nolanadair

Keeping that type of journal is totally ok. This guys journal is just weird. I like your idea for that type of journal, but in Little League, we don't get paid.

I understand what you are saying. We all like strikes, but at Western Region when i was a student they taught us not to do that. So I am not going to go down to my base umpire when he is in A or B with a left handed batter or C/D (3 man crew for the D part) with a right handed batter. I understand that as umpires we want strikes and outs. In my eight years of umpiring I have seen too many umpires doing what I stated I don't do above. Too many times the umpires say they went when clearly everyone in the park realizes that the batter did not go. Thank you your input.

I don't warn them about sniper fire or anything like that at the plate meeting, but our local league UIC tells us to tell the managers at the plate meeting that we only want to be dealing with the managers. I don't always say this because if a coach comes out calmly to ask me a question, then I am most likely going to answer it. Thank you for all your comments.

I don't think that the plate umpire should appeal to the base umpire if he is in A or B if it is a left handed batter. If I did not see him cross the plate with his bat, then I will make the bet that my base guy did not see it either.

In our league, we are onyl supposed to be dealing with the managers at the palte meeting. Of course I will answer a question if a coach has one, but I am not going to constantly hear a coach making comments about my calls (sniper fire from the dugout).

I was doing a sectional game up in Anaheim and the TD kept the line up card. The home plate umpire did not even get a copy of the line up card. Also, the coaches had to submit their changes by writing the change on a 3 by 5 form and giving it to the umpire.

The reason i do not like the score keeper keeping the only line up card is because even though they are usually honest and trustworthy parents, you never know if they hold a grudge against the other team and will try to cheat in some way. I always keep a line up card. It is mandatory in our district for managers to give the umpires line up cards at the beginning of each game.

There is nothing you can really do to protect yourself in that area. Even when you are catching, catchers are still exposed in the upper leg area. Those hex pad shorts are not going to stop a bruise from forming when you get nailed by an 80 mph fastball right in the thigh.

Since I am only 16, I do not have my liscense. Therefore, I usually will put my equipment bag right behind home plate, which is the snack bar warehouse (sort of). If I had a car I would leave my equipment bag there.

If you can hear the National Anthem playing and you are at a stopping point (in between batters, inning change, etc), then I would stop and observe the tradition that goes along with our country. It is not disrespectful if you do not do it because it is not on your field, but it is a common courtesy that should be observed whenever possible.

The Jim Evans balk video is on of the best Balk videos and has helped me tremendously in realizing what is and what is not a balk.

thanks a bunch. I will try that.

I know an umpire who keeps a journal about spectators. Here is what he does: He keeps this little journal in his back pocket where everyone can see it. Let's say that he made a bad call and a parent sitting in a chair on the home team side start telling the umpire it was a bad call and so on. He will then (either after that half inning or after the batter) take out his journal and write what the parent said and all the details about the fan (where they are sitting, wearing,etc.). I find this very weird. The reason I know he does this is because I have seen his journal because I asked him what it is and someone told me about before I knew the guy. The guy has been banned from our league for his actions: 1. rubbing a brand new helmet in the dirt because he said the kid (the kid was in AA) would look more like a ball player with his helmet all dirty. 2. He would only do plate for the same team in AA. He wanted the league UIC to recommend him for tournament play within the district, but the UIC said that he must work higher level games to be recommended to the district UIC. The umpire then refused. These are not the only things, but these two things contributed to the whole situation fueling up. What are your reactions and opinions about the whole notebook/journal thing?

While that seems that a great idea, I just don't see myself doing that every single game. I think that I would be too tired after some games and would forget other games. But after looking at some of the posts to this thread, I think that I will try keeping a journal.

I agree with the previous poster. In baseball the home run would count. I don't know about softball rules, but the home run should count because the players did not assist the runner in touching the bases.

Before the plate meeting, I saw MANAGERS to the plate please. At the beginning of the plate meeting I ask if both the adults at the plate meeting are the managers of their team. Then I tell them that I will only be dealing with them throughout the game. I don't want to hear any arguments from your coaches or players. They usually say OK and we move on.

I plan to go to Jim Evans after I get out of high school (2011) or after I go to college. I am leaning towards going after college because if I do not make it as an umpire, then I need something to fall back on.

wow. how can an umpire not know that hands are not part of the bat. Obviously, the umpire has never read any baseball myths, such as tie goes to the runner, hands are part of the bat, etc.

If there are any umpires that live in Southern California please message me or reply to this thread. I might have some umpiring slots for people in the future or as early as this weekend.

I carry my rule book in my equipment bag that I bring to the field every time.

I think that this story is hilarious.

Another one of my pet peeves is when catchers hold their glove where the pitch was even after I called the pitch a ball. I will tell them they need to get the ball back to the pitcher, because in a way it is showing up the umpire.

The home plate umpire did not even call foul ball right away on the first one. The second base umpire called it first. I believe that both of the balls were foul. I am not saying we need replay, but I think that these calls should at least open the discussion of replay. The home plate umpire missed both of those calls.

I am very glad that I joined this forum. One of my best friends is also on the forum (frenchblue). We are both young umpires who have at least 5 years experience (he has 5 and I have 8). I love responding to posts/questions that people have. i also posted a review about the Western Region Junior Umpire School. I love this forum and will stay on this for a long time.

I treat every game as if it is my last. I always try and give the same entusiasm for the first pitch as the last pitch. You just have to treat the game as any other game you would do. Don't change anything that you have done before. Obviously you have done many things right to be in the position that you are. Congratulations and I hope you succeed.