New Tournament Rotation

[Manny A]

I can't even begin to imagine what I would look like after doing back-to-back plates when it's in the 90s with 95% humidity. When I finish my plate, I look forward to removing that wet uniform and even wetter gear for my next game on bases. And then I can don a fresh uni (not the same one from previous) for my second plate. I'm sure for the second game, the coaches during the plate conference, and the batters and catchers during the game, would appreciate my not looking and smelling like I swam in the water treatment pond.

Also, doing back-to-back base games in the same uniform makes you look and feel like crap (wet and possibly dirty uniform, salt-crusted hat, shoes than look like brown hush puppies) for the second game. I really prefer having the opportunity to look like an umpire and not like Pigpen for every game.

[Steve M]

I do 1 tournament - in Mike's area - where the rotation is this plate-plate-off-base-base-done. It isn't bad.
But my preferred rotation is plate-off-base-off... With a maximum of 5 games per day, this keeps me freshest.
The plate-base-off has too much changing and really does not provide enough recovery time.

[MD Longhorn]

I'd say 90% of the tourney's I've done in the past 5 years (all in the Houston-ish area) have been PPoBBo. The rare PBoPBo tourneys always throw people a bit, probably simply due to unfamiliarity.

That said, I do prefer PBoPBo - it's easier to stay fresh... and also, it eliminates the situations where you have the same PU for semi and final games - which seems fairer, generally speaking. I hate getting the noon and 1:30 plates - especially in 100 degrees.

[Gulf Coast Blue]

Gone are the days of doing eight games per day. I once did thirteen.

If I could, I would do no more than three or four.

Joel

[Manny A]

I guess one of the advantages you have with PPoBBo is that you and one partner aren't stuck doing the same assignments for the day.

Let's say one field has Tom, Dick and Harry assigned to it. The games would go like this:

1. Tom (P), Dick (B)
2. Tom (P), Harry (B)
3. Dick (P), Harry (B)
4. Dick (P), Tom (B)
5. Harry (P), Tom (B)
6. Harry (P), Dick (B)

So when Tom and Dick work together, Tom will do the plate in Game 1, but do the bases in Game 4. It does allow more variance than PBoPBo, where Tom would have plate and Dick bases in Games 1 and 4.

Steve mentioned liking PoBo. That wouldn't work with a three-umpire-to-one-field setup. You'd need four umpires, with one pair working together throughout.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Manny A

I guess one of the advantages you have with PPoBBo is that you and one partner aren't stuck doing the same assignments for the day.

Very true. That happened once to me, over 2 days, we used the same rotation. When I was plate, I had a competent BU every game... but when I was Base, I had to deal with a complete clown of a PU (complete with dancing to the music the teams were playing) who seemed to cement his feet in place to call pitches and never moved a damn inch during the inning (although he was quick to vacate upon getting the 3rd out so he could go chat with the hot moms and such).

I can handle a guy like that for a game, and maybe another game 6-7 hours later... but every third game for 2 days was quite a drag.

OTOH, when he was the base guy and I was watching, he appeared to be competent and professional - even between innings.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Manny A

I can't even begin to imagine what I would look like after doing back-to-back plates when it's in the 90s with 95% humidity.

With a heat index of 127 F, I can't imagine doing a single plate.