Author Topic: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....  (Read 5874 times)

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Offline Ralph Damren

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Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« on: March 16, 2021, 10:00:58 AM »
We have been told that the upcoming baseball season will be played -GOOD NEWS. We have also been told that the plate umpire will call pitches from behind  pitcher  :o - NOT GOOD NEWS :o. I have but 3 questions:

(1) Who calls fair/foul ?
(2) What does the base umpire do ?
(3) How many other states are considering this ???  :puke:


Offline JasonTX

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2021, 10:06:23 AM »
Very good question on the fair / foul situations.   As for calling the pitches from behind the pitcher,  I would love that.  I know when I'm working the bases and get into B or C I see pitches that are clear strikes but the plate umpire doesn't call it.  The same happens when I'm on the plate.  I told one guy the other day that we need a buzzer.  When the base umpire sees a strike he can buzz the plate so he can ring it up.  ;D

Offline dammitbobby

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2021, 12:32:27 PM »
Very good question on the fair / foul situations.   As for calling the pitches from behind the pitcher,  I would love that.  I know when I'm working the bases and get into B or C I see pitches that are clear strikes but the plate umpire doesn't call it.  The same happens when I'm on the plate.  I told one guy the other day that we need a buzzer.  When the base umpire sees a strike he can buzz the plate so he can ring it up.  ;D

Use your O2O for that.  :)

Offline bama_stripes

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2021, 05:47:27 PM »
Good grief.  I worry less about contracting contagious diseases while umpiring baseball than almost anywhere else.

Although I suppose that it really doesn’t matter where PU stands when you only play a 10-game season.  >:D

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2021, 01:01:38 PM »
Good grief.  I worry less about contracting contagious diseases while umpiring baseball than almost anywhere else.

Although I suppose that it really doesn’t matter where PU stands when you only play a 10-game season.  >:D
The concern wasn't about umps getting corona, but an ump having corona. In Maine, if any player/coach/ump is found to have corona, both teams and umps must self-quarantine for 10 days. This occurred twice during basketball season after one of the refs tested positive.

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2021, 03:43:07 AM »
We have been advised of the following 2-man mechanics for "corona-ball" :

  (1) Plate ump calls pitches from behind pitcher and plays at 2nd & 3rd.When in doubt ??? of fair/foul down left- field-line, call FOUL.
  (2) Base ump stays in normal position on right--field line, calls fair/foul, plays at 1st and plate.
  (3) Umps don't handle the ball, coach of team in field supplies new balls.
  (4)Players/coaches/umps all wear masks.
  (5) Umps must travel to game in separate cars.

Will this easy  :o ??? ::)...NO....but it will be baseball  pHiNzuP

PS : We are told that we'll have a 3rd base umpire for post season games. :bOW 
« Last Edit: March 25, 2021, 03:46:50 AM by Ralph Damren »

Offline bama_stripes

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2021, 07:51:09 AM »
We have been advised of the following 2-man mechanics for "corona-ball" :

  (1) Plate ump calls pitches from behind pitcher and plays at 2nd & 3rd.When in doubt ??? of fair/foul down left- field-line, call FOUL.
  (2) Base ump stays in normal position on right--field line, calls fair/foul, plays at 1st and plate.
  (3) Umps don't handle the ball, coach of team in field supplies new balls.
  (4)Players/coaches/umps all wear masks.
  (5) Umps must travel to game in separate cars.

Will this easy  :o ??? ::)...NO....but it will be baseball  pHiNzuP

PS : We are told that we'll have a 3rd base umpire for post season games. :bOW

So, who makes the call at the plate when there’s a passed ball/wild pitch with a runner at third — the on-deck batter?

If masks are required, why can’t the PU get behind the plate?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Offline JasonTX

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2021, 08:51:17 AM »
We are halfway thru our baseball season and zero cases of games have been canceled due to Covid.  Masks are basically not being warn either.  For us, everything is back to normal.

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2021, 11:01:58 AM »
So, who makes the call at the plate when there’s a passed ball/wild pitch with a runner at third — the on-deck batter?

If masks are required, why can’t the PU get behind the plate?

Inquiring minds want to know!
Play at the plate - base umpire calls - will he git 'er right ?? - sometimes  :o

We are told if you are closer than 6' to another human for more than 15 minutes the risk becomes greater.
15 minutes with one team at bat seems like a long half-inning.
….BUT THE KIDS ARE PLAYING BASEBALL

Offline CalhounLJ

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2021, 12:36:45 PM »
Play at the plate - base umpire calls - will he git 'er right ?? - sometimes  :o

We are told if you are closer than 6' to another human for more than 15 minutes the risk becomes greater.
15 minutes with one team at bat seems like a long half-inning.
….BUT THE KIDS ARE PLAYING BASEBALL
My thought on the effectiveness of wearing masks. Would any of us put one of these masks on if we were in a smoke filled room to keep from breathing the smoke? 

The molecules of the corona virus are about 100 times smaller that smoke molecules.

A simple face covering is about as effective against the corona virus as your t shirt is over your nose to keep from inhaling smoke.


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Offline ilyazhito

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #10 on: April 01, 2021, 10:11:24 PM »
Amen. It seems to be theatre. I'll stop wearing my mask as soon as Governor Hogan ends the mask mandate.

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2021, 04:36:36 PM »
Amen. It seems to be theatre. I'll stop wearing my mask as soon as Governor Hogan ends the mask mandate.
I had one coach refer to them as "facial jockstraps". He was probably right.....

Offline JasonTX

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2021, 08:04:09 PM »
I will admit, there are some dudes that probably should just keep their ugly mugs covered all the time.    ;D

Offline bama_stripes

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #13 on: April 05, 2021, 07:25:09 AM »
I don’t know how effective masks are against COVID.  However, they are apparently quite effective against the flu.  My family doc told me that he usually writes 300-400 Tamiflu prescriptions every winter.  This year he’s written less than 20.

I’ve been vaccinated, but I still wear a mask at the plate conference and when talking with coaches during the game.  That’s as much for *their* protection as for mine.

YMMV

Offline JasonTX

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2021, 09:54:47 AM »
I don’t know how effective masks are against COVID.  However, they are apparently quite effective against the flu.  My family doc told me that he usually writes 300-400 Tamiflu prescriptions every winter.  This year he’s written less than 20.

I’ve been vaccinated, but I still wear a mask at the plate conference and when talking with coaches during the game.  That’s as much for *their* protection as for mine.

YMMV

With Covid,  the flu became an afterthought. 

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #15 on: April 14, 2021, 04:19:32 AM »
ASSIGNMENT : Thursday, April 15....Thorndike, Maine....4 PM....plate/mound/whatever......a chance to try out my new, corona induced strike zone!!  tR:oLl

NEWS FLASH : 2 players have corona (the virus, not the beer..... :puke: :puke:

NO GAME : Well, at least the Red Sox are winning ;D...….

NEXT GAME : Saturday, April 17....Hermon, Maine....

WEATHER FORECAST : 30's ,potential snow.... :o :!#   

...well, the Red Sox are still winning …. pHiNzuP

Offline ilyazhito

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #16 on: April 14, 2021, 11:21:14 AM »
In my area, things are somewhat unusual, because rec baseball uses modified mechanics (plate umpire stands on the 1st base line extended for  right-handed batters, 3rd base line extended for left-handed batters, 1st base umpire calls balls and strikes from B or C depending on baserunner configuration), but high school baseball will use standard mechanics. VHSL has emphasized that the plate umpire is supposed to call balls and strikes from behind the catcher, however plate umpires are allowed to stand back further from the catcher than they usually do. I believe that the MPSSAA (MD public school athletics governing body) will follow suit with the VHSL. That said, in both scholastic and non-scholastic baseball, the defensive team will be providing their own baseballs this season.

Offline JasonTX

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #17 on: April 15, 2021, 12:00:43 PM »
The best place to most accurately call pitches is from either team's dugout.   ;D

Offline Grant - AR

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #18 on: April 15, 2021, 01:39:26 PM »
The best place to most accurately call pitches is from either team's dugout.   ;D

That reminds me of the Little League game where one of the parents in the stands behind the plate kept giving the umpire grief about his calls.  The next inning, the umpire was sitting in the stands next to that fan.  When they asked him what he was doing, he told them it was, obviously, easier to call the game from back there so he would give it a shot.  He called that half inning from the bleachers.  He went back to the field in the next half inning and that fan was quiet the rest of the game. 

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #19 on: April 15, 2021, 03:27:13 PM »
That reminds me of the Little League game where one of the parents in the stands behind the plate kept giving the umpire grief about his calls.  The next inning, the umpire was sitting in the stands next to that fan.  When they asked him what he was doing, he told them it was, obviously, easier to call the game from back there so he would give it a shot.  He called that half inning from the bleachers.  He went back to the field in the next half inning and that fan was quiet the rest of the game.
The best umpire response I saw also came during a Little League game. In straightaway center field a batting cage was built into the fence with a challenging ground rule : If the ball hits the support of the batting ABOVE the homerun fence it's a homer BUT if it hits into the screen of the cage, it remains in play. I had the plate while Harvey, a postman, had the bases.....
 (1) A home team batter hits a shot toward the cage  :o;
 (2) ball hits  into cage, I couldn't tell if it had hit the support or just in the cage;
 (3) Harvey ruled it stayed in play, centerfielder fielded it and fired batter-runner out at 2nd;
 (4) out of the home dugout came two coaches, a grandmother scorekeeper and a hunting dawg;
 (5) Harvey's attention ,however, was drawn to the local priest who had been standing next to the batting cage behind the fence;
 (6) the priest was yelling : "HARVEY,HARVEY..."as he ran along the fence. I assumed he had an opinion where the ball had hit;
 (7) Harvey didn't go postal, but just raised his big hand and said : "WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, FATHER, OUT ON THIS FIELD I'm GOD ".
 (8) The priest spun around and headed back to his post. The two coaches, grandma and the dawg-with his tail between his legs, all headed back to the dugout.

[/SCORE ONE FOR THE UMPS  tR:oLl tR:oLlb]
« Last Edit: April 16, 2021, 04:44:43 AM by Ralph Damren »

Offline bama_stripes

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #20 on: April 16, 2021, 07:49:50 AM »
Behind the mound is a great place to call pitches.  It’s a lousy place to call plays at the plate, fair/foul down the lines, HBP, or close catch/no catch on foul pop ups behind the plate.

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #21 on: April 16, 2021, 09:30:59 AM »
Behind the mound is a great place to call pitches.  It’s a lousy place to call plays at the plate, fair/foul down the lines, HBP, or close catch/no catch on foul pop ups behind the plate.
While I'm not too worried about calling balls & strikes, I am kinda' worried about liners/hard grounders down the left field line ??? :o ::) ??? ! The "plate" umpire has the calls at home on WP/PB/plays from the IF while the base ump-always working from the A slot ( foul line behind 1st) - will have calls at home on hits from the outfield. Will this be easy for the umps ? -NO. Will it be easy for the coaches, who are responsible for all players wearing masks and keeping 3' distance when off the field? - NO. The athletic directors, who are responsible for requiring all fans to wear masks and keeping 3' distance unless from the same household? - NO! But the important thing is it's baseball for the kids AND much more like real baseball than 7 on 7 touch football was like real football for we Mainers last fall....

LET'S  PLAY BALL !!!!
« Last Edit: April 16, 2021, 09:35:07 AM by Ralph Damren »

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #22 on: April 20, 2021, 12:57:54 PM »
Just got a chance to view corona-ball in real life ! I have had two games postponed with my first game scheduled for tomorrow - there's supposed to be snow  ::). My observations from watching from the sidelines :
 (1) work directly behind the mound, not the B or C slot- should have a direct view of the strike zone,not from a side ;
 (2) between innings the "mound" umpire should go to the 3rd base line -not to get beaned with infield warmups;
 (3) with multiple runners, base ump take the plate on PB/WP -mound ump needs to cover 2nd & 3rd;
 (4) on check swings by RHB, base ump has good view if unsure.

In pre-game conference, mention that there will NOT be any discussions on fair/foul to LF!
Wish me luck as ,again, as snow is predicted  :(….


Offline JasonTX

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #23 on: April 20, 2021, 09:29:03 PM »
Snow?  We are getting our swimming pools ready....Although today a cold front moved in and dropped the temps to the 40s with a possible freeze overnight.  That's Texas for you.

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Baseball & Corona (not the beer)....
« Reply #24 on: April 21, 2021, 04:43:08 AM »
Snow?  We are getting our swimming pools ready....Although today a cold front moved in and dropped the temps to the 40s with a possible freeze overnight.  That's Texas for you.
:) While Texas seldom has snow ,Maine seldom has tornados . One you have to shovel, the other you have to hide  :!#. Our border with Canada is quite mellow - although the Canadians won't currently let us in  FlAg1 ! Your border with Mexico appears to be much more busy  P_S  ! In Texas you only need to wear a mask if you are about to rob somebody/something, In Maine you have to wear a mask if you are going out to your mailbox  :puke: Someday, somehow, things will get back to normal - we hope  ^good
« Last Edit: April 21, 2021, 07:19:17 AM by Ralph Damren »