Championship State Tournament Game

[Nate]

Hey everyone,

My assigner called me today to tell me I'm working first base at the Championship State Tournament Game for Sandy Kofax (U15). I'm really excited and nervous at the same time. I've never worked a 3-man system before neither have I umpired a game at this age group that was this important. I have the Virtual Umpire Camp by Immersion Media and I've been looking it over. I plan on looking over every night before the game to study.

This is my first year on the high school board, so it's quiet an honor to be chosen to do such an important game. I've emailed both of my other partners to see if they want to practice ahead of time.

Any suggestions?

Nate

Edited July 8, 2009 by Nate

[willv28]

Congratulations!!! Well, practice definitely helps. The biggest thing is knowing your positioning.

The problem lies in not having worked with the people you're going to work with. Best to meet with them as soon as possible before the game to have a meeting to get on the same page.

Great job. We got a pool playoff game this weekend. I hope I get noticed.

[mstaylor]

Remember a couple of basics, anytime there is a man on first, you are in A. Always play off U3 for outfield coverages, if he goes out, you go in. The same with the PU, if he goes to third, you go home. These are very simple coverages but a good starting point.

[Umpire in Chief]

Congratz. Study Study and Study.

Also Communicate, Communicate and Communicate.

I did 1 three man game last year. And honestly did not do that well with the mechanics. I was at first and my partner who this was his first ever three man was at third. We had a veteran college umpire at the dish. My fellow BU and I botched a few of the mechanics, but according to our UIC we still did well because we all communicated extremely well and ultimately we did cover all of our obligations. Just Bass Ackward.

[Nate]

Thanks. Yeah I'm sorta getting it..

Runner on 1st: U1 in A, U3 in C

Runner on 2nd: U1 in B, U3 in D (Third base line)

Runner on 3rd: U1 in A, U3 in D

Runner on 1st and 2nd: U1 in A, U3 in C

Runner on 1st and 3rd: U1 in A U3 in C

Runner on 2nd and 3rd: U1 in B, U3 in D

Does that sound correct? Also it says that base umpires must always go out on all fly balls when on the third or first base line.

[BrianC14]

Hey everyone,

My assigner called me today to tell me I'm working first base at the Championship State Tournament Game for Sandy Kofax (U15). I'm really excited and nervous at the same time. I've never worked a 3-man system before neither have I umpired a game at this age group that was this important. I have the Virtual Umpire Camp by Immersion Media and I've been looking it over. I plan on looking over every night before the game to study.

This is my first year on the high school board, so it's quiet an honor to be chosen to do such an important game. I've emailed both of my other partners to see if they want to practice ahead of time.

Any suggestions?

Nate

You've already done it. Hopefully they'll respond and you'll get some discussions going, AND at the very least, a thorough pre-game meeting to discuss coverages. Three man isn't really that difficult, but it does require some planning. Once you see the rotations in the VUC video, it'll make sense.

Congratulations on the assignment, and good luck.

[BrianC14]

Nate,

One more word of advice: As this is your first 3-man game, and it's apparently coming up soon, I would not seek advice on this topic from message boards. Any advice you get should come from the guys you're working with - that way there's no confusion added. The reason being is that some plays / rotations may be handled differently.

While advice given here and elsewhere may be well intentioned, it may also be wrong for how your association handles it.

Good luck.

[MCLEOD36]

Nate.

I am with Bri on this one. Study the CCA manual and then do a good pregame with your partners. Sometimes one association does it differently then the other and a senior guy can also give you some tips. Once you do your studying, pregame, relax and have fun. You will do fine...

[Umpire in Chief]

Nate,

One more word of advice: As this is your first 3-man game, and it's apparently coming up soon, I would not seek advice on this topic from message boards. Any advice you get should come from the guys you're working with - that way there's no confusion added. The reason being is that some plays / rotations may be handled differently.

While advice given here and elsewhere may be well intentioned, it may also be wrong for how your association handles it.

Good luck.

Nate.

I am with Bri on this one. Study the CCA manual and then do a good pregame with your partners. Sometimes one association does it differently then the other and a senior guy can also give you some tips. Once you do your studying, pregame, relax and have fun. You will do fine...

Bingo!

I'll be doing a 3 man in a few days and have arranged to meet with my partners an extra hour and a half before the game to have a quick practice on the field and talk everything out.

[mstaylor]

While what brian says makes sense, I got the impression he was workig with guys outside his area. If this is true then they may not have anymore idea than he does how to work three man.

All the starting points that you listed are correct. As far as going out, most say go out on everything if you are on the wing. If you are inside, there are times you can go out but that gets complicated and I wouldn't do it the first time out.

After you talk to your partners, you will know better what they know and how much help or hinderance we will be. If none of the three know the rotations then we can help you through the CCA mechanics so you will be the expert.

[Nate]

Actually I've worked with the other guys before during the high school season. The plate umpire umped second base during the state D-1 high school final. And the third base umpire is a regular for the high school post season.. So I've been working with seasoned members of my board. I'm very excited.

[Nate]

Game is tomorrow night. I am excited! :home:

[moblue]

Good luck; and don't forget to have fun!

[willv28]

Yay! Good luck, do well, take pictures.

[Nate]

Yay! Good luck, do well, take pictures.

I'm going to make my mother come and take pictures of it all. I should have plenty to post. It should be a heated match. Each team was top of their leagues. It's cool we have two #1 teams from two different leagues coming together to one state game. Excellent competition!

Nate

[zm1283]

Remember a couple of basics, anytime there is a man on first, you are in A. Always play off U3 for outfield coverages, if he goes out, you go in. The same with the PU, if he goes to third, you go home. These are very simple coverages but a good starting point.

I've been taught by college umpires to wait and see if R1 commits to 3B before you go home as U1 when you're in A.

How did it go, Nate?

[Nate]

Well it went well.. We had a lot of fun, we are all good friends that got to work to the game.. I actually switched to third base so the other guy who was on the bases didn't have to do all the running. I felt bad having a 60 year old man running more than an 18 year old.. haha

I think the three man crew is so much better than the two man crew.. There's actually talks of using three men for varsity high school games now.

[Don]

I think the three man crew is so much better than the two man crew.. There's actually talks of using three men for varsity high school games now.

Due to the extra cost, this would never happen here, and particularly with the current economic state. Only after the 2nd round of state playoffs will you see 3 man.

[Umpire in Chief]

If the schools would pay for it we'd give them as many as they want. What baffles my mind is when I read about guys doing big-boy ball solo. How awful.

[willv28]

So, Nate, did you get any of those pictures we asked for?

[zm1283]

Due to the extra cost, this would never happen here, and particularly with the current economic state. Only after the 2nd round of state playoffs will you see 3 man.

In Missouri, they use 3-man for the Final Four in each class, quarterfinals, sectionals, and even the last two rounds of districts in most locations. Some bigger schools even do 4-man when they host sectionals and quarterfinal games.

[Umpire in Chief]

The only problem with this, and my association had an issue with this during one of our district HS tournaments which was discussed ad nauseum at hsbaseballweb.com, is we don't always get enough experience with 3-4 man mechanics that even if we go to the clinics read up on the CCA we can make simple mistakes just because we don't have a great amount of experience in these mechanics. It would benefit the schools to do 3 man more often.

[alex7]

Here in Southern Oregon, due to the current economics, we're giving the bigger high schools 3-man work for just a little above the 2-man rate. It actually pays better to do 2-man lower-level varsity work, than to work the state championship caliber schools.

The guys that work it have international experience though, and enjoy the heck out of it, even if for now the money isn't what it should be.

[Nate]

So, Nate, did you get any of those pictures we asked for?

Probably the best game I've ever done.