My crew: 2021 Edition

From Left to Right:
Top: Jamie Sims, Joey Traylor, Tony Escarzaga, Joel Ewan, Scott McLernon,
Paul Cummings, Doug Singer, Gary Graupmann
Front: Dan Anzini, George Rodriguez, Doug Perret, Mike Falzone, Russ Smith

 I didn't really blog during the week as the week was full of activity outside the complex to try to replicate a normal tournament for the three guys who didn't defer to next year. Now that I'm home, I would love to watch games I was a part of and do a live-tweet like event on my blog to talk about what goes on during the game and what my through process was in these moments. It is going to be a backwards blogging event from the 2017 edition.

So I wanted to start off with a view of who was there this year. As I mentioned before, the original 10 invitees were given the choice to either do the softball tournament this year or defer to next year. 7 of the 10 deferred, a very sensible decision. 3 decided to come this year no matter the restrictions for their own reasons and I think they did not regret their decision. This was a great group of umpires and better men. What will make or break any tournament crew is the amount of ego in the room. This year was no different. It was great. The egos were low. The comradery was high. There were a lot of laughs in that locker room and back at the hotel.

 There was a lot of experience on the field this week. While 7 of us had done this tournament before, the most experienced one of us all had not but had done multiple World Series. It was great to work games with umpires with tons more experience, more training, and as much passion as I possess for this game. I was humbled and proud to be part of such a crew. 

Dan Anzini, first time at the San Bernardino Regional. Northern California.

Dan was the youngest of our crew (2 years younger than me.) This was his first time here and he just soaked everything in. If there was a discussion about umpiring, the rules, mechanics, or just how to be a better umpire, Dan was there ready to listen. He admitted at the end that he decided to not defer when he heard about the replacements being umpires who have done this before because he knew there would be a lot of experience he could learn from the guys who had returned. I agree with that sentiment as I learned a lot too.

Dan is also humble, ready to learn, slow to speak, and has a great sense of humor. I think we immediately hit it off, even some before through Facebook. I definitely want to do some traveling and his district is on my list so I can work with him again.

Doug Singer, Arizona

Doug enjoys umpiring. He brings his own flair to the game and I'm sure the kids in Arizona love him on their games because he has an infectious joy that spreads to others because he's always smiling, laughing, and enjoying the moment. I want to enjoy the game like he does.

Doug and I got to spend some time going to Rosa Marias for a garbage burrito. That was an enjoyable trip. Doug is a good conversationalist, a generous soul, and just a laid-back, happy-go-lucky guy. He as a great attitude that makes umpiring easy.

Joel Ewan, Southern California, First time at San Bernardino Softball

Joel was our elder statesman. He actually was Jeff Wimbrough's mentor when Jeff started (look back to 2017 to see Jeff. He was our leader then.) Joel, while it was his first Major softball regional, was not new to the game. He has done multiple regionals and World Series tournaments. Joel was a deliberate umpire. He didn't waste steps but was always where he needed to be. He could anticipate where the ball was going to be and make sure he moved to the right spot when he needed to be there. 

He also is tremendously funny and personable, intelligent and considerate. Whenever someone even thought about needing something, Joel was there ready to serve. He's soft spoken and when he says something, it's worth listening. I learned a lot from him this week.

Joey Traylor, Arizona

Joey is quiet strength and the servant leader. He is confident in his skill but humble. His movement on the field is decisive, proactive, and always gets him to where he needs to be. Even on a day where he feels he was off, his mechanics and knowledge cover a multitude of self-realized errors so he is the only one who knows where he could have done better. I appreciate his self-evaluation, honesty, and his desire to always be better.

I don't believe Joey and I did a game together this tournament (I'll have to look back through my paperwork) but it was definitely a pleasure to watch him take a game, grab it by the shoulders, and make it submit to his quiet authority. He is generous and friendly, confident and introspective. Western Region baseball is lucky to have a man like him as their uncle (more about uncles later.)

Mike Falzone, Oregon

Mike has done the softball World Series circuit. A professional in every way, he is funny and fun while giving the game the gravity it demands. He is also humble (this word gets used a lot with this crew) and knew when he needed to step back to ensure the girls got the best umpiring experience they deserved. You see, Mike got tripped up on a play about midway through the tournament and hit the ground hard. He tried to finish the inning but the inning ended up being 15 runs and he was hurt about 6 runs in. During a time out for an injured player, he admitted that he needed to be taken out and I took his place at second base. 
Most people I know would try to stick it out, rough it with less than 100%, and then try to hide it after the game to ensure they would be available for every game after that. Heck, I would probably try to do that. Mike was self-aware enough to know that was not the thing to do and he earned all of our respect. We hit up the CVS, got the Tiger Balm, Salon Pause patches, Epson salt, and Aleve and he worked on making sure he could get back healthy. He umpired third for the final game and did a great job.

I got to spend a lot of time with Mike as his early-week chauffer. He is a quiet voice who has a lot of wisdom in everything he says. I really enjoyed my time with Mike and hope to get up to Oregon one of these years to do a game with him up there.

Paul Cummings, Southern California (Los Angeles), First time at San Bernardino Softball regional

I had heard a lot about Paul Cummings before I got here because he was the mentor of an umpire in my district with whom I have worked a lot of games. My friend thinks the world of Paul and I can see why. He is an intelligent umpire, a patient man, and a fantastic storyteller. It was fascinating just sitting down with him and listening to his stories about umpiring adult league softball with players like Terrell Owens and other famous movie and TV stars and athletes, as well as his games with the kids of stars. Everyone seems to just like Paul. He's a good umpire with a good attitude and a great sense of humor that puts celebrities as ease as just one of the players. Another umpire I want to get out and work with during the regular season (although I have a much better chance of getting to L.A. than I do Portland, especially if I can convince Willie to have me out there.)

Russ Smith, Arizona

Russ is another one of these quiet umpires who just gets the job done and gets it done quickly. We had a couple of games done in almost 3 hours. Russ's two plates combined were a little less than 2 1/2 hours. That's efficient.

Russ was another one of those umpires who quietly makes his way around the field to always be in the right position. He knows the rulebook like it is part of his body and always has something positive to say. I had known Russ by reputation from a few friends heading out to Arizona to work for him and they weren't wrong. He is friendly with a remnant of a Southern drawl and all of the hospitality the South is known for. He is a great umpire.

Scott McLernon, Southern California (Los Angeles)

Scott drew the straw to be on the very first plate of the tournament and he set the standard the rest of us strived to hit. Scott, an Air Force man, looks like an umpire. He is athletic, smooth, assertive, humble, knowledgeable, and personable. I didn't see a weakness in him all week but he would still take advice with dignity and contemplation. He has great timing on his calls and impeccable movement. He engenders friendship and loyalty as proven by his DA coming out to see him work his plates, even with L.A. traffic. 

George Rodriguez, All of Southern California

George is the one umpire I have worked with before, several times, before this regional. George is professional in every way. He loves the Little League program and he loves umpires. George, a Marine, is always the picture of a military standard uniform with the work ethic that comes with that training. There were times this week where I worked with him and I stood in awe of his ability to see exactly where he needed to be to ensure a tag happened. He, with Joey, are the baseball uncles and he takes that job seriously, just like his umpiring.

I love working with George because every time I do, I get honest feedback on how to improve. I need that. Working with guys more advanced, with finer skills, always helps to improve your game. We often tease each other on our military history (me being Navy) but I respect him more than words can tell. 

He earned the plate for the championship game and he made sure the girls determined the winner of that game. I wouldn't expect anything less from George Rodriguez, Marine, Teacher, Mentor, and Umpire. He is the personification of the Little League core value of loyalty. I can't say enough good things about him. I'm glad I get dragged along with my friends whenever I get to step on the field with him. Here's to many more games together in the future.

Those were the working crew. Two guys who make this tournament fun, relaxing, and the social event it needs to be are the softball uncles, Dave Miller and Chris Costlow. They help the umpires get what they need, help us relax after games, take all these wonderful pictures that I have on this blog right now, and are just all-around great guys. True servants at heart and in action. The softball are lucky to have them.

Russ, Gary, and Doug

Finally, there are the evaluators. Gary Graupmann, Jamie Sims, and Doug Perret. This is the same crew that was here in 2017. They are dedicated as all get out and incredible umpires on their own. They spend the whole week out here, helping all of us get better with a deep knowledge and love of the game. It was a blessing to get to work with these men. Volunteers through and through, with huge giving hearts and the eternal desire to make sure the girls get the best games because they have the best umpires. 

Paul and Jaime

This was an opportunity I never thought would have happened a second time. This time, I was much more intentional on collecting every moment in my mind because who gets to relive a memory this vivid a second time? The players were different. The umpires were too. The memories will play on in my mind as a sweet spot where I dodged some balls, got hit by a couple, and umpired some incredible girls who were all vying for not only a spot in the World Series, but some normalcy in a world turned topsy-turvy these past 18 months. It was great to be back out on the field. Thank you, San Bernardino, for another week that will live in my mind rent-free for years to come. 

It all starts tomorrow

 We finished our pre-tournament meeting and we're ready to go. Got my regional hat, 2 jerseys (both light blue with a black collar) and my first day schedule. 

Tomorrow, I am at first base for the 9 AM game and at second base at the 4 PM game. The 9 AM game is all Southern California umpires (with a Northern California umpire in the well.) It should be a great day of softball.

Funny thing. When I got my schedule, I was listed as Ernesto Escarzaga. Apparently, Ernesto and I merged into one person for this tournament. Ernie was my partner in crime in 2017 and a DA for a local district. One of my favorite people in the world. It is just funny they combined our names as he was originally supposed to come but then couldn't because, well, he's a DA.

I saw the field today and it is beautiful. They 'skinned' the infield, meaning there is no grass on the infield, just like it should be for softball. It should speed up the game a lot. The first game of the tournament is Arizona and Hawaii, who both are traditional softball powerhouses. It should really kick the tournament off with a bang.

One of the things I will be responsible for as the first base umpire is ensuring the visiting team does not go out onto the field until ESPN is ready for them. A lot of the timing of the tournament is dictated by the demands of television. I have noticed over the years that it makes for a really good broadcast but can slow the in person game down a lot. This year, as most viewership will be online, it should make the entire event a real event. I have no problem helping those viewers at home enjoy the experience.

So if I mess up tomorrow, I have two things to protect me. I'll be wearing my mask and I'll be Ernesto. All pressure is off!

One last note: Got to have dinner with the crew and we have a really good group of guys here. Thus far, it looks like I am 3 for 3 in regional umpire likeability. I look forward to working with these guys this week.

See you in the morning!

A year in review

Section 9 8-10 Baseball crew last night.
 It looks a little familiar.

I finished my pre-regional games last night at first base for the 8-10 baseball section 9 game. Now to finish the final preparations for Friday. I like this time of year on Facebook as my memories are all of umpiring with some of my favorite people in the world. 

 So I want to look back on the year that was today. Last year, I did 3 games in March and then we got shut down for the rest of the year. It was so hard to be gone from the game for that long. This year, when games started up in Menifee in April, I was all over them. It was great to be back on the field helping kids play a game. 

There was one thing about this year, though. I never had so many strange calls as I did this year. Obstructions, interferences, illegally batted balls, balks, calls I hadn't called in 10 years getting called multiple times this year. I had bad behaving coaches who needed to go home. This year, I did more games than I have done since I was the UIC in Bloomington trying to make a volunteer program run again. I got to umpire for Little League in Menifee, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, and Murietta. Post-season I jumped up to Fontana, Grand Terrace, Hesperia, and San Diego. Have uniform, will travel. 

 Probably the highlight of the season was getting to umpire my youngest daughter's team several times. She had a rough season in Seniors at the plate. Last game of the year, we were at Lake Elsinore and the umpire pulls up next to us. It is an umpire I respect and have worked with before. I ask who he is working with and he isn't. He's got a Senior game solo. I ask if he wants a partner and suddenly I'm on the bases. 

My daughter's team hadn't won a game all season. They were battling with the team from Elsinore, down by one in the bottom of the 5th. There were runners on second and third and my daughter comes up. I'm in the C position. She gets to 3-2, 2 outs, and hits a looping fly ball down the third base line which lands about 3 feet fair. My partner calls fair and the dugout explodes in excitement. 2 runs score, she's standing on second, first true hit of the season. It was all I could do not to cry on the field as I'm the impartial arbiter at this point. I have a hard time thinking of when I have been happier on the field. 

They won. She got the game ball. The boys all cheered as we walked back to the car to leave. She smiled the entire ride home. 

 That's what this year has been about. We have helped kids who probably wouldn't make a travel ball team play as part of a team. We stood up to disease and said life will not end but we will enjoy life once again by playing a simple game. For all the bad tempers I encountered this year, there were 10 players happy to be out of the house and running the bases. Whenever I talked with a coach, I mentioned that this year was better than last year, no matter how hot it was. 

At the beginning of the season we had rust, missed calls, bad plays, and bonehead moves. By the end, we remembered why we were out there - it's fun. It develops leadership. Character, courage, and loyalty. It was an incredible season. I'm glad mine isn't quite done yet.

State Softball Tournament & Preparations

This was from the 8-10 Year Old
Baseball game on Sunday Night in
District 28, Not Softball.

From Saturday, July 10th to Friday, July 16, I worked every day but Sunday at the Southern California Softball State Tournament. It was a roller coaster ride of bad softball, great softball, nervous umpiring on my part, a game of quicksand wondering why I'm doing this, to one of my best games of the year. I feel, after 6 days of umpiring 8 games, I am ready for San Bernardino now.

Looking at the list of umpires, there are a lot of umpires I have heard about, a couple i have worked with, and all of them are known around the region. This is a great group of umpires of which I feel like I belong but also have that self-doubt that I can't afford another game where confidence wanes. 

One of the best things about the state tournament was the opportunity to work with Tori. I recruited Tori back in 2016 to umpire with me at Bloomington as a teenager. This year, she told me that she worked the entire Softball season at Bloomington. During the district's 8-10 Softball tournament, we worked 2 umpire and she worked her first All-Star game behind the plate. She was nervous but worked it. She did the loser bracket finals plate for the State tournament and did an excellent job. The growth between that first game and her last plate was impressive to see. I'm glad she's sticking it out because she is the future of umpiring. I consider her career my success as UIC of Bloomington.

Let me recap the state championship from my Facebook post:

"Little League Softball Majors Southern California State Championship: La Verne (visitors) vs West L.A. (Home): this was the if game with La Verne forcing it yesterday with a rub in the bottom of the 6th. Today La Verne scores one in the first and West L.A. scores 3 in the bottom of the first. La Verne ties it up 3-3 in the third. Scoreless 4th. La Verne scores one in the 5th and West L.A. gets runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of 5. A couple of fly balls to center and a 6-3 ground out gets La Verne or of a pickle.

6th inning, La Verne has 7-8-9 up and 8 gets on base. 9 gets the second out. 1 gets intentionally walked and 2 hits a dribbler to the third baseman whose throw beats the batter by half a step.

West L.A. also has 7-8-9 coming up in the bottom of the 7th. 8 gets on. 9 out for second out. 1 hits and now there are runners on first and second. 2 hits a dribbler to the shortstop and we have a third out, 6-3.

La Verne played every day during this tournament, 7 days. And I'll see them again in a week."

So now the state tournament is done and I am getting the final preparations done for Regionals. My pants are at the cleaners getting pressed. I'm cleaning out my car from all the extra umpire stuff. I'm hydrating today for games on Saturday. I've read and reread the rule book and tournament rules. I'm ready for San Bernardino.

Friday is Rebecca's 18th birthday. I get to hang out with her in the morning and then head up to San Bernardino for our Umpire meeting the night before games start. First game starts at 9 AM on Saturday. I don't know if I'm on that game yet or if I'll be on the noon game instead. Here is the schedule of all games:

https://www.littleleague.org/world-series/2021/llsbws/tournaments/west-region/

I'll guarantee I won't be on the plate for any game that Southern California is on (La Verne) because that is the way they do it. No home state umpires doing the plate for their home state team. I understand the reasons for that (and after doing 6 games for La Verne during the state tournament, it is definitely a good idea to avoid the perception of impropriety.) So no plate Sunday at noon.

Looking at the tournament, it looks like Idaho is not sending a team this year but the other 11 states (2 California) are sending one. 19 games. It should be a fun tournament.

I'll let you know my opening day schedule as soon as I know it myself. 

Those nagging voices

 Yesterday I had the opportunity to go back to District 21 and help out with their Senior baseball tournament. 2 teams. Best of 3. I had the plate. Tonight, I had third base. 

One thing about going all the way up to Rialto to do a game is that I get a long drive home to think about the game. That usually means I get to go over all the questions that should keep me up at night over with before I get home and get ready for bed. There’s always questions: was my strike zone consistent? Could I have done anything to speed the game up? Could I have done anything to prevent the ejection? (Yes, I did eject someone for drawing a line on a pitch.)

Then there are the comments from parents and coaches that don’t ultimately matter but I do hear and have to answer on those long drives home. Was the parent yelling about whatever in the moment a legitimate critique? Could I have done anything to clean up confusion on the field before it got to that point? 

It’s a game-by-game struggle to get through the questions and ultimately ask myself, “Am I giving these kids my all so they can have a fair and unbiased game from my position? Am I working hard enough, hustling, and have the knowledge to make the correct calls?”  I have found over the years that umpiring isn’t about the self-doubt that the questions after the game on the drive home cause to worm through my brain. It is the belief that I am working hard, training hard, and doing a job that most people don’t want to do to the best of my ability. 

I understand that I am not perfect and will readily agree with that. I will typically talk with my catcher if he is chatty and will admit when I miss a pitch after thinking about it for a few more seconds. (I need to work on my timing to correct that.) What I won’t do is tear myself down for making mistakes. To error is part of the game of baseball. If you ever look at the back of a baseball card, there is a fielding stat kept called, “ERR” and also Fielding Percentage. They track errors ball players make on the field (They track everything in baseball stats.) I work hard not to error but occasionally I do and I learn from it to get better next time. 

I had a couple of really close calls on the bases tonight. Years ago, maybe even last year, my positioning would have been off and I would have missed the call. Last night, looking back on it now, I worked hard to get the right position and got the calls right without a doubt. This is years of training, experience, and hustle coming into play to give the players my absolute best. The doubts may come. The criticisms definitely will. I take refuge in the fact that I am willing to make those decisions, to take the criticisms, to go home and wrestle with calls, research, talk, and read to get better, while those who complain are complacently willing to sit and complain. I am the expert in my field while on the field and I take that seriously, while really, really, really enjoying what I do. I love umpiring.

And hey, I get to umpire some softball tomorrow with my friend Ernie. Can it get better than that?

Starting it up again

Every once in a while, you get the chance to do something awesome a second time. This is one of those times.

Let's talk about the how first.

2020 was a horrible year for pretty much everything. Games at my local Little League started a week before everything shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic so I worked 3 games in 2020. 2021 saw the return of baseball games near normal (shortened schedules, special rules about ball handling and the post game handshakes that turned into waves across the field, stuff like that.) I have done a lot of games this year. It was good to be back out there.

In early May, Steve Keener, President of Little League, announced that the Little League World Series for both baseball and softball would return in a very modified format. It would only be the Major tournament and the teams in Williamsport and Greenville, North Carolina would only be from the United States. Each regional tournament would send the tournament winner and the runner up. Softball will have a 10 team tournament while baseball will have a 16 team tournament. All other divisions of All-Stars will end at the state tournament.

A couple of days later, there was a Zoom meeting with tournament committee members and the Western Region staff. It was announced that the tournaments in San Bernardino would be very different this year. Many of the committees that make the tournaments so special could not happen this year because there are going to be a lot of restrictions. No hospitality, no souvenirs, no snack bar, no outside fans besides the families of the players. It is going to be a very different tournament this year.

With this, the question came up, what about umpire families? They aren't going to be allowed to be at the game either. This would change the experience for these umpires who really deserve to be praised for the job they do out there. So, Region gave the umpires a choice - do you want to do it this year or wait until 2022 and hopefully get the whole experience. The vast majority said wait until next year and I don't blame them.

So what do they do to get the umpires they need for the baseball and softball tournaments? I got an email a few days after the Zoom meeting asking if I wanted to come back and umpire the softball tournament a second time. This never happens. Once you do a regional tournament at a level, that's your one time. You can do 7 regionals (Major, Junior, Senior baseball and softball, Intermediate baseball) and the same 7 World Series, and then you're done. That really is enough tournaments to last a lifetime and a half and I know I won't get to all of them.

I talked to Trina about it and wasn't sure if I wanted to do it but she asked me why I hadn't replied yet. Ok, I replied and they let me know I'm one of the seven replacement umpires getting to do this a second time. I'm going back to San Bernardino. So the blog is starting back up to journal this journey. 

I'm excited. Right now, I feel like I'm doing the best umpiring of my career because of the amount of games I have done this year and the dedication to getting better 14 years has imparted. I know the atmosphere won't be 2017 but, then again, I think we'll be on ESPN while I wasn't in 2017. That's concerning, but having talked to umpires who have been on TV, once the game starts it isn't a concern. It's just softball.

I have a lot of things to do in for the tournament that starts in 57 days. I look forward to sharing it with you.

Postscript 2017 - There's nothing soft in softball

These last two weeks have been quite the emotional roller coaster. Showing up to do games in San Bernardino, the town of my birth, where I grew up, and where I work even now, was the beginning of a dream come true. The tournament itself was everything I dreamed it would be when I started umpiring 10 years ago. I played once on this field when I was a 9 years old minor division player on the Minor Indians at Del Rosa Little League so many moons ago. Sitting in those below ground dugouts was great - feeling like I was a major league player playing in a stadium the size of this field was overwhelming. I never thought after I left the major division in 1986 that I would ever set foot on that field again.

Umpiring gave me that chance. Umpiring lets me get back into the game I loved as a kid and helps me share that experience with the next generation. More importantly, umpiring allows me the opportunity to make friends outside of the church. When I was a children's pastor full time, I worked at church, I hung out with other members of the church, I went to church at the church, I went to events at the church. Everything rotated around the church that I didn't have anyone to reach outside with my testimony or my attitude. We had to close down our childcare center in August of 2007. I was on staff until November 2007. I look back now and see that God was forcing me out of my safe circle.

I had lost my job. We had 2 babies in the house now and only my mother-in-law's income. I got a holiday job restocking at KB Toys which ran over because I was a hard worker and versatile. That lasted until March when I finally got hired on with the school district in San Bernardino. Meanwhile, I was looking for work everywhere until I finally interviewed for CAPS. I found a Craigslist ad looking for umpires in North Rialto, paying $25 a game. I played ball for 10 years, I could umpire.

Boy, was I wrong. I couldn't umpire worth a lick because I believed all the rules myths. Joey was patient with me and walked me through to become a better umpire over time.

I went to the week long clinic at WRLL headquarters in 2012. That week changed the way I umpire for the better. I developed mechanics, got confidence, learned the rules, and began to network with other umpires. That week was probably the biggest thing I've done as an umpire as it opened so many doors after that - and gave me more chances to minister outside of a church.

See, Little League umpiring is a ministry for me. The biggest way is that I am the calm in the storm. When parents are blowing up, when kids are upset and managers are yelling, I keep my composure. I show the world that no matter how chaotic everything around is, someone can keep their head and make rational decisions while showing love and respect to those who have lost their character.

After that first year of being paid, I refused pay the second year and haven't been paid for Little League since. I bought into the program. Character, loyalty, and courage. These are the pillars of Little League which I get to manifest each game I do. I've made some incredible relationships over the years through umpiring - not just with fellow umpires but with parents and kids. I love walking up at Alta Loma, a place where I can't really work too much anymore because of the distance, and hearing parents say, "Oh, I'm so happy you are here. We've missed you."  There's nothing like walking onto a field and hearing the kids in the dugout whispering to each other, "Hey, we've got a real umpire today!" I make a positive impact on parents and players by being a positive person on the field. It's a great ministry.

This week, I stepped onto the field at Al Houghton Stadium and umpired games for girls from all around the Western part of the United States. I fought hard to find small opportunities to personally connect with coaches and players throughout the week because this is a great community looking to develop the next generation of leaders with personality traits we find important. Without the community, Little League just isn't worth the hassle.

I was able to have small conversations throughout the week at lunch or passing a coach by the pool. Some conversations were with people who support everyone at the tournament while others were with the 14th player of the team who gets one at-bat a game. Every person I met had a story and was able to take away from this week an experience they will never forget.

Still, my ministry of calm in the storm wasn't as available as it usually it so I had to ask God what ministry he wanted for me this week. It was a ministry of encouragement. I purposely found ways to be encouraging throughout the week. Usually, I am very content being the introvert, sitting in my corner on my phone with the bubble around me but I worked hard this week. I feel my fellow umpires were my primary target of the encouragement - and they deserve it. There are so many times as umpires where we do our job and people either never notice or they only see what they perceive are errors and think we're horrible. Being built up feels good and I wanted to share that with them.

This tournament has truly been a roller coaster of emotions. The joy of walking on the field as an umpire for the first time during tournament. The emotions that bubble up when looking out into the stands and seeing people I know watching me, encouraging the umpires, cheering the girls, and supporting me on this incredible journey sometimes made me want to cry (I fought back tears twice this tournament on the field.) The anticipation and trepidation of knowing my first plate at the tournament was right around the corner. The emotional high of success when fear was so close the entire game. The pain of fear, fear of losing close family and fear of losing the chance to finish this. The appreciation of my brothers in blue who supported me when my family was hurting. The joy and relief when they saw me come back. The disappointment of not making it to the final plate. The realization that this is not who I want to be and the adjustment in attitude. The joy in seeing my partners exceed expectations and deliver incredible umpiring. The drama of an 8 inning game. The relief to know that we did our job all week and the girls determined the outcome of the game and the tournament. The sadness of it being over and realizing that I would never walk onto this field again as a softball umpire for the Western Region Little League Regional Tournament. 

I did want to share that my mother-in-law is fine. She was actually having pancreatic pain and some gall stones and not a heart attack so she is home again and in good health. Unfortunately, her mom, who also lived with us, passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 94. We have her funeral on Monday coming up. This sadness is tempered by the fact that Trina and I are picking up Becca from her mission trip on Friday in Florida and then spending the next 2 days out there, just the three of us. Becca doesn't know yet so that will be a hard part of the reunion.

As I said on Facebook, life is a roller coaster. I'm along for the ride wherever God is laying the track. I am so grateful that God finds me lovable and blesses me with joy and pain, with peaks and valleys. It's quite the ride when there's so many differences so close together, but I think God does it so I can stand in awe at his grace knowing that he is there through it all.

I love my Little League family. Next week, I will spend some time at the baseball tournament and say hi to some of my favorite people in the world. Walking around the stadium is like a family reunion where you actually like everyone there. I can't wait to be a part of it again.

Thank you, my readers, for coming along with me on this journey. May God bless you even more greatly than he has me this week.

Softball Tony

My Crew

Part of what made this week so special was the crew of gentlemen with whom I had the privilege to work. I wanted to share some of what makes this crew so special. This was a group of some of the most humble, ready to laugh at everything, non-stressing officials I have ever worked with. All of them, 1 - 9, were ready to jump on every game, work hard, take constructive criticism, and get out there next game and use that to improve their game. Were there times when there was a little tension? When do you get 9 guys together who are used to being in charge and there isn't something? Those moments of tension only worked to make us stronger together. I would work games with these gentlemen at a moment's notice. There is a bond that I will not forget.

Charles Heitman, Washington 10

Charles is one of those quiet guys who gets the job done and has the sneakiest sense of humor around. He had the duty of being on the very first plate of the tournament, before we had any critiques, reviews, or comments, so he had to do this off of instinct. He did a fantastic job back there.

Through the week, there were moments where out of nowhere he said something so breathtakingly funny that came out of nowhere. Most of the time he was quiet but I loved hearing those moments. Those are what I live for. Of course, he caught a photo of me taking a nap and posted it on Facebook a week later but I'll forgive him for that :)

Quiet strength, amazing humor, solid foundation.




Lawrence Mark, California 16

Lawrence is an athlete. He played ball growing up. He is a coach for Team USA Volleyball. He umpires a ton of games a week. He is an experienced softball umpire (He doesn't do baseball at all.) His experience shows on the field by his gentle movements to get into the right position, his bursts of speed when needed, and his confidence on the field and behind the plate.

Lawrence was so encouraging throughout the week. It wasn't blind encouragement but he took the time to find the best in his partner's games and make sure they knew that was good. I enjoyed working with him this week because seeing that kind of athleticism and experience mingled on the field was inspirational. He's easy to talk with, get along with, and he's engaging. I can see why he's such a great coach.



Daniel Mills, Washington 1

Daniel is so intelligent and a stickler for the details. He is a lawyer for his day job and from talking with him, he is a very good one - not because he says so but because of his temperament and wisdom. His uniform is always sharp. His mechanics are just as sharp.

Daniel was down here last year as a dad with the Mill Creek team. When he sent in his request, there was no way of knowing that the team would be down here again. His daughter had aged out so that wasn't a problem but he is one of his league's favorite umpires so the Mill Creek girls went wild in cheering whenever Daniel was introduced. He was eager to learn more all the time and was quick to incorporate it into his game.

Scott Moseley, California 51

Scott is another one of those experienced softball umpires who is a pleasure to watch. He is from Palmdale so I got to work a game with him this year up in Hesperia, the state championship game. He is extremely knowledgeable and confident. He exudes confidence on the field. He is also quiet and says little until he needs to. I love that quality in people - quick to listen, thoughtful to speak.

Scott has done a few regionals and that experience showed each games. He was always in the right position and looked fantastic behind the plate. I appreciated his demeanor and knowledge. I look forward to working with him for years to come since we really aren't that far away.





Darryl Nobles, Oregon 3

Smooth. Silk. Those are the nicknames we game Darryl this week because his movements were like butter on a hot roll. Darryl had the quickest wit throughout the week but also one of the deepest thinkers in the locker room. I loved having conversations with him late into the night about everything in life.

Darryl has only been umpiring for 5 years but his knowledge of the game and his athleticism give him experience beyond his years. You can tell that he loves giving to Little League. He used to be a California guy but desire for the slower life moved him up to Oregon. There's so much I want to emulate from him. One of the biggest ones is that he always was having fun on the field. Umpiring is serious but ultimately, we are umpiring a game. Games are fun for the players and we get to have fun because we allow others to have fun in a safe environment. I would make a trip up to Northeastern Oregon just to do some games out on the farm with him.

Dave Thornton, Oregon 2

Dave is a thoughtful guy. He is always thinking, which is great for an umpire because he's thinking ahead. One of the best things I can say about Dave is that he gets upset when he makes mistakes on the field and he asks for advice from those with more experience around him on how to get better. If he just blew off mistakes, I'd say he didn't care. His constant desire to get better is an endearing quality.

Dave dedicated this tournament to a passed mentor, Greg. If Greg was watching his semi-final plate, I would say that he was one proud mentor because Dave had a fantastic game back there.

I appreciate his caring heart, his quick desire to offer encouragement and a fist bump or hug, and his awareness of the blessings of God through these circumstances. Thank you Dave for your encouragement and prayers through the hardships I had this week.

Jeff Wimborough, California 31

Jeff was the senior statesman of our crew. His age wasn't a handicap though, it was a blessing. He is well trained, well mannered, and has a ton of experience that lets him read the softball and get into the perfect position on every play.

Jeff is confident on the field and behind the plate. His plate meeting is friendly but everyone walks away knowing that he is in charge. His demeanor on the field is jovial and unquestionable. He looks like he is enjoying the game. He earned the plate for the championship game, the 1-0, 8 inning game to send the winner to Alpenrose and he had a championship plate. I loved watching every part of his game and hope that I can get as good on the field as he is. I also appreciated his honesty when I asked him where I could improve and he laid a couple things out that no one else would have the guts to say. That's what I want so that was a blessing. Must be the years of getting post-game meetings with Mark Bernstein down in 31.

Ernesto Hinojosa, California 72

A couple times in a lifetime, you get lucky enough to meet someone who you know right off the bat that this is someone who can become one of your best friends. I met Ernie back in February at the District 28 umpire training. Immediately we clicked. We tried to work games together but our schedules never meshed well, him being the District Umpire-in-Chief of District 72 and me doing games all over the Inland Empire. We did end up working 2 games together during the post season prior to regionals, a double-header up in Hesperia during the state tournament on Tuesday and the state championship game on Thursday two games later.

Ernie has a tender heart, an infectious smile, and a growl behind the plate that scares the batters on called strikes. He is humorous and kind, loyal and industrious. Somehow we were scheduled on the same crew for almost the entire tournament, him being on the base behind me for the first rotation (meaning he was on third while I was on second on our first game, me at first and him at second on our second game, etc.) He loves this game and those he works with. I will never forget the day his mentor came out and we ran into him in the stands. I think I get along with him so well because we are so much alike in demeanor, emotionally, spiritually, and in our love for the game and the kids who play it. I'm already scheduling times for next season when I will be able to go out to District 72 and work games with my friend.

A tournament is only as good as the people running it and this umpire crew was fantastic. A special thanks also goes out to Doug Perret, Gary Graupmann, and Jamie Sims who are not only incredible umpires in their own right but amazing supervisors, evaluators, and mentors for us on the crew. We never felt belittled after a game but knew that we were going to have questions to make us think, help us get through situations, and make us better.

One of the few pictures Alan didn't take.
Picture by Mark Bernstein using Alan's camera.

Finally, I'd like to thank our uncle, Alan McCullough. Alan's job is first and foremost to make sure this is a tournament worth remembering. On that he succeeded in spades. He makes sure we have lots of pictures to remember everything by. He only took 3,198 pictures over 10 days. When he did his first regional, no one was there to take umpire pictures so he had like 2 pictures to use for his memories for the whole tournament. I don't have that problem because he gives of his time.

He is a great guy who I look forward to seeing here year after year because he'll be back to uncle and I'll be back to watch my descendants on the softball field for years to come.

I believe I have one more blog in me to wrap up this year's tournament. Let's see if I can get through that one.

Some group pictures throughout the week:

Jazz Hands

Not a group shot unless you count a face mask
and a zip tie a group.

Last 4 days of umpiring - First, Well, Plate, First, Left Field Line, Third

I know this is going to be a plethora of details here but I want to get this down before I start forgetting details. I have at least 2 more blogs planned, so my tournament isn't over yet.

Day 7, Game 2: I was at first base for the 5:00 pm game. This was our last day of 3 games a day.

He smelled real bad and he said his name was Bernie. And Slick.
(Ernie is not here. Just wanted to point that out.)

Pre-game, Bernie and Slick from the 66ers came down to throw out the first pitch. All the girls knew these mascots because we went out to see a 66ers game the previous Thursday. Bernie always makes a good impression.

I felt my rotations this game were much better than my previous first base experience. This time thought I think I defaulted too often to going to the outside of the bag way too quickly. Working on my read step is definitely something I want to focus on next year.

There was a play at one point where there was a runner on first and the batter hit a blooper just past the first base bag. The first baseman ran to get the ball and the runner on first bumped into her (not on purpose.) I called the batter out for interference as I felt the fielder would have caught the ball had the interference not occurred.  Wrong on two points.

She's out. Oops.

1. Had the runner on first interfered with the catch, the one who interfered would be out, not the batter unless the runner was already out (on a double play most of the time.) Then teammate interference can be called.

2. The runner has the right to the base on a pop fly. The fielder has to get around the runner if the ball is in the air and the runner makes a reasonable effort to avoid the fielder. The fielder in this case was on the bag at the time of the contact, meaning that I should have called nothing and sent the batter back to bat with a strike on the foul ball.

Something to work on for next year again: Interference, Obstruction, and That's Nothing.

Oregon beat Hawaii in the game. Don't remember the score (I could look it up.) Oh look. The score. Oregon 6, Hawaii 2.

Day 7, Game 3: In the Well

This is no time for a snow cone! Wait,
maybe it is. Where's mine? It's hot!

Back to the well to watch this game. Darryl was behind the plate and it really is a pleasure to watch him work. This game was Arizona and Utah. Well played, Utah won, sending them to play Oregon on Thursday for the first semi-final.

Day 8, Game 2: Plate

The early game for this day (5:00 pm) was the California Championship game. I wasn't on that game at all, getting ready for the 7:30 pm plate. Daniel was on that plate and he did a great job from everything I saw. Final score was something like 14-3 Northern California over Southern California. Kinda surprising but that's why we play the games.

 So not only did I have the plate for the Washington/Alaska game, but the big boss was out, Mark Bernstein. I do like Mark a lot. He is a straight shooter, a great encourager, and a pretty good umpire to boot. I didn't hear what he thought of the game but I'm glad he was there to watch it

This was the all Southern California crew. I, CA 71/21/28, was on the plate. Lawerence, CA 16, was at first. Ernie, CA 72, was at second. Scott, CA 51, was at third, and Jeff, CA 31, was in the well.

Shake hands and let's come out
fighting! Oh wait, wrong sport.

So like I said, the game was Washington vs. Alaska. Both of these managers were really good people. I enjoyed their company whenever I got to talk with them and they were pleasant on the field, even when they had a question. It seems I get the games with the good sports in them at my regionals. At least I'm 2 for 2.

Still should have swung at that.

The game really didn't have a lot in it. Alaska fought hard but were just outmanned as Washington won 11-1. I felt my zone was solid this game, my rotations were correct, and my game was good. The good thing about the Alaska team is that they had permission to stream the game back home on Facebook. So now I can go back and watch the game to critique myself, not something I get to do very often. What did I learn from my critique?

I run like an old man, shuffling from base to base. My basic 6 is sloppy. My head height is pretty good but I readjust my hat and mask every pitch, which looks like a nervous twitch. I've got some more things to work on this off-season.

I did feel really good after the game and one of my partners complimented that this showed I should have been on one of the semi's or the finals. I don't know. After my self-critique, I am seeing what the supervisors are seeing and know what I need to work on to be a better umpire for the kids. The biggest thing I must do is lose weight. I shuffle because I weigh so much. Right now, I'm in umpire shape. If I spend the next 6-8 months sitting back, I'll be out of shape until June again. Now that I have the momentum, I am looking to continue it and get better every year.

Day 9, Game 1: First base

On the rubber. Set.

So for semi-final #1, I had the privilege of being at first base again. This was my third time at first base this tournament, twice out of the rotation. Pretty standard game. The biggest thing about this game is that we had 6 guys on the field. This means that if a ball was past me in the air down the first base line, I no longer have fair/foul obligations. That would be the right field line umpire. I don't believe I had one fair/foul call all game. I had plenty of safe/out calls at first, but the back line guy had some line drive flies and the plate guy had some that died before the base. Not a lot of rotations (actually, none) and calm game. Utah beat Oregon 5-0.



Day 9, Game 2: Left Field Line

I had to do a presto-chango and change from pink to light blue for the late semi-final. Dave from Oregon had the plate for this one. Dave had a plate earlier in the tournament and he felt he didn't have the best plate out there. I was excited for him though when it was revealed he had one of the semi-final games on the dish. He had a great attitude that was contagious. And he was doing this in memory of a friend who had passed away this year. I think he put a lot of pressure on himself in the first game and nerves took over. For this game, he was great. Greg would have been proud of the performance he put out there for the world to see.

It's lonely way out in left field.

For this game, we were still in 6 man. Nothing much happening in 6 man. Washington scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 1st and no one scored the rest of the day. In fact, the Washington pitcher threw a 1 hitter for the 6-0 win. There were exactly 2 pop flys to the outfield all game. The first was an easy catch to the center fielder. The second was a little farther from the center fielder in the top of the 6th where she was coming towards me to left field and make a great diving catch, which was my only call of the game. Out call.

So the finals were set for Friday. Utah and Washington. The #1 and the #2 seeded teams of the tournament only because of a coin flip. This coin flip, Washington won and decided to be the visiting team for the championship. They had been high scorers all tournament so they figured they would make Utah play catch up.

Day 10: Championship Friday

All the girls got together with us as a thank you for the work we did this week. That was great.

Pre-game at 4:00 pm, we got the chance to go out for closing ceremonies. Pretty much everyone just walked out onto the field and they announced the winner of the manager sportsman award. The winner was Nicole from Alaska. I told you that the Alaska and Washington teams had great sportsmanship.

One of the things I prepared for was getting to talk with and get the signature of Marge Villa. Marge Villa played for the Kenosha Comets of the All-American Girls Baseball League from 1946 - 1950, having made the all-star team in 1949. So I bought a souvenir ball and had it ready to sign for my girls. My girls love history so having this ball in their room would be a cool marker of women making it big in American history. I love giving them things like that because they can do great things if the put their mind to it, their faith in God, and their hope in His plan. Well, she was scheduled to sign autographs during the game. Shoot.

Her nickname was Poncho. I didn't
mention my great-grandpa rode with
Poncho Villa. She had great stories
of her own.

Well, Doug, our head of umpiring, was able to secure a time before the game for me to go get a signature. Here I am talking with her pre-game. I told her I was one of the umpires and she feigned surprise, saying, "I never thought I'd be talking with one of the umpires!" She was funny, engaging, personable, and extremely encouraging to the girls and to everyone else who had the chance to talk with her. I didn't want it to end but game time was coming and I had to finish getting dressed and she had to go in the well to cool off from standing around in the sun. I could have done without the signature, like I do the rest of the time I meet famous people, but this was for my girls so I stooped to that level :)

A hug from an umpire? Who would have thought it!

Here he is, Mr. Plate.

For the championship game, Jeff was behind the plate, Scott was at first, Darryl was at second, I was at third. The line guys all rotated in after a couple of innings. In left field was Lawrence then Charles. In right field was Daniel, Dave, and then Ernie. I loved watching Jeff work throughout the tournament. He was the senior statesman of our group but that did not slow him up. Instead of slow, he was deliberate and smooth. He was always in the right place. That is years of experience, training, and practice. It was a pleasure and an honor to work with him.

This was a game for the ages. I had one call at third, a foul call, but it was big early on in the game. The ball is bounding up the line, the third baseman reaches for the ball in foul territory but I have her missing, then the ball continues foul. Loud, forceful foul call to sell it. We did get together on this one to see if Jeff had the fielder touching the ball prior to it going foul. He did not and we couldn't really unring the foul call without ESPN, who wasn't there.

Ready for the ball. Put me in coach!

So at the end of 6, these two offensive juggernauts during the rest of the tournament are tied, 0-0. End of 7, 0-0. Top of the 8th, 0-0. Bottom of the 8th, Utah gets a runner to first. She takes second on a passed ball. The #3 batter, the pitcher for Utah, his a grounder to second base, letting the runner get to third with 2 outs. The #4 batter comes up to the plate and...

The ball is about a foot fair as it shoots by the first baseman. Runner from third touches home plate. Batter/runner makes it to first base and pandemonium breaks out as the state of Utah repeats as the Western Region Little League Major Softball champions and are heading to Alpenrose next week. 1-0. 8 innings. The softball gods saw how great a tournament this was and couldn't let it end after just 6. I am so humbled that I got to work this game at all, much less one of the base positions. It is the best softball game of which I have ever been a part. 

The hardest part was not being able to celebrate out there with them. Had Washington won, I would have cheered for them. When Utah won, I wanted to cheer for them. Not the umpire's place though. As the girls celebrated and got their banner in the glow of the 1-0 scoreboard, we walked off the field to little accolades. The focus was on the girls, which is where it should be. We did our job. We gave both teams a chance to win this game, and one of them did. Washington didn't have anything to shame their heads about. They played in the best softball game ever played at Al Houghton Stadium.

The girls celebrate!

Out we go!

Waiting by the barracks was my wife and 3 kids (as kid 4 was still in Panama), my mom, and my umpire friends Dave Burt, Steve Bailey, and Eddie Gutierrez. They came out to see me work the pineapple and for that support, I am eternally grateful. 

I will get to reflections in a future post. I wanted to get some game descriptions in before they began to fade.