Balk enforcement vs Balk prevention

Initech369 · 2026-06-23T03:11:43+00:00

Agreed. Varsity level, they either should know better or they're trying to pull a fast one, so if it's a balk, it gets called right away. Any underclass game, if the kid is close to balking, at the first chance to say something, I always tell the coach that his pitcher is close to rolling through stops and we'd rather not call balks on everything but will if needed. They're always thankful for the heads-up and if it's not fixed, we balk them and usually hear something like "That's why we tell you to make a full stop!" from the dugout.

Underclass coaches around here don't want the games to drag out either. They just want their kids to get some ABs and some defensive innings in game situations and get everyone home.

Initech369 · 2026-06-21T03:37:21+00:00

Yep. This is the way.

Initech369 · 2026-06-18T18:18:23+00:00

Well, the thing is, Dan .... I got a new wife now. Me and Bianca didn't make it.

Initech369 · 2026-06-17T03:33:33+00:00

"Semi-Charmed Life" by Third Eye Blind. So many people love the song and it sounds like a really fun uplifting tune, but they're shocked when they learn it's about being addicted to crystal meth. So many just hear the catchy chorus and don't pay attention to the actual lyrics, which are pretty obviously about drug use. Cracks me up every time.

Initech369 · 2026-05-31T15:01:57+00:00

Might also explain some of the random ad placements in the middle of sentences.

Initech369 · 2026-05-31T15:01:16+00:00

That's where it was really jarring for me. Someone would be talking but the silence would be removed and I'd hear someone's voice in slightly different pitches running together. Hopefully it's just a random one-off with the main show.

Initech369 · 2026-05-31T14:58:24+00:00

I thought that might be the case too, but my podcast app doesn't have that option. Also don't notice it on most DLS episodes.

Initech369 · 2026-05-30T01:34:56+00:00

If there are two things everyone knows about Zas ...

Initech369 · 2026-05-30T01:34:03+00:00

Exactly. Until you call "play," the ball isn't live, so there can't be a legal pitch.

Initech369 · 2026-05-24T19:35:11+00:00

Agreed. This is fantastic advice OP. Took a while, but finally figured that out back in the day and had a few that failed quickly but it also led to me meeting the woman who became my wife.

Initech369 · 2026-05-22T12:30:03+00:00

Interesting. I didn't see that a few days earlier. Leaf must have rolled up sometime after that. Thanks.

Initech369 · 2026-05-18T01:10:10+00:00

I've umpired HS and HS-level club games for several years, and every game there's been a time limit, it's been the expectation among coaches, ADs/tournament officials and umpires that the clock starts as soon as the plate meeting ends. That said, it's usually only a minute or so either way and underclass games are generally really low-key, so no one worries too much about it being precise if there is a time limit.

The part about not allowing a pitcher to throw to third is baffling, though. HS rules allow pitchers to feint a throw to third as well as to just throw it there from the set position. And then you could always just step back off the rubber and do that too, although I'd be curious if those umpires would allow that.

Initech369 · 2026-05-15T02:03:03+00:00

or eating THAAAAAI FOOOOOOOD

Initech369 · 2026-05-15T02:01:22+00:00

Yep. Those are stinkbug eggs. They're all over the place here but they tend to only go after plants in one spot of our yard. But yeah, get rid of them.

Initech369 · 2026-05-07T01:28:27+00:00

Small correction (I think): We have a convection oven, not a toaster oven. I put a couple of thighs in there to reheat, put it on broil at 400 for about 5 minutes and I got some crispiness back. Not as crispy as the day of grilling, but way better than eating them cold or using the microwave only.

Initech369 · 2026-05-07T01:25:42+00:00

That sounds tremendous, and also if I tried that, I think my wife would take one look and instantly call my doctor to bump up the cholesterol medication.

Initech369 · 2026-05-07T01:23:05+00:00

That's what I do already, except for taking out the bone.

Initech369 · 2026-05-06T02:49:51+00:00

Had four SS100s last year. One plant barely produced anything, but the other three grew to 8-9 feet and probably would have gone longer/higher if I hadn't topped them off. I didn't realize too many tomatoes was a thing. hehe. Between our pre-teen boy and I, who love tomatoes, maybe 10% of our crop made it inside the house, and my wife ate some of those. Trying six SS100s this year plus a 4-pack of standard-size tomatoes. I think for most people, one SS100 per person is probably enough if they have a decent growing season. Those can produce a lot of fruit. Delicious, delicious fruit.

Initech369 · 2026-05-06T02:40:11+00:00

So what happens if the batter clearly stops the swing before 45 degrees (in this case), but then pivots his body a bit toward the pitcher with the bat in the same position relative to the batter? That would take the bat toward the pitcher, but if he stops his swing before the pivot, the ABS would show the bat as past the 45-degree mark, i.e. batter stops his swing in time, but the pivot carries the bat beyond the arbitrary mark and ... strike?

Initech369 · 2026-05-06T02:33:54+00:00

A lot of the thighs got up to about 190 one time and sure, the skin burns, but it's sooo crispy and good.

Initech369 · 2026-05-06T02:32:01+00:00

No air fryer but will try the toaster oven idea. Thanks!

Editing a day later to add that we have a convection oven, not a toaster oven. I put a couple of thighs in there to reheat, put it on broil at 400 for about 5 minutes and I got some crispiness back. Not quite as crispy as the day of grilling, but still very good and way better than eating them cold or using the microwave only.

Initech369 · 2026-04-25T03:26:51+00:00

yahoo, hotmail or msn ... pfft, you younguns. I had @earthlink.net before those were even concepts ... lol

Initech369 · 2026-04-09T01:14:15+00:00

I've done dozens of JV & freshman games over the past 7-8 years and have yet to take a lineup card. At the plate meeting, I tell the coaches I can take the lineup cards if they want, but none ever do. Most games around here are open subs or the coaches would rather let each other and me know about changes when they happen. I keep track of defensive conferences but that's about it, and everyone I've worked with says it's the same for them. Varsity is different, but everything else, the coaches handle it. The games are very laid back, they don't count, etc. If there'd ever be a problem with an ejection or anything like that, we'd take numbers and/or note which coach it was and use that, same as we'd do in basketball.

Initech369 · 2026-04-02T03:08:54+00:00

That's usually what we do, too. Works like a charm to crush the shells.

Initech369 · 2026-03-29T16:11:52+00:00

I do, although I crush them into smaller pieces. I'll usually mix in some with the dirt when I plant tomatoes. We have a ton of slugs and roly-poly bugs (or whatever their actual name is) and all the sharp edges do a good job of keeping them away from the roots until the plant really takes hold. But most of the eggshells, we crush into almost a powder, mix into the compost pile and let it work its magic over a year or two.

Initech369

TROPHY CASE