Aging_Arbiter

Remember the bad news Bears remake when Buttermaker was always drinking around/on the field?? Yeah, that's a good reason........

I think @acpar72 might have had one of these at some point. Not sure if he still does............

I have ZERO issue with giving a coach a few moments (as I am in front of and between) to realize this "teachable moment". As mentioned, coach better be already engaged (or on the way) by the time I look up for him. You're the coach. COACH your players on how to handle themselves in situations like this. If Coach is hot footing his way out, I may wait to hear what he says. If not and "sitting like a bump on a log", I'll give him some company on the aforementioned log. It doesn't matter to me if there is a fine, or not. Tournament eligibility, regular season wreck ball, etc. This has NO place in youth sports. You handle it immediately, or I will.

The BEST is when you hear that after the 1st pitch! Gotta love those guys that make you laugh!

Well, that's just asking for another nightmare. I finally found a woman to put up with my SH..........antics. I don't need to ruin that.

Happily Married. Well, SWMBO is Happy.......and I'm Married.

The only "better" feeling in youth baseball..............is when the PLAYERS say that.

........................what? No "50 shades of Grey" remarks??? (Yes, SWMBO made me watch it with her one evening). Did I mention I really don't like this stay at home mess?

I'm in! Time to hit social media with a peaceful protest. Join in with me.............Come on guys.........you know the words!! Heather Grey - Go Away......Heather Grey - Go Away......Heather Grey - Go Away......Heather Grey - Go Away......Heather Grey - Go Away......Heather Grey - Go Away......Heather Grey - Go Away......

I'd really like to see TW come out with pads for my F3........

Do you remember that scene from Benchwarmers................when they taped Clark's hands to the bat???

Had a recent championship (local league) game that was delayed 2.5 hours because of lightning. I was sitting with the crew resetting the "wait 30 minutes" clock after each sign of lightning. SWMBO was working concession and called my phone about 2 hours into it. I could tell I was on speaker. She asked how much longer it was going to be, as the parents were getting upset. My response was: "I'm sure that the umpires will allow play to continue once they determine it is safe to do so. Unlike some parents, they are taking precautions to NOT get their children killed!" .................the background noise went silent upon my response.

oh.......so NOT like this??

So our local LL is running a Covid shortened "local" season. Last night, I had the plate for the last (minor's 8-9-10) semi-final. Win.......or go home. VT Manager is a "competitive" dad, living vicariously through his 10 y/o son. Yes, you know the type I am referring to. Anyway, (now keep in mind I said 8-9-10 y/o) VT Manager coaching 3rd, giving signals to the batter EVERY PITCH. NO runners on, but we've got signals. When runners are on base, there are MORE signals. Now I'm thinking to myself, If I were coaching this age, I'd have 2 signals. POINT TO BATTER AND SAY - Hit the ball. POINT TO RUNNER AN SAY- run! This goes on to the point where it starts to delay (by the slightest amount....EVERY BATTER) the game, and I start with, "let's go batter, get in the box". Now they kept 1 foot in the box, but took forever to get the signs bring 8-9-10 y/o. I finally walked down to talk to the manager. "Skip (another manager that I knew), I would really appreciate it if you can get your signs in quicker so we cam keep the game moving". To which he replied "Bill, I've got to get signals to them". I understand, but when you delay the game, I'll start calling strikes on your batter(s). Now if you think about this, you want to run up the F1's pitch count. If I start giving him free strikes, that's not helping your cause, right? He understood and started trying to get them in quicker. Later in the game.......say.....the 3rd or 4th time he had runners on 2nd & 3rd (and couldn't get them across), Batter looks at 2 pitches right down the middle. Batter swings at the 3rd one and misses (stranding fellow 8-9-10 y/o players on base). Coach is walking back to 1B dugout and I hear "GUYS!! YOU HAVE TO EXPECT THAT CURVE BALL WITH 2 STRIKES". I didn't have the heart to tell him that at this age, what he calls a curve ball, the rest of us call gravity.

...............or.....................they moved.

Try umpiring a wiffle ball game! Now THAT's a curve ball. Then..........when you get back to real baseball, it won't be near as difficult!

I've been in with the same LL & district for 21 years. You get to know people. As @LRZ and @aaluck mentioned, it's youth baseball. I have coaches that brought their kids through the program, developed friendships, etc. Now they are bringing their GRANDCHILDREN through. Does that mean I need to stop umpiring in my home town? Parents, you don't know me from Adam...............but if I miss a few calls today, little Johnny's college scholarship or draft pick will not be impacted.

it's ok @wolfe_man.......we meant what you knew.

GONE!!!! Then there is NO WAY he can get a warning for anything else and drag it out. See @wolfe_man's post

Did he just call me old? ok, for those of us who ARE Antique-y..........remember when MAG (short for Magnesium) wheels were popular? They were the next best thing to put on your car in HS!! They were still popular when I was in HS. It's because they were lighter!!

.................to me, he changed from a 2 seam fast ball grip, to a curve ball ( or whatever). I've got nothing in my game.

MSU rule set?

on a serious note, there are 2 good examples above. He is probably more stringent on them.....if ANYTHING. on a lighter note, now you have a POC for your pitchers to improve their game.

Sunday, I was working a (local boys) 11U scrimmage for a coach friend of mine. Ball hit to infield, overthrow at 1B, runner runs through the bag and turns to the left (exactly what you are thinking) and returns to the bag. Coach yelling "tag him, tag him!", ....and I made the safe call. Coach (not demeaning, just trying to communicate) yell out, he turned to the left!! I replied, "you're right!" Coach asked for time to make a pitching change. While at the mound, he asked me about the call. I told him that he will not find it in any rule book that the runner MUST turn to the right. If the umpire adjudges that the runner made "a move" to 2B, then he would be liable to be put out. He asked me what constitutes "a move". To which I replied "you will know it when you see it". Fast forward to last night. His son playing in a local rec ball game. I'm in C, his son gets a base hit, overran 1B, ball was overthrown and he "made a move" to 2B before Dad tells him to get back on the bag. As soon as I saw this, I looked at him (1B coach) and as soon as I did, he says "I recognize it now!". We both had a good chuckle about it and carried on with the game.

I had always heard it as "peace, through superior firepower". LAUNCH the coaches, let the kids play.