I think eryone will prolly scuze u 4 it, cept the English teach.

Your are probably correct, and that's a pity. Lowered expectations are as bad as ignorance of what is proper.

Teaching in the public school system, I take it personally when one demonstrates that the accusations of inadequate student skills may be accurate.

I fault the elementary schools. Local studies indicate students enter junior high with 4th grade reading, writing and spelling skills. It doesn't get much better after that. My personal opinon is that no one should be allowed to leave sixth grade without the appropriate skills.

At the high school level we have institued "writing across the curriculum" by which students are required to write essays in and about each class they take, including math and P.E. But even that cannot compete with the amount of time students are allowed to spend instant messaging, text messaging, and playing computer games at home.

I truly fear that today's high school students will see a much larger division between between the social classes due to the widening gap between AP students and the unfortunate "norm", particularly in communication skills.

Oh, it should be noted that I am not an English teacher, although last semester I taught a lit. class. I have "endorsements" in English, history, music and several CTE areas. Music was my major in college, English and history were fascinations in which I achieved "minors" and CTE is my current passion, my favorite subject area and a course area of additional and current study.


End of rant.

[QUOTE=GarthB]Your are probably correct, and that's a pity.
QUOTE]


I believe either You're or you are would have been appropriate here. :D

I think it is funny that you speak of ignorance but are ignorant of the fact that pointing someones errors out in front of many other people, and doing so in such a mannor as to be making fun of them is actually quite Rude. It is as socially unacceptable as improper spelling and grammer, if not more so.

End of rant.

I won't presume to speak for Garth, but as for myself, I was just giving our 15 year old newbie a little good natured ribbing. Consider it a hazing, if you will. I have a feeling that Dan wasn't offended by it.


Tim.

I plan to do more games out there. One comment my partner (district UIC) made, was that im not ready to work the plate on a 90'. im thinking..whats that have to do with anything?!?! I never mentioned anything about the plate. He seems to think that im incapable of doin the plate at all, even though he's never worked a game with me behind the plate. Other umpires have given good comments about me when i worked a 11yr softball all stars behind the plate, and even after that, he called me telling me he didnt want me to work the plate, fearing im not ready. my only response was, "You don't get better at doing HP by working the bases all the time" Did work the plate some games during the reg. season. How would you guys handle a guy like that? seems he needs to be proven wrong about my plate ability. Experience is what i need most in order to improve. :rolleyes:

[QUOTE=3appleshigh]I apologize for my typo. I should have proofed my post.

I did not accuse Dan of being ignorant. That comment was made about students at large. I did accuse Dan of addressing adults in a juvenile manner. That stands. As I used to tell my younger trainees, "you are not kids in this arena, you are umpires."

Speaking out about the condition of today's affairs is neither rude, nor "making fun." It is simply commentary.

Perhaps he's not concerned about balls and strikes. He might be more concerned about your two person mechanics. Fly ball coverage, rotations etc. I know that if I'm unfamiliar with my partner I'm going try to beat him to the field and work the plate. At least that way I'm in control.

[QUOTE=3appleshigh It is as socially unacceptable as <font color = red>improper spelling and grammer</font>, if not more so.

[/QUOTE]That's what my Grammer always used to say too.

I saw that, also, JR, but I didn't want to be accused of a tit for tat game of "gotcha."

My post was not about the simple mistakes in spelling or writing or typos that we all make, rather it was about know how to address and communicate with adults on an adult level. That was apparently lost on 3apples. I guess I need to learn how to communicate with Canadians on a Canadian level.

I suppose I could start with, "This is a baseball. Notice it is spherical in shape." :D

You left out the <b><i>"Eh?"</i></b> at the end, Garth. :D

Here in LL, we do not go out on fly balls, PU job to call them. There for there is not much of a rotation, unless theres runners, 3 man crew, etc... I need to be given a chance to work both ends of it, not just master the bases. I also found i do a better job umpiring when im "under pressure" and working more competative games.

Dan:

You need to find better umpires to train you then. To say that you don't rotate properly because you umpire LL is nonsense. This is why LL umpires get such a bad rap on these forums. LL training uses the same mechanics used in the PBUC. Big or small diamond has the BU going out on trouble balls to right field from A position. You also need to learn first to third rotation with R1 only on a base hit. Have you been taught how to make that rotation yet?


Tim.

Well, i never went out on a fly ball. Wasnt trained too. in the book it says fly balls are PU's job. I have been taught the roatation with 2 and 3 man(no need for rotation on a four man), but never for going out on a fly ball..we always go in, :rolleyes: Unless my instructors dont know what to do. Tim, in the rotation with R1 base hit, if i understand what you mean, i was taught...go in from A, pivot, follow BR in the infeild grass, going from B staight to C then to 3B if needed.

Dan:

Lets go over first to third coverage. First off, with R1 only you're already in B position on the inside so there's no pivot to worry about. Now, with a base hit your responsibility is the BR as he rounds first. You need to be sure that he touches first and watch for a potential obstruction call on F3 or F4. As R1 is approaching second base your partner should be moving up the third baseline. As soon as he sees him committ to third he should be announcing to you that he has third if the runner comes. Different umpires might say different things, but we use "I've got third, Dan" as we move up the line. This means that as the BU you now have the BR all the way to second should he come, and that PU will take the call at third if necessary. Should an overthrow occur at third, your partner will circle back, usually in fair territory, to take any subsequent call at the plate. Again, you're responsible for the BR if he continues on to third.

Trouble ball to right is quite simple. If you go out from A to take the catch/no catch, you stay out. Your partner will then be left with one runner and one umpire on the infield to take the runner to third. After you announce the no catch you will begin to run back toward the plate in foul territory. Should an overthrow occur that allows the BR to try for home, it's now your call as the BU at the plate. You might find that a lot of us feel that this rotation when done correctly is the prettiest rotation in a two man on the big diamond.


Tim.

sorry, i misunderstood what you meant. Yes, thats how we were doing it last night, PU yelling i got third. PU tried to teach me to call the fly balls from B and C while in the diamond, but not while in A. im going to have a discussion about this. I feel after hearing this we are not being taught properly. Even on the 60' its never heard of BU's oing out on fly balls. I dont know, but ill let you know what i come up with, definate problems here.