Timing

[JaxRolo]

Working a tournament this weekend.

 

Everything smooth. Haven't had to call a balk all weekend.

 

Semifinal game Sunday. Pitcher comes set and a gnat flies into my left eye (That's my good eye) and I blink and apparently F1 balks and I don't see it. Of course partner didn't call it.

 

Of course 3rd base Head Coach is wanting me to call it.

 

Goes to show tou need to have good timing on the field for more than one reason!

[Aging_Arbiter]

Coach, I understand your concern, but in my opinion, he was a "gnats @$$" away from me calling a balk.

[Stan W.]

I had a situation where I had a beauty of a strike.... I raised up to call it, opened my mouth.......and promptly swallowed a large flying bug of some sort......needless to say I didnt vocalize the strike for a prolonged time.....and when I did the OC sarcastically wanted to know why I took so long..........

 

"you trying to make up your mind on that one?"

 

Nope, just trying to decide what kind of bug that was I just swallowed.....nasty tasting bug too...........

[umpstu]

The old gnat in the eye excuse. Is it permissible for me to use that during a game or do wish to keep it to yourself? ha

[24sdad]

We have gnats bugging us here is So Cal pretty much year round.  Had a partner tell me to mix Avon's Skin So Soft with the water in my squirt bottle and use it on my hat before each game.  Something in it that bugs do not like.  Have not had a problem with any winged critter since.  Plus, it smells pretty good too.  Plus plus, you can squirt down your shoes with it between games, wipe em down with a rag and the oil in it gives a pretty decent shine.

[Aging_Arbiter]

I have found that the old "dryer sheet inside the hat band" trick works well too. Well, not OLD dryer sheets, but..............YOU get it!

[mstaylor]

I have found that the old "dryer sheet inside the hat band" trick works well too. Well, not OLD dryer sheets, but..............YOU get it!

The quote in your best Maxwell Smart voice.

[Jocko]

Speaking of timing......

Runner advancing to 3B on a batted ball back to F1, who wheels and throws to F5. F5, moving from bunt coverage to the bag for the throw, swipes at R2 who is sliding feet first. I clearly see the glove miss the left thigh. Do I wait and watch the entire play? Noooooooooo. Not the great and mighty Jocko. I rush into my safe call at the exact moment the follow through gets R2 on the inner part of the right thigh a split second before R2 touches 3B. It was total horseSH*# on my part. Before my arms were through the safe mechanic (and after a VERY loud safe verbal) I changed my call to the proper out, and EMPHATICALLY sold the out (several times). Flame away. I earned it.

[Pete Peterson Sr]

We have gnats bugging us here is So Cal pretty much year round.  

 

 Which means you can work pretty much year 'round. I feel SOOOOOO sorry for you !

[24sdad]

 

We have gnats bugging us here is So Cal pretty much year round.  

 

 Which means you can work pretty much year 'round. I feel SOOOOOO sorry for you !

 

As you should.

 

But actually your statement is not 100% correct.  Its not "pretty much" year round, its year round!  Although October-December is typically our "slow" time as I only have about 5 or 6 games a week.  Checking the weather for my game this friday, I see its supposed to get down to 75.  Might have to consider wearing my long sleeves.  Its rough sometimes, but we suck it up and soldier on.

[ricka56]

When I first started umpiring, I estimated that 95% of my boots were because of lousy timing. Today, I estimate that 95% of my boots are because of lousy timing...still. I don't think it will ever change. If I've improved any over the years it is because I've reduced the number of times that I've let bad timing slip into my games.

 

It usually happens like this to me...boring, horrible, boring, horrible, boring, banger, ah $#!+. When its a good game and I'm into it, I find that I'm less likely to let it slip in because I'm constantly reminding myself how important timing is about to be.  

 

Guy in a clinic taught me that like a golfer who has a conscious "swing thought" on every shot, umpires should have a conscious "timing thought" on every play/pitch.

 

 ...the battle continues.

[Platejob29]

I too had a bug fly into my eye one time while calling a scrimmage for two coaches I know very well and missed a balk because of it. The coach who's pitcher apparently balked and is sarcastic as they come yelled over to me from his bucket and jokingly asked if I had a bug in my eye or something then sent the runner over on his own. Surprisingly that's not the only time I've had him call a balk on his own pitcher, he did it in a championship game once as well before I even had a chance to verbalize the call my self. This coach is a legend around here and is in the Texas High School baseball hall of fame. @ricka56 I'm sure you know who I'm talking about.

[ricka56]

@Platejob29 My coach Hale story goes well this thread title, Timing. I had a 6-3 groundout that I gave the defense too much credit for. I anticipated and banged the out, and almost immediaely knew that if I had used good timing, I'd have safed BR. Well, BR is there with mouth agap wondering WTF and from the 3B DO, I here Coach, Hale, yell, "HEY, GET OVER HERE ! ". I'm like, damn, am I going to be the first umpire that this legend has chewed on since retiring from HS coaching (I would have deserved it). But he hasn't yelling at me, he was yelling at his pre-teen to quit misbehaving and hussle off the field. Coach Hale is a class act.