Weather
 

I know that many have not started working games yet this year, but for those of you that have; how many games have you had rained out already?

I stand at 5 that have been washed out, and that is after .5 inches of rain in the entire month of Jan.

Baseball!!!!!

We're in the middle of a blizzard this weekend!!!!

We've had several washed out and last weekend was about 20 degrees with 15 MPH winds - great baseball weather ....:eek:

Thanks
David

Trade ya! Woke up today to a temperature of -15F :mad:

I haven't had a rain out...yet. Rained here yesterday, but I didn't have a game. Today looks good (upper 50's), windy but not raining & tomorrow's games look like a go (low 60's).

We have beautiful weather on opening week, for the first time in years. It's
usually in the mid-to-high 30's, but it has instead been mid 60's into 70's. I've
worked 5 varsity games so far, and lost one, cancelled due to the death of a player's father.

Had three games so far, another tomorrow. No rainouts. Pretty normal rainfall here so far this year. Chance of rain tomorrow, but probably after the game SHOULD be over. I say should, since I've already had a 10-inning marathon earlier this week.

it is currently 10 degrees here in PA. i won't sniff a game until march 23rd

Paul,

Not to worry,

We havent had any games yet, They dont start until mid March, but I guess since there is 10" of snow on the ground, it's probably a good thing.

Snow and cold forced my first JUCO series to be rescheduled--The two teams were playing 3 games each in Kansas and Texas and they decided to play the Texas games first, pushing the KS games to March. Why it wasn't like that in the first place, I have no idea....Feb 9-10 here isn't exactly a good bet for baseball weather......

Here in Tennessee, worked 3 5-inning scrimmages last night starting at 4:00.
The 7:30 game was kinda cold on the bases. Worked the plate the first 2. My legs are definitely a little sore this morning. 2 more scrimmages today. Good to get started though.

Damn Cold
 

After getting rained out Friday, I worked a DH on Sat. I was so cold at the end of the 10 am game that I put on my UnderArmour Cold Weather Leggings and long sleve. for the 2 pm game. The sun broke threw for 2 outs in the bottom of the 5th of the 2nd game. Aside from the dark gray clouds all day it was windy.

I don't know if any of you have seen or use that UA cold weather gloves, but they worked really well. They were warm and kept the wind out, and they are very tin and can be worn under heavier gloves. They cost around $20 and were well worth it.

I wasn't working on Sunday, but the 1st game of their DH got rained out and the 2nd game was miserable.

Should be a fun a fun Feb.

I'll let you know how cold my 6pm in San Jose is on Tues.

If the wind was blowing that hard, how could the fielder be expected to catch the ball with "ordinary" effort? In a big windstorm, wouldn't it require a bit more than just "ordinary" effort on the part of the fielder? Just asking, since you aren't supposed to call IFF until the ball has reached the apex of its flight, and a fielder is waiting to make the catch without any extraordinary effort.

Not really, he just needs to use the fundamental of using his glove to help shield the sun. And hey, where are his shades? It doesn't qualify as "extraordinary effort," because ordinary effort would require him to locate the baseball in the high sky.

I learned not only from pro school graduates how to umpire, but from current (at the time) minor league umpires. We had a very good training system here back then, which included "pro school" style clinics conducted by these pros and school grads. We would do the exact same cage drills, safe/out drills, simulated games, and "managers" comprised of instructors with their hats backward "coming out" on each umpire. It was a simulated pro school environment. So please stop disparaging my umpire training, because it was indeed very similar to that of an actual umpire camp or school training.

To the IFF question, a judgment must be made that an infielder can make a play on the ball with ordinary effort, regardless of where on the field the ball may land. That is the qualifications to which you speak. If you call it sooner than this judgment is made, then you have prematurely called IFF. You also must take into consideration the ability of the fielder in question. Ordinary effort for one may not be for another.

When the ball is over the dugout is not the time to call Infield Fly, IMO. It may have been better to wait until the wind began carrying it back toward fair ground, glance to see if the fielder had drawn a bead on it, then make the "Infield Fly, if fair" call. JMO, I could be wrong.

What do others have to say about this?

4 scheduled, all played. One started an hour late because of rain. One rain delay in another game. One cut short on account of darkness (because the game before it was the one that was an hour delayed, and took 3 1/2 to play! :( ).

Nothing else for another two weeks, unless something come up.

If you want to learn how to make a field ready for play, come to Oregon! ;)

And how do you do this in the first inning with two teams you've never seen before? Do the guys you see have their fielding ratings posted on their uniforms?;)

Just playing Devil's Advocate here.

You Little Dickens, you!:D

Actually, I meant to say "the level of baseball" more than the individual fielders. If you are working Mustang League, you may not be so quick to believe that the fielder has an ordinary play, whereas if it were a Varsity player, you may feel that ordinary effort is all that is necessary. I've seen some pretty routine pop-ups where I could tell that the fielder didn't have a prayer of catching the ball, in a league where the kids couldn't catch a cold.

Better safe than sorry. A pop fly in foul territory will tend to drift toward fair territory because of the spin on the ball. We don't know from PWL's play how close the dugouts were to the line. We don't know how old / skilled the players were. We don't know how much hyperbole there was in the original message. I seem to recall that one of the "authoritative sources" indicates that wind should be a consideration (but not a defining factor) in calling the infield fly. Sun shouldn't. :shrug:

Is this thread about the infield fly rule or about how many games you have gotten in compared to how many you have been assigned? I am getting confused! ;)

HIJACKED!!!:eek:

The wind is a factor in whether a fly ball should be called IFF (Evans). The sun is not (College Study Guide).

I was working bases a couple years ago on a very windy day and a ball was hit to RF. I went out thinking it was going to be a trouble ball. It landed in the infield dirt with F4 and F9 out in RF. Wind was blowing in from RF. Nothing ordinary about it. This was not an IFF situation but I looked at my partner, tipped my finger to my hat and gave a miniature safe signal and he nodded agreement, no IFF's today.

Weather Update
 

Ok, so what in the hell do you guys in the NE and Midwest wear this time of year.

We got rained out Tuesday at 6 in the bay area and played last night at 6.

I wore 2 Underarmor cold gear long sleeve mocks, a pair of UA cold gear leggings, my REI loose fit leggings, 2 pair of socks, UA cold gear gloves, My Black Diamond poler tec fleec gloves, all under my uniform last night and I was still cold last night.

It was in the 30's with the wind blowing right up the 3rd base line into my face all nite long. Worked 3rd.

I bought all that stuff to wear to work in Reno and it probably won't be enough. What else can you, do you wear?

I am gonna look like the Michelin Man when I get up there.

Durham,

I've done a couple of games when there are snow flakes and a howling north wind. We simply put on the long johns, undershirt, fleece and the umpire shirt.

Grit your teeth and head out.

It amazing, on those nights there isn't even a hint of an arguement when an umpire calls an out!! :)

On the plate, of course I don't have to worry about bundling up as much. On the bases, it is usually a t-shirt, then a long sleeve cotton tutleneck in the appropriate color, and my long compression underpants with (hopefully my partner has them!) Honigs Polywool slacks, which seem to keep me a bit warmer than their regular slacks.

Maybe being from Oregon, I am a bit more acclimated to cold, damp conditions for baseball! :)

Oh, gloves! Can't forget gloves!!! I have some black neoprene fishing gloves for those really harsh days!

"Ok, so what in the hell do you guys in the NE and Midwest wear this time of year."

Well, up here in Southern Maine we will wear jackets, probably sweaters and stocking caps. Really doesn't make much difference as long as your warm cause we have at least at foot of snow on the ground with more coming tomorrow.

Now, in April, late April, that is, when most leagues will start up, we will probably wear, jackets, sweaters,and maybe stocking caps, but the snow should be almost gone and we will be entering the mud season.

Don't do baseball, but have done football in that sort of condition. The UA stuff and long sleeve shirt kept me OK. Add a baseball jacket and gloves to that and I'd be downright toasty.

But, then again, I often wear shorts when its in the 40's, so it takes a lot to keep me cold.