techno ump
 

anyone run across an umpire who uses their I-phone or other electronice device as their indicator? Young umpire was incredulous that I would tell him that it wasn't the right thing to do.

Haven't seen it done yet, but I have run across an app that works as an "indicator." No way in hell you'll get me to risk my smartphone on the field. Costs too damn much to replace.

Young enough that mommy was paying for the phone? First time a "foul tip" ;) knocks that thing out of his hand, he'll see the value in low tech.

I was the youngest umpire in my association my first year, and I'm still the second youngest that I know of, ... please don't accuse us all of being gee-whiz technophiles.
I'm kind of a geek in my own way, but a lot of us also know the right tool for the job. Indicators are engineered specifically for what they do, they don't do anything else, but they do their job damn good!
< Sarcasm > That's why if I were ever going to use a phone as an indicator, I would recommend the Samsung Rugby. It's small and rugged. I've made calls (using bluetooth) with the thing while it was sitting in a pitcher of beer and as it was flying off the dashboard onto the interstate shoulder. Thing is a tough beast! < / Sarcasm >
But I hope the kid gets his iPhone schwacked.

At 52? :D

I know EXACTLY how you feel. I've been at it over 18 years, and I started at age 15. You do the math. ;)

So you're still the youngest in your association? :)

One of, yes. There may be two or three umpires who are younger than I am, out of over 30-40.

At the 3 Nationals I went to, I was THE youngest umpire in the entire crew. Every time.

I wasn't accusing anyone of anything; I was just wondering whose money he was putting at risk here... his or his mom's.

It's like one of the ads a couple of years ago for an iPhone app where it was being used as a bubble level. Just what I'd want to do with a $600 piece of electronics... use it as a carpenter's tool! :rolleyes:

One that doesn't work very well to begin with!

I did have an occasion to work with a young man around the age of twenty who was found to be texting while he was on first base. I found out that he has be cuaght at it before but the UIC did nothing about it. Suffices to say that I will never work with the techno-dork again.

I had to have a conversation with a local HS umpire a few years back.

It was reported that he was pulling his cell phone out between innings.
When I asked him about it, he told me that he wasn't calling or texting anybody....he was checking the Yankees score.....:eek:

The cell phone was bad enough, but when he said Yankees...that was it...he no longer umpires in our association! :D

Are you sure he was a fan? Maybe he was like me... one of my favorite teams in baseball is whoever is playing the Yankees! :D

My phone has a really cool countdown timer app that would be great for the field. Plus I have a PDF version of the ASA rule book downloaded that might come in handy sometime. But, like others, I refuse to take my phone on the field.

Last year on the plate I had a pseudo-foul tip come straight back and and right into my left hand. When I opened my hand, my indicator literally fell apart into about a dozen pieces- wheels, shattered case, all the guts. Sure would have hated for that to have been my phone!