NCAA CWS umpires spotted

[dumbdumb]

Congratulation to the below as well as any alternates/replay crews etc.

Gregory Street, Casey Moser, Clint Fagan, Brian deBrauwere

Angel Campos, Jeff Head, Scott Letendre, Kellen Levy

sorry for any missspelllings

Post is really for congrats and for those with less umpiring experience, who may see the above umpires in game box scores near where they live during the regular season, and can go watch them work during the regular season.

[Biscuit]

DeBrauwere is a stand up guy. He helps train umpires with United Umpires, and does a phenomenal job. Helped me out a ton, and really cared about my development!

[BigBlue4u]

I was an observer for the Big West Conference when Angel was umpiring in that conference.  In the comments section I wrote, "Let's start with the fact Angel worked 585 major league games."  Angel is a good guy and an outstanding umpire.

[grayhawk]

Letendre is a sold guy as well. Always willing to help and is an excellent instructor.

[grayhawk]

22 hours ago, Biscuit said:

DeBrauwere is a stand up guy. He helps train umpires with United Umpires, and does a phenomenal job. Helped me out a ton, and really cared about my development!

Well, he just called the first no-hitter in the CWS since 1960 and only the third ever.

[Velho]

13 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

Well, he just called the first no-hitter in the CWS since 1960 and only the third ever.

I loved the lean in call in the 9th.

[grayhawk]

Just now, Velho said:

I loved the lean in call in the 9th.

That one was as close as it gets. I thought they would go with call stands. He did bring that elbow down just a little. In the zoom meetings I was on the last couple of years, they said it should be big to call it. This one was not big. 

[Velho]

22 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

He did bring that elbow down just a little. In the zoom meetings I was on the last couple of years, they said it should be big to call it. This one was not big. 

Interesting. Thanks for the inside info.

Felt comparable to the Coastal Carolina call which was Confirmed. So maybe they've shifted? Or BIG is a cross section of game level by batter movement, i.e. big move x regular (little) game == little move x BIG game

[grayhawk]

20 minutes ago, Velho said:

Interesting. Thanks for the inside info.

Felt comparable to the Coastal Carolina call which was Confirmed. So maybe they've shifted? Or BIG is a cross section of game level by batter movement, i.e. big move x regular (little) game == little move x BIG game

I felt the Coastal Carolina one was bigger. Clearly sticking his elbow out.

[Velho]

37 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

I felt the Coastal Carolina one was bigger. Clearly sticking his elbow out.

Do you think these are intentional by the batter (regardless how big or not they are supposed to be to be called)?

[grayhawk]

They played it on Sportscenter. Here it is from my phone. It's bigger from the ump cam view than what I saw before. I think they got it right but it's very close. Curious to know @Replacematt's opinion.

[grayhawk]

4 minutes ago, Velho said:

Do you think these are intentional by the batter (regardless how big or not they are supposed to be to be called)?

Yes, 100% intentional. Making it an automatic strike has cleaned this up in a big way, but it does still happen. I used to call it several times a season, but it was only called once (by a partner) in almost 50 games I had this year. I didn't have any this year while on the plate.

[Velho]

28 minutes ago, grayhawk said:

34 minutes ago, Velho said:

Do you think these are intentional by the batter (regardless how big or not they are supposed to be to be called)?

Yes, 100% intentional. Making it an automatic strike has cleaned this up in a big way, but it does still happen. I used to call it several times a season, but it was only called once (by a partner) in almost 50 games I had this year. I didn't have any this year while on the plate.

Agree (even though I didn't play at a high level which "anyone who did knows these batters couldn't possibly be doing it on purpose because milliseconds to act, blah, blah").

Now that you mention it, I've seen it reduce over time at the 14U and down levels too. Didn't have any this year in 40+ games.

[Richvee]

On 6/15/2025 at 6:12 PM, Biscuit said:

DeBrauwere is a stand up guy. He helps train umpires with United Umpires, and does a phenomenal job. Helped me out a ton, and really cared about my development!

I’ll echo that. I be had the privilege of attending several clinics with Brian as a clinician. Hoping he’ll be at this July’s 3-man in N. Jersey as well. 

[Richvee]

3 hours ago, grayhawk said:

Well, he just called the first no-hitter in the CWS since 1960 and only the third ever.

He was nails. His mechanics are so smooth.  .. so natural. Nothing is forced. 

[Richvee]

1 hour ago, grayhawk said:

Yes, 100% intentional. Making it an automatic strike has cleaned this up in a big way, but it does still happen. I used to call it several times a season, but it was only called once (by a partner) in almost 50 games I had this year. I didn't have any this year while on the plate.

Agree. Interestingly enough, it seems the higher levels of NCAA with replay, the guys try it more. Maybe they’re just better at it?  I had more than a few try sticking the elbow out and missing. Which I always followed up with “ You know if you do that and get hit it’s a strike”. That usually ends the chicken wing attempts. 

[MadMax]

1 hour ago, grayhawk said:

I didn't have any this year while on the plate.

First season the rule was implemented, one of the first games of NAIA ball of that season, and I’m on Plate. Extremely athletic center fielder for the HT is up, and on a 2-2 count, catches a weak curveball that was headed at his ribs. 

“Time! By rule, that’s a dead ball Strike. Strike 3, Out.” 

35 minutes ago, Richvee said:

it seems the higher levels of NCAA with replay, the guys try it more. Maybe they’re just better at it?

My guess is that it’s a “chess move”… if you force a replay review challenge from the other team, there is a chance it goes in your favor, and the other team loses a challenge. What’s the worst that happens if it goes against you? A strike? 

[grayhawk]

10 minutes ago, MadMax said:

What’s the worst that happens if it goes against you? A strike? 

In the Coastal Carolina case, he turned ball 4 into strike 3.

[Richvee]

1 hour ago, grayhawk said:

In the Coastal Carolina case, he turned ball 4 into strike 3.

Situation dependent for sure 

[Velho]

1 hour ago, grayhawk said:

In the Coastal Carolina case, he turned ball 4 into strike 3.

And with bases loaded for out #3

1 hour ago, MadMax said:

My guess is that it’s a “chess move”… if you force a replay review challenge from the other team, there is a chance it goes in your favor, and the other team loses a challenge. What’s the worst that happens if it goes against you? A strike?

And Murray State today it was 3-2 (I think) for out #2 that would have brought the tying run to the plate

15 minutes ago, Richvee said:

Situation dependent for sure 

Yep. Bit of self blame for the coaches (if that is a reason for the approach) since the exceptions to the mantra aren't understood by most.

[Replacematt]

5 hours ago, grayhawk said:

They played it on Sportscenter. Here it is from my phone. It's bigger from the ump cam view than what I saw before. I think they got it right but it's very close. Curious to know @Replacematt's opinion.

IMG_7041.mov

That's pretty obvious to me.

And while I don't like to extract individual components of an act where the whole is the most important thing (HBP, check swings, etc.,) there's one thing here that sticks out to me--watch his face through the movement.