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.

Day 3: First games, 2nd base, 1st base

Smooth out calls are prepared

After 6 months of build up, 6 months of games, preparation, practice, study, travel, and anticipation, we finally got started with games yesterday. My schedule yesterday was game 1, 2nd base at 9:00 am, opening ceremonies at 4:00 pm and 1st base at 7:30 pm.

Game 1: 9:00 am - 2nd base

First game of the tournament is usually the hardest because of the nerves, the newness of working a four man crew, and the nerves. If I was going to be eased into this, starting at second base was the best place. We discussed pre-game that if there is a pop fly in the cone (between the left fielder and the right fielder) 2nd base umpire is going to go out to judge catch/no catch. Pretty automatic thinking.

So the game starts off in the first and the runner from first runs into the second baseman making a play on the ball. No-brainer call, that's Interference. Apparently I needed more of my brain because I point, say, "That's In.. Obs.. In... Obstruction! Time!" Thank you nerves.

Rest of the game ran pretty smoothly. In fact, the evaluators said it was the best first game they've had at this tournament this year. Pretty high praise :)

See the ball, see the foot, see the tag... what do I have?

If you said out, you were right. 5 points to you.

Had a call at second base where I rotate in, see the call and wind up. It's a great picture.







In the end, Oregon beat Southern California 6-3. It was a good morning, not too hot (although getting there near 11 when we ended) and beautiful skies. Couldn't ask for better in San Bernardino.






Opening Ceremonies: 4:00 pm

This really went so fast that it's hard to remember much. Each team lined up around the infield and then the umpires were announced. After the 4 guys in charge, I was the 4th guy announced (they went in order of district number so I was after California 51 and before California 72 being a California 71 guy this tournament. (My badge says California 28 though. (Moving on up. (More parenthesis.))))

Look at the beautiful group of men out there!

So when they announce me, I'm Antonio EscarZAga. A normal pronunciation I get but one syllable off. Oh well. I'm still a Western Region Little League Softball Umpire, even if they don't get my name quite right. I'm smiling pretty much the whole time. Can't get enough of this.

Monkeys in the middle.

Living the dream.

Game 2: 7:30 pm. 1st base.

This game was a little rougher for me than my previous game. At second base, my mind set is... I'm going out. At first base, there is a lot more having to read your partner at second base to see if I'm rotating all over the field.

The ugly: Early on, there was a shot to right field. The right fielder was pretty close so I have to look to see fair/foul. See fair, point fair, did not turn my back as there was no need and then the right fielder guns it to first base. Surprised me to pieces. I turn, deer in the headlights, and make a safe call because I think she was safe. Was I sure? It was bang bang and I was surprised. Surprise is the enemy of the umpire. If someone was to show me a picture of the play and said I got it wrong, I would have no argument. Heck, may not have an argument if they just came up to me and said so.

The bad: Quite a few times, I feel my rotation work was sloppy. Apparently the evaluators and umpires who weren't on the game didn't feel I was as bad as I felt I was. We are our own worse critic.

The good: At one point early in the game, fly ball to left-center. Ernesto (U2) goes out to judge catch/no catch. Jeff (U3) rotates over to 2nd. Daniel (PU) rotates up the third. My job at this point is to watch the batter touch first and make sure she takes off to second and then break home. She's flying so I head on home to the point of plate (a magical, merry land about 15 feet behind the plate.) She's at third, a bobble by the shortstop and she's not stopping. I'm going to have a call at the plate. Throw comes in, pulls the catcher high, runner slides. I adjust to 3rd base line extended (a magical land where the third base line would be had it decided it was just going to keep on going past the plate) and the swipe tag misses so I have a safe call. Run scores. Great position, great play, great googily moogily!

Go back to first happy. This is a play that umpires in four-man mechanics dream of doing but hardly ever get the chance to do. Only thing better is when you get to bang the runner out at home because that's so dramatic. Oh well, maybe next time.

Next time happened 2 innings later. Same situation, runner is booking home. Throw comes into the catcher and...

See the ball, see the tag, see the foot... what do I have?

I rotate a little closer to see the ball in the catcher's glove to make sure it didn't fall out. I can see it through the webbing in the glove... so out at home! At the review post game Alan (our uncle) says that this game was the Tony Show as having one of these in a game is rare. Having 2 is amazingly rare.

Nor Cal: 10, Alaska 6.

I love this game.

Thoughts:

During the first game, in the fifth inning, I look up in the stands and look at the people. People there to cheer the girls, to support the volunteers, to be part of the magic. I think about all the people who supported me over the last 10 years to get me to this point. I think about my loved ones sitting up there in the stands watching me do what I love to do and my eyes start tearing up. I'm not here by myself. I am the sum parts of everyone who has given me encouragement, support, tips, criticism, a water during the game, or a witty umpire complaint.  I can't express my gratitude enough for you, my friends and family, for the love you've shown me over the years. I'm here for you.

Tonight, the 5 pm plate. I hope I'm not a blubbering mess. I'm not looking into the stands until after the game tonight.

Time to wind up the blogging machine again

When I received my invitation to the Intermediate Regional in 2013, I started up a blog to basically journal the experience from letter to championship game. That blog can be found at http://tonytheump.blogspot.com . It's nice to go back and live some memories, as I tend to forget memories a lot.
I was born and raised in San Bernardino. My dad, brother, and I would spend days up at the Regional complex every August watching games, playing on the bike course (where Chavez Middle School is now), and running up and down the concrete bleachers. When I became an umpire, my dreams were to umpire on that field. I have done so a few times now, on weekend invitations for Alta Loma Little League, and it is a beautiful place to work. The kids love it and I, as an umpire, dreamed of doing this while kids played with a chance to go to the World Series.
Now it is happening. I have been invited to San Bernardino to do the Softball Regional from July 21 - July 28, 2017. This will be my journal of one of my umpiring dreams coming true. I am so honored to be able to be out on the field. If I have half as much of an experience as I did in Irvine in 2013, this is something I am going to want to remember.
I have already been helping at the softball tournament for a couple years now as an announcer and helping out on the trash crew. Come the baseball tournament, I'll be back on the trash crew helping out but for a week, I get to wear the jersey and do my baseball passion. I look forward to working in the heat (especially now that it's raining and 40 degrees outside on the second day of winter.) I look forward to sleeping in the umpire quarters. I look forward to having an umpire jersey with a number on the sleeve. I look forward to a new umpire pin. I look forward to new and renewed friendships. I look forward to hanging out with Uncle Alan.
Time to start going through the checklist. #1 on that checklist has to be lose weight or else the summer heat is going to beat me up. After that, we'll see what happens.