WTG Rob
 

Great job by Rob Drake in tonight's Yanks Royals game. Calling strikes both ways. Even the announcers got it right. Ring 'em up Rob!

Just think how pathetic it is for someone to register a username just to make that post.

Although I wonder what's so special about Drake calling strikes, myself.

What's a strike???

:confused:

Me, too --did none of the other plate umpires yesterday do a good job?

Congratulations to all plate umpires today for doing what you are paid do.

Perhaps Mr. Drake was the only plate umpire to call a strike "both ways." Maybe everyone called them only for one side or they didn't call strikes at all. :confused: :eek:

One time I got sick of a coach screaming, "call it both ways, Bluuuuuuue." The next strike call I obliged him. I rang his batter up to the right first, and then to the left! Then I said, "there, that's both ways!"

I like that.

Although, anyone saying "you need to call that both ways" is implying that you're cheating. I'm not a big fan of that.

I've pointed that out a time or three too, but most of the coaches are way too stupid to realize that's what they're doing (no offense to the BRILLIANT coaches we have here! :p). They heard someone say it before and they adopted the mantra as their own.

I was watching the Pirates-Reds game on saturday and noticed the home plate umpire with really bad mechanics... Strike mechanic was just a flick of the arm. He wasn't working the slot, he was over top of the catcher. Head height was low. On plays at the plate, instead of clearing the bat, he picked it up and made the call with the bat in his hand (more than once).

I figured this was an umpire that's fairly new, but it was Ed Montague! That was really surprising to see that many flaws in the plate work of an umpire with that many years under his belt.

Why do you think that his mechanics are flaws? Remember: MLB umpires are not there because they use the best mechanics. They are there because they're the best umpires.

Don't imitate MLB umpires.

He also is the only one to still wear the beanie plate cap. How dare he! He should be fired immediately. There's no room for such horrible umpires in Major League Baseball!!!

Easy, Randy: your blood pressure.... ;)

Mine hovers around 120 over 80, believe it or not. Obviously, it's not measured during school when I'm with my students! :p

But the REAL question is: how is he verbalizing the count??? :D

Hahaha!

I agree with mbyron. I'm not arguing that he's a bad UMPIRE, but his mechanics are something not to emulate as a young umpire.

Please don't shoot the beanie cap wearer! I still wear one; have no aspirations to get to the majors, I'm too old. I just like its old school look, and frankly, it gets me remembered by coaches (sometimes good, sometimes bad). Now if I can just get my hand on a balloon protector............

Honigs still sells the raft.

Just kidding guys, not going quite that old school. I just like the beanie look, it works for me. I know it isn't the "accepted" look, but it doesn't seem to be costing me games either, so what the heck.

How long are Ed Montague's shoelaces?

I thought that the link would point to this:

http://www.honigs.com/img_item_full/K01.jpg

I find comments like "call it both ways blue" are best to ignore. If the comments about balls and strikes persist, I might call the coach out of the dugout and ask him to keep his players under control.

My advice would be to never do this again.

He used to use the 50" laces but they weren't very strong so he had to keep a backup pair of shoes with him at all times in case a lace broke. Now he found a stronger pair of laces but they only come in 48". He switched to these and now only has to keep one set of plate shoes in his trunk.

He's been on a strict diet & excersize routine - he's down to the 44's now.

Never do what again?

What age group?

What you posted about...

Older, basically 16 and up. Anything in which the dugout is far enough away that I would have to raise my voice for their dugout to hear me give a warning.

With players of that age:

If they are doing something worth correcting, correct it. If they have not reached the threshold deserving of your attention, ignore them. Either way, don't whine to a coach about his players doing something you don't like.

Handle it yourself, if it needs to be handled. Otherwise, walk away.