Finnblue

Have I told similar story in here, too? Same thing happened to me. I was standing by the foul line almost as far from second base as the PU. I looked at him, standing there with his mask on, making no move. So I simply spread my arms and called the runner safe. The OC didn't complain to me at all, but he started riding my partner - obviously he knew who should have been at second base making that call. Ca five minutes later my partner tossed him out... For some reason I had no sympathy towards the PU.

You also look like a ski jumper coming down the hill... MS

There has been some changes here in Finland: City of Helsinki built a new multi-sport indoor facility that has full sized soccer field. Half of the time it is for soccer but "marginal" sports got also some turns in it, too. Baseball can be practiced there twice a week. City also installed permanent batting tunnel in there. The problem with the field is the high quality astroturf; we train all winter there and spring brings us back on dirt... some change. But we are working on our first baseball diamond to Helsinki, too. Pictures can be seen in my albums, I shall add more after Christmas.

That's not a foul-line there but out-of-play-line far enough not to be scared by foul balls. And dug-outs are movable, used usually at soccer fields. It's still a baseball game we are playing. Kinda...

At least you can play hockey on ice in Miami, too. Baseball is played on all dirt fields here...

Season's Greetings from the country of Santa Claus!

Thanks. I shall add couple of books after getting back home from work. MS

The human eye is a funny organ. It has a tendency to check what is that thing that is moving. So if the batter triest to concentrate on the white ball that is leaving F1's hand and right behind it another white object is moving rapidly so some other direction. I'd find that a bit distacting. But this situation is one of those HTBT ones. MS

Greetings from Switzerland. I had the honor of being the Finnish delegate at the meeting of the International Baseball Federation. The new executive comitee was chosen and some best people were awarded, including the Umpire of the Year: "Umpire – Paul Hyham ( Australia) Hyham is an excellent international umpire with outstanding performances at international competitions. Tournaments he has worked include the IBAF 2007 Asian Olympic Qualification/Asian Championship, the 2008 Final Olympic Qualification Tournament, the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the 2009 World Baseball Classic" More about the meeting: www.ibaf.org MS

Mound = rubber? MS

BTDT Bronco game, final of the tournament, game tied, bottom of the last inning, two outs, R3. Wild pitch, R3 comes home but misses the plate. Everyone in their dugout celebrating, catcher coming back to the plate and appeals... two extra innings before home team finally wins it (again). We talked much about the mechanics after the game (this hasn't happened to anyone of us before). By not giving any sign - nor calling the game - PU is telling everyone that something is missing. If PU signs "safe" he may give an impression that the runner touched the plate. MS

Sorry, I just wrote it wrong way. Of course I promptly yelled "TIME", then awarded R2 home and after that BR second base. Then I taught DC that there's no 1+1 awards. And I didn't stop there starting to wonder if F6's look at the runner was a play, I didn't consider it so, it was only an afterthought in my mind, like a funny play. I'm sorry I ever brought it up. MS

This is a little bit off topic: Here in Finland we have a national sport called Pesäpallo. Few years ago in Finnish Championship league game one runner got hit fatally on his temple by a linedrive. After that all batters, runners and most fielders must wear an official helmet. There are no base coaches nor are the umpires too close to the play to be in danger. MS

Noumpere: My English isn't perfect and also I try to improve my skills as an umpire as much as it is possible from this far corner of Europe. So, please don't patronize me. So far this forum has not been spoiled by arrogance (especially by US umpires) and I wish it will say that way. Here it is good to get some support and help when needed and good conversation with fellow umpires. Let's keep it that way. Your umpiring friend Mika P.S. I have to make this public, because you don't (want?) to receive private messages.

R2, batter hits groundball to F6, who catches it, looks the R2 back to the bag and then promptly throws the ball into the 1st base dugout. I, BU, award BR second and R2 home. And then try to explain DC the ruling, why R2 scored... Where do they get these 1+1 ideas? What came to my mind, is F6's forcefull looking R2 back to the base considered "a play"? The result would have been same anyway, TOT or TOP. MS

So now, if either of the teams miss the situation, they can blame the umpire - as usual...

I worked three years in TX, so I know a little thing of USA, too. I was taught to call strike three and let the players do playing. During that time NO US umpire verbalized "no catch" in this situation. That is not similar call. The ball was hit to F4, not pitched. I try to clear this later (busy at work). MS.

I guess here, I posted it twice. MS

Defence has a little advance in dropped third strike - in most times they notice it before batter does. So if batter leaves the circle and is called out or offencive coaches tell the batter run, the play goes "normally". But it's up to the players and coaches to notice the situation. I think that this is like missed base. I have posted this here earlier, but it's still good to remember what can happen. The PU did great in this: he went to U1 immediately for the check swing, then called it a strike. The rest was up to the teams. MS

I wouldn't say "No catch" at all, just call 3rd strike. "No Catch" would be telling the runner that he can go to first. It's up to both notice the situation, I'm not there to coach. MS

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6947969 That looks painful. How did the ball find the only spot? MS

I did several mid-winter TexMex games there. They kept me alive... One game went smooth: 8½ innings, 9-0 game, 1 hour 48 mins! The PU never took his mask of during the game - nor did he always checked his partner (I had a leak behind the dugout, got back to the field and had to run with the BR to the first base to call him out...) MS

Hey guys, would you please stop that! I'm already too thirsty! MS

I'd go with timing. If the batter manages to leave the circle before the ball goes out of play, I'll call him out.

OK. I lived 3½ years Joshua and Cleburne. MS