Had my 5th game of the season tonight. (Several have rained out)
In five games I have had obstruction 4 times, twice at the plate, once
on pickoff at 1st and once in a rundown between 2b and 3b. All
easy calls.
Tonights game was a game between a La. team and Tx. team. Had a
running lane violation on D3K situation. Quality throw got the
advancing runner in the left shoulder. No problem, no arugment.
Had La. coach make an appeal on runner missing 2b on a triple.
Good call coach, she did. No problems with foul ball/foul tips.
Hope all the rest of my games go this well. Have a 42 team HS
tournament Thrus., Fri., and Sat.

Interesting report, Glen. So are the HS teams getting used to the changes?

We've been through a number of the interp meetings and hold our meeting with the coaches next week. I'm expecting that to be interesting.

'Bout a month away from the first games here. But I've been working with a couple of the local college teams - see about 600-700 pitches so far & indoor scrimmage this weekend. By the time they head south, I'm expecting to have seen over 2000 pitches & have the timing where it should be when I step onto a field.

Here in Cleveland, it is now 25 degrees with about 3" of snow on the ground.

Sigh!!

Welcome aboard, James. In north central Pa, I kinda know what you mean.

Since I don't work HS, I'm just sitting and waiting for the ASA season to start. I'm getting tired of all this waiting. :( I'm jealous of you guys being able to get out there and work.

We got day one of the tournament in today. Cool, in the 40's no sun.
Had 6 games, all games are 55 finish batter, no line-ups free subs.
Had IP, OBS, INT and two train wrecks(yea I know) but sold them both.
We have two more rounds of 55 min games, then bracket starts..
1:30 get a winner. I have two pool games, then three bracket
tomorrow and 3 on Sat. with championship my final game. Of course
rain is forecast for tomorrow nite....Sorry some of you guys are
still frozen in. :D

Sounds like you had a fun - and busy - day of softball. Lucky you ;)

Had University of Minnesota at U of H tourney this weekend. Players told me it was their first time on dirt this season. They couldn't believe we were wearing jackets in 60 degree weather. I told them to come back in August and they would understand.

If I had to guess you are a Florida umpire....Are you working the Rebel games?

Did you or others have any problems with the new interpritation of obstruction? We open this weekend in Louisville....Yeah :)

Long drive even from the western tip of the panhandle to Houston! ;)

Kellers,
I got an email message saying that Dee had to speak with a number of coaches down south because of the obstruction calls.

I can't believe that <b>you</b> wore your jacket, Wyman.

Who was you partners this weekend?

I had 6 DII games in a dome this weekend. It was very fun to get going again. I had Minnesota last weekend in the metrodome. Their 1st batter is quite fast. Obstruction is going to be a hot topic this spring. I had a play where we had a bunt with the runner from third coming home. The catcher straddles home plate and the runner decides to do a wrap around slide even though the entire plate is in front of them. She would have been safe had she slid right into home. With a throw coming from first she wants be away from the throw. But she comes in and misses the back of the plate and is tagged out trying to crawl back to home. Obstruction? The runners chosen path was into the catchers foot. What is the catcher supose to do? I know it's a HTBT kind of play but what do you think?

I wore my jacket in the dome. It was snowing outside.

:D Was'nt in the book as OBS was it? (J/K)

Besides, from your description, it does not sound like it
was. Sounds like a good call. However, you know me, if
it sounds like a strike, it is a strike.....

glad to hear you are getting to call...even if it is inside.

I did not call obstruction but the coach wanted me to.

It was in the book as an out.

The team lost in the 10th by a run.

Glen,

I worked 7 games with Brian Shallenberger and Dora Martinez and had the pleasure of working another with Diane Beasley, out of Tenn. She is a solid official and a joy to be around.

Rachel,

We did not have an unusual number of OBS calls this weekend compared to what I've heard from the guys who worked earlier tournaments. I did notice the 1st and 2nd basemen making more of an effort to clear the bag when no pick-off throw was made. Our crew had no more than 2 or 3 warnings in 8 games.

The situation where a player straddles a bag and the runner doesn't decide to slide straight in is going to bring coaches out more often than not. But if the defender doesn't have or is not about to receive the ball, she can't dictate what part of the bag the runner can touch. The good thing about OBS is that it is still a judgement call, which makes it a little easier to deal with an unhappy head coach.

Good luck at Louisville.

<b>We did not have an unusual number of OBS calls this weekend compared to what I've heard from the guys who worked earlier tournaments. I did notice the 1st and 2nd basemen making more of an effort to clear the bag when no pick-off throw was made. Our crew had no more than 2 or 3 warnings in 8 games.</b>

Wyman,

Same thing tonight in the Alvin vs Lamar State game. Base
personnel stayed cleared when there was no apparent play to
be made. Only thing I had was a Lamar player taking a HBP
without attempting to move. I called "Dead Ball", delayed slightly
and said "Ball". Out of the corner of my eye I saw the Alvin
coach headed for plate waving her arms, as I called the batter
back to the box. She immediately sat down.

BTW, she did not mention a thing about any pitch. Lamar beat her
again 7-1. (guess she is over not keeping the high pitches)