Advice

[blue23ll]

How many of us leave their cell phones in their vehicles when they work a game?

[JaxRolo]

How many of us leave their cell phones in their vehicles when they work a game?

Because of my job I keep mine with me.

Lower level timed game I use the timer on it.

[KenBAZ]

Worse part was that the assigner was a friend and that's how he caught him. I won't have a phone or a watch on the field. I try and stay focused on the game.

[JaxRolo]

It does no harm in the pocket

[Replacematt]

How many of us leave their cell phones in their vehicles when they work a game?

 

I do.

[Magic]

How many of us leave their cell phones in their vehicles when they work a game?

I never take my phone out to the field with me.

[philaump]

My phone stays in my car

[philaump]

I do keep my iPod (email access only) for my job

[MPLSUMP]

Phone stays in the car. No doubt.

[Richvee]

Phone stays in my car. Glad I don't have to check any kind of texts/email from work when I'm not there. One of the beauties of the "hobby" for me is to not have to think about work when I'm on the field. 

[MRG9999]

My phone is in my back pocket or bag if on the dish. I keep it handy due to my job because of banking applications support and for emergencies.

[grayhawk]

My phone stays in the car. I keep a watch in my left ball bag for games with time limits.

[tjwoelfel13]

I keep my phone in my gear bag in case of an emergency.

[philaump]

As far as games with time limits- I will have a watch for them

[JaxRolo]

Use common sense

[blue23ll]

For me, one of the real blessings of what we do, is to be able to forget the 'real' world for 2 hours, and just focus on a baseball game. Pure joy for me. Having a phone would kill that buzz for me. 

[KenBAZ]

I have a stop watch for games with time limits. When I don't have responsibility for the time I don't even carry the stopwatch. I don't feel athletic with a phone in my pocket or wearing a watch.

[Magic]

I have a stop watch for games with time limits. When I don't have responsibility for the time I don't even carry the stopwatch. I don't feel athletic with a phone in my pocket or wearing a watch.

Me too. Stop watch in my pocket.

[scrounge]

How many of us leave their cell phones in their vehicles when they work a game?

 

School game where there's generally game mgmt other than coaches? Always. Travel or summer games? Never.

[philaump]

There aren't really any game management issues with HS ball out here.

There are more issues in summer games or adult games here

[Majordave]

Any games other than college I carry my phone in my back pocket. Usually only when on bases. But, if I'm working with a partner who doesn't carry his I'll put it in a pocket of my ballbag.

Why? As mentioned earlier, no game management at most high school games. At most tourneys the game management/TD is managing too many fields or is not on site. Do I use it? No. Unless I have to. In MSBL World Series we had thirty to forty fields in use with off-site TD for most except for Maryvale Stadium and Temple Diablo Stadium. Injuries had to be reported. I had more than one. Crazy tourney rules had to be interpreted. I had more than one that needed TD input or rulings on the spot. And of course the time limit rules. I'd set the countdown timer when working bases and announce start time when first pitch thrown. You'd think a THREE HOUR time limit was enough but NOooooooo, we still had time limit issues. As do I in most time limit tourneys so I show them the timer if asked when time is close to ending. It is what it is.

Fortunately I haven't had to call police or anything but I like the piece of mind having it brings me.

As for the stopwatch. I hate that F@(&!ng thing! Hate it. I wear it during college. I pull it out between innings and take a look. I don't even start it. I have never had to call the time limit. Hope I never do. If it becomes a problem maybe I will have to actually use the damn thing. I NEVER carry it to any other games. EVER! And I won't unless required to by rule. I HATE the stopwatch. Absolutely F*#King hate it.

[Magic]

Any games other than college I carry my phone in my back pocket. Usually only when on bases. But, if I'm working with a partner who doesn't carry his I'll put it in a pocket of my ballbag.

Why? As mentioned earlier, no game management at most high school games. At most tourneys the game management/TD is managing too many fields or is not on site. Do I use it? No. Unless I have to. In MSBL World Series we had thirty to forty fields in use with off-site TD for most except for Maryvale Stadium and Temple Diablo Stadium. Injuries had to be reported. I had more than one. Crazy tourney rules had to be interpreted. I had more than one that needed TD input or rulings on the spot. And of course the time limit rules. I'd set the countdown timer when working bases and announce start time when first pitch thrown. You'd think a THREE HOUR time limit was enough but NOooooooo, we still had time limit issues. As do I in most time limit tourneys so I show them the timer if asked when time is close to ending. It is what it is.

Fortunately I haven't had to call police or anything but I like the piece of mind having it brings me.

As for the stopwatch. I hate that F@(&!ng thing! Hate it. I wear it during college. I pull it out between innings and take a look. I don't even start it. I have never had to call the time limit. Hope I never do. If it becomes a problem maybe I will have to actually use the damn thing. I NEVER carry it to any other games. EVER! And I won't unless required to by rule. I HATE the stopwatch. Absolutely F*#King hate it.

Tell us how you really feel. Don't sugar coat it for us.

[Majordave]

I'm working on it.  I have a lot of trouble communicating my feelings.  HaHa

[umpstu]

I'm working on it.  I have a lot of trouble communicating my feelings.  HaHa

Perhaps some confidence building therapy would help. In the meantime try timing between pitches with nobody on base.

[Majordave]

Sorry Stu, you have mistaken me for someone who wants to use the stopwatch.

 

Rant On 

 

At the levels I work it is not an issue.  

 

The dangling stopwatch cord is an extraneous appendage I would rather not wear and the Stopwatch is something I would rather not wear or use.  I just go through the motions and make it look like I am using it.  I really don't even click the on button.  I can count to twenty.  I can tell when some team is dragging ass and I will mention it to the coach if I need to.  I don't need a freakin' stopwatch to make it look like I am doing some OOOing in between innings or pitches.  

 

And I don't have a problem managing my games and saying what needs to be said to whomever it needs to be said to.  The stupid stopwatch is not something I need.  It is an attempt by someone to take the need for umpires to take care of business to some kind of objective level and take the onus off the individual umpire to just umpire the damn game.  It gives them a crutch to defer to when coaches cry because we do enforce the rules and manage the game.

 

Rant Off