Day 1: introductions

Showed up this morning at 10:30 and met up with as the umpires. This is a good group of guys thus far.  I'm looking forward to getting started on the field.
I'm trying to write this from my phone so it won't be long but wanted to share some occurs that Alan, our umpire uncle, took while we were going over the rotations this evening. I'm going to see if I can use a computer to blog in the next few days.
Pictures:

See you tomorrow. 

First 3 Days Schedule

Quick note:

Friday:
9:00 am - 2nd Base
7:30 pm - 1st Base

Saturday
5:00 pm - Plate

Monday
9:00 am - Alternate
7:30 pm - 3rd Base

Assignments were taken out of a hat a few days ago. I have the 5:00 pm Saturday plate. Nor Cal/Utah. That may be an amazing game with a great crowd. Time to show what I can do!

Some mighty fine gentlemen

I have to admit, I'm a Little League homer. I am to the point in my life where I would rather watch a Little League game, actually rather umpire a Little League game, than go watch a pro game. Growing up, I could give you stats out the wazoo for baseball records. Now, I base my fantasy baseball team off of who the current hottest transaction guy is. I couldn't name 25 guys who play in the pros anymore.
Having said that, I do truly believe that the most important time of the Little League season is the regular season which happens at the local league level. Little League (That's a lot of L's) is about giving a chance to the kid who gets picked last on the playground team to be part of a team and experience playing in uniform, to develop friendships and gain experiences which will help develop character. The All Star experience is a cherry on top. The kids you see on ESPN are not really who Little League is targeted to - it's my kids who won't make an All Star team at this point but love being part of something bigger than themselves. I like being part of something bigger than myself too.
The biggest reason I love the All Star season is because I get to work with my friends more in that month than I do the rest of the year. Over 10 years in umpiring and I have developed some great friendships. I thought I would share some pictures instead of gushing over them on the eve of reporting to the Western Region Major Softball tournament. I'll let pictures speak for themselves (with some captions underneath.)

2013 State Major Softball Game, Colton, CA
George, Andy, I believe that's John Rodino, and myself. Dave sat out to give us a shot at this game.


2016 10/11 Baseball, North Rialto
Me and my first UIC, the man who got me into the game, Joey Broxmeyer. Thank you Joey and thank you Craigslist.

2013 Intermediate Western Region Umpire Crew. This was a fantastic group of umpires. Not a weak link in the bunch.

2015, Citrus Little League. I believe this was a Big League state game.
Me, David Burt, and Randy Robbins. Randy is the father of another one of my very first mentors, Danny. Randy is an incredible umpire who I have learned so much from.


2015, Junior District.
Scott Rubel, Me, David Burt, Dick Langois. Scott and Dick are great guys and great umpires. Scott is still on his way up while Dick is at the end of his line but he keeps on like a trooper. Many people complain about Dick but Ilearned to love him working so many games in the 2013 Intermediate tournament heading towards Irvine. I really do love games I work with the senior statesman.


2015, Western Region Visitation, Alta Loma Little League
Mark Blue. Mark is a dad umpire who caught the bug. He has a great attitude and always wants to learn more. His son, Devin, is one of the best catchers I've ever worked behind.


2012 Junior Sub-Division Semi-Finals
Me, Dave Dahlby, David Burt, Steve Bailey. This was the year Steve went to Berdoo for Major Baseball. I was so green still but Dave Burt kept bringing me along and helped me improve. David Dahlby was such a pleasure to watch behind the plate. I loved it when he brought out the plate coat. A class gentleman.

2017 Major Softball State Tournament, Hesperia, California
Ernie Hinojosa, David Burt, Me, John Rodino. This was after game 2. John had game 1. I get to work the next tournament with Ernie so it was fun working with him that night. John is one of my favorite umpires to watch because he's always in position, always so smooth, and always right.


2017 Major State Softball Championship (There was an if game after.)
Me, Ernie, Scott Moseley
All three of us are working San Bernardino this week so it was a great time to work on our rotations, our communication, and get to know each other. It should be a good week.


2017 District 28 - Tom Ebel, Me, Kirby
My new district. I am amazed at how many really good umpires District 28 has. I'm glad I get to work with these guys in the coming years (a lot more than I did this year. Sorry Shannan.)

2017 Intermediate State Tournament
Scott, Dave, George Rodriguez, Me. It was fun going back to District 55 to an Intermediate game 4 years later. George had so many great suggestions to make my game looks sharper. One game can make a difference.

They say you're not supposed to have a favorite kid. Maybe not but I have a favorite umpire crew. David Burt, Eddie Gutierrez, Steve Bailey, and myself. I don't know if you could find 4 guys who are so different politically that are such great friends and compliment each other so well on a ball field. We were supposed to have one game together this All Star Tournament but some umpires couldn't make their game so we had to split to two crews. Dave is my mentor, my friend, my UIC, and someone I love to just hang out with and talk. Eddie is young, energetic, passionate, intelligent, and fun to watch. Steve Bailey is my bud. I would do anything for him. I sat through 115 degree weather right behind home plate watching one of his plate games in 2012 because I had to be there. As we start to drift away in our umpire duties because of other commitments, distance, and scheduling, I don't know if I'll ever find another group of men I would call my favorite crew. If the picture in light blue is our last game together, I will be sad but know that the smiles in that picture are not plastered on for a picture but true uproarious laughter because we enjoy each other.

Rebecca (base umpire), Zoe (Batter), Ali (R1), Me (Plate)
I hope to be able to pass on my passion for this silly game to my kids because I have learned a lot from it that I hope they will learn too. This is my favorite umpire picture ever.

My bags are packed. I'm ready to go. The next step in this incredible journey of umpiring begins tomorrow with a new group of gentlemen who will enter my memories as umpire friends. I hope I can sleep tonight.

Why I Am Where I Am

I was looking through old blogs that lead up to my Intermediate Regional and the night before I did a blog about my umpire mentors. I plan on doing that again tomorrow but tonight I wanted to go deeper and talk about my life mentors - people who have invested in me and made me who I am as an umpire and as a man.

I think the most obvious ones have to by my parents. My mom has been a beacon of calm in my life, a role model of patience when everything around is in a hurry, and a picture of perseverance when no one notices how much she does behind the scenes. I can't tell you how many times she has interviewed for a job where the people didn't realize she did as much as she did and they can't fathom it because she does it without seeking glory. My dad is my rock. He has become so much more than my dad over the last 20 years - he has become my friend and confidant. Some of my earliest memories are hanging out with my dad, watching Laker games and Kung Fu Theater. I remember hurrying up to go somewhere I had no clue where because we were running late. We pulled up a small street I had never been on before and at the end of the street I could see the hustle and bustle of something happening. We parked, dad signed me up, we changed my shirt in the back office, and I was officially part of the t-ball Pirates because it was picture day. My dad would become my manager in the minors and my first year of major ball. He became the league president for the next two years of major ball and I knew that he worked to not only make my experience worth while but all the kids of Del Rosa Little League as well. He did the job very well.
I look at my parents and think back to before we started going to church. My mom was always angry. My dad was angry because my mom was angry. Then mom had a life-changing experience and God started to work on her life until she is who she is today and I thank God that he changed her because he changed me through her. The change in her life, and my dad's life, molded who I am today with my wife and kids. I can never be grateful enough for their positive example of a Godly marriage and patience through everything - a trait that has served me well on the ball field.

My third and sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Barbara Umble, from Hunt Elementary School. In third grade, I was making major decisions which would affect me the rest of my life. Mrs. Umble never said that I was too young to think about those types of decisions but encouraged me. When I told her I felt God calling me to ministry, she said she wanted to be at my first sermon. She invested confidence in me I didn't have at the time. I used to sing really, really loud - as in scream. She didn't chastise me even when the rest of the class would complain, but gently guided me to become a better singer.  I ended up visiting Mrs. Umble for years after I left the school, at major times in my life. I showed up when I graduated. I showed up in my Navy uniform. I showed up with my first born. She invested so much in my life that I wanted to show her that her time was not in vain. She took a skinny poor kid and gave him confidence that he was intelligent and capable. She retired 4 years ago now. I missed her retirement (as I work in the school district now) and I still feel I missed out on something great. She was the best teacher I ever had.

Chaplain William J. Bartz, CAPT, USN
Of course, I knew Chaplain Bartz when he was a LCDR, but who's counting. In the Navy, there were plenty of chaplains I worked for but Chaplain Bartz was the best. He mentored me to be better than where I was working. When he came on board, I was part of a group of guys in my office who really liked each other and were friends. I was comfortable and just skated by on my work. He challenged me. He had me work with him on the predeployment book to give to dependents when we were about to go on a WESTPAC cruise. It was a lot of work and he was a stickler for the details. We worked on it until it was just right - a labor of love. His attention to detail rubbed off on me to the point where I enjoy making forms, books, and graphic arts now. I was a mediocre secretary before him. After, I'm still not the best secretary but I sure make it look good.

Dale Garland, pastor & friend
Dale Garland came to First Baptist Church in Fontana about 3 months after my wife and I moved there. Little did I know that he would become so important in my life. He personifies the core value of loyalty like no one else I have ever met. He brought me on as the children's pastor at FBC and showed me a lot more loyalty than I think I ever deserved. He invested in my spiritual life, my marriage, my ministry, and my attitudes. He was there during the darkest days of my life with an assuring hand, a steadfast love, and righteousness, for which I will always be in his debt. While my #1 core value is respect, loyalty has become a huge part of my life because of the example Dale set - a value I now carry over to Little League as we preach loyalty, character, and courage as what we want to pass on to the next generation.

Trina Escarzaga - wife, friend, lover, helper, and driving instructor
I joined the Navy at 17 and 8 months, so I never got my license before I enlisted. Once I enlisted, never had a need for a license. Rode my bike around everywhere. My wife taught me to drive. It was a condition of actually becoming her husband.
All-Star season, my wife knows that she becomes a baseball widow and the last few years she has turned that into a positive by taking the kids on road trips. I know the amount of games I did this year preparing for Regionals really drove her up the wall but she has been patient and loving despite my constant absence. She reminds me that occasionally I need to rest. I appreciate that. We have been married now for 17 years + and if you look at the kid I was when we got married to who I am today, she is the reason for my growth. I didn't think I could ever love someone as much as I do her - thank you, my love, for sticking it out with me these 17 years, even these last 10 Junes.  Thank you for putting up with my temporary passions. Thank you for putting up with my needs to be loyal to those who have invested in me. This year I have umpired in 6 different districts during All-Stars over far too short of a time frame. Thank you for being there when I get home at 11:30 pm, 12:00 am or 1:30 am.

I am 2 days away from one of my lifelong dreams, being a part of games at Western Regionals in San Bernardino. Time to make sure I am studied up so I don't suck.

State Championship

So last night was the State Championship game for the Southern California Major Softball tournament. The winner's bracket team was South El Monte and the loser's bracket was Westchester Del Mar. Having seen both teams on Tuesday, I thought Westchester was the better team and would probably force an if game.
So first 2 innings went real quick. 3rd inning South El Monte dropped 5 in the top of the inning. Westchester returned with 1 in the bottom. No score in the 4th. Top of the 5th, S.E.M. scores one more, making it 6-1. It looks at this point that they are going to pull off the not-upset and make sure an "If" game is not necessary. Bottom of the 5th, W.D.M. gets the bases loaded with no outs. Batter hits a ball to the second baseman who looks home for the force but doesn't do it, instead throwing to first to a first baseman who is not looking. Ball passes her, 3 runs score. Long story short, W.D.M. scores 6 in the bottom of the 5th, making it 7-6. Top of the 6th and S.E.M. goes down 1-2-3, meaning that there is an If game tonight for the whole ball of wax.
There were a couple of really close plays at the plate. Both could have been called obstruction which I probably missed but on the first, the runner hooked a leg around to the plate before the catcher tagged the tucked left leg. Safe at home. Parents start going crazy. This was in the 3rd inning.
In the bottom of 5, ball comes in from 1st, runner slides, catcher blocks plate completely, I rotate to look at the foot and the runner shuffles it after the tag to touch home. Out call at home. Of course, the call is against the same team that was on the defense on the first play. Coach comes out to talk. I tell him what I have. Not pacified but knowing he isn't going to get me to go talk to my partners because neither of them have any angle on a call I have 4 feet away with a shift, he huffs away.
So when W.D.M. wins, they are ecstatic that they forced an If game, especially coming back from 6-1. As umpires, you always go out the winning side because winning pacifies a lot of complaining. To hear good game from these parents who were yelling, screaming, and nigh cursing earlier in the game really rubs wrong. Empty platitudes.
I had one of the dads of Idaho post a picture on Facebook from 4 years ago when they were about to go to the Intermediate Regional, saying it was the start of the best week of their life. I replied that it was one of mine too and I was glad to share it with them. He turns around and says that I'm the best umpire ever. 4 years later and I made a positive influence on some kids from Idaho. That is a great memory. That is the type of memory I hope I make again next week in San Bernardino. Umpires, coaches, and players are not adversaries. We are all on the same team to get the best game out there and to teach players the tenants of Little League, Character, Courage, and Loyalty. I can do that by calling a good game but by also being a good guy, giving it my all, and doing it with a humble attitude.
The best game I ever worked behind the plate mechanically was Arizona/Hawaii at that regional. The best game I ever umpired behind the plate because the teams were such good sportsmen was the Hawaii/Idaho game. That Idaho team is my favorite team I ever worked with because they were a team of all heart, even when they were outclassed from the mound and the batting boxes. They stayed positive, never quit, and were so grateful just to be part of the whole experience. That's who I work to be every game. I'm glad I ran into them to remind myself that it is possible to live my core values even in the face of insurmountable odds.
Last night was my last game until next Friday. I don't know which games I will be working yet, but I'll let you know when I do. The schedule was released yesterday though and we will be having games at 9 am, 5 pm, and 7:30 pm on Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday are 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm. Friday, the championship, is at 6:00 pm. Since 3 states pulled out this week, they had to totally revamp the schedule and quite intelligently got rid of the 11 am and 2 pm games. Having the Alaska girls playing in 110 degree heat last year was ludicrous. This is a boon for me too as I won't have any 110 degree games behind the plate. Unfortunately, with 3 teams pulling out, we will have 17 games and 9 umpires, meaning one guy will only have 1 plate. If it is me, I will be ok with that because I got to be in San Bernardino umpiring with another chance to have one of the best weeks of my life. (I hope to make a good enough impression to get one of the semi or final plate though. Umpire dream.)
Next 5 days is family time though. I haven't had enough of that the last month and I'm so looking forward to it. Already turned down 3 request for this weekend. Being in a softball frame of mind is important going into next week.  I can't wait :)

Just a quick note

Just a quick note from my phone. Tonight I get to work with 2 other umpires who I'll be working with next week at regional for the Major Softball Southern California state championship game. The game is up in Hesperia at 7:00 pm, meaning I'll leave right after work to get there in case there are all kinds of traffic again. Tuesday, my crew who went up (Dave Burt, John Rodino, Ernie Hinojosa, and myself) was an hour late for game time because it took 2 and a half hours to get there.  Of course some of the girls were stuck in traffic too so we were ok. 

I'm pretty excited. This should be tons of fun tonight - Westchester Del Rey (losers bracket) against South El Monte. Saw both teams on Tuesday and they are both ready to play ball. 

I'll let you know how everything goes tomorrow. 

13 Days Until I Report

I haven't really had a chance to keep this up to date these past couple of weeks as games have been hot and heavy. I will say that I was actually happy that Independence Day happened this week because I was glad to have the day off to rest.
My family has taken their annual time away from the house trip this week, to Utah with the youth from the church. They are hiking all over Zion and Bryce Canyon and the streets of St. George so they are having fun. I am too, but mine is dressed in a uniform and patrolling between positions A, B and C.
This week I get to work with some of my favorite people ever, up in District 71 with Dave Burt. Tonight is the Junior Baseball final. I have heard of people who do a Regional or World Series who will only work in that division of play for the tournament but I'm not one of those guys. There are enough similarities between baseball and softball that doing games either behind the plate or on the field is going to enhance my muscle memory and actually get me in umpire shape so I can deal with the cruel, cruel heat of San Bernardino in late July. Besides, I would miss baseball terribly if I only did softball and I'm at the point now that I would miss softball if I only did baseball. Funny how that works.
Funny thing about umpiring. When I do games behind the plate, I introduce myself to the catcher and if he or she is up to it, we carry on a conversation throughout the game. I have gotten to talk to quite a few decent kids over the years. While I never skew my calls to favor these catchers or their teams, there is a part of me, once the game is done, that hopes to see them either later in the tournament or on TV somewhere. Sure, 99.999% of these teams never make it on ESPN but when one does, it's pretty cool to say, hey, I was part of their journey there.
A few years back, I had a Senior team from Lemon Grove who ended up losing to Puerto Rico in the Senior Division World Series finals and I was able to watch ESPN and say, "Hey, that was my catcher. What a great kid." I do think that is part of the draw for me to do so many different tournaments at so many different levels at so many different districts - to meet good kids and work with fine adults.
So for the rest of this week I have games on Thursday in 71, Friday in 71, maybe Saturday in 28, Monday in 21, Tuesday in 49 and Thursday in 49. After that, I will spend the next 5 days with my family, studying my rotations some more from the WR tourney director, and go for some walks with my son to keep limber for the week.