From the baseball board....

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

I respect a lot of what you write, but there's no way that this is true. Consider the baseball umpire who:

(1) has to take a batter-runner to second or third because the base umpire went out. Plate umpire, of course.

(2) has to cover third on a first-to-third, especially on a hit-and-run. Plate umpire, of course.

(3) has to pivot into the diamond with 90 foot bases and college/pro athletes and having to pivot in front of them. Base umpire, of course.

I work 60-foot bases during Little League tournament season. We work behind the runners, just like softball umpires do. It feels like I am anywhere I need to be in about 5 steps.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I'd rather work 1 good baseball game than 3 softball games. Others feel differently. Whoopee.

Now, I did like working FP when I had decent pitching and fielding. I felt my reflexes had to be a bit better when working the bases, for certain. But I just didn't get enough good pitching and I'd rather work baseball with mediocre pitching than softball with mediocre pitching.

Yeah, but you only gotta do that for 1 maybe two games.. with a LOT of downtime between plays while you pretend standing there watching pick off attempts is tiring.

Work softball games for 12 hours straight 3 days in a row in Central Cal heat then post you need to be in better shape for baseball because you have to run a few feet farther for a play at 3B.

Also.. as to mediocre.. earn some stripes and work mens or 18G.. then you see great ball.