Indicators

[Umpire in Chief]

A small adjustment of your mask with the left hand allows you to take a glance at your indicator with no one the wiser.

Thats a good little trick. Welcome to the site!

[scobes7]

A small adjustment of your mask with the left hand allows you to take a glance at your indicator with no one the wiser.

Exactly what I do.

[catoblue]

My two cents, it is a clear sign of an amateur to have an indicator on the bases, it is not your job to manage the balls and strikes. I guarantee you will miss a balk at some point or a pickoff because your face was stuck where it didnt belong in the first place. At pro school it is a huge NO-NO and a sign of discrespect to your plate partner, at any high level game have you ever seen an umpire on the bases with an indicator? It is a poor mechanic I think some of us adopted from softball, where there are no leads or pick offs or balks. No one I have ever worked with in 14 years has used an indicator in my plate game, if he brings one out it is in his pocket immediatly after a good dose of my feelings on the matter. Ever seen am MLB ump with an indicator on the bases? you may see them looking down but its at a stop watch for commercial time between innings, or at a beeper with a red light that TV uses to indicate they are ready to go. I tell anyone using one "do you want to improve your base umpiring and be the best you can be, with a new level of concentration" most guys say yes, I then tell them "stick that indicator where the sun dont shine and work the bases" Goes over pretty well, at least I make my point. At my home association no issues at all due to our training and pro influence, but when I travel to do tournaments in Fla. or up in Coooperstown I see it as a crutch and a sign you dont trust the plate man. If you use one try a game without it and concentrate on the pitcher, runners or think of your next possible play and your mechanics movements, I guarantee you will vastly improve your base game. Not having to move that thing and stick your face in it will free you up to be a better base man and partner. I'm a bit firm on this matter as you can tell but I speak from experience and training, get the indicator off the baeses!

Come on now, stop beating around the bush and tell us how you really feel about dem indimicaters on da bazes! LOL!!!!

In all seriousness, though, for upper levels of play, especially when there are designated scorekeepers (who know how to note balls & strikes in the book) and scoreboards that everyone can see, I'd have to agree that there really is no reason at all to carry an indicator on the bases, and it probably shouldn't be done.

Me, I only call LL games, no scoreboards, mom's keeping the score books, and lots of crazy plays that often stop play. PU's are human, and on a crazy play at HP, it's easy to forget to click the wheel (guilty!) - and we KNOW that we can't count on the mom's keeping score to have the count right in the book. That is reason enough that our LL STRONGLY recommends that on the occasions where we can actually get someone to volunteer to do the bases, they carry an indicator as a back-up to the PU.

Now, back to the OP - Thanks for the tip. While I don't look at my indicator very often, not having to look at all because of the notching idea, is something I plan to try this year. I think I'll do like one of the other guys said, and use games on TV to get used to it. Thanks Mike!

[Astrosdawg07]

I hate having an indicator while on the bases as well. I always ask during our pre-game if they want me to keep an indicator because I prefer not to. And to be honest half the guys don't care, while the other half want me to have one. Just the other night I had one of our chapters better umpires request that I carry one, which shocked me. This was a important Varsity level game at that. It seems like the older guys in the chapter want to BU to have one for whatever reason or the other.

[mazzamouth]

I have never seen a MLB umpire with an indicator. Probably has nothing to do with the fact that there are at least 3 places where he can see the count on the field...and a professional maintaining it.

I have also never seen a MLB umpire get dressed in the parking lot of the ball park. So I guess I should only work at facilities that provide me with a dressing room.

Stop with the MLB comparison for this topic, it doesn't fit.

And BTW, I don't use an indicator on the bases.

every game I have see this year, and that is alot I have the MLB extra innings every PU has a Indicator in his hand

[mazzamouth]

A small adjustment of your mask with the left hand allows you to take a glance at your indicator with no one the wiser.

does it really make a diff if you look at your clicker?.... Im mean as long as you are not messing up the count who cares?...

[Tyennie]

Another trick for those of us that happen to carry an indicator as a BU, (goes along with the small adjustment comment earlier) Sneak a peek while you adjust your hat with your left hand.

Would you like your BU to have an indicator or a ball bag?

Yup we have a guy here that will wear his ball bag on the field. If he is with me i politely request he leave it at his car.

ty

[Astrosdawg07]

Another trick for those of us that happen to carry an indicator as a BU, (goes along with the small adjustment comment earlier) Sneak a peek while you adjust your hat with your left hand.

Would you like your BU to have an indicator or a ball bag?

Yup we have a guy here that will wear his ball bag on the field. If he is with me i politely request he leave it at his car.

ty

LoL what is his reasoning for carrying a ball bag on the field.

[willv28]

I carry one for LL, I likely wouldn't unless I was asked if I was a professional. We do encourage it a little. We do it to make sure everyone knows what is happening. You never know when you might be working with someone new or someone has a cheap indicator that clicks twice or some funny thing happens. I've just gotten good at not looking at it unless I need to, it's become more of a memory tool. But it usually comes in handy at least once per game.

[widac]

six weeks, four pages :agasp_:

[scobes7]

does it really make a diff if you look at your clicker?.... Im mean as long as you are not messing up the count who cares?...

Shame on you for calling it a clicker..... LOL

[widac]

Shame on you for calling it a clicker..... LOL

Please use the proper nomenclature. It is call an "Indiclickalater"

[paulsimko]

Some umps don't use indicators at the plate?????

[Tyennie]

LoL what is his reasoning for carrying a ball bag on the field.

I guess he likes to have someplace to keep the foul balls when they come back to the field. Looks darn silly out there.

[Umpire in Chief]

Some umps don't use indicators at the plate?????

While I do and am better at not relying on it too much I don't think I'll ever get away from it. I do know several guys who don't carry one. Too risky for me. But I've lost count with the indicator before too.

[MCLEOD36]

In HS/FED, I have used them on the bases, but now mostly keep it in my pocket. I have also asked my partner if he wants any back up of it, if no, then stays in pocket.

[Dragon29]

LoL what is his reasoning for carrying a ball bag on the field.

I know Ty already answered this, but here's the real answer:

Because he knows the game revolves around him and he needs everyone to know how important he is; also, he's a friggin' idiot!

Politely request he leave it in his car? How about, "I'm not going on the field with you if you're wearing that thing."

widac - great:Horse: post!

[Tyennie]

You know a better statement might be: " You are not going on the field with me if you wear that stupid thing." :BD:

[daled]

I worked a LL game the other day and my assignor called me before the game and stated that my partner is a young guy. He asked me to take him under my wing and help him out because this is his first year. When I arrived he is nowhere to be found. I changed my clothes and waited a few minutes and he never showed up so I walk up to the field and there he is with his ball bag on his side. I called him over and said "let's get something taken care of right up front. Take that bag off right now and put it away!!" A little later on I did explain that he should not have that on in the field. Not sure why he thought he needed to wear it, but I bet he will not do it again.

[mstaylor]

The reason that many LL umpires wear a ball bag on the bases is the PU uses a raft and has no idea how to handle the extra baseballs so it falls to the BU.

[Jboval]

This is a little off base, but reading through this thread made me think about it. I umpire a lot of little league for the simple reason that my boys play, and I can't stand to watch some of these parents struggle. That being said, I have a head coach that always carries an indicator and constantly refers to it during his time coaching from 3rd base. It doesn't bother me, but I have to wonder what some of you guys would say about that?

[Umpire in Chief]

This is a little off base, but reading through this thread made me think about it. I umpire a lot of little league for the simple reason that my boys play, and I can't stand to watch some of these parents struggle. That being said, I have a head coach that always carries an indicator and constantly refers to it during his time coaching from 3rd base. It doesn't bother me, but I have to wonder what some of you guys would say about that?

I wouldn't say anything until he starts to discus the count or argue it with me. I've seen some youth ball coaches who carry them but I have no clue why.

[mstaylor]

It beats them asking what the count is right after I gave it. Many don't pay attention when we give it then ask.

[therefump]

IMO as a new umpire, the threads about the indicators is very intimidating that if you use an indicator that you are not worthy. I know that is not all the intentions.

I agree with Warren, I will use one for a while until I do get my confidence up. There are so many others things to pay attention to during the game that as a newbie this is one crutch I will use for a while.

When an evaulator looks if you use an indicator, how much does it affect an evaluation?

I get the feeling that in some areas there's a lot of crap going on with evaluations OVER a good job. I think evaluations are good to a degree but dinging someone for using an indicator is over the top. I was taught to take the occasional GLANCE at the indicator while it's at your side if you aren't sure of the count/outs. A newbe might stare but if you've been doing it long enough then a confirmation of the count is all you need.

Personally, I need confirmation of the count after a steal, pickoff play, etc.

QUESTION: if I go to my partner and signal for his count am I going to get dinged there as well? I would think so since we are drawing attention to ourselves. The counter is safer IMHO. Use it.

[catoblue]

This is a little off base, but reading through this thread made me think about it. I umpire a lot of little league for the simple reason that my boys play, and I can't stand to watch some of these parents struggle. That being said, I have a head coach that always carries an indicator and constantly refers to it during his time coaching from 3rd base. It doesn't bother me, but I have to wonder what some of you guys would say about that?

Having 14 years in coaching LL, I think an indicator is a great tool for the coaches. Not to show up the umpires, but rather to help coach the kids based on situation. With counting pitches, parents asking questions, little johnny needs to run to the bathroom, making sure the right kid is at bat, moving fielders around, etc... it is helpful to keep the sitch in your mind across the millions of distractions that go on in a LL game - especially when there is no scoreboard to look at.