Well, this looks like a **** show right now. Hopefully everything is done and ready to go by the time we get there next week. I'm supposed to land early Wednesday afternoon.
It was an eventful first weekend. One team got thrown out of the A for using a shaved bat, on team forfeited a game late in the A with their pitcher pulling a hammy, no back ups made it. One team backed out of the A because their guys couldn't get flights between when the airports reopened and their games. The team that won the A looks to have backed out of the AA.
End cap popped off, took one quick look and it was obvious from what I was told. It was a Florida team so I'm not too surprised, it happened against a Conference team that has a lot of experience and some of those guys have been around the upper levels for a long time. Supposedly their first basemen called out the Dr that did the job as soon as the end cap came off. It had to have tested at 240 before the B tournament started. I'll hear more of the story Wednesday when I get in.I heard a whole bunch of A and AA teams backed out when the hurricane hit. There really wasn't any way to get to Viera for a couple days.
How was it ascertained that a shaved bat was being used? Did they cut it open? Did it test super low?
I heard a rumor Saturday night that worlds for next year will be all 240. The new batch has been pretty universally praised. It flew well in the morning, and after dark, not as well from about 1 to 6 in the afternoon. Exactly what you would expect. I had one shot on Thursday on White Rawlings that cleared the temp fence, the permanent fence, the netting and hit the press box of the fast pitch stadium.
The temp wasn't bad, but the humidity killed me. It was 90+% every morning when I looked.
The only damage the complex had from the hurricane was one of the tarps that covers the bleachers at White Rawlings and I think one other field were ripped off. Everything else was in good shape.
Man, I hate Florida teams. Almost all of the issues that I had this weekend were with Florida teams. I was very glad when the last one got eliminated.
I was chosen to work the Championship game. Had Chosen not played 2 games already that morning after playing until 11:30 Saturday night I think they might have gotten past Anarchy to force the if.
There were more than a couple ejections. I had 5 on my fields over the weekend including two in the championship game. I was talking to another Conference umpire that had 11 in one game. Almost always Florida teams. Behavior of some of these guys was deplorable. Hopefully their state director will take care of things going forward, but I know he won't. One team took two bats into the dugout, then put them back in the bucket after I had told them 4 times not to while I was talking with a director.I definitely heard a lot of s hit talking, and saw a couple ejections. As the tourny went on the teams got mouthier.
The bats were silly, and everyone could see it. One team we played against from NC had nothing but beat up 220s that were all medieval in terms of hotness. The 300' temp fence was unexpected, usually it's at 325'. I guess if I had to vote I'd say keep the 300' fence and go to all 240s next year.
I hit one ball perfectly on red Easton at about 4 PM Friday that hit the base of the back fence in LF. Wind was blowing in pretty steadily. Without the wind I probably would have had another 50' on it. It was fairly hard to hit HRs on red Easton, though I still saw some.
IMO red Easton and white Marucci are the two worst hitting fields in that complex. Wind always blows in from LF or CF. Sometimes white Rawlings can be bad, but it wasn't this weekend.
There were more than a couple ejections. I had 5 on my fields over the weekend including two in the championship game. I was talking to another Conference umpire that had 11 in one game. Almost always Florida teams. Behavior of some of these guys was deplorable. Hopefully their state director will take care of things going forward, but I know he won't. One team took two bats into the dugout, then put them back in the bucket after I had told them 4 times not to while I was talking with a director.
Not a double forfeit, but I don't think either team had any subs left. As it was explained to me it started with two female scorekeepers chirping to each other across the field, then one of the coaches said something stupid, that fired up the guys on the other bench and slurs, hate speech and threats started flying back and forth. As I understand it, only two people actually playing in the game got tossed. Scorekeepers, managers, coaches and bench players took the brunt of it.Some of these guys act shocked when umpires actually enforce the rules. In our 2nd game some guy got tossed for saying the F word loudly after a poor swing, that after everyone was told not to before the game. Those umps aren't joking around. If you mess around, you're gone.
This is worlds, not some cheesy backyard tourny. Rules have to be enforced.
11 ejections in 1 game is ridiculous. I reckon that must have led to a double forfeit or something.
It's pretty much a joke anymore and clearly money is USSSA's primary focus. Bad balls. No testing of bats in some divisions (C) with some teams passing 1-2 bats. Rumors of bats with USSSA stamps actually being 1.21 BPF. Rosters are sketchy as all get out....for example there is a GA team headed to D this weekend that had 9 of 12 players added to the roster after Oct 10th, 4 of whom were autobumps to C in 2020. More teams, more teams, more teams = more entry fees and more 3 day gate fees.....oh, and more hotel rooms booked to help meet their quota for having the county help foot the bill. Glad I'm aging out....
Speaking of ****ty ball, You completely ignored me when I @ you in the thread about the bad batch of pro Ms. Some dude in there tried telling me there was no difference in between the GSL China and the Vietnam balls. Those China balls were quite literally the worst ball ive ever hit i think, and it was for a WORLD tournament which is mind blowing.
That's not what I said. I said I've seen no difference between them if they're both a syco cover. I don't know what you were hitting and you never said.Speaking of ****ty ball, You completely ignored me when I @ you in the thread about the bad batch of pro Ms. Some dude in there tried telling me there was no difference in between the GSL China and the Vietnam balls. Those China balls were quite literally the worst ball ive ever hit i think, and it was for a WORLD tournament which is mind blowing.
Was there no bat testing at all? That's nutsThings went OK in Viera. No obvious evidence from the hurricane. Better batch of Pro M this year, and the ball flew well. Weather was also at least 10 degrees cooler than usual.
Tons and tons of 220 bats being used in C, some of which I know wouldn't come close to passing compression. I think I saw a 3/1 ratio of 220s to 240s. Some of the HRs I saw hit it was obvious the bat was WAAYYYY hot.
Having played on the border and in Florida quite a bit that's not uncommon. Pre-testing they'd brag about how shaved their bats were and every team has several guys that thought they were rodman trying to play head games with us and the umps. One of my favorite tournaments was double dipping a team that couldn't stop saying no ga team ever beat a fl team.Not a double forfeit, but I don't think either team had any subs left. As it was explained to me it started with two female scorekeepers chirping to each other across the field, then one of the coaches said something stupid, that fired up the guys on the other bench and slurs, hate speech and threats started flying back and forth. As I understand it, only two people actually playing in the game got tossed. Scorekeepers, managers, coaches and bench players took the brunt of it.
Top 16 of the Men's C, Women's C and Women's D all got tested. Everything had to pass at 220. I heard rumors that it was all going to be 240 next year.Was there no bat testing at all? That's nuts
It's pretty much a joke anymore and clearly money is USSSA's primary focus. Bad balls. No testing of bats in some divisions (C) with some teams passing 1-2 bats. Rumors of bats with USSSA stamps actually being 1.21 BPF. Rosters are sketchy as all get out....for example there is a GA team headed to D this weekend that had 9 of 12 players added to the roster after Oct 10th, 4 of whom were autobumps to C in 2020. More teams, more teams, more teams = more entry fees and more 3 day gate fees.....oh, and more hotel rooms booked to help meet their quota for having the county help foot the bill. Glad I'm aging out....