Aging_Arbiter

A few years back, I took a bit of "safety logic" and applied it to my pants. Some say that when buying a mask or CP, to spend the extra money for the safety. Well, I did a little research and found that the MiLB guys around here wear Fecheimer pants. Now I figure, if these pants can take the gruling usage/schedule of the MiLB umpires, they have to be good. They cost a little more (around $45), but they've lasted a full 4 seasons HS & LL (including 2 LL regionals and a AAABA national tournament) and STILL going strong. I only bought two more this year (just in case) because of a post season assignement that I received (apparently, they give you a pair of pants when you get there).

Has anyone tried to see if the NB fits into the shock doctor compression shorts? Pocket on these seems a little larger. I just brought two pair of the SD shorts and would be great if it fits.

I gotcha! If its a 9 y/o little fella seeing pitching for the first time and he even squints his eyes (because he knows he going to get hit), in THAT PLAYERS MIND, I believe that he made an attempt to get out of the way. Fast forward a few years...... Same batter on Varsity takes that slow loopy curve ball to the arm w/o moving. Nah, stay here. I haven't seen many varsity players take one for the team, when it was a fast ball to the ribs. You know it when you see it.

I missed the "snappy comeback" part.

As far as being a "1st year", it doesn't matter. You're going to get hit. What you will notice is that you get hit by pitches NOW. When you move up, you get hit with foul balls that are moving much faster and accelerating towards you off of the bat.

May 15 foul tips hit you today!!! No unpire, has ever been hit by a foul tip.

Coach, let's try an experiment. Please hold this bat with both hands. Now drop it. Are your hands lying on the ground with the bat????

If you're one that like to stir things up a bit (and can have a little fun with that HC) HC: Tie goes to the runner, right? Umpire: For you team, or theirs? (as you motion to the opposing dugout) After you get the deer in the headlights look, I'd then explain that the runner must BEAT the trhow, not TIE the throw.

When I had gone home from boot camp on leave.......invincible & bold to the world, I let a wise crack slip towards mom. Now, out of boot, I was 5'10" @ 210lbs. Mom is all of 5'3" 80 lbs. But that hillbilly discipline put me in check right away. It was something along the lines of "son, you're not that old that I won't turn you over my knee". Well, when I responded with "sure thing mom, I'll let you", she couldn't help but laugh.

The parking lot has my truck, all my gear, cooler, snacks, my tunes and a nice comfy chair I bring with me..... Most of the time, I would rather be in the P-lot than anywhere else. I heard a GLM tell another GLM once..."If you haven't seen a half naked umpire, you haven't been to the baseball field much".

I have at times put my indicator in my pocket. This MAKES you keep track of balls/strikes & outs mentally and thus, forces the focus on the game. Trust me, after a half inning (or two), you have negotiated with yourself enough to know that you can now stay in the game if you pull the indicator back out.

Best one I had was at Little League East Regional in 2009. I rang up a 3rd strike on the batter to end the inning. I started to the gate to get a drink and Little Charlie (catcher for New Hampshire) had run up behind me, smacked me on the tail with his glove and says "good call bule!" as he's running to his dugout. This all came about by being cordial and talking with my catchers during warm ups between innings. If the players are having fun, why turn into Shrek, be the big green monster that everyone is afraid of, and take any enjoyment out of the game? Should I have told him to aim for the leg guards the next time up?

During the game (to show you up)......buh bye! Now for the most part, our local little league managers/coaches are pretty cool about things. They may approach us later (in the parking lot), asking if we can show them why we called something the way we did. If they are cordial and not trying to stir stuff up, and actually "appear" to be sincere in their request for knowledge, I have/will show them. If I can enlighten them to read the rule book, I may help the next umpire out by preventing any manager/coach running on the field waving his rulebook. But based on the OP, "coach, if you didn't take the time to read the rulebook, I'm not taking the time during this game".

It's my clown shoes that make me walk funny. Then put your shoes in your jock, tie your cup to your feet & PLAY BALL!

If your cup made you walk funny, would you remove it to do a game? I'm just sayin'...............

I wanted to add another congrats under this topic. Just saw on LL website that Chuck Lantini (NJ) has been selected for LLBBWS this year. I worked with Chuck at SRLL East regional in 2011. Great guy! GOOD LUCK & DON'T S#CK!

As metnioned, try backing up a little. As far as looking for a reason to call them safe, outs get you off the field sooner. Take your time and process the play. Remember, it's nothing until you say it is.

If you need to draw a logical conclusion, "A runner legally aquires a base when....." The book doesn't say "Several runners...... While something may not tell you WHAT IT SAYS........it may tell you WHAT IT DOESN'T SAY.

ditto! We don't eject.......We just confirm their desire to no longer participate in this contest.

Francis?? Don't ever call me Francis! Call me psycho.

I'm against announcing this to coaches. As umpires, this is our decision. What would you have done if you had a 3 pitch, 3 out half inning for both teams? Now it's 5 minutes later, but the game is over? HTBT but, as mentioned in another post, ask about lights at plate meeting. CSFP tells me that the lights go on at the top half to keep it even for both sides.

I think everyone is of the understanding that once it get's personal.............. buh bye. However, I'd like to add another view. The poster mentioned that in AZ, they play year round. Now, I don't live in a desert (anymore), but I can tell you one thing, it get's HOT in the summer. If there is ANY WAY POSSIBLE of cutting this short so as not to allow him to get to the "personal" part of this, I'm cutting it off. I'm keeping him there, sweating his @SS off in the heat, just like I am. NO WAY am I letting them get to the beer fridge at home before I have a chance to get to mine. However, there comes that time when "ya gotta do what ya gotta do".

Do you also call "Strike, right down the middle!" ?? IMHO, Color commentary is meant for the play by play announcers, not the umpires. If its NOT in the strike zone, it was obviously in the BALL zone.

It figures that maineump would make a hockey reference. Next thing you know he'll be telling you about doing one arm push ups with a mascot!!

I used to work Utrip several years ago. Our UIC & TD were very tight and that TD supported the umpires 100%. This in part, I'm sure, came from the understanding that the UIC wouldn't put an umpire on the field that didn't belong there.