First Game Tomorrow...
 

HS JV on the bases. Any advice?

John,

Don't suck.

Have fun.

JM

First game ever?

Slow down.

Concentrate on safe and out (and fair/foul when on the line). Leave all the game management, balks, etc, to PU.

Go out on almost all fly balls when on the line (better to be out wishing you were in than in wishing you were out, and that also applies to umpiring)

Slow down.

Use crisp mechanics all the time.

Slow down. See the entire play and then decide and then announce the decision.

I think Bob's post is the best.

He forgot something, though: slow down.

Watch the ball, glance at the runners.

Great suggestion, I would only add, look the part. Dress nice, crisp, and don't spend much time fraternizing with coaches etc.,

Show up, do your job, and get out of dodge.

Thanks
David

I agree with Bob and with what David added.

Good luck and have fun!

Don't get hit. For some reason this year quite a few guys in our association have been finding the ball.

What is the protocol regarding the pre-game meeting? Do we come dressed and pre-game in the parking lot? Do we leave our stuff inside somewhere? What about waterbottles on the field?

--rookie

John,

What I try to do is arrive at the game site at least 45 minutes before the scheduled game time. I wear my "street clothes" while driving to the game. As soon as I arrive, I walk to the field, introduce myself to the head coaches (whose names I already got from the schools' website - though w. underclass, they're not always there). Something like...

"Hi Bill, my name is JM and I'm your umpire today. Just wanted to let you know I was here. I/We'll be back on the field at 10 minutes before game time to check the bats and helmets. Would you please have your players have them ready for me/us to check? Have you got any paperwork for us to fill out? Thank you."

Then back to the parking lot to get dressed and pregame with my partner. Leave the parking lot 15 minutes before game time (yeah, I know, I told the coach "10"), ask the coach if he would please have his players get the bats and helmets out for us to check (yeah, I know. You'll see.), check the "hats and bats", name and number in the scorebooks, conduct the plate conference (reintroduce, lineups, groundrules, "properly & legally", "sportsmanship") then the HT takes the field for pitcher/infield warmup and we go.

Yes. Generally the trunk of your car.

JV game? Heck, I'd bring a bottle of Jack Daniels.

On a more serious note, in this venue I see no problem with bringing a water bottle on the field. Just put it someplace "out of the way".

Oh, and in case nobody's mentioned it, slow down.

JM

Entirely area dependent. Call your partner /assigner / mentor / someone in the area you trust and ask.

Don't forget to watch for the foot touching the bag and listening for the ball to hit the mitt. Do this and you will nail the close ones.

Did anyone mention slow down?

Report back and let us know how it went.

thanks for all the help, guys.

i probably won't be able to internalize all of it, but i'll be sure to sprint from place to place, make calls before the play is finished, and in general to keep my mind racing at 1000 MPH.

Good luck.

That's funny!

So, how did you do? Do tell, do tell!:)

a thought from my first game: with runners on 1st and 2nd the BU is in the C position. isn't it tough to get a good look at a pickoff play at 1st? you're very far away from that play.

Yes it it difficult, you just have make sure you have a good angle. Or, as we like to teach our umpires, stay in B. You are closer to the play at first and still have a great angle to 3rd. (but that depends on what is taught in your association or group - of course)

Thanks
David

we follow PBUC which has B only for 1st and 1st/3rd. that play really hangs the BU out to dry since the first base coach is right on top of it--i had one today where i called him out. actually it was the 3rd base coach who was upset about that one and not the 1st base coach, which means i probably got it right.

Who picks at first or even holds runners on at first with runners on first and second? Any coach worth a flip will play his F3 behind the runner in that situation.

Z,

I believe he said it was a HS JV game.

Res ipsa loquitor.

JM

First, why are they holding the runner to begin with? Very bush, even for JV (there are some pretty serious JV teams out here). I see it once in a while in adult leagues and do a little chuckle over it. That, and inexperienced F3's who don't know how to hold a runner to start with. Always good for a hoot.

Second, C is plenty good enough. Better angle, actually. It's not that hard of a call. Coaches (yeah, yeah, present company excepted, I know) usually don't know their a$$ from their elbow about right or wrong calls anyway, so you probably nailed it.

Congrats on getting the first one done!! Sounds like you did alright. Keep it up.

Oh yeah - your calls were WAY too fast, slow down.:D Remember, it ain't nothin' 'til you call it.