My plate mechanics

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by LLPA13UmpDan

OK,

I was someone what bored yesterday and worked on some mechanics. This is me, doing my nornal routine mechanics. Do you think that my mechanics are decent? (sorry, shot inside, so it isnt the best)

http://s39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ent=llmov2.flv

I am confused, Dan. Wasn't that you in the photo you posted working the scissors and the black ball bags/Navy shirt combo?

[LLPA13UmpDan]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I am confused, Dan. Wasn't that you in the photo you posted working the scissors and the black ball bags/Navy shirt combo?

no it wasnt.

[Tim C]

I agree that MLB umpires at times have worn bands for different charity awareness programs.

I remember Yellow (Lance Armstrong Foundation) and light blue on Father's Day (Prostrate Test awareness) . . . and I am sure there are others.

I think you understood the point that many of us were making to LLdanFake.

Regards,

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Tim C

I agree that MLB umpires at times have worn bands for different charity awareness programs.

I remember Yellow (Lance Armstrong Foundation) and light blue on Father's Day (Prostrate Test awareness) . . . and I am sure there are others.

I think you understood the point that many of us were making to LLdanFake.

Regards,

Yes, of course I understood. And his reason for wearing the wristbands wasn't compelling either. If he had said he was wearing them in support of Black History Month, I might have bought their use.

[TussAgee11]

I think we should all post videos of ourselves. Should make for some good preseason discussion.

Who has a video camera?

[tjones1]

For the 1000th time, loose the wristbands.

I'm not completely sure, but it appears you might be using black ball bags. If that's the case, loose them as well -- get navy. If I'm wrong, disregard this.

Tuck in or cut off your mask's straps that are hanging out.

Also, I've picked a reference point three different times and not one of them is your head consistently in the same place.

Get a hair cut!

[Tim C]

I do not own navy ball bags. I have black and grey only.

Regards,

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Tim C

I do not own navy ball bags. I have black and grey only.

Regards,

I wouldn't wear grey ball bags if they were given to me as a gift. They look like an old pair of pants were cut up to make them. Blech.

[MadCityRef]

LL-
As the instructors at Evans' said, "The big leaguers can do whatever they want; they're big leaguers. You, dear cadet, will do it this way until told otherwise. If ever."
Unless you have a pituitary problem, no wrist bands. (I have not witnessed your video. Good initiative though.)

[Tim C]

I am slightly confused by your statement:

Jim Evans has never been shy about #1. He says it at all clinics and makes a point of it.

I am confused about #2 as we discussed this issue very throughly on your private list serve group more than once. Jim Evans also said this (in print) to a few umpires in an e-mail to some of the posters on this site.

#3 was said in front of over 100 umpires at the Portland Evans camp last spring.

Now I do not want to define Jim Evans by these three statements but they are accurate, delivered in the context with which he used them and are accurately reported in this thread.

How have they been taken out of context?

Regards,

[Tim C]

In Portland your longhaired, ponytailed and with a beard would not work a playoff game in high school or be accepted into the college group.

Steve, I am just reporting facts here not jumping anyone in Sa Diego.

And I agree with SDS: navy bags do not go with black shirts, creme shirts and the Delta Blue black trimmed MLB shirts. BTW, we have both navy and black caps approved in our group.

Regards,

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Tim C

In Portland your longhaired, ponytailed and with a beard would not work a playoff game in high school or be accepted into the college group.

Steve, I am just reporting facts here not jumping anyone in Sa Diego.

Regards,

Well, fortunately for us, our assignment secretary recognizes talent, and hair just isn't a big issue. One guy runs the show here in San Diego, as far as assigning umpires go, and that guy is Bob Merchant, who doesn't give a rat's patuty what they do anywhere else.

The guy with the hair and beard has been umpiring top-level games since way before I ever started umpiring, and that's a while now.

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by Tim C

I am slightly confused by your statement:

Jim Evans has never been shy about #1. He says it at all clinics and makes a point of it.

#1 was "He feels that the only people that can teach umpiring are professional umpires. In fact at all his clinics, classes and schools he makes fun of local trainers and calls them "Charlies" . . . all his instructor use the term freely also."

I think it would be more accurate to say he feels trainers should be professionally trained umpires, not strictly professional umpires. As evidence of this, I would point to his substantial contributions over the years to the development of umpire training in Little League.

I am confused about #2 as we discussed this issue very throughly on your private list serve group more than once. Jim Evans also said this (in print) to a few umpires in an e-mail to some of the posters on this site.

#2 was "On more than one occasion Evans has intoned that "internet umpires" are a bunch of guys that cannot umpire and are basically "keyboard" umpires that couldn't work real games."

Garth Benham has made the distinction before between "umpires who work Little League" and "Little League umpires." Similarly, Jim is aware of and acknowledges the distinction between umpires who are on the internet vs. "internet umpires." He does not blindly stereotype us.

#3 was said in front of over 100 umpires at the Portland Evans camp last spring.

#3 was "He feels that umpires not trained by professional umpires are hurting the game of baseball and the future of umpiring." I've not heard him say that so I cannot comment other than to say I assume there was more to what he said on the subject than that single sentence, and therefore I would speculate that a more complete description would provide meaningful context. As I previously noted, Evans has made significant contributions to the development of training programs for amateur umpires in the Little League organization, which does not strike me as compatible with an attitude that the vast majority of youth, scholastic and amateur umpires out there who do not receive formal training from professional umpires, are "hurting the game." In addition, the tone he takes in his Pitching Regulations and Balk Videos clearly acknowledges the need for local umpire groups to provide guidance for rule sets such as high school in which the rules vary from what he is teaching.

Evans clearly has concerns that "any idiot" can come onto the internet and spout BS opinions and specious rulings that contribute to the general MISunderstanding of the game. But the universally dismissive attiude that is suggested by your comments, unamplified, is simply not, in my opinion, an accurate portrait of what and how he teaches umpiring.

[umpduck11]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

I wouldn't wear grey ball bags if they were given to me as a gift. They look like an old pair of pants were cut up to make them. Blech.

But it's not because they don't match your hat, as the fashionista suggests,
correct ?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by tjones1

For the 1000th time, loose the wristbands.

I'm not completely sure, but it appears you might be using black ball bags. If that's the case, loose them as well -- get navy. If I'm wrong, disregard this.


Get a hair cut!

What is wrong with black ball bags? Some associations require black bags and hats. Black ball bags go with black, cream, and MLB Lt. Blue shirts. Navy bags do not.

Get a haircut? Geez, you sound just like my old man!

One of the finest umpires I know has long red hair (in a braided ponytail), and a scraggly red beard. He has been very highly rated for many years. Nobody ever suggested he get a haircut, as he probably would have knocked them on their a$$ for asking him.