Cleaning the pitchers Plate
 

I saw a comment in the "Time Out" thread and wanted some feedback on it.

The comment was a slight dig about Blues that clean the PP. I have always cleaned the Pitchers Plate cause I thought it looked good and it well cleaned the plate.

Is cleaning the PP considered beer league ?

I am in the minority in my area but I thought that was because other Blues were lazy. Now I'm thinking I'm a dork for doing it. :confused:

Feedback please and as always it's appreciated......

we clean it after the 3rd out if it needs it, but not just to look like we're busy ... in fact thats the mechanic that is taught in the 3 assoc. I work for (1 ASA, 1 USSSA & 1 NFHS) on a regular basis

In Seattle, we teach the BU (PU if solo) to clean it every half inning if it needs it. In fact, it was one of the prescribed mechanics at last year's 16A National.

Around here, NFHS and ASA, you better clean it every half inning or get dinged on your eval.
Not so worried about it in SP but in FP you better get it.

This has been standard in almost all of the FP tournaments that I have worked in ASA over the years and it was a definate in the ISF stuff.
The rabbit cleans it in 3 or 4 umpire crews unless someone had gone out, whoever is inside cleans it.

I agree with Scott (and he may be one of the few umpires with more ASA Nationals than my 21 as an umpire, 3 as umpire coordinator). It is an absolute every half inning in ASA Championship Play, no matter how clean it looks. And, you better face the right way (same as cleaning the plate, face the backstop, butt to center field). And, I play as I practice, so I do it at every level of ASA and NFHS.

In NCAA, you will actually get dinged for sweeping it unnecessarily; there, it seems more a "don't do it like ASA" than actually thinking to save us doing unnecessary work.

Yep, line me up with Scott and Steve. Unless there is some pressing matter which may require the umpire's attention at the end of the half inning (and i'm not talking about getting a drink and towel unless you really need it), clean the pitcher's plate WITH THE BRUSH, not your foot, hand, hat or a player's glove.

As you know, I'm not a big fan of MLB, but some of the places I frequent always have a ball game on the tube, so watching a pro game can be unavoidable. What I have noticed this year are MLB umpires clearing dirt off the plate with their feet! WTF, do they all attend the Eric Gregg Memorial Spa and Wings Emporium? That is one of the laziest things I have ever seen an umpire do AT ANY LEVEL.

Speaking of which, Steve's last statement there is not unusual or surprising. When the NCAA first go into the softball umpire business and the NFCA basically ran the show, one of the first things schools were told (at least in my area) was that while the contracted umpires may be ASA, they were to wear no part of the ASA uniform. I would have to assume this would apply to any other organization's (U-trip, NSA, AFA, etc.) umpires. According to a couple of coaches in my area it was because they were NCAA teams and didn't want to give the impression that THEIR umpires were the same as those chasing little girls around the softball field (their words, not mine). While I can appreciate their desire to be recognized solely as the NCAA, I don't get the attitude occasionally displayed along these lines.

Do they think the players and umpires just appeared one day and decided to have an NCAA ball game? Most of the umpires and players evolved out of these organizations and, if it weren't for the manner in which these organizations pamper and cooperate with them, most of the coaches would actually have to work a lot longer and harder at recruiting.

I guess I just don't get the basis for the arrogance.

Awww Mike! My size 14 "brush" is much more efficient than the little one. ;) I will foot-swipe a heavily-covered pitcher's plate -- or even home plate -- before getting down to business with the brush.

Huh?
I bought some special shoes that have a button on the side, click that button and the brush just pops right out of the bottom!:eek:

I tried this line with Merle one time,
Merle isn't known for his great sense of humor.:rolleyes:

Back when I was actually entrusted with helping train folks, :O they were instructed cleaning the PP was a must do. SRW, for whom I am somewhat to blame, can verify this.

Clean it...if for no other reason than to get a nice "Thank you, blue." Heck, we have one pitcher around here who will have it covered back up by the third warmup pitch...but she ALWAYS has a nice"Thank you, blue" every time.

I probably should have been more specific in my "slight dig" in the other thread. :) I was referring to yahoos who hang around the pitcher during a new pitcher's warmups for their moment in the sun, walk up to brush (or yes ... kick-brush) the pitcher's plate, let the new pitcher know the count and outs, and then point out the runners. Might as well come talk to me between every half inning too, or get on your cell phone, or chat up the GLM's between half innings. These are the same guys who flip the hat backward under their mask when working the plate, and bang their fists together on every full count.

This gets me thinking about something I do and want opinions on it. When I clean the plate I always use the proper technique as described by Mike but say there was just a sliding play at the plate and it has like 2 inches of dirt on top of it. Then I kick off the excess with my shoe and then proceed to brush the rest. Do you think this is something I should stop and just use the brush even on big mounds of dirt?

You mean that ain't good umpiring????


:eek:

I had a PU partner once clean the plate with his hat ... we had a chat ;)

Yeah, blame him for my mistakes. I like that idea! :D ;)

You got a problem with that buster? ;)

Gawd if we banned that...well, we'd be short an umpire, that's for sure.