Pre-game umpire conference

[MD Longhorn]

Honestly, if everyone went to clinics, read the books, listened in class, etc... a plate conference should never be necessary. We SHOULD have the same mechanics, the same responsibilities, the same assumptions for every game, with every partner.

However, everyone DOESN'T do all those things, and I'm occasionally surprised by either A) something someone doesn't know when we have a conference, or B) something someone says they will do during the game. It's always something.

I wish for a perfect world, where the only thing a pre-game would be for is, "Dude, this is my 6th game, and I twisted my ankle in game 1... if there was a sub available, I'd go home... but there's not. Can you pick up 3rd base for me when it's normally mine?"

With a partner I know, occasionally I'll start the meeting with, "so ... what are we going to get Milly for her wedding?"