What do you keep on your line-up cards?
 

High school baseball is starting to get into its final weeks here in Iowa and I had an interesting discussion with some of the veteran umpires around the area the other day. We were discussing our surprise that some umpires don't "take" line-up cards for non-varsity games (ie JV or Sophomore games). It seems like everyone within our association takes line-up cards but when we get partnered up (one way or another) with a non-association member it's a crap-shoot whether they take a card. We obviously think a card should always be taken in high school baseball.

The topic was then discussed about what some partners include on their card. I include (I know I'll forget some things I do): Substitutions (player uniform number with position), Positional Changes, Charged Conferences, Courtesy Runners, Warnings...can't think of anything else...The biggest discussion was that some are recording the inning the changes are made. For instance, if the F4 came into pitch during the second inning the scorecard would look as such: 4/(1/2). I don't record the inning but it made me think about whether I should, I don't think so though.

One thing I do that the other umpires liked was creating a chart for courtesy runners instead of clogging up the line-up card. I usually find a space on the bottom of the card and make a two row chart. Each row represents F1 or F2. Then I track the runner and inning on the respective row (IE #14 in the 3rd inning would be: 14/3).

What do you all track on your card?

-Josh

For all high school games, I use the plastic info card. I take the batting order from each coach, check it, put it in my little black folding lineup holder, and never look at it again, unless a problem arises (which is very rare).

I list all changes and trips on the info card. When a coach says, for example, 15 for 2, I write 2, draw a single diagonal line through him, and write 15 next to him. If 2 reenters later, I circle his number and draw an X over 15, signifying that he cannot return, since he was a sub and is now done for the day. If another sub comes in for once-reentered 2, I then complete the 2nd part of the X over 2, meaning he cannot reenter again.

It works for me.

I don't care about positional changes unless it involves F1 or F2.

I do record the inning and the batter for conferences and changes.

If there's an ejection / restriction, I write down the pertinent details (who, when, ehat was said).

I carry a paper and pencil on the bases to record a grocery list between innings. (not really -- but I do carry one to record the ejection information, and items I want to discuss with my partner after the game).

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

I love the plastic info card!

I guess I'm a little behind on this one. I've seen guys with the plastic info cards but never actually looked at them. What is on them? The honig one looks nice from what I can see. The other ones I've found look like a waste of money (only listing trips and the score). The bottom of the scorecard has a spot for trips and I could care less what the score is (that's on the scoreboard) ;)

Steve-

I like your method of "x"-ing out players. Thanks

-Josh

Josh:
 

In Oregon we have (starting with the 2010 high school season) a mandatory lineup card for all state sponsored games.

The design of the card was to make it large enough to write changes (many of us have been given a lineup card from a coach on a 2" x 2" piece of paper) but also strong enouogh to handle wet days.

With this card we have instructed coaches the correct NFHS system for listing the DH and had taught umpires how to use the card (similar to what Steve touched on). What the design tried to accomplish was to make changes clear and FAST so umpires would actually make changes.

We required all substitutions to be made, all trips to the mound made (with notations ofr batter, count and # of coach going to the mound) and of course we want any ejections listed.

The "proof" side of the card is that starting in 2011 with any ejection an umpire must send a true copy of his lineup card in with the ejection report so we can monitor that cards are being kept and are up to date.

In Iowa each team is suppose to (but don't always) use the state-sponsored line-up card. The current card does not have room to write all the information you've mentioned though for a mound trip. I usually just include the inning and outs.

What do you mean by proof side?

-Josh

Well,
 

The "proof side" is the system that requires certain lineup cards to be sent to the OSAA offices with an ejection report.

An umpire, not knowing if he might have an ejection at any time, is then encouraged to keep thier lineup card current and up-to-date as they do not know if that by games end the card may have to go through official adminstration reveiw.

I think it's a great idea. Is there reprimand for not keeping your card up-to-date?

-Josh

Hmm,
 

Because all officials in Oregon are independent sub-contractors there is no process for penalties.

HOWEVER there is a process for selecting playoff umpires and not keeping a lineup card correctly could be a determining factor if an umpire works playoff baseball.

I did this lineup card on Excel so that I can do as Steve says: fold the original lineups away after certifying them, and then virtually never look at them again until it's time to throw them away at the car. In my case, I fold them away after writing each player's number on the card, and each sub's number in the right hand column. Later on, when a coach calls out a substitution, I put the number of the sub next to the starter's, record the inning, and draw a slash through his number in the right-hand reserve column. When the starter re-enters, I write his number back in after his sub's number, and I put a slash through the sub's number, which finishes him. That's also when I put a slash through the starter's number, which means he can't re-enter again. I size it to fit in my scorecard wallet.

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...parkguy/GC.jpg

I have another card that I use to keep score and list the coaches' names and record their conferences as well as record the game time, end time, warnings, etc.:

http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g2...ORECARDS-1.jpg

I don't start a game without a lineup from both coaches, V and JV. I put in my shirt pocket and don't look at it again unless there is a question.

I have a game card I designed, print them on printer. I keep up with trips, offensive and defensive, by inning, courtesy runners separately for pitcher and catcher, substitutions (1-2 means 1 went in for 2, I circle the 2 and strike through the 1 if 2 reenters). I keep up with warnings and ejections on the back side where there is more space for writing. Every game I get a new sheet and throw away the one from previous game.

Personally, I tri-fold my lineup card, blank paper on the outside. On the top of the blank fold I put the coach's first name and underneath that I put the first name of the catcher with his #.

At the bottom of the sheet I record visits and work up. Inning, outs and batter up during visit. If it is not a charged visit, I put an "X" before the info.

X B4 0 out #12

For courtesy runners, I start that underneath the catcher's name at top. # of courtesy runner, position running for and inning.

14 CR (2) - 1

Next time the same courtesy runner comes up, I just note the inning.

14 CR (2) - 1/4
5 CR (1) - 2

I use the () for the position since that is what the CR is tied to.

By the end of the game, it may look like this:

------------------------------------
/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Joe,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,,,,,,,,,#8 Tyler,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,14 CR (2) 1/4/6,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,,7 CR (1) 2/5,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,,6 CR (1) 7,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,X,,,7,,,,2,,,,,,,,,12,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,,,,,,5,,,,0,,,,,,,,,,1,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,X,,,3,,,,0,,,,,,,,,,3,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
/,,,,,X,,B1,,,1 out,,,#10,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,/
------------------------------------

Editorial note: Commas used for spacing and alignment.

All of these "stand in" line up cards are fine but what if something goes wrong or the game is suspended? What do you guys do, submit your plastic cards or do you sit there copying the game information on the official line up's? The original line up cards should have the information on them, not on a copy.

HS Baseball winding down in Iowa? Our schools are all closed up her in CT now and the State tournaments are long over!

I use the actual line up cards to keep my subs on. I also cary a 3x5 card that I keep conferences on the unlined side and the score on the other. I use a modified credit card holder ( its been chopped down a little bit.) as a line up card holder and it works great with my system.