---BLUE LINKS to ALL the BLUE STUFF---
The Heart of this Website---Find Your Way to Everywhere From Here
--- Feedback Related Stuff ---
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EMAIL YOUR GAME SCORES HERE
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(and I'll talk back)
Got something to say directly to the Chief Umpire?
This feature allows confidential feedback directly to the SDABL Chief Umpire about anything at all. |
UMPIRE COMPENSATION FORM
(Related Topic)
Umpires, know how much you have coming for all situations |
Illustration by Bill Wilson (back cover of The Sporting News Baseball's Knotty Problems, 1990)
Got Something to Say directly to Everybody?
An Open Forum Public Discussion to Elaborate, Pontificate, Educate ---Or to just flat-out Make the Call the way YOU see it!--- |
--- Rules Related Stuff ---
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The rulebook has been reformatted for easier reading and includes a section at the beginning that highlights the new rule changes for 2004. |
(Recommended site for viewing rules)
Site also includes interesting baseball facts and history |
All the specifics in a single graph for just about every rule. |
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TEST YOUR BASEBALL RULES KNOWLEDGE (Quizzes)
NOTE: Continually being updated. There are currently seven (7) quizzes
Come in---I dare ya! |
BASEBALL'S KNOTTY PROBLEMS
(COMING SOON)
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Did you know? . . . Groan, No, I didn't
Photo of Eric Gregg by Bruce Schwartzman (front cover of The Sporting News Baseball's Knotty Problems, 1990)
NOTE: Continually being updated
We've all been there, made the kind of call that causes arguments. Yet we defend ourselves to the bitter end only to find out later that we were in fact wrong. Don't learn the hard way---out on the field. Discover the facts BEFORE it happens to you. |
--- Mechanics Related Stuff ---
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(Graphics and Text) (Peter Osborne)
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(Text) (Peter Osborne)
An excellent overview that addresses issues like head height, tracking the ball, scissors vs. box, timing. The article itself takes about ten minutes tops to read. |
ADVANCED BALL & STRIKE CALLING (Text) (Peter Osborne)
An excellent overview that addresses issues such as Checked Swings and the "philosophy" of the strike zone. The article itself takes about ten minutes tops to read. |
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ANOTHER VIEW (Text) (Carl Childress)*
Another excellent short article on working the plate. Here Carl Childress addresses some of the points Peter Osborne has made with some pertinent points of his own. Carl Childress is definitely a must read for any serious umpire. |
PART II (Text) (Carl Childress)*
An excellent follow up article to the one at the left, focusing on three areas: Half swings, Calling Strikes, and Game Control. Again, a must read for the serious umpire. |
* Carl Childress is considered by many to be an umpire's umpire, or to put it another way, a "professional" amateur. Mr. Childress used to write for Referee Magazine and has published a variety of umpire handbooks that discuss every aspect of umpiring. He umpired for many years at just about every amateur level available. He may not have seen it all, but he certainly has seen plenty. If you have never heard of Mr. Childress before, it's time you get introduced. Aside from the knowledge he has to offer, he has a wonderful sense of humor that will cause you to laugh out loud at times. Reading his stuff is time well spent, and you will not be disappointed.
--- Surviving In The Wild ---
(Know Your Territory)
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Love at first site or Pain at First Bite?
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THAT'S A BALK ! (Under Construction) |
PREVENTATIVE UMPIRING TIPS (Under Construction) |
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OBSTRUCTION/INTERFERENCE and "INCIDENTAL" CONTACT (Under Construction) |
UMPIRES "PARKING LOT" CONFERENCE (Understanding Each Other) (Under Construction) |
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? (For the current question of the week, please go to this feature located on the left side of the Home Page) |
--- Information Source & Special Features ---
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CAESAR THE ROAMIN' UMPIRE (Nightmares from the field of dreams)
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Updated SDABL Information, including field status |
Don't lose your cool. Know what's going on before you get there |
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Find out where we got our start |
Want to be an Umpire, or are you looking for Umpire Service? |
Catch up on current SDABL news and any rumors going around town
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Identify your favorite umpire |
--- Miscellaneous Websites, Informative and Fun * ---
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LEGENDS OF COOPERSTOWN'S HALL OF FAME HISTORY (Umpires Included)
(This site didn't look complete, but it's worth watching) |
A virtual warehouse of Trivial, History, and facts for any baseball "freak" (Highly Recommended) |
THE NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM
Trust me, it's worth the walk |
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(Online Magazine)
Aside from the obvious, this site offers links to various books and magazines you might find useful and entertaining |
An excellent source of information for all officials
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This site offers a variety of information from reviews on publications and equipment available to the umpire to a whole variety of educational material and insights, as well as fun facts, quotes, and other information you may find interesting. You can even offer your own suggestions and reviews for posting on this site. (I've linked to the Main Page of this site which contains the links that may be of interest). |
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Amateur Baseball Umpires Association
This is a national organization that offers a variety of information related to being an amateur umpire. You don't have to join this organization to obtain the valuable information they have to offer. |
This site offers a variety of links to some very interesting articles about a whole bunch of umpire/baseball related stuff. The subject matter ranges from the serious and humorous, to the downright absurd. Worth checking out. When this site opens, type "UMPIRE" in the search feature for a list of interesting and helpful articles. |
Here's a site you might find interesting. This guy has gone out of his way to acquire the last few years stats of professional players who have been ejected, why they were ejected, and the umpires who ejected them. (I guess some guys just don't have enough to do---grin). |
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This site offers some "quick and simple" overviews on a variety of rules, plays, etc. What I most like about this site is that it has published the MLB Official Rules of Baseball in an easy to read format. It's worth checking out. |
ASK THE UMP---Major League Baseball
This is an official site sponsored by MLB that contains questions asked of professional umpires and their responses. You may submit your own questions for consideration---(that is, if you're not satisfied with any answers I've offered---grin). |
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WWW.OFFICIATING.COM
An excellent source for information with reference to umpiring baseball, as well as other sports. |
Video.com offers a variety of excellent training videos that cover just about every aspect of umpiring. I have personally purchased the above video and have used it many times in training sessions. It's worth the time to look this website over. |
Great site! "Vintage base ball (yes, it was two words originally) played by rules and customs of an earlier period." Provides a history of the game as well as links to a whole variety of wonderful information. Umpires will especially appreciate the history of what their jobs were back then, as well as the rules themselves. |
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* I only offer these websites as suggestions because they contain a variety of information that may be helpful. Basically, they provide other views (and sources) on mechanics, rule interpretations, and the like. I am not necessarily endorsing any of the products that may be found on these sites as the only source, or the best source, available to the umpire. I've simply run across these sites and like what they have to offer in terms of information that may be helpful to the umpire. If you have a website you would like to suggest and have linked here, please email me. (Chief Blue)
--- Umpire Equipment/Clothing & Insurance Information * ---
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9363 Clairemont Mesa Blvd San Diego CA 92123
(San Diego)
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(San Diego)
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(National) |
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LOCAL OFFICIALS' ADMINISTRATION NETWORK (Insurance source) |
(Insurance source)
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(National and San Diego) San Diego Contact: 619.395.6505 (Dante) |
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(Insurance source) |
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* All suppliers local to San Diego are designated as such. IF YOU HAVE A SITE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST AS AN EQUIPMENT SOURCE, please email me. (Chief Blue)
* The insurance offered by the organizations listed above require that you become a member of the specific organization. Membership fees are not very costly. A WORD ABOUT INSURANCE: Generally, the insurance programs offered through these organizations is a "secondary" type of insurance. That is, the policies provide supplemental coverage based on what your primary insurance doesn't or won't cover. Be sure to read any insurance policies closely before getting one.
