Quote:
Originally Posted by GROUPthink
And don't forget to ask the shortstop and second baseman (and the center fielder, too) if your position is OK with them when you're working inside the diamond.
Worked a game this season with an umpire I had never met before. After the plate conference, he headed towards third base. Was so intrigued by his path to short right field, I didn't even bother to look at some of the warmup pitches (I usually look at the middle four pitches -- two from each side). He stopped at third, carefully brushed off the base, went to second and did the same, and then went and did the same to first base. After the top of the first, he went to the pitcher's plate and did the same thing. I was so inspired, I used my plate shoe to clean the plate the entire game.  |
At a state tournament final this year I saw umpires carrying indicators and brushes on the bases (And using both waaaay too much), as well as asking the middle infielders if their positioning was okay prior to pitches. Pretty much any Smitty behavior you can imagine, I saw it.