Survival Weekend
 

Guesting with a different local group, for a non-ASA FP event, and due to whatever reasons/problems the assignor had...

Did 13 games in 36 hours.
7 on Sat back-to-back.
6 on Sun back-to-back.
Championship went extra.

No new after 1:05, scheduled every 1:20.
Started at 9am on Sat
Came off at 8:30pm on Sun.

I think this is a new record for me, one that I will not try to break.

Improvised a Modified Base Mechanic - fuggetabout starting in "A". Start in "B" and just shuttle back and forth with "C".

Been there, done that. (8 back to back games one Saturday.) Never worked for that organization again. The real ticker was I worked the first 4 of those games by myself, because my partner was allegedly officiating football games.

Same here, I picked up for neighboring association July 4th weekend in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I did 8 straight games on Saturday and 6 games with one break on Sunday. It was hot (Big League Dreams-turf) and they did not provide water or food. I seriously doubt I will pick up with them again...

Doing games at Big League Dreams in temps over 85 is like being in a sauna. Worked there about 5 years ago for two weekends, haven't been back since.

Improvised a Modified Base Mechanic - fuggetabout starting in "A". Start in "B" and just shuttle back and forth with "C".

Not to hijack the reason for this thread, but could you give more information on this. In my declining years, I'm interested in conservation of energy. The idea seems to allow the base umpire to do just that. I feel I waste a lot of energy just running around to get into position for what are mostly routine calls. Might work at the high school level. Have you tried this? Anyone else?

I've heard of it, but have never seen anyone actually start out in B with no runners. I guess the theory is that that's where you'll end up anyway on batted balls in the infield, or on balls to the outfield if you "rim" rather than button-hook in. So it does tend to minimize the need to move as much compared to starting in A.

Is/was an option for NCAA two man. No coordinator that I work for wanted us to use it there; it effectively states we don't care about pitcher's feet on pitching plate when we should be on the line watching, as trade-off for a few steps.

Now, less steps in NCAA working the outside than ASA/rec mechanics requiring buttonhook on everything hit into the outfield. So a different scenario; not calling out Tony, I have done the same on long tournament days.

Yes, as Steve said....I have used this starting position before. When I was assigned 6 games in a row at a tournament due to some out of town umpires not showing up. It does save steps, but you do give up the best view of the pitcher's feet to judge the illegal pitch.

If I recall correctly, an ASA NUS member was pushing for FP umpires to start in the B position with no runners on about 15 years ago. That particular person is no longer involved with ASA. I believe he even went so far as to requiring this at a National Tournament he was the UIC for.

It is really simple, and combined it with the advanced mechanic of rimming.
And the first time a speedster hits a gapper and you watch her round 1B take 3-4 more steps before you have to move, you really appreciate it. Not to mention the 4th time. :cool:

No other changes to standard mechanics.
For plays at 1B, you are not exactly in the standard calling position you would be in from "A", but you are in the exact same position you would have been in had there been R on 1B and the play was made at 1B.
No calls were any harder to make because of it.

True, you don't get the best view of F1's feet, but if you suspect something is going on, just slide back to "A" for a pitch or two.

I started in "B", with no runners on, for part of a game one time, due to some unusual circumstances.

We were on a field that was laid out so the setting sun was in a direct line down the first base foul line, right behind the plate. I struggled with it a couple of innings, but was having a hard time even seeing the batter swing, let alone the ball coming off the bat.

Then a batter hit a line drive right at me. I had absolutely no idea where the ball was. It could been heading right for my face for all I knew. That was enough to convince me that for self-preservation maybe I should be standing somewhere else! So I slid over to "B" for the rest of the game.

I actually liked it over there and thought that it presented no real disadvantage. Made me kind of envy the slow pitch guys! :D

Plus we get to wear shorts.

Forgot about the sun. There are a few fields I work that the sun is brutal in the A slot for most of the game. Will definitely try it next year. Might bring it up at our training sessions. I can imagine the response.