I worked 3 youth games last weekend. Notes: Changing one's sell-out mechanic in the course of a single weekend is harder than one might think. Pre-pitch preparation still needs work: twice I covered a tag-up situation that did not exist in 2 man (but was correct if I was U3 in 3 man). Don't assume your partner knows the rules any better than you do: we accidentally gave the BR third on a single where the ball was thrown into dead-ball territory. (No one noticed.)

Update to the list: 7. Know the count at all times as part of pre-pitch preparation. I give the count on "action" pitches: 0-2, 3-1, etc. Yesterday the catcher asked me the count on 2-1, and I gave it to her.

The next pitch was a lovely strike. I ALMOST rang up the batter on strike 2. Thank god for timing and an accurate scoreboard operator....I saved it at the last moment.