Відео

I don’t understand how to reconcile case play #2 and #5. In case # 2 the stance is illegal. In case #5 the batter starts legal but after the swing ends up in a position that is illegal in case #2 but somehow is legal in case #5. The feet positions are the same. The only difference is that in case #2, the batter’s initial stance is illegal. In case # 5 the stance is legal, but the stride puts the batter’s feet in the same position as in case #2. In my opinion, in the interest of streamlining and simplification, all rules concerning these types of situations should require the batter’s feet to stay in the box “pre” and “post” stride.

I have an issue with case 5. How can you declare the batter out and the runner as well if you never called infield fly. Are the runners supposed to read your mind as an umpire? Either stick with your gut of no iff or call it a botched call and place runners where they should have been had the correct call been made at the right time.

Great! A suggestion: at 5:38 you should be more precise: it's not the _infield fly_ that benefits the runners, it's the _infield fly _*_rule_* that benefits the runners. Without that rule, the infield fly would too dramatically benefit the defense. With the rule, the infield fly ball itself doesn't really "benefit" anybody.

I don't understand the statement that, as soon as a ball touches a player in foul territory, it's immediately foul and dead. How do we make plays in foul territory? Surely if foul ball is bobbled and then caught, it's still a fly out. Why is it different for the catcher?

Outstanding content and instruction. Keep up the great work.

One of the biggest ways an umpire can keep a little league game moving is to limit the warm up pitches between innings. 7 for a new pitcher, 5 if they are continuing from a previous inning. Have the coach warm up the pitcher if the catcher is still struggling with rec league gear. These kids will throw 50 warm up pitches if you let them.

Love the advice! I do call all my fouls with a vocal followed by either giving a ball to the catcher to get back to the pitcher or throw it to the pitcher myself then with a vocal “play” 👉 It might be a little much but I am all about keeping the game going and on a time limit game I try my hardest to get all allowed innings in without disrupting the game on the umpire end of things.

In my opinion: 1) De facto, no. Not to mention, because he was safe anyway, calling this only creates more problems. 2) Again, you could make an argument, but I don’t see how the runner was disadvantaged. No obstruction. 3) No, just no.

Very nice. Delivered well thru real experience and explained properly w/alternative to a long drawn out hassle with the offensive (offended) coach!

Outstanding explainer. Atta babe!

and if I can add to speed up a game and I am new to umping, there is that time right after the 3rd out and the team leaves the field, and you stand there waiting for the other team to take the field. I have had a few teams this year that love to gather up the team for a pre-defense chat before sending the team out to the field. This is for say 11U team. Well, I take that time toward the time the pitcher should be warming up for their 5 pitches. Once they do come out and, on the 2nd, warm up pitch I will call out, " Balls in". This to tell the catcher it is time to get going. A few times I have been questioned by a coach and that is when I nicely I explain they need to get moving between innings. If I can ask a quick rule question for high school baseball. Uncaught 3rd strike, what do most here in this group call if a player starts to walk back to the dugout. When do you call the player out?

Thanks, Patrick. You do a lot of great presentations (videos, podcasts, etc), but this may be your best yet. This should be part of every association's training next pre-seson.

In doing little league/youth games, I've noticed that another major area of delay is when the coach comes out to warm up the pitcher in between innings. Typically return pitchers gets 5 warm up pitches, but when a coach comes out because the catcher is taking forever to get his gear on, often the warm up pitches goes on and on and on. What can be done about this? We really can't start the game without the catcher in equipment ready to go.

Thanks so much Patrick. I always enjoy and learn so much from your content. Working behind fielders is the main reason I have strayed away from softball. Also, I have noticed the "older" guys I have worked with not attacking the slot. Because of their tenure (30+ years) calling games, It is a little difficult to have conversations about making a change. Even after one of them took one directly off the mask and being knocked out of that game, I tried to broach the subject but he said he believed the slot didn't make much difference. I think of this every time one whizzes by my ear. I know the slot has saved me many times. I look forward to your next video.

If you worked more Little League games, especially tournament games at the 8-9-10 level, you'll see a lot of things not seen in NFHS: umpires in the slot getting hit because batters swing at everything, including inside pitches over their heads; players asking for "time" when they slide into a base, or when they want to give defensive signals; coaches not paying attention when you ask them for more baseballs; defensive players committing obstruction because their coach tells them to straddle the base when a throw might be coming in; waiting over a minute between innings for the defensive team to bring out a catcher to warm up the pitcher even after requests to speed things up; catchers getting hurt because the batter loses their grip on the follow-through and coaches complaining even though there's no rule unless it's intentional. Small diamond baseball is much different than the traditional 90' diamond.

I have been a little league umpire since 2000. I would love to know where you moved and what little league you helped. Also, thank you for your service!

I agree with your last case study question about incidental contact between batter runner and catcher on a ball in front of the plate (e.g., bunt), however, where in NFHS or OBR is this spelled out? Great video!

I work with three in the bag and one on the mound. When I get down to one ball I put up two fingers towards the home dugout and say “Coach two balls please.” This notifies the home team of my need for balls during the next stoppage, e.g., foul ball, new batter. Timing wise: at the end of each inning make it clear to the teams that they have to hustle in and out, and more importantly to get someone on the pitcher. LL - two and down (3), HS - four and down (5). Good points on foul calls: obvious calls do not need to be screamed at. Know the rules and mechanics!!! For timing all calls should be mentally confirmed before they are announced. If you watch a pro game you’ll notice their timing is one one-thousand followed by a verbal. All they are doing is confirming the positive or the negative. Mentally tell yourself “that’s a strike” (or ball, face, out) before announcing and your timing will be better. I like the position of being behind the fielders and curling in towards the back of the mound if the ball is hit to the outfield. I firmly believe that this is the toughest level of baseball to officiate because you see test questions unfold before your eyes in cramped quarters. Ensure that you and your partner have a solid pregame. Be professional at all times, be consistent and give them a good zone, pause, read, and react, and manage the game.

Great advise.

I'm guessing you were on a small field. 60 foot base paths? I won't cover every rotation, just to state: LL International wants the base ump working outside pre-pitch on the small diamonds . You start outside. Ground balls to infielders you make the calls from outside. If it is a clean hit to the outfield then you can break inside and pivot watching base touches, attempted put outs, etc, because on the small field LL wants the plate umpire to have eyes (and the call) on fly balls and hits to outfield. Love this channel. Atta babe!

In my neck-of-the-woods, leaving early is a frequent event. Setting up on the near outfield grass, provided there is grass, the field umpire can keep the runner in his/her peripheral vision while simultaneously watching the batter's swing. The fix for departing prematurely is to enlarge the diamond basepaths and allowing leading off.

Sorry, another comment as I get further in. Question: my son was PU and I was BU for an informal rec game with an experienced umpire on the field (in foul territory) to give us comments between half innings. One thing that came up a couple times for my son was an infield pop up near the foul line that he made the out call on. Each time, the elder asked him "was it fair it foul? You need to call that too." First question, (with no one on base) why? What's the need? Second question, how? What's the verbal call and what's the hand call. Foul, out or out, foul, etc? And another tip for speeding up games in LL, with warm up pitches it is common for the catcher to miss. I get a new ball to the catcher and then go track the one at the fence myself. Might be a reason NOT to do that, but I haven't thought of one yet.

I definitely agree that being behind the infield sucks, but you also leave out the important fact that the field is much smaller. I haven't measured it, but I'm guessing you're pretty close to the same distance as 90' field. Angle and staying out of base path is what makes it suck.

Setting up behind the infielders is trade-off. Yes, it's easier to see runners leaving early, but the biggest reason why we don't set up in side is the 60' base paths doesn't provide a large enough working area. If you were inside you'd frequently either be in jeopardy with batted balls, or in the way for balls hit to the infield. For a two-umpire crew, we aim for angle over distance for making calls at first, and rely on PU to look for pulled foot/swipe tag. Also remember that due to the smaller field dimensions, even when you're behind the fielders you aren't that much farther from first base than when you set up inside on a 90' diamond. I'm really surprised that you were working with a crew of two for a state championship. Even with a massive shortage here in San Diego, CA, we still have a crew of four for section and state-level games. There are some additional recommendations to keep Little League games moving. I remind the managers during the plate meeting that they have one minute between innings, and to please hustle their pitcher and catcher out to start warming up. Coaches and players at this level are often inexperienced and the defensive team might need prompting to hustle to their spots, especially in the beginning of the season. Also, the courtesy runner rule is allowed during regular season and tournament play, and is very flexible compared to NFHS. With two outs, the pitcher and catcher of record can be replaced with a courtesy runner, who is the player that was out last. Again, prompting the offensive manager to see if they'd like to use a courtesy runner is a good idea-especially for their catcher-as this can speed up the game considerably.

Not a lot of room on the infield when 60' bases. Same for all softball levels. And, yes, it sucks to be the field umpire on those fields. It's why I hate doing softball games.

I was told to umpire behind in little league , but I totally agree about the angels where to place yourself. I was wondering is there rules that doesn’t allow that. Tks

They just call me “Blue”.

I don't see MC. But I think there's a good case for obstruction, like you said, I as well didn't see it the first time. You do see the kid slow down on his run when the catcher crossed the basepath. Good video!

Thanks for this video.

Runner lowered his shoulder. I cha he’s my mind…lol

Not in my opinion and angle.

I have all 3

Out!

One example of malicious contact here that should never be allowed in baseball - a runner who runs to first base and spikes with the feet at a 1st baseman's ankles with the intentional intent to injure that fielder. Jackie Robinson was a victim of that. The guilty party of that should be ejected (not just be retired) AND suspended some games to make that offender learn that lesson.

Nope

Out of base path runner is out. The path he took is allowed when an attempt to 2nd is made. This is not the case.😊

Apparently, the Batting-out-of-turn penalties differ here than they do in MLB. Here, the penalties require the baserunners to return to their last occupied bases at the time of the pitch that resulted in the end of the improper batter's turn at bat. The MLB Rulebook [Rule 6.03(b)(3)] states it differently as follows: "When an improper batter becomes a runner or is put out, and the defensive team appeals to the umpire before the first pitch to the next batter of either team, or before any play or attempted play, the umpire shall (1) declare the proper batter out; and (2) nullify any advance or score made because of a ball batted by the improper batter or because of the improper batter’s advance to first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter or otherwise." This means that in Case Play #8 (one out, runner on third, batter swings and misses for strike three but reaches first base safely) under MLB rules, the runner on third should be allowed to score, since this did not occur as a result of a batted ball by the improper batter (he swung and missed; therefore, there was no batted ball), and it did not occur as a result of the improper batter's advance to first base (since this action did not force the runner on third to vacate his base).

Always love it when players run full speed toward a guy with the ball and then get mad when a forceful tag is applied. Hey, want a nice gentle tag? Then stop running and give yourself up. But if you’re going all out, then I’m going all out, too … and our contact is unlikely to be gentle.

The toughest thing to do as a umpire is to wait for the pitched ball to cross the plate before making a ball/strike call. Many pitches look like a ball/strike only to change just before they cross the plate. Having already made a call ball/strike you can't change it. I would not change my position behind the plate (till I was very experienced) as you have to learn how to call a ball/strike from each position.

As a amateur Umpire I used the brush that I used to clean the plate to mark any lines.

Play 1… we don’t care that the Batter/Runner clearly steps out of the runners lane at the time of the tag? That’s not worth a discussion? Plate umpire seemed to be spectating and we just didn’t even act like it’s a thing.

Good stuff!!! Question - Is OBR enforcement of the Catchers obstruction the same as with NFHS?

Wow, thanks Patrick. Appreciate the radical candor. Our growth is directly related to how much truth we can digest.

Bravo!

At the end of the day we are grown adults & (I can only speak for myself)we can’t assume that we’re entitled to anything.My approach is to do my job,give it my best,look to improve.If I’m chosen so be it if not I’m happy for those who made,because we’re never gonna understand the whole process regardless.

Patrick, I understand the general sentiment. However, it is fair to be concerned about whether assignments are based on merit or nepotism, especially given that the ranking system is ambiguous and non-transparent. As leadership, you do have a responsibility to justify the system that you use.

Patrick, you are wise beyond your years. Great video, with great things for everyone to think about.........not only as an umpire, but in life in general.

Too many umpires are not on the same page. It only shows in stiuations like this. Then you find out your partner is not doing what he should be doing. We are supposed to be a team out there and it sucks when you find out that maybe you aren't a team, just two separate individual umpires out there umpiring.

I don't think that base umpire saw what was going on. I think he was blocked by all the players that came out of the dugouts. But of course he should have been down to the plate area right away. Why he just stood there doesn't make sense to me.

Great thoughts on umpiring. I’m guilty of a couple of these and will do better next year!