that's our situation in the area where I assign...we'd love to lobby for two umps, but we don't have the capacity...

Well got called to work JV solo yesterday. It went well,low scoring game, only missed a pick off at 2nd due to F2 blocking my vision. Coach's very understanding at pre-game and were ok with me.
Gotta remember Garth's comment about the check swing. Classic!!! lol

In many areas of the country there are not enough umpires to have 2 man crews for JV, Soph and Freshman (High School) just a fact of life. This particularly true in the Chicago Metro Area.

Send me a PM with your email. We have a sheet a one=person mechanics that we use in training for first and second year umpires. I'll send you a copy. All frosh games here are one-man.

Hi Garth:

Nice one.

I had a different incident when working SOLO.

When working SOLO we give the best game possible.

During a check swing in which I called a ball NO he didn't offer, the Manager asked me to check with my partner. Instinctively I pointed to the first base coach before Reality sunk in.

Now after I pointed to the coach and got back to reality I said to myself "Pete what in the he** are you doing"

However, to my surprise the base coach gave me a strike signal on his own player. I said "hey if this kids own coach thought he offered who am I to argue" and I changed the call from ball to strike.

You should have seen the look the manager gave to his base coach. I had to call TIME for a minute because I started laughing.

Pete Booth

Just for fun, I've appealed to the 1B coach before...I never changed my call but more so doing it to show the teams that "hey, it's just me out there..."

we must have it good....
 

In our area (Southern Hampton Roads), we have enough umpires for 2-man crews for all scholastic games - varsity, JV, middle school. And for all the other leagues our association does, too. In fact, we have such good numbers, we need more business to get everybody games. We do have some 1-umpire games, actually, but they're the real little dudes in the Pony system.

If you pay the travel fees, gordon30307, maybe can import some people your way.... :p

you do have it good

Pete
I get your larger point about a new ump working solo needing to be tough and hold up under the pressure of the coaches.
But
as advice to new umpires goes the above example is terrible.
If he doesn't "SEE the ball lying on the ground" then he didn't SEE the ball in F2s glove. One of the first things all new umpires need to learn is If you don't see the ball don't make a call!

I hope I never feel the urge as an umpire to act this unprofessional on a ballfield....:rolleyes:

all depends on the setting...unless you're joking here...but an ump could have a little fun with this depending on the situation...

That should be "unprofessionally", an adverb.

Oh knock it off, Steve! I think that Garth did a great job of showing a bonehead coach up! Jack-a$$ wanted a check, Jack-a$$ got a check! You need to lighten up and enjoy this $hit! :D

I remember one game I was doing solo with R2 and R3, less then two out.

Batter hits a line shot to F7 that the fielder has to run in and dive for. I'm watching the fielder dive for the ball, make the catch, roll on the ground and then stand up and throw the ball AND at the same time trying to see what R3 is doing with regards to tagging up. As soon as I see F7 still has the ball I check R2, who's about two steps off the bag and running towards third.

End of play had R3 scoring and R2 standing on third. Defensive manager yells to get them to appeal that R2 let early. I call the runner safe. Out comes the manager saying that the runner never went back to tag the base.

I simply explained what my priorities were on the play:
1) Legal catch
2) Tag up of R3
3) Tag up of R2

I admitted that when I checked R2 he was about 2 steps off the bag which was close enough for me. If R2 was half way to third when I checked then he might have an arguement but being the only umpire means that you have to have priorities about what your looking for.

The manager still wasn't happy and insisted that the runner didn't tag up but I simply told him that if he wasn't happy that he should try to persuede more of his players to take up umpiring so we wouldn't be so short year after year.

close enough for me

be careful with that phrase...that can cause more trouble than simply saying nothing