Bunt hits batter!!!

[GarthB]

That's too bad, Rich.

When we tire of working to help others improve, we tend to soon tire of working to improve ourselves. Isolation may further that issue.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by GarthB

That's too bad, Rich.

When we tire of working to help others improve, we tend to soon tire of working to improve ourselves. Isolation may further that issue.

Actually, my energy in that area is given to the local Little Leagues and the district where I am on the staff as the financial officer. I was a clinician last month and will be the lead clinician at another clinic later this month.

Also, I am motivated by other things myself. I am building up a bigger D3 college schedule and have decided to work less high school games going forward. I'll still work the number required to stay eligible, but I'm in no hurry to pick up every game I can, like I used to be.

Working more college dates requires me to keep focus on being a solid umpire, especially on the plate, and also continue to work hard year after year.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

Actually, my energy in that area is given to the local Little Leagues and the district where I am on the staff as the financial officer. I was a clinician last month and will be the lead clinician at another clinic later this month.

Also, I am motivated by other things myself. I am building up a bigger D3 college schedule and have decided to work less high school games going forward. I'll still work the number required to stay eligible, but I'm in no hurry to pick up every game I can, like I used to be.

Working more college dates requires me to keep focus on being a solid umpire, especially on the plate, and also continue to work hard year after year.

This post contradicts your ealier "contrarian" position. Good.

Your goal as expressed here is not at all compatible with your earlier expressed support of sloppy and incorrect mechanics. Around here, at least, the college evaluators are even more nitpicky about performing the expected mechanic correctly. Perception and the expected level of professionalism in college umpiring does not allow for flippant attitudes about doing things "the right way." We have lost a few otherwise good college umpires who didn't consistently demonstrate their understanding of the need to follow the CCA mechanics to the letter.

Of course, there's always the possibility that they just don't care at the college level in Wisconsin. Or that you can turn on and off your "focus on being a solid umpire" depending on the level of game.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by GarthB

This post contradicts your ealier "contrarian" position. Good.

Your goal as expressed here is not at all compatible with your earlier expressed support of sloppy and incorrect mechanics. Around here, at least, the college evaluators are even more nitpicky about performing the expected mechanic correctly. Perception and the expected level of professionalism in college umpiring does not allow for flippant attitudes about doing things "the right way." We have lost a few otherwise good college umpires who didn't consistently demonstrate their understanding of the need to follow the CCA mechanics to the letter.

Of course, there's always the possibility that they just don't care at the college level in Wisconsin. Or that you can turn on and off your "focus on being a solid umpire" depending on the level of game.

It depends on what people care about, I suppose.

I care about doing a good job on the field. I don't feel the need to be preachy about minor mechanical deviations off the field. Or on an Internet message board.

In this original situation, I would've fit right in -- I wouldn't have called anything cause I always give my PU partner plenty of time to make the call on his own. There's nothing I hate more than a base umpire quickly letting the world know there was a ball off a batter (and usually echoing the PU for no good reason).

But the BU calling FOUL instead of TIME isn't a reason to make the world stop spinning on its axis. Does the CCA manual actually have that level of detail? Mine's in the car and I'm not going to the garage now to look.

But do I deviate from the crisp college mechanics and mannerisms when I'm working a youth game I assigned with a good friend in the summer. Damn right I do. We talk, laugh, have fun, point out GLMs and MILFs in the stands and all those other things that would seem quite out of place on the college field.