Your line up card
 

How many of you use the Lineup Management System?

Our association is recommending it's use. It definitely makes for a cleaner/neater line up card. I like the built in checks and balances.

I was curious how many of you use it and your opinion of the system - I see the advantages, is there any downside?

I do, it is awesome.

I take one line up card and write "green" (or whatever color they are) at the top.. and do the same to the other.. kinda wad them/fold them up and smoosh them into my ball bag kinda inside the line up card holder. I have found this to be a wonderful Lineup Management System with an unbelieveable ease of use.

And just what, pray tell, is the Lineup Management System? And how much does it cost?

MTD, Sr.

It costs $5,000. Cash or money order. Once I have the money, I'll send you the system. ;)


Actually, I think they are referring to the system credited to Emily Alexander and documented in a ppt presentation on the Cactus Umpires web site: http://www.cactusumpires.com/pdf/lin...t-ASA-NFHS.ppt

It seems that every once in a while we revisit this topic. Yes, I have been using Emily's system for years, and also teach it to umpires in our association so that in the event that a game has to be continued at some point without the same umpires, a quick glance at the lineups will tell the story of the game. It is a good system.

One of our members on this board, though I can't recall who just now, actually developed a line-up card that works perfectly with the system.

I use it, love it, works great. NCAA requires you to use it, so I just carry it down to the NFHS and ASA stuff.

Can't quite get our UIC and training staff (yes, I'm even ON the training staff) to teach it... something about 'it's not approved for ASA and NFHS so we shouldn't teach it until they come out and say it's required.'

Oh well. When individuals ask me what I use, I teach them... and give them the powerpoint presentation. We just don't educate the masses with it... yet.

Yeah, that was me. I use the EA system; luv it. I developed a two sided card in Excel. I print it on 110 lb paper. One side for home, opposide side for visitors. Easily fits under the clip in my Honigs folder.

Yes, it takes a minute or two per game to fill out. But when I open my folder, I always have the same size line-up document that looks the same today as it did six weeks ago. I can have the changes posted and announced typically before I can even unfold the assorted sized papers and then I am not sure which one to use.

It is great for line-up management, especially when using DP/FLEX, and very handy in summer tournaments where coaches are under more pressure to get everyone in the game. Of course, if you only have 9 or 10 players to start a game, it is a bit of overkill.

Contact me at [email protected] and I'll email it to you.

WMB

Next time you hear that, ask "them" which system IS approved for ASA or NFHS.

That is as ridiculous as not working a 4-umpire system at the top level of ASA's youth game because there is no mechanics for it in the book.

I guess all those 4 & 6 umpire games I worked didn't count ;)

I'll hand to you guys who would take the time to rewrite the line up cards and all this time consuming stuff.

I'm really not sure what the point is.. but its definitely big time extra effort.

WMB stated "looks as good today as months ago..."

Do you guys keep your line up cards? I throw em away pretty much right after the game or as I'm getting ready for the new game, unless there is a serious incident.. what is the point of keeping them?

Well, I get more lineup papers than "cards". And, I use them to line the bottom of my equipment bag. Except for the ones that I use to test the water-fastness of the ink when I wash my pants / ball bags. :D

Yes. It was you! Sorry I forgot. I am still using your line-up cards. Wonder how I ever got along without them.

I've been "told" that "there is no approved system for ASA or NFHS." The response was that it's up to each umpire to develop their own system that works for them. This was especially emphasized at our regional clinic by Kevin, Julie, Malcom, and especially Lori when she presented lineup management. She made a specific point of telling the group that ASA was NOT using Emily's lineup system (at this time)... so she was not teaching it specifically.

I just have one question... how does a person "present lineup management" in an umpire clinic without addressing the practical issues of how to do lineup management? That had to be a rather pointless consumption of time on the agenda, I would think.

Come on Wade, calm down. If your partner reads off the nine starting numbers, and then the nine starting positions - how long does it take for you to write that on a lineup card? Be serious - 10 to 15 seconds is not big time extra effort! (and another 15 seconds the next half inning for the home team coming to bat.)

When I look at today's card, it looks just like the one I used a month ago. When you look at a lineup card, it doesn't even look like the second one you received for the same game, and neither one looks like the ones your received in the last game!

Consistancy, and intimate knowledge of your card cuts down on the time spent making lineup changes. That is significant compared to the minor time spend preparing the card in the first place.

WMB

Wade:

WMB is correct. You can have the card ready in under a minute, no problem. Yet, during the game it probably saves you a minute with each substitution. We always stress game management, this is just another tool to achieve that end.