So, uh.... how do you arrange your ball bag?

[ErichKeane]

Sorry for the silly question, but I had my first game last weekend and found myself fiddling with the bag no matter where I put stuff.  I have an all-star bag that has 1 big pocket, plus two smaller pockets.  The Balls themselves obviously go into the main pocket, so I got that down:) 

I kept trying to put the brush into one of the smaller pockets, but it always got stuck, and I looked like a fool trying to get it out.  In the end, I just tossed it at the bottom of the bag and just fished it out.  Does anyone do differently?  Are those little pockets good for anything?

[wolfe_man]

4 minutes ago, ErichKeane said:

Sorry for the silly question, but I had my first game last weekend and found myself fiddling with the bag no matter where I put stuff.  I have an all-star bag that has 1 big pocket, plus two smaller pockets.  The Balls themselves obviously go into the main pocket, so I got that down:) 

I kept trying to put the brush into one of the smaller pockets, but it always got stuck, and I looked like a fool trying to get it out.  In the end, I just tossed it at the bottom of the bag and just fished it out.  Does anyone do differently?  Are those little pockets good for anything?

I use Smitty XL ball bags, but they're close enough.

The plate brush goes in the first (smaller) pocket towards the front hip, then my UL lineup card holder goes into the larger pocket towards the rear.

Go ahead and switch to a plastic plate brush and put it in with the bristles up so you won't any trouble getting it out or putting it back into the pocket.  You can thank me later.

Not to change the subject, but why does it take some PU's so long to clean the plate? It shouldn't take more than 2-3 seconds under normal conditions. I've worked with a couple of guys who take 2+ minutes and they clean it at very odd times, like during a live ball without calling time.

[ErichKeane]

2 minutes ago, wolfe_man said:

I use Smitty XL ball bags, but they're close enough.

The plate brush goes in the first (smaller) pocket towards the front hip, then my UL lineup card holder goes into the larger pocket towards the rear.

Go ahead and switch to a plastic plate brush and put it in with the bristles up so you won't any trouble getting it out or putting it back into the pocket.  You can thank me later.

Not to change the subject, but why does it take some PU's so long to clean the plate? It shouldn't take more than 2-3 seconds under normal conditions. I've worked with a couple of guys who take 2+ minutes and they clean it at very odd times, like during a live ball without calling time.

So I was already doing that actually (putting the plastic brush in the pocket bristles up) but they would get 'caught' trying to pull it out as the bristles went into the pocket material.

As far as 'why do they take so long', *shrug*?!  Mom never taught them to clean their plate?

[wolfe_man]

6 minutes ago, ErichKeane said:

So I was already doing that actually (putting the plastic brush in the pocket bristles up) but they would get 'caught' trying to pull it out as the bristles went into the pocket material.

As far as 'why do they take so long', *shrug*?!  Mom never taught them to clean their plate?

You're already using plastic and they're getting caught in the material?  Hmmm...  I never get mine caught, so maybe my pocket is a bit larger or something.  In the Smitty XL's, my plastic plate brush sits perfectly and comes out and goes back in very smoothly without getting hung up in the fabric.    I found the thicker wood handles caused my bristles to get stuck, so I started using the plastic brushes and haven't looked back.

All I can suggest is maybe try picking it up out of the pocket differently.  For me, I mostly lift mine out with my thumb and first index (pointer) finger.  I played around with it until I found what worked in my situation, you may have to try that also.

As a last resort, maybe trim some of the bristles down that seem to be getting caught the most.   I've done that before also.

[BDad]

I use a run-of-the-mill Smitty bag and a wood brush. I tend to wrap my hand around the bristles when grabbing the brush. The bristles are inside my hand and don't get caught as much. YMMV.

But then maybe it's taking me a long time to clean the plate because I'm holding the bristles end? 🙃

[ArchAngel72]

No way man 2 or 3 min cleaning a plate.

 

At most on a wet muddy plate I will kick it off as best I can then attempt the brush after and then let the rain clean it off better.

 

On dry dirt maybe 20 seconds tops my back wont handle long periods of being bent over like that otherwise I might not get back upright.

 

[ArchAngel72]

Oh ball bags I have a wooden brush I love the feel of it in my hand and dont care for the skinniness of the plastic ones I feel I get better pressure to sweep on the wood than the plastic 

 

So thus with Smitty XL bags I toss it in under the balls.  /shrug takes a little digging out but at my level I am lucky during a reg season game to get 3 balls at the start of a game.

Playoffs I push for 4 to 5 

but reg season 3 is all I can get

 

[umpstu]

5 hours ago, ErichKeane said:

Sorry for the silly question, but I had my first game last weekend and found myself fiddling with the bag no matter where I put stuff.  I have an all-star bag that has 1 big pocket, plus two smaller pockets.  The Balls themselves obviously go into the main pocket, so I got that down:) 

I kept trying to put e always beethe brush into one of the smaller pockets, but it always got stuck, and I looked like a fool trying to get it out.  In the end, I just tossed it at the bottom of the bag and just fished it out.  Does anyone do differently?  Are those little pockets good for anything?

I have always been able to put the brush in a pocket in the right bag.  I put my indicator in the bottom of the left bag.  Balls in both bags and if it is an odd number of balls then put more of them in the right bag as I am right handed.

[umpstu]

1 minute ago, ArchAngel72 said:

Oh ball bags I have a wooden brush I love the feel of it in my hand and dont care for the skinniness of the plastic ones I feel I get better pressure to sweep on the wood than the plastic 

 

So thus with Smitty XL bags I toss it in under the balls.  /shrug takes a little digging out but at my level I am lucky during a reg season game to get 3 balls at the start of a game.

Playoffs I push for 4 to 5 

but reg season 3 is all I can get

 

I switched to one of those skinny Japanese brushes this year and will never go back.

[ArchAngel72]

Just now, umpstu said:

I switched to one of those skinny Japanese brushes this year and will never go back.

Well yeah its Japanese its gonna run forever.... 😆

 

[ErichKeane]

4 minutes ago, umpstu said:

I have always been able to put the brush in a pocket in the right bag.  I put my indicator in the bottom of the left bag.  Balls in both bags and if it is an odd number of balls then put more of them in the right bag as I am right handed.

Ah, some folks carry 2 bags?!  I didn't even consider that either.

[BLWizzRanger]

I have a feeling which way this conversation is going...

.

[ArchAngel72]

57 minutes ago, BLWizzRanger said:

I have a feeling which way this conversation is going...

.

What that Charcoal Grey Smitty XL bags are the best?

 

[eagle_12]

Honigs bags. 
 

Left:  main pocket-balls, prefer 2 in it to start game, replace the right bag from it.   “Front” pocket- sewn to a shorter depth, indicator goes in there when I’m not using (between innings, 2 strikes on batter).  Back pocket- car keys

Right:  main- balls, prefer 3 to start. Hand to catcher from right bag. Fill from left.  “Front” pocket- cough drops, chap stick, eye drop. “Back” pocket- extra indicator, in case my main one breaks

Brush goes in left back pants pocket (has a button closure

notepad/line ups go in shirt pocket 

[tpatience]

Brush goes in back pocket and indicator in front pocket. I’ve never used the pockets in the ball bag 

[BCBrad]

two Smitty XL ball bags.

I have moved my lineup card holder to my breast pocket on my shirt. That works so much better.

So, now only brush (Japanese style) in the farthest back pocket on my right ball bag. No worried about bristles up or down as they are to the side.

As I am left handed, toss the indicator into the left ball bag when needed.

[boyinr]

Balls only in the ball bags. Line up card holder and pen in the shirt pocket, plate brush in back pants pocket, indicator in the left font pocket when it’s not in my hand. 

[Richvee]

7 hours ago, ArchAngel72 said:

No way man 2 or 3 min cleaning a plate.

 

At most on a wet muddy plate I will kick it off as best I can then attempt the brush after and then let the rain clean it off better.

 

On dry dirt maybe 20 seconds tops my back wont handle long periods of being bent over like that otherwise I might not get back upright.

 

20 seconds cleaning a plate is an eternity. 

[MadMax]

UmpLife Mk I ball bags: 

Right: one big pocket, up to 9 baseballs

Left: subdivided pockets, up to 8 baseballs, plate brush. umpire folder (in pocket where brush is likely supposed to go), pen, indicator pocket has gum and challenge coin (tournament games) but no indicator. Ever. 

Shirt pockets are useless. 

[blue32]

I put my brush in my right back pants pocket. It's served me well for many years.

[Rock Bottom]

The games I do I get 4 balls max, so I put 3 in my right bag and then the brush and indicator (when not in my hand) in the left bag, and a pen and notepad in the inner pockets of the left.

[ArchAngel72]

12 hours ago, Richvee said:

20 seconds cleaning a plate is an eternity. 

From calling time walking around to the front of the plate retrieving the plate brush bending over using at most 10 seconds  to dust off the plate and then standing back up walking around to behind the catcher and donning the mask.  I bet I have used 20 seconds before 

 

[Richvee]

3 hours ago, ArchAngel72 said:

From calling time walking around to the front of the plate retrieving the plate brush bending over using at most 10 seconds  to dust off the plate and then standing back up walking around to behind the catcher and donning the mask.  I bet I have used 20 seconds before 

 

My guesstimate would be somewhere between 5-10 seconds is ample time. 

[SeeingEyeDog]

After much experimentation, I have settled on the following...I now use the Force3 Dry-Lo bags exclusively. Yes, they are expensive but they are worth every penny. I've been using the same sets for 3 years now and they still look great. They offer 2 varieties...one is just a big open sack. The other has pockets on the inside for tools. I use one of each. The bag with pockets goes on my right. The bag with no pockets goes on my left. I place my plastic-handled brush in the right bag in the pocket closest to my rear end. I place my indicator also in the right bag but in the pocket furthest from my rear end. My notebook and pen go in my right front pants pocket. (I used to keep my notebook in my shirt pocket but, I didn't like how it was stretching out the pockets on my shirt.) Finally, I keep pearl baseballs in my left bag and scuffed baseballs in my right bag, always pulling from the right bag first. Once I get to the point where all baseballs are scuffs, I try to keep some balls in each bag so the bags don't flop around empty with no baseballs in them. In between innings, I will continue to sort the best baseballs to my right bag and remove any baseballs from my inventory that are unfit for play. Whenever I ask for new baseballs, I always hold up three fingers and say, "Could I get 3 baseballs, please?"

~Dawg 

[Thatsnotyou]

On 4/28/2022 at 8:41 AM, wolfe_man said:

Not to change the subject, but why does it take some PU's so long to clean the plate? It shouldn't take more than 2-3 seconds under normal conditions. I've worked with a couple of guys who take 2+ minutes and they clean it at very odd times, like during a live ball without calling time.

I clean the plate during a live ball all the time. Runner on second. Base hit, slides in and scores. Runner now standing on first. Pitcher holding the ball. Nothing happening. Why do I need to call time to clean the plate for three seconds? It drives me nuts when PUs call time to clean the plate when nothing is happening, no guy on 3rd etc. Just take three seconds, we don’t need everyone to know you’re cleaning the plate by announcing “TIME”.