I'm confused (my wife will agree with that) on the bat weight rule. The rule states "A bat shall not weigh, numerically, more than three ounces less than the length of the bat (e.g.; a 33-inch-long bat cannot be less than 30 ounces)

Isn't the example contradictory to the rule? Shouldn't it say "cannot be MORE than 30 ounces" or am I reading something into this?

The rule is to prevent bats that are too light. A 33" bat can weigh 30 oz. or more. The wording in the example is correct.

THe word "more" in the rule applies only to "three ounces" not to "three ounces less than the weight of the bat"

The bat can be heavier than -3, but not less. Example, a bat cann be 33 inches and 30 ounces, not 33 inches and 29 or less ounces.

Don't forget the barrel is now 2 5/8".

PAblue87
The bat can be heavier than -3, but not less. Example, a bat cann be 33 inches and 30 ounces, not 33 inches and 29 or less ounces


That is unless you live in NY... where they haven't yet adopted the -3 ratio and are still using the -5

Home Runs
 

Has anyone noticed that there is not as many home runs this year, or is that just me that thinks the ball has not flown out the park as much?

I thought ....
 

I could have sworn that last year's Tee was juiced !!!!

>:-)

funny
 

So I guess that $200 and so dollars that I am going to get doing T-ball today is going to be worth it? You probably do not know what it is like to work in the middle of the afternoon do you? What college are you umpiring today? :eek: You probably have to ask your boss if you can get off work to umpire. Stick to your complicated life and enjoy your Babe Ruth, LL or Legion ball that you love so much to do. I bet your family is so proud. :)

Peace

You Moved Up???
 

WOW!!!

Rut, when did this happen...all you've ever done is brag about your Varsity schedule....you sure have kept this a secret until today!!! A braggart like yourself would never have kept this quiet. So what conference are you working?? Let us know...this would be easy to check bud.

Will

PS. A Legion Game down here is better baseball than a lot of college....

Hey HHH

One of my LL players is at George Washington - Greg Conden - RHP - #33 on the program.

Have you seen him throw or don't you follow the names?

Re: Re: funny
 

Self employed make more money than people that are employers all the time. Ask people that make six figures and see what company they work for as an employee. But you would probably not know a thing about that, you have a boss.

Re: Did not have to move up.
 

Did not have to move up, I have always been there. And brag about what, baseball?? Baseball?? Are we talking about baseball? All you have to do is get asked. It is not like BASEBALL is such a sport that individuals are jumping over each other to be apart of. And if you had to ask me about what conference, then you really do not know much about college baseball at all.

PS. While you are out in the hot sun during the summer getting paid peanuts and doing a Legion game all by yourself, not know when you are going to leave, I am inside calling another game that you do not have to be fat officiate. As a matter of fact, if you are fat, you are most likely not going to be asked to do it. Sorry, is that bragging?

Peace.

OK,
 

On the Rut-O-Meter this one ranks a "10"

Pure Rut, guys just keep score with this guy.

Rut,
You've always been a "college umpire"?? But, now this is what confuses me, you brag about your "varsity" schedules. Hmmmmmm, now I may be just a po ole country boy, but in my neck of the woods, "college" outranks "varsity"...maybe not up there.

You say that if I'm asking what conference you're in, I don't know much about college baseball??? HUH?

Down here, Legion baseball pays almost as much as college. To be in the Legion association that I'm in, you must be a real college umpire.... you know, like in a conference.. We don't work by ourselves, sometimes we even work with more than 2 umpires on the field....

Ohhhh I think I got it now Rut, you work college VARSITY.....ahhh or maybe college intermural baseball between all them frat kids and stuff.... Rut that doesn't make you a college umpire....

And as far as being fat....boy, you dam sure don't know me....lol

Will

College umpires
 

That is why you are ignit and do not understand how college baseball works. Most umpires that do college, do not just do college only. Even D1 umpires do not just do college (at least in my area and state). If they did, they would hardly work ever. And if you understood anything about college baseball, many college baseball umpires do not work for just conferences. Unless you are doing the Big 10 or the Big 12 which have huge bugets which pay you $300 and up a game you might not travel that far from home. Conferences like the Missouri Valley or the Mid-Con, or other smaller college ball around here, you do not get all those games thru the conference or one person. Bradley and Illinois State are in the MVC and I have known several individuals with all kinds of experience do both those schools (both in the middle of Illinois) and do not work the other schools in the conference. And if you work in the Mid-Con, and you do Western Illinois University, you might not want to go to Buffalo University (in NY state) and do a game. Is there assignors in that conference, yes there is. But the reality is that depending on how spread out a conference is, you will often find that umpires are only doing schools within a certain distance of where they are. Most college games are in the middle of the afternoon on a work week. You are not going to find too many people willing to sacrafice their jobs in order to make a couple hundred dollars.

And about my varsity schedule, there is nothing to brag about. I got a varsity schedule by basically answering what levels I have done ever since I moved up to the Chicago area. I was given the games to fill much needed spaces. But when the phone rings from the assignors that I do baseball for, they only ask me to do varsity games. Now if that is bragging, only people that look at baseball as a big deal like yourself take offense to that. Baseball is not a very popular sport at all among people who desire to officiate. In Illinois we are losing umpires all the time to softball because it is faster and easier to do. And as I have said before, when I do a varsity game, I am usually the senior umpire. I either work with guys that have been doing 15 years or so, or you work with a guy that is in his first or second year. Baseball, Softball, volleyball, Track and Field and Wrestling are all sports that if you decide to do them, you will have to do "varsity" in your first or second year. We do not have the numbers in those sports to warrant to require experience or talent to always do the highest of levels. These sports are not Basketball and Football. And yes I do varsity in those sports, but that is another discussion. Sorry if you precieve that as bragging. I would be bragging if I told you what game, how good the game was, what officials I had work with, what I had to do to get that big game.

I guess for individuals that do Legion ball, doing a varsity game is bragging. And do not let me go there about Legion ball. Because if I tell you how I have done some Legion ball, you might precieve that as bragging too. I have done JV games that were better than many varsity games, so personally who cares what level it is as long as you enjoy it.

Peace

[Edited by JRutledge on May 4th, 2001 at 11:49 AM]

Rut, Rut, Rut....

<sigh> I think I understand how college umpiring works bud...

But the sudden revelation that you're a college umpire shocks those of us will a memory..... you constantly harp on the fact that you only call FED rules... I'll leave the rest of this for anyone else to figure out for themselves..

In the words of a respected, retired umpire...

You tire me.

Will

Re: Edited!?
 

I changed one word.

Peace

NF and NCAA rules
 

Fed rules? Last time I checked, most serious umpires (and this might be a regional thing) work under NF and college rules. If you look at all the publications that Referee Magazine puts out and the quizzes and that Right Sports puts out, they focus on NF and NCAA rules. They do give pro rules (they do not refer to them as OBR, SURPRISE!!!!) references, but just for argument sake.

Most umpires that I know that do Legion, LL, Pony, Colt and any other youth baseball or youths sports in general, they use NF rules. OBR rules do not apply always to the most of us. The Legion Leagues and Pony Leagues that I did, used NF rules. And because I did not do very many of those leagues and mostly did Iowa Baseball during the summer, NF rules is what I was under most of the time.

And I can see how competent of an official you are. I am a member of an very well known association in Chicago that has Big 10 and other D1 officials (football and basketball) NBA officials, NFL offiicals. This association does not focus on baseball, so I am not aware if any MLB umpires have ever been around this association. There is even officials from the ABA, IBL, WNBA and Arena Football League just to name a few. My point is that every football and basketball meeting that I have ever been at in this association or others that I am a member of, do not just focus on one code of rules. And because that many of the officials do college and HS, the discussion is mostly about these two levels. And I am talking about individuals that do both on a regular basis. So sorry but most never just do one level that are on the college ranks. Unless you have been at the college level for years and fly all over the country every day and night, chances are you do both if you are a college official or umpire. But you already knew that right?

Peace

Jrutledge:

I don't know you from Adam and I don't have anything against you. That said why do you work a sport that you have such distain for. I work multiple sports also and baseball happens to be my favorite. As such I find it offensive that all umps are fat and lazy. I assure you in this area that is not the case. You have to pay your dues to get varsity, it's not a right away thing. I also work college, but I work Legion in the summer. Around here it's very good ball. They play in the adult league when they aren't playing their league.

If you think it's such a bad sport why come to discussion groups like this. Just curious.

EWS application recieved
 

Excellent.

Mike B
President and Founder
EWS


[QUOTE]Originally posted by Wencher Hoh
[B]Rut write like Warren. Use many words. Say nothing.

BANZAI

[QUOTE]

Mr. Rutledge:

I beg to differ. LL,Legion,BR,and PONY all play under OBR. I have the BR,PONY,and LL books all right here and I'm sure they are as I say. Maybe where you're from it's different but nationally it's OBR all the way. The only summer ball that uses FED nationally is AAU.

Depends.
 

Depending on the league and the area. And if you look at all those leagues, NF is much more aligned with them. OBR or pro rules do not have the same restrictions on the bats and the weight of the bats (which this post was originally about) and conferences, helmets as pro rules do. And I really do not think LL and OBR are exactly one in the same. OBR are pro rules and are not going to be that different than the rest of the rules that are played in the summer, and that includes LL, BR, Pony, Colt, Legion, NF, College or Park District.

No argument here.

Peace

Why am I so important to you?
 

Do you really want an answer or are you going to twist what I say and interperate it yourself?

I am sooooooooo sorry that what I say does not mesh with everyone's little baseball world. I could care less what level I do, I do the levels that make the most sense to me and what is worth my while. That might be the money, the level, the travel or anything that I feel is important to do that baseball game that day. And if you think Legion ball is DA BOMB, please do not let me talk you out of that. I cannot sing the praises of Babe Ruth Baseball when I have never done a single game at that level. All I can talk about is what I have experienced. Sorry that experience is NF and NCAA, which the rules are much more closely aligned with each other. If that offends you OBR babies so be it. If you do not like it, do not listen or read. Just like TV, you can always turn the channel.

But where I am from when you ask someone about their experience and the level they do, it is not bragging when you tell them. You do not see me answering LL questions, there is a reason. I will let you figure it out.

What level you do and how you feel about it does not affect me one bit, why do what I do affect you? That is a question you need to answer to yourself, not to me.

Peace

I do not care to twist anything you say, nor do I think have so far. I just don't understand why you work in a sport you don't seem to like and then come to boards and want to argue about why it's an unpopular sport. Many posts you make are very good and to the point and then you will go off on a tangent and it leaves me confused to your logic.

Motivations
 

Who said I did not like baseball? You never read me tell you that I did not like baseball did you? I will admit that there are things about baseball compared to other sports I do not like as much. But that is mainly the fact that most of your games usually will get cancelled. One day you have game, the next you do not. At least I am lost a little after a cancelled game, because I have nothing else to do. This has been an unusual year though. I have only had 3 games cancelled do to weather so far.

What I do not like is the fact that people get so protective of what level they do. Personally, I do what I like and what is close. It is not easy to always do a game 4:15 in the afternoon on a weekday. I only do NF and college ball, but for those that choose to do the other summer ball, more power to them. I personally do not do much summer ball because it is very much like rec. basketball leagues. You have no administrator often times. You have "special" rules that are not in the rulebook, but only apply to the league. You have coaches who really are not coaches. These so called coaches are just dads or volunteers that think they need to argue every single imaginable thing they disagree with. If you have ever read anything I have said on the basketball board, I always say do not do rec. leagues at all. I realize that baseball is a little different, but personally there is nothing special about LL, Legion or Pony summer leagues to me. I would rather stay at home. And during the summer I am doing many basketball camps and doing baseball is not the biggest priority. At least at the NF level, if I throw out a coach or player, action will be taken. Doing these summer leagues, I will end up being the blame. Sorry I pass.

We do not have the same motivation or the same expectations. I love baseball, but I would rather have a cookout then do many of these leagues during the summer. Money is not everything.

Peace

Greg Conden
 

Hey I played High School ball with Greg.. in Owego.. i follow him now on the GW sports web page.. awesome awesome person and player!