Continue to See New Things

[Velho]

Saw a new one in my LL AAA/Minors (primarily 10 & 9 yr olds) game last night. Coach hands off warming up F1 to F2 and then proceeds to stand in the batter box to give F1 the feel of a batter. That was a new one for me.

[834k3r]

"Coach don't do that."

"Where does it say I can't do that?

[Velho]

25 minutes ago, 834k3r said:

"Coach don't do that."

"Where does it say I can't do that?

Which is why I didn't say anything. It wasn't delaying the game so, if he wants to get plunked by his own 9 yr old, so be it.

[orangebird]

26 minutes ago, Velho said:

Which is why I didn't say anything. It wasn't delaying the game so, if he wants to get plunked by his own 9 yr old, so be it.

Can't imagine it'd hurt very much

[Velho]

28 minutes ago, orangebird said:

56 minutes ago, Velho said:

Which is why I didn't say anything. It wasn't delaying the game so, if he wants to get plunked by his own 9 yr old, so be it.

Can't imagine it'd hurt very much

Said by someone who hasn't even done their first plate game 🤣

They certainly proceeded to beat the crap out of me last night. Breaking bones? No. Putting my throat guard, CP collarbone coverage, cup, CP shoulder coverage, and mask to the test? Yes. Felt good? No. Annoying as heck? Yes. Reminds me why I don't schedule 10U? Yes (only took the game because the 12U game was cancelled. It was this or don't work - plus leave a 14yr old with no interest to do plate to go solo).

[grayhawk]

Here was a new one for me today. Batter hits a laser at F1, and he only has time to turn his head. The ball hits him square in the back of the head, bounces high in the air back towards the plate and F2 makes the diving catch for the out.

F1 didn't lose consciousness, and seemed to have all his faculties. Regardless, I hope they took him to the ER for a CT scan.  

[SeeingEyeDog]

Nobody asked me but, yeah...that should not be allowed. I would speak to your UIC or league president about the situation and they should address this as a local rule for safety's sake.

~Dawg

[jimurrayalterego]

32 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Nobody asked me but, yeah...that should not be allowed. I would speak to your UIC or league president about the situation and they should address this as a local rule for safety's sake.

~Dawg

Local rules - Local fools

[Velho]

15 hours ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Nobody asked me but, yeah...that should not be allowed. I would speak to your UIC or league president about the situation and they should address this as a local rule for safety's sake.

~Dawg

I feel you dawg (always wanted to say that  

At the same time, it is less dangerous for the coach then when he was warming up the pitcher a minute before.

[SeeingEyeDog]

16 hours ago, jimurrayalterego said:

Local rules - Local fools

Well, what's the alternative, Jim? Coach takes a pitch in this scenario and then the umpire(s) get blamed? No thanks...and if they don't put a local rule in to protect the coaches, then I am absolutely telling the coach not to do that.

~Dawg

[The Man in Blue]

I get your point about it being less dangerous than warming the kid up … until he starts talking to another player/coach/his wife/the fence/bookkeeper/etc.

I’ve seen it.  Partner chased the coach out.

I didn’t have this experience at the time, but now I would be pulling him aside and telling him “there is no rule other than my authority, and I had a partner, a fellow umpire, take a warmup pitch the to temple and had to be rushed to the ER.  We aren’t doing this while you are on my field.”

Then follow up with local org/game management.

[Velho]

3 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

I didn’t have this experience at the time, but now I would be pulling him aside and telling him “there is no rule other than my authority, and I had a partner, a fellow umpire, take a warmup pitch the to temple and had to be rushed to the ER.  We aren’t doing this while you are on my field.”

Then follow up with local org/game management.

Appreciate the perspective.

New league to me, remember this is LL with varying levels of engagement and understanding, and I've run into so much apathy and arrogant naivety lately I'm a bit jaded.

Case in point: saw a parent plate umpire without shins on. When I engaged to tell him that wasn't a good idea, it turned into a 5 minute debate. He didn’t think 8U “threw hard enough” and “there’s only one more inning” so no need to bother with league provide shins in the shed 10 feet away. I kept pushing and he eventually went to call pitches from behind the mound.

[maven]

On 3/21/2025 at 6:35 PM, 834k3r said:

"Where does it say I can't do that?

"The rules don't prohibit digging a moat around HP or bringing a wolverine on the field either, but the good order of the game does.

It's my job to keep everyone here safe, sometimes against their own judgment."

I discourage anyone from referring to the baseball diamond where you happen to be officiating at that particular moment as "my field," unless you own the property on which it is situated. That's a terrible look in 2025, and needlessly confrontational ("me vs you"). Asserting authority should be a last resort, not the first club out of the bag.

At every opportunity (including here) I strive to talk about "we" and "us" instead of "you." In youth baseball in particular, all the adults on the field have the same mission. We should always be on the lookout for opportunities to forge collaborations. It doesn't always work (asshats gonna asshat), but it's an essential tool in deëscalation.

[The Man in Blue]

Interesting perspective, @maven , and I appreciate that since I didn't view it that way.  When I refer to “my field” I don’t do it from a perspective of authority, but rather from a perspective of caretaking.  

Sometimes that is taking care of the game, sometimes that is taking care of the participants, sometimes that is taking care of the participants in spite of their judgement.  Whichever way you slice it, we (I) are charged with that duty.

@Velho … did you ask him why he was wearing a mask if they weren’t throwing that hard?  How about a cup?

[Velho]

26 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

… did you ask him why he was wearing a mask if they weren’t throwing that hard?  How about a cup?

I did not (that did come to me later in a George-like moment though).

TBH I was a bit shocked that it was a debate and once he headed to go behind the mound I didn't press the issue and left. I did let my UIC know of the encounter.

Bonus: walking past the field* I couldn't tell if he was wearing a CP**. IT was between innings so I was behind PU. As I got closer I saw he was holding the league provided mask and that the league provided CP was on the ground. I thought "maybe he's wearing it externally and taking it on and off to cool down". Then I saw no shins (the skinny jeans*** couldn't be hiding them). That's when I engaged.

 

* I often walk past the other field to make sure PU is being safe. Last week I chimed in to get that PU out of the kill zone and into the slot.

** Hand to god - my first thought was "does he have some kind of slim fitting @MadMax special?"

*** Context: these are parents. Most of which are cajoled into working ,especially the plate. We have to balance standards  with getting them to work in the first place (separate must have with nice to have). Case in point, I ignored the tennis shoes (league doesn't provide those).

[orangebird]

2 hours ago, Velho said:

I did not (that did come to me later in a George-like moment though).

TBH I was a bit shocked that it was a debate and once he headed to go behind the mound I didn't press the issue and left. I did let my UIC know of the encounter.

Bonus: walking past the field* I couldn't tell if he was wearing a CP**. IT was between innings so I was behind PU. As I got closer I saw he was holding the league provided mask and that the league provided CP was on the ground. I thought "maybe he's wearing it externally and taking it on and off to cool down". Then I saw no shins (the skinny jeans*** couldn't be hiding them). That's when I engaged.

 

* I often walk past the other field to make sure PU is being safe. Last week I chimed in to get that PU out of the kill zone and into the slot.

** Hand to god - my first thought was "does he have some kind of slim fitting @MadMax special?"

*** Context: these are parents. Most of which are cajoled into working ,especially the plate. We have to balance standards  with getting them to work in the first place (separate must have with nice to have). Case in point, I ignored the tennis shoes (league doesn't provide those).

Is plate shoes the suggestion even for 8-10s because if so I'm afraid I've got some bad news about my gear lol

[Richvee]

2 minutes ago, orangebird said:

Is plate shoes the suggestion even for 8-10s because if so I'm afraid I've got some bad news about my gear lol

At a minimum, a steel toed work shoe. You don’t want any ball at any speed hitting your toes square. 

[Velho]

8 minutes ago, Richvee said:

At a minimum, a steel toed work shoe. You don’t want any ball at any speed hitting your toes square. 

I 2nd that. I'll add there are newer composite hard toes that are nice and light that will get the job done at lower ages.

 https://www.ump-attire.com/Products/7345/3N2-Reaction-Pro-Low-Umpire-Plate-Shoes

[BLWizzRanger]

1 minute ago, orangebird said:

Is plate shoes the suggestion even for 8-10s because if so I'm afraid I've got some bad news about my gear lol

Its like umpire roulette, sooner or later a pitch or tipped ball will hit you in the foot.  Either pay for the shoes and walk normally or 'possibly' pay for an ER visit and/or walk with a limp for a few days and then you buy the shoes (which you will need for any higher level of baseball).  

The shoes will put blanks into the umpire roulette gun.

[grayhawk]

4 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

How about a cup?

I know a D1 umpire that doesn't wear a cup, and he's been doing this for a very long time.

[Velho]

19 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

know a D1 umpire that doesn't wear a cup, and he's been doing this for a very long time.

I wonder how many left handed first time catchers that are afraid of the ball he has been behind. 😁

[JonnyCat]

1 hour ago, grayhawk said:

I know a D1 umpire that doesn't wear a cup, and he's been doing this for a very long time.

Why on earth would anyone tempt fate like that?

Everyone knows the boys don't react well to impacts! 

[834k3r]

13 hours ago, orangebird said:

Is plate shoes the suggestion even for 8-10s because if so I'm afraid I've got some bad news about my gear lol

 

13 hours ago, Richvee said:

At a minimum, a steel toed work shoe. You don’t want any ball at any speed hitting your toes square. 

 

13 hours ago, Velho said:

I 2nd that. I'll add there are newer composite hard toes that are nice and light that will get the job done at lower ages.

 https://www.ump-attire.com/Products/7345/3N2-Reaction-Pro-Low-Umpire-Plate-Shoes

 

13 hours ago, BLWizzRanger said:

Its like umpire roulette, sooner or later a pitch or tipped ball will hit you in the foot.  Either pay for the shoes and walk normally or 'possibly' pay for an ER visit and/or walk with a limp for a few days and then you buy the shoes (which you will need for any higher level of baseball).  

The shoes will put blanks into the umpire roulette gun.

All of this.

Heck, if you have the same size foot (11.5/29cm) as me, I'll send you my NB plate shoes for nothing but the shipping. That's how much I think you ought to have plate shoes.

[ousafe]

12 hours ago, JonnyCat said:

Why on earth would anyone tempt fate like that?

Everyone knows the boys don't react well to impacts! 

Josais Manzanillo and Mitch Haniger come to mind for this Mariners fan. Smdh

[orangebird]

2 hours ago, 834k3r said:

 

 

 

All of this.

Heck, if you have the same size foot (11.5/29cm) as me, I'll send you my NB plate shoes for nothing but the shipping. That's how much I think you ought to have plate shoes.

I'm a bit smaller than that and don't want you to go through that hassle just for me to wear shoes too loose like that but thank you!