OK Fellas, it's time to open the floodgates
 

Gents,

The following link will take you to my hometown news station's morning news segment called, "Ask The Ump." I have been in contact with the sports guy, Gene Lavanchy, to discuss all of the things you are about to see (and tear apart) to no avail. He did write back to my inquiry and asked what mistakes I saw, to which I responded with a LONG review of each segment (save for the newest one on obstruction) but none of my points were ever addressed. Oh well. Anyway, it's time I stop hoarding the fun for myself and share it with you all. Be forewarned....keep all sodas away for fear they will come out your nose; and try not to yell at the screen too much. Finally, there is a forum on aother part of that site if you feel so inclined. On the right side of the page click on "submit your questions to ask the ump" to be taken there. You have to wait for approval before your post will appear. It won't be hard to figure out, but, to save you .2 seconds of thinking, I'm on there as "ImTall." Enjoy, and watch out for the "corridor", the blocking mechanics, the raft, etc.........

http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pag...Y&pageId=5.2.1

added this part, will repeat later in thread...

you have me confused for veteran umpire ed king. weird.

I think I saw veteran umpire Ed King's photo somewhere before....let me think....oh, yeah....it was in the dictionary next to the word "smitty.":p

Hey I'mTall, that was some funny stuff. I love that guy that kept insisting that corridor was in the book. What a maroon!

I never knew that the signal for obstruction was the same as for blocking in basketball. How did that escape me all these years?:confused: :rolleyes:

That is what I was taught when I first started umpiring Little League about 10 years ago. I am still not sure where they ever got that mechanic from.

I thought he was actually pretty well spoken until he explained that a runner is called out for batter's interference. Unreal that someone who propagates myths like this is allowed on television. BTW, I only watched that one clip.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the proper mechanic for obstruction type B to simply point and say, "that's obstruction?"

oh, so you missed:

“There’s no steal on that, you gotta go back,”
“I don’t care what he was doing… it was a perfect pitch…it doesn’t matter”
“It hit him in the right arm about three inches above the elbow,”
“That runner’s out, that runner’s out, that’s a fair ball, time, batter comes to first.”
“I KNOW EVERYTHING.”

Oh, and his comments in the forum on the detached player equipment (mask) thrown at a bunt rolling down the line are priceless, too. If that ball has a chance of becoming fair, I'm certainly not going to just call it a foul ball.

I'm working the plate in our District LL championship tonight, I'll have to remember some of these. 6-man on the small diamond. :D

Yes...but not according to my former LL. :rolleyes:

Well, at least you will have 5 other umpires there to keep the little shavers from body-slamming you when they don't like your calls!:)

I worked one of the semifinal games last night. Hadn't worked on the small diamond in 3 years, actually, but I've done 2 plates in the tourney. Having a pitcher throw from 40-some feet at 60+ MPH is an interesting perspective.

Try 80mph from 46', plus no control. We had one kid doing that a few years ago. I saw him take one umpire out with a busted hand, and break anothers mask. He dropped me when I got nailed just above the shinguard. It didn't help that they were on their third catcher either.

obstruction looks a lot like a whacker "block" mechanic imo

Rich,

This is not a shot at you. How did you get a semifinal game at a level that you have not worked in 3 years? Shouldn't the guys who have been working that level get those kind of games? I know your credentials, and I know you are overqualified for small ball, where are the guys who work that level all summer?

ps. have fun tonight.

Nice watch the umpire is wearing.

Oh, I'm working the state tournament starting Saturday, too. I don't see it as over-qualified, BTW. I see it as "they will get the best umpiring available" for their game tonight.

I've been in Europe the last three summers during the Majors tournaments. I've worked a Regional at the Senior level and States at all the levels we have (11, 12, 13-14, 15-16) with the exception of the 12s. We hosted last year (six districts rotate, so we don't host again until 2013) and I was in the Netherlands that week. Next week I'll stay in a hotel and take a few vacation days and work about 12 games or so.

I'm not involved at the local league level anymore. The local leagues use teenagers for most of their games. They would get eaten alive during the All-Star tournaments and, frankly, aren't really qualified to do the games during the tournament. All-Stars is a whole different experience than the local league games. We take it seriously -- this isn't where we load up the fields with Smittys and have a good chuckle.

Once the kids stick with it a few years and show commitment and demonstrate ability, they are invited to join the District umpire staff. One of those kids went on to be a PBUC Honor graduate and was offered a contract in the Northwest League right out of school (during the strike year), but had to turn it down due to a medical condition and the fact that the short A leagues didn't win insurance during their strike. Now he works HS and college ball and still works LL.

I was by no means questioning wether or not you were able to work those games. I now understand that the guys working all summer are not qualified, and that is a fair answer. I hope they are at the games watching and learning. Congrats on the State tourn. I am sure they are going to miss you in the Netherlands this summer, nice gesture on giving up miles so someone else can go.

Ed King is not the world's best umpire, but he's a significant improvement over what most fans think they know about the rules.

Not much of a camera presence, though...

"Off sides, 5 yards"

Okay, the first thing that I noticed was the LL patch. I tried - I really did - to ignore this fact as I watched the videos. I even did my best to ignore the raft when he was at the plate. I honestly watched the 3 interference (uhh, 2 interference and 1 obstruction) videos, the Discipline video, and the Hit Batter video and tried to see if there was anything that I could learn from this nice old man - I really tried!

But alas, my laughter got the best of me............... OMG! What is so hard with pointing to the obstruction and saying "That's obstruction!"? What the hell was the hand to hip movement? BWAH HAHAHAHAHAHA!

at least i warned you to keep the sodas away...

i thought this might make it easier to navigate...

ATU- 5/13: What if a Runner Gets Hit by a Batted Ball?
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

ATU- 5/20: What's the Infield Fly Rule?
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

ATU- 5/27: What Happens When a Batter Gets Hit by a Pitch?
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

ATU- 6/03: How Many Bases Should You Take?
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

ATU- 6/10: How to Discipline Players and Managers
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

ATU- 6/17: Catcher Interference
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

ATU- 6/24: Umpire Interference
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

ATU- 6/24: Runner Interference
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

ATU- 7/8: Fielder Interference (a.k.a. Obstruction)
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

I tried, I really did... honest, I actually watched two of the videos, read a couple questions, then my eyes crossed and I had to go out to the fridge and get a cold one....I could have sworn you taught me different than that Tom :eek:

nuetral zone infraction


lol

Captain Kirk would Phaser your butt for one of those infractions.

Romulan or Klingon?

JM

You will be assimilated, resistance is futile.

Borg lover!


Tim.

Which one has the Corridor?

I cannot possibly watch all of these.

Joe in Missouri

"the corridor" can be found in the blog if you click on sumbit your question to ask the ump (or by clicking here http://community.myfoxboston.com/blo..._Ump?page_no=6 ). in the segment below, near the end, veteran umpire ed king states that the runner going to first HAS TO RUN IN FOUL TERRITORY in a 3 foot restraining area.

ATU- 6/24: Runner Interference
http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/MyF...1&locale=EN-US

Thanks. I added my own smart a$$ comment in there.

Joe in Missouri

Hey, when you work that level, then you can criticize! :mad:


errrr, ooopsss... :o ;)