

Derek, that helps a great deal thank you. Especially the physical clue of it being flexible and the keeping it warm beforehand. Sounds like flexible= working, stiff=too cold. That's easily testable and reassuring. I think for the coldest weather I'd have it in the warm car, do a long sleeve compression undershirt then a looser fit over the protector, then the shirt/jacket. Sounds like a lot but I think it would work. Again, thank you.

I think your gut is right that it is not the ultimate in professionalism. Fan boy-ing the coach is not cool for the other team. I think you can acknowledge his status, tell him you know of his reputation even using the words above, and you are glad to meet him in person and share the field. shake his hand. I imagine he will respect you much more than if you asked for a picture or autograph. In one you are just acknowledging the elephant in the room. In the other you are asking for a favor.

Hi Derek, New England ump and enthusiastic buyer of your stuff here, including the enduro. Only used once last season in warm weather. Can you speak a little more thoroughly to the temperature issues? We are going to have a fair amount of cold HS games here in April and I didn't realize these have temperature constraints. What would the protective loss be in 40s-50s? How much can body heat mitigate the cold would you say? If it can, how long would you suggest? Thanks!

Yes and lest you get tempted to try the 3N2s I loved them for a while, especially for turf--SO light after the NB mids--and then took a foul ball off the toe in 12U and it hurt A LOT. What the heck? Trying the mizunos this upcoming season and they seem significantly lighter and the ankle protection less 'intrusive' if thats the right word?. The NBs are bulky but reassuringly so.

This site is incredibly valuable and I appreciate it. I voted "yes" it would probably deter me because it feels like a cumbersome mechanism from a user point of view and I generally oppose the proliferation of seemingly unnecessary security. . But I would certainly continue to use it...and appreciate it. Simpler the better, but do what you have to do I suppose. With gratitude.

It looks like they would have been well served to have used the phrase: "as soon as" before the colon instead of "when". That would have preserved the difference between the two (i.e. you only need the pivot food) without introducing the 'accidently' correct answer.