Who Does the Plate?

[IowaMike]

Never a problem with high school games here in Iowa; they're all doubleheaders. The only discussion is whether you take the first or second game behind the plate. Most guys seem to prefer to take the first game; I used to feel that way but generally don't care that much anymore. Sometimes it's nice to have the dish for the second game once it cools off a little and the sun starts going down. Nearly everyone I have worked with rotates first game; if they had it last time you worked, it's your option the next time.

The guys who are already there in full plate gear before you arrive irritate me, it's something that should be discussed out of common courtesy. There is one guy around here who only works soph/frosh level games, who puts on the plate gear at home and gets to the game about 50 minutes ahead of time to ensure he will get that first game behind the plate. He is generally disliked and a pretty crappy umpire to boot. I work nearly all of my high school dates with the same guy now so we just rotate first game back and forth.

I do work a few lower level games that are singles before the high school season starts here at the end of May. I always show up assuming I will work the plate because I figure the guy I will be working with will either refuse, give some excuse about a bad back etc, or say he "forgot" his gear. I don't understand why guys umpire if they don't want to work the plate. I wouldn't want to work every game on the dish, but I would be bored to death working every game on the bases. I like doing both.