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Partner Etiquette Question: How to handle repeated requests to take the plate?


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7 minutes ago, SH0102 said:

Earlier this Summer, my partner and I were scheduled for 6 games, on turf, and weather was 90 degrees and 90-100% humidity.  He did the first 3 plates, I was to do the last 3, only to find out that the guy who had the key to locker room wasn't there when game ended, and never showed during our 15-20 min wait between games, so he ended up doing a 4th in a row b/c we couldn't change, and I did last 2.  Next day was 5 games so I did 3 and he did 2, so worked out # wise, someone had to do 6 of 11, but I will never do that again.

Payday was great, but I could barely walk after first day. let alone after second.

Oh, and just for giggles, only 1 of those 11 games ended in mercy!  10 went the distance...

I'm hoping there was a time limit at least?  Ouch.  I did 4 games in a row a couple of summers ago and really paid for it the next 2 days. 9+ hours in the blazing sun will do that to you!

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1 hour ago, Richvee said:

Never tried these. A banana before and in between games has been part of my routine for years. 

I take "IPA supplements" after nearly every night umpiring. Have no idea about their potassium, though.

It's not always an IPA, though. Sometimes it's a porter or a stout. :laugh:

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2 hours ago, wolfe_man said:

I'm hoping there was a time limit at least?  Ouch.  I did 4 games in a row a couple of summers ago and really paid for it the next 2 days. 9+ hours in the blazing sun will do that to you!

2 hour time limit yes, so 12 hours of baseball plus five gaps of 15-20 mins between games…long day

Honestly, I can take self abuse, years of wrestling and baseball train you for it, but I felt bad for the kids.  By the 5th/6th game, you can not give the focus they deserve.  To them, that was their first game, maybe a big game for them, and umpires are just dead.

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10 hours ago, SH0102 said:

.  By the 5th/6th game, you can not give the focus they deserve

So true. Anyone who says they’re as good in game one as they are in game 4-5-6 is fooling themselves. 

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9 hours ago, Richvee said:

So true. Anyone who says they’re as good in game one as they are in game 4-5-6 is fooling themselves. 

After that last 4 game day, I said no more than 3 for me going forward.  Then, after 3 this year I said no more than 2 in a row LOL.

I just notice my focus isn't as sharp by game 4.  Game 3 I'm still okay, but getting weary legs by the end.

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On 8/20/2021 at 11:29 AM, kylehutson said:

I take "IPA supplements" after nearly every night umpiring. Have no idea about their potassium, though.

It's not always an IPA, though. Sometimes it's a porter or a stout. :laugh:

I stick to whisky, or scotch, or whiskey. usually a dram or two then the recliner and a sportsdrink ( no sugar) and then 2 waters.

 

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On 8/19/2021 at 12:48 PM, kylehutson said:

I'm just surprised at all the single games being mentioned here. 90%+ of what I do is either doubleheaders or tournaments. So it's not so much "plate or base" as much as "plate first or base first"?

I almost always let my partner pick. If he didn't care or didn't want to pick, I'd have us each flip a coin simultaneously with the caveat, "If they match (i.e., both heads or both tails) you have first plate. If they don't, I do."

 

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  • 1 month later...
On 8/19/2021 at 1:53 PM, noumpere said:

I'm just surprised by the number of people who seem to think that "the way we do things here" is "the way things are done everywhere."

My biggest issue (as an association assignor/past President) is the closely related, "that's not how we did things in (insert geographic location)!"  The implication being that our association is doing things incorrectly because that's not how said umpire's prior association in said umpire's previous geographic location did things.

I live in one of the fastest growing areas of the country (South Carolina).  We have people (and umpires) who move here from all over the country (especially the northeast and upper midwest).  Every year we get a number of "new" umpires who want to join our association.  They provide us with resumes that state they have umpired high school for numerous years, have worked the playoffs for numerous number of years, etc.  In other words, they submit a really strong umpiring resume for working high school baseball.  And, we are genuinely excited to have them (I think every association in the country in this day and age would be glad to have them as we all want to grow.)

Unfortunately, I know in the beginning of the year that a number of them will wash out "because we don't do things the way they did it back in (insert geographic location)."  For example, one year we had a guy quit because he was adamant that back in Michigan the base umpire in a two-man (baseball) crew had to wear a ball bag.  I told him that he cannot wear a ball bag on the bases (nor could he go to the mound and brush off the rubber).  He was adamant that he had to do these things and that we were wrong and he left.  Other times they argue and argue because we do not use the FED mechanics manual (we've been using the PBUC/MilBUD manual for 20-years with great success).  Other times they complain because we assign a specific umpire to the plate and another to the bases each game...and they are not allowed to switch.  And, there are a million other reasons, and I've heard them all:  complaints about what uniforms we wear, how we assign umpires, our training requirements, our testing requirements, etc.  All of those topics have been the subject of a sentence uttered by a new umpire which ended with, "...that's not how we did it back in _______________!"

A lot of these guys will give up working in our high school association and will go work travel/rec ball where there are no evaluations nor standards which allows them to do whatever they want.  I just don't get the mentality of an umpire coming into our association (or any association) of 70+ members and thinking that we should be doing things the way things are done back in Texas (or wherever) because, "by GOD, that's where I'm from and that's how it should be done!!!"

The bottom line is, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do."  If I, personally, were to move to another state tomorrow and I desired to start umpiring in my new state and the local high school association told me that they strictly follow the FED mechanics manual, (after laughing under my breath) I would say "okay" and would never say another word about it.  I'm afraid that too many of us in my hypothetical situation would say, "well, back in South Carolina we would never use these stupid FED mechanics!"

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On 10/7/2021 at 3:41 PM, lawump said:

"...that's not how we did it back in _______________!"

That's akin to those guys at clinics who are offered some suggestion on something about their mechanics and, rather than accept the suggestion, they reply with, "Yeah, but...."

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  • 7 months later...

Let’s be honest he is lying and just does not wanna do plate and I am split on this one. On one hand it’s his plate and I was looking forward to an easy game. On the other hand if he is trying to get off plate usually that means he sucks, his zone is going to suck and his game management is going to suck. That means I am going to hear it from the coach all night, at some point that coach is going to chew his rear and I am going to have to go save him. So what to do? If it’s a young kid or a new ump I make him admit he is scared and mentor him during the game. If it’s an older guy I say cool but next time we work together you got plate. Years ago when I worked summer league guys would pay you $10 to take their plate. 

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To @lawump's post ... when in Rome is indeed the answer.  When I came to Mississippi, the first thing I tried to do was learn how it works down here.  I found out that, compared to Illinois, the state association is very week.  You need to find a local association.  I had to order new shirts (not even state association ones since I never ended up working MHSAA games -- just plain ones that I never used in Illinois because every org wanted their own uniform there).  I got to wear black for the first time!

That said, there is no reason you cannot teach a few things from your old locale.  One thing I have found down here is that a lot of guys/gals like working with me because I work "professionally."  Coaches keep asking me what college conferences I work or what camp/school I went to ... the answer is none.  I believe I'm there to do a job, not to socialize.  I don't conference with my partner every half-inning (BU - out in RF; PU - on the 1b/3b line).  I keep the game moving.  I enforce rules like "stay in the dugout" and "no, the whole team is not coming out to 'time the pitcher'."  I'm not going to tell another umpire "you should do this" but I am going to lead by example.

Regarding brushing the pitcher's plate off ... that is (was?) a required USA Softball mechanic.

@Dottelife brought up something that I was going to add to the conversation: whatever happened to PU getting paid more?  If you are working a double-header (split) it evens out.  If the other guy doesn't want plates, there is some benefit/reward for the guy taking them.

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On 8/20/2021 at 7:08 AM, Thunderheads said:

Yes, this can be advantageous, but only if the weather is cooperating.  You don't want to do back to back plates in 90+ and humidity :nod: ....    BUT, ... some do and will!

Another "when in Rome" adjustment I have had to make.  That's the way they do it here.  One change out.  6 games means 3 plates in a row.  I'm easy to get along with, so I usually end up with the three on the back end.  That also means I get plate for a lot of championship games which, ironically, doesn't mean much to me.  Some guys live and die by that.

Back in Illinois, I was used to a "three man field assignment" where you rotated two games on, one game off.  Sometimes the UIC would make plate/base assignments to end up with the "best" combination on a championship game.  Usually you come back from your game off with the plate (so your second game you are just taking your gear off, nobody is rushing to put it on between games).  Some guys want the money, so they don't like that game off.  Personally, I believe it helps keep you fresh for those later games.

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