I personally don't. The partner I worked with last night did. I was just curious on how many of you guys actually do rub the shine off of the baseballs.

OK,
 

aevans410:

Let me get this straight:

You don't rub down the game balls before the game?

If you don't who does?

I ask this because we have a couple of high schools that rub down the balls before we arrive, we also have a tradition that the base umpire normally rubs down at least some of the game balls AND we have ONE school that does not allow the PU ANY balls (yep, the home coach holds a gamer in his hands and throws it to the pitcher from the bench after a ball leaves the field of play).

[Edited by Tim C on May 4th, 2005 at 08:52 AM]

I don't, because I don't get them

The visiting starting pitcher gets one, the home starting pitcher gets one, and the third one I get is usually a "used ball".

I also haven't seen a shiny baseball.

I've been with my current association for 3 years now, not a one has done (until last night) it since I joined. When I worked LL/Pony before that, I did it religiously. When I saw the more experienced partners not doing it, I thought maybe it wasn't a very good procedure. Anyone I would ask would always give me the same answer "I don't do it". Nobody could give me an answer of why or why not. I just went with the flow.


Then I found this forum.

I've learned (or should I say unlearned) more in the last 6 months of reading this forum from guys like you Tee than I have in the 5-6 years I've been on the field. I know since I'm relatively new to this association I'm not being paired up with the best of umpires and I have a lot still to learn. Which is why I brought this up.

I knew I could get a "why" or "why not" here. I want to advance to the next level. I want to do it right.

Also since I've been adjusting my mechanics to what I read here, I'm getting "better" assignments. I think some higher ups are taking notice of my improvements. I want to continue that trend.

This wasn't even on my mind until last night, so I figured I'd run it by you guys and maybe get a straight answer finally, it looks like I did, thank you again.

[Edited by aevans410 on May 4th, 2005 at 09:37 AM]

The high school and youth teams in this area want a shiny new ball to start the game, so I don't rub them down. The adult league wants them rubbed down, so one of the umpires (usually PU) will do it.

At the high school level, each pitcher gets a ball and we get two additional. I rub my two balls and let the pitchers worry about their own.

Re: OK,
 

Tee,

I would find a reason not to umpire at that school. I hold the baseballs, not the coach.

I'm spoiled. Most of my college games there's a box of baseballs already rubbed down and I take however many I want. That's about six, maybe more if I'm wearing a plate coat. HS games start usually with 4 -- the base umpire usually rubs them down if they aren't already -- most of the time they are.

--Rich

Shiny new balls are slippery and dangerous. I'd rub them down anyway.

Jeez, Garth, when you set one up this well there's no park that's gonna hold it in.

OK, OK, I feel obligated. Let's see:

Wonder if Tee's going to have to rub his two balls now that.....nah, too easy.

I wondered when that was gonna happen :D.

hehehehe......



hahaha i know, i'm childish. :D

haha dang, Rich beat me to it!

I will rub the 2 baseballs down that I get from the coach as the PU. If I am in the field I will take one and do it. It is a mix as far as whether or not my partner does. Nothing wrong woth rubbing them down. I figure better grip by the pitcherm better chance he throws strikes.

I do not rub down the baseballs. In most cases each pitcher already has a baseball to warm up with. I might get another 1 or 2 baseballs from the home coach. I usually do not have enough time or concern with the baseballs to go through all the trouble.

Peace

exactly and keeps the pitcher from trying to do it and then you have to do it in front of everyone and that just wastes time.

Thanks
David

Thanks to everyone for your replies, all of you have been very helpful.

I use what they give me. I like to start a game with at least 4 balls in my bags, and each pitcher usually has one. If they send me one still in the plastic I send it back.

Re: OK,
 

Coach doesn't ALLOW the PU to hold the game balls. If it was MY game, "Coach, I'll hold the extra game balls." "No, I keep them." Coach, I'll hold the game balls, or you can take a walk back to your office, because you'll no longer be involved in this game."

To permit the home coach to hold the balls, and toss them to the pitchers when necessary, is ridiculous. How do you allow this?

Bob

Re: OK,
 

Whoa...talk about a control freak. Is he from Texas?

I've let a coach hold on to the baseballs once...and that was only because the field was wet (but playable) and we were having to throw out a new ball just about every other pitch. The coach had a towel and was doing his best to keep the baseballs dry. I'd rather hold onto them, but it was a matter of necessity and convenience for the coach to take care of them in this game.

Of course, this was the same game that ended up with a 15-14 score (I rang up a kid on a 3-2 count with the tying run at third and and the bases loaded to end the game), lasted 3 hours and 10 minutes, and my partner didn't show up so I ended up doing the game by myself. Plus, it rained intermittently throughout the game. The ultimate game from down below.

BlueZebra
 

"How do you allow this?"

Bob,

Because that is the way it is . . .

That is the simple answer -- it is more complicated than that.

Our Association (the largest in Oregon) has selected to not pick this as a battle.

When working inter-city schools we see many, many odd things.

Since I have not worked the dish at this school since this new coach took over (2 years ago) I have no control over what happens at the plate.

Again you are a much more "straight laced" umpire than I am.

We're just different I guess.

The only issue I see with the home coach routinely controlling the game balls is the bottom of the 7th, and a close game, when the beautiful pearl finds its way onto the field. Other than that, who cares?

I guess you would have to assume that all the other balls he throws out are EQUAL???

Does he have two separate buckets for balls? A loaded set with good seams and a bucket of crap balls?

Well heck yeah
 

We're talking about rubbing balls and then your moniker shows up! My! My! that is a large...
;)