Blue Signals Keeping Baseball Ontario s Umpires Connected

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1 WINTER 2011 Inside this issue: 2011 Umpire Award Winners 1 Association In Focus: BOMBA 2 Once again another successful season has come and gone, and the start to 2012 might seem like it ll never get here but it s only months away. In November, Baseball Ontario gathered for its Annual General Meeting in London, Ontario and as tradition, celebrated this past year s successes for not only Associations, teams, and players, but also for our umpires. The Baseball Ontario Umpires Committee would like to take a couple minutes to congratulate this year s award winners. This year s Dick Willis Memorial Award for Junior Umpire of the Year was Matt Clarke from Guelph, Ontario. Matt, at only 15 years old, has already completed 4 years of umpiring and is currently a Level 2 umpire for Guelph Minor Baseball Association. Matt umpired over 80 games this year and umpires up to the Bantam rep level, while playing at that level himself. He won the 2009 and 2010 Junior Umpire of the Year awards for Guelph, as well as the 2011 ICBA Junior Umpire of the Year, and continues to accelerate and receive recognition. Congratulations Matt and continue to work hard and good luck in This year s Dick Willis Memorial Award for Senior Umpire of the Year was Dennis Watson from the Kitchener Minor Baseball Association. Dennis is currently a Level 3 umpire and has been umpiring for 20 years. Dennis s list of recognitions also include the 2006 Kitchener Minor Baseball Association s Umpire of the Year and the 2011 Inter County Baseball Association s Senior Umpire of the Year. Dennis s dedication to helping younger umpires, as well as umpiring almost exclusively at the Rookie Ball level out of a love of the game and helping the other umpires, coaches and players earned him this nomination and in turn this award. Dennis has also consulted with OBA Rules Committee in 2010 and 2011 on changes to Rookie Ball Rules. Congratulations Dennis, thanks for your continued dedication and hard work. This year s Don Gilbert Level 4/5 Umpire of the Year was Rob Companion from London, Ontario. Rob is currently a Level 5B umpire within the Nation Level Program and has been umpiring for 30 years. Rob has umpired at several National Championships as well as acted as a Supervisor for other umpires at multiple National Championships. Rob is currently striving to achieve his International recommendation and hopes to have the opportunity to represent Canada umpiring Umpire in Focus: Matthew Clarke Umpire in Focus: Dennis Watson Blue Trivia Questions 3 Umpire in Focus: Rob Companion Blue Trivia Answers 4 Off-Season Umpiring 5 Blue Notes 6 an International event in the years to come. In 2011, Rob was a major contributor to the 2011 Level 3 SuperClinics, as he was a member of the organizing committee responsible for the planning and execution of those clinics. Another successful year Rob and we congratulate you on this well deserved award The Baseball Ontario Umpires Committee would like to wish all our umpires a very happy holiday season, and all the best in 2012!

2 Page 2 Association Name: Burlington Organized Minor Baseball Association # of Level 1 Umpires: 56 # of Level 2 Umpires: 23 # of Level 3 Umpires: 25 # of Level 4/5 Umpires: 5 # of Course Conductors: 4 In the past Burlington has had the Baseball Canada Umpire of the Year and also 2 Baseball Ontario Senior Umpire of the Year Award winners. Burlington has 4 individuals who are course conductors and who are teaching umpiring clinics throughout the province. Burlington also makes its level 2 and 3 umpires aware of the qualifications needed to advance into the National Program. Umpiring Program Highlights: The Burlington umpires have increased their numbers over the last 5 years by 25 35%. They also have opportunities for their level 2 s and 3 s to work the 3 umpire system in tournament finals with their level 4 s and 5 s in a mentor system They also have a mentoring system where their senior umpires go out and watch their younger umpires to help them to grow into stronger umpires by sharing their experiences and offering them suggestions on how to improve as young umpires. Umpiring Program Goals: To continue to develop its younger umpires through the mentoring program and give them the opportunities to work with senior umpires on developing their skills and confidence. BOMBA will host the 2012 Junior Elimination Tournament. Thank you BOMBA for your contributions to Baseball Ontario! Name: Matt Clarke Hometown: Guelph Local Association: Guelph Minor Baseball Association Current Level: 2.2 Years Umpiring: 4 Hobbies / Interests: Hockey, Golf and Volleyball School: St. James High School Umpire Highlights/ Achievements: 2011 Junior Umpire of the Year. I would like to reach level 5 umpiring certification, I would like to umpire Major league baseball one day. I would also like to teach and instruct young umpires one day.

3 Page 3 Name: Dennis Watson Hometown: Kitchener Local Association: Kitchener Minor Baseball Association Current Level: 3, Years Umpiring: 20 Hobbies / Interests: American Civil War living historian/reenactor Astronomy & space travel Visiting historic sites Reading history books Family genealogy Coordinating an Out of the Cold Program to feed and shelter the poor and homeless in our community Employment: Retired now for 2 ½ years following 35 years of employment at Canada Revenue Agency Umpire Highlights/ Achievements: Co-Umpire-in-Chief for 10 years for the Canadian Open T-Ball Tournament Umpire-in-Chief for Forest Hill T-Ball Association Umpire at OBA Rookie Ball Championships held in Kitchener 2006 Kitchener Minor Baseball Association s Umpire of the Year 2011 Intercounty Baseball Association s Senior Umpire of the Year 2011 Ontario Baseball Association s Senior Umpire of the Year Consulted with OBA Rules Committee in 2010 and 2011 on changes to Rookie Ball Rules Do you have a story idea or picture for? Would you like to recommend an association or umpire to be profiled In Focus? us at bluesignals@baseballontario.com Level 1: True or False? The batter checks his swing on an inside pitch and the ball hits the batter on the hand. The umpire calls Time and awards the batter 1st base. The defence now asks for an appeal on the swing; the plate umpire must ask his partner for help. Level 2: True or False? R3, R2. During a rundown between home and 3rd, R3 is called out for offensive interference. R2 had advanced and was standing on 3rd when the interference occurred. R3 is out and R2 remains at 3rd. Level 3: True or False? R1. From the rubber, a left-handed pitcher attempts a pick off at 1st base. The ball strikes the runner and deflects toward the dugout. The ball comes to a rest on the playing field just prior to going in to the dugout. As the 1 st baseman attempts to pick up the ball he accidentally deflects the ball in to the dugout with his glove. The umpire calls Time and awards the runner 2 nd base since the pitcher was on the rubber when he threw the ball to 1 st base and it subsequently went out of play.

4 Page 4 Name: Rob Companion Hometown: London Local Association: London District Baseball Association Current Level: 5B Years Umpiring: 30 Course Conductor: Senior Course Conductor Hobbies / Interests: Playing baseball and soccer with my kids. Camping, Boy Scout Leader, motorcycles Employment: Automotive Service Consultant Umpire Highlights/ Achievements: Umpire at the International Level, becoming a Master Course Conductor, Lead supervisor at the National Level and continuing to teach and mentor other umpires locally, provincially and nationally. Level 1: Answer: TRUE (c) Explanation: The plate umpire when requested by the catcher or manager must ask the field umpire on a check swing for a ruling. Level 2: Answer: FALSE Interference (a) Explanation: R2 must return their last legally occupied base which in this case is 2 nd base. No runners may advance on a play in which offensive interference occurs. Level 3: Answer: FALSE 7.05(h) Approved Ruling, and Baseball Canada Approved Interpretation Explanation: Although the pitcher was on the rubber, the ball did not go directly out of play and came to a rest on the field. When the fielder accidentally knocked it out of play, the award became two bases from the time of the throw.

5 The learning never ends when it comes to umpiring. By now, most of us here in Ontario have heard one instructor or another preach that it takes upwards of 10,000 hours to perfect a skill. Unfortunately, Mother Nature hampers our ability to get out on the field all year long. There is no way to replace those hours calling balls and strikes, safes and outs on the bases, and most importantly learning how to manage a game; however, there is always the opportunity to supplement them during the off season. Unlike our neighbours to the south, it simply takes some creativity and a will to continue to learn. Here are some suggestions for how to continue to improve your umpiring during the off season. Reading Material One of the hardest things to do is read the Official Rules of Baseball. Over time, rules are created and adapted to the current game, unfortunately no one writes them with the intention of making them easy to read. One way is by simply breaking it down section by section when you have a few spare minutes. Even if it s 5 to 10 minutes a day, reading over the rules will help to re-enforce your rules knowledge. Great umpires have a sound rules base which allows the application to come naturally and quickly allowing umpires to focus on other parts of their umpiring. If reading the rule book isn t for you, there are several different interpretation manuals available to help. And don t forget, if you re comfortable with your rules, then take the opportunity to read over the positioning manuals, either two, three, or four umpire manuals, whichever is appropriate for you. Online With technology comes several new opportunities to learn. The first that comes to mind is watching plays online. MLB has a huge database of plays, which can be queried by rules, or situations, i.e. Ejections. These plays can help those that learn better by watching then perhaps reading. Viewing videos is also great at re -enforcing the appropriate application and can also provide opportunities to improve your game management skills. The other new opportunity online these days is forums and blogs, etc. The opportunity to share with fellow umpires and discuss situations and rules on a daily basis is terrific. You can post a question online and within the day, if not sooner, have all kinds of different perspectives. A couple key thing to keep in mind; first, the answers or suggestions you get may not always be correct, nor may they work for you on the field, and secondly, your posts may be read by fellow umpires you work with or know, and you MUST be aware of that! Criticism of fellow umpires online is NOT appropriate, especially within the Baseball Ontario environment. What you write online may come back one day, and even if you think you re anonymous, it might not be the case. Lastly, continually check both baseball Ontario and Baseball Canada s websites for specific rule interpretations or updates. Test yourself Most umpires who have been in the program for a while have had the opportunity to collect old exams and answers. If you do, take a few minutes to quiz yourself and see how you do. Perhaps instead of testing yourself, take the opportunity to test your fellow umpires for fun. If you re not sure of the answer or the reason for it then ask Page 5 someone, and if need be, contact Baseball Ontario and we ll get the answer to you. Fitness Most umpires are so busy during the season that they don t have the opportunity to stay in shape, or get in shape if that s the case. Physical fitness along with stretching is both important in becoming a better umpire as well as for your health in general. Those in our Level 4/5 program have seen over the last few years that baseball Ontario has started to stress physical fitness, stretching, healthy eating, and exercise as key components of our program. Goal Setting It s important to take this time to reflect on the past performances. We all want to get better as umpires and the offseason is a good chance to reflect on one or two things to improve upon. Use the offseason to put in place a strategy to improve, whether it be plate work, bases, timing, the offseason is a great time to practice towards a goal. Practice...Practice...Practice If you ever have the opportunity to practice, don t pass it up. For example, the shower curtain bar is the perfect height for practicing your strike mechanic. Standing in front of it and doing 100 strike mechanics helps muscle memory - If not a shower bar than practice in front of a mirror. Practice taking off and putting on your mask; It s such a simple skill but under pressure it can become a lot more difficult. No umpire likes running down the line to realize their hat is laying in the dirt at home plate! Lastly, take a pair of socks, and while lying on your bed, toss them up and practice tracking them up and down. Those little drills have been practised by many great umpires through their careers. Just remember, as the saying goes, when you re handed lemons, make lemonade, when Mother Nature hands us cold and snow, enjoy a lemonade while continuing to become a better umpire!

6 Blue Notes Page 6 One of the most important factors, and sometimes overlooked, is umpire safety. Umpire safety begins with the equipment you choose to wear. These days there are so many manufacturers and different styles that it sometimes is overwhelming to umpires. The off season is a great time to look at purchasing and upgrading pieces of your equipment. In this edition we ll look at things to consider when looking at the equipment you choose to wear. Shoes Plate shoes are key pieces of equipment for any umpire. The right shoes provide support, comfort, and protection. Consider shoes that have protection for your toes as well as the tops of your feet. Your feet are one of the most struck locations when working home plate and the bones in them are very fragile. A good shoe provides protection for your toes as well as the tops of your feet. The weight of the shoe should also be considered especially for higher levels of baseball when the games get longer. The lighter the shoe the easier it is to hustle from position to position. Do not let the weight reduce the protection level, there needs to be a balance. Another key to consider is the width of the shoe; a tight shoe will affect circulation in your feet. Lastly, consider replacing flat shoe laces with circular shoes laces. Circular shoe laces prevent circulation from being cut off to your feet. Shin Pads The length of knee pads should be fitted to the length of your legs. Take the time to find the correct length of shin pads so that they sit comfortably at your ankle and also at your knees. A shin pad that is too short or long will not have the same protection as a correctly fitted one. Some shin pads have additional foot flaps at the front which allow for further protection of the top of the foot. Ensure that straps are in good condition and are all functioning. A strap that is too tight will cut off circulation where as a strap that is too loose will allow the shin pad to move and reduce protection. The most important past of a shin pad is the knee protection. A good shin pad will have the additional shin pad section for the knee which is moveable and will sit properly covering the knee in your plate stance. Masks The selection of masks these days range from single bar to double bar, as well as catcher style masks. Catcher style masks provide great protection to the entire head including the back of the head from bats. A catcher style mask should fit snug against the cheeks. Some people find these masks difficult to communicate in as well as bulky to hold when removing. Regular style masks come in a great range from single and double bar which change the amount of visible area. Keep in mind that although the newer light weight masks are easier on the neck, their downside is when you are struck with a ball, they do not absorb the impact like a heavier constructed mask. Also when choosing a mask, a good fitting mask should only allow the umpire to place two fingers between their chin and the padding. Padding varies in density which also allow for more shock to be absorbed when getting hit. And lastly the throat protector; throat protectors are additional and not mandatory but provide additional protection for the throat area. And lastly, a hint about chest protectors; ensure that when adjusting your chest protector straps that you are in your plate stance. Have your partners or a friend or family member tighten them for you so it fits correctly. Too many umpires adjust the straps without wearing it and then are continually adjusting them during a game.