Stallionsmjc
New member
This nonsense of today's game is rained out due to yesterday's rain has got to stop. Buy some diamond dry and put forth a little effort to get your field ready to play.
Avoidable Rainouts
- Thread starter Stallionsmjc
- Start date
Thavoice
Well-known member
Raking, some sun and a little breeze can go a l o n g way.
Personally we have gone through great lengths for games.
Flamethrower, gas and burn, shop vacs and all the traditional avenues of approach through the years just to get games in.
When coaching this was always our approach to a day that could be in doubt.
Contact the other team and see what time they are leaving for the game, and tell them we would have a final determination 30 minutes prior to departure.
SOme days it is obvious, but many days there is no reason to bang a game 5+ hours before first pitch.
tribefan23
Well-known member
Doesnt really apply when it has been raining (and even snowing in some areas) for a week straight. Ground can only hold so much water. I take it you've never tried to get a field ready in NE Ohio with snow in May. Can't even remember the last time we saw sun here (actually this morning there was some, a balmy 40 degrees and sunny)
Thavoice
Well-known member
Who was the culprit/?
*67
Well-known member
"Hey, kids! I know the field is underwater today because it rained 3 damn inches yesterday, but we gotta get out to the field and put a little effort in, otherwise Stallionsmjc will think we're wimps."
tribefan23
Well-known member
Then continue to trudge around in the mud. Great call!!!!
Thavoice
Well-known member
Fact of the matter is this:
Once you are around long enough you know which programs are quick to bang a game and which ones will do whatever in their power to get a game in.
Game in Piqua a few years ago. Coaches went out and bought kitty litter because they had 'used their allotment of diamon dry'.
We used to have a guy who would guard that diamond dry like it was gold. I think he got a bonus at the end of the summer for how much was still left!
Once you are around long enough you know which programs are quick to bang a game and which ones will do whatever in their power to get a game in.
Game in Piqua a few years ago. Coaches went out and bought kitty litter because they had 'used their allotment of diamon dry'.
We used to have a guy who would guard that diamond dry like it was gold. I think he got a bonus at the end of the summer for how much was still left!
CedarBuck92
Well-known member
You also learn which fields drain well and which don't.
tribefan23
Well-known member
Nailed it. Coached at 1 school where the AD and maintenance staff wouldn't let coaches touch the fields, however they were super quick to call games off (awful). Coached at another that the AD and myself would be out working on the field up until the last second to get the field ready no matter what. FWIW, the first school didn't give 2 you know what's about baseball and only cared about basketball, so it made sense.
Thavoice
Well-known member
Eh.
From experience it is effort on part of the home team.
Some.places just do not out the importance into it and it's just easier to bang the game.
We had a guy in charge who was quick to cancel and wouldn't put the effort into it. Think mostly he just didn't know how and what to do. We told him.to quit making a determination by 1 pm ( games were at 630) and instead let us know ad we would out out manpower in . Granted....I had to take off work a few times to help, but i a lot of it comes down to effort.
As I stated before......we sat through a goose drowner in pregame....most places woulda callee it but their coaches went out and bought kitty litter and worked a miracle..
As ironic as it it ....it normally was the lesser programs who were quick to bag the game ...
Thavoice
Well-known member
Yep. Just as I reference d.......seems like the places who don't care about baseball were quicker to cancel ....
For the schools my association umpires, we pretty much have 4:30 games during the week and are told to expect notification on game status around 1:30. Now obviously if it rains between 1:30 and the game time, then such is life.
That being said, deciding by 1:30 gives ample notification to umpires so they don't travel to a game that ends up being cancelled, and also gives the opposing school notice so they can cancel transportation, etc.
During the summer with 6/6:30 game times the decision time is much later it seems. As an official, there are times where I am quite frankly just glad to get a notification before it's time for me to leave for the game. Seems like on average about once or twice a summer I get a game where there's no notification of a cancellation, and there are no teams at the site.
That being said, deciding by 1:30 gives ample notification to umpires so they don't travel to a game that ends up being cancelled, and also gives the opposing school notice so they can cancel transportation, etc.
During the summer with 6/6:30 game times the decision time is much later it seems. As an official, there are times where I am quite frankly just glad to get a notification before it's time for me to leave for the game. Seems like on average about once or twice a summer I get a game where there's no notification of a cancellation, and there are no teams at the site.
Thavoice
Well-known member
We got a ton of rain on Sunday nearly 3 inches and was surprised by the number of games that were still played on Monday.
Great job to a lot of local schools who put the work in!
Good point bucksman about the umpires. We also took in account the umpires when determining the time hack.
Great job to a lot of local schools who put the work in!
Good point bucksman about the umpires. We also took in account the umpires when determining the time hack.
14Red
Well-known member
Basically, playing baseball in the midwest in April and May stinks. There is no standard, the teams / programs that want to play make it work. They take precautions, work on the fields etc. the ones that don't just hope and an pray for no rain.
Not sure what the rule is, but is there a cut off as to when the umpires get paid, or do they only get paid if the game is played?
Not sure what the rule is, but is there a cut off as to when the umpires get paid, or do they only get paid if the game is played?
AllSports12
Moderator
There is no standard. (there should be. however)
That's set by the leagues and the assigner. Some set a "show up" full fee if the umpires aren't notified and they show up for a contest. Some set a "cancel deadline", that pay the umpires a portion if the game is cancelled after that time....
14Red
Well-known member
That makes sense. These umpires are driving from somewhere and have their time blocked out. It'd think they should get something. But then again when you're dealing with school district athletic departments that are already struggling, You end up paying for the umpires for home games plus extra for all the rainouts. It has to be a nightmare being an AD in the spring.
Thavoice
Well-known member
Need to play nice with the umpires.
I know of some that will not do games in certain districts because of how dirty they have done them in the past.
14Red
Well-known member
I understand totally. They do have leverage. Could we see a day when high school games have volunteer umps out of the stands?
Thavoice
Well-known member
I dont see why not.
Most of the parents believe they can do a better job.....
14Red
Well-known member
yet few step up when needed.
Thavoice
Well-known member
Only Massilll0n would have that kind of jack to pull that off.
but then again, I think it was a Cincy, or Columbus team, who had a dad who took a chopper to a tourny game and landed nearby and walked on over to watch!
Few things i have done personally is the ole shop vac, and a flamethrower that got some publicity in the local paper in teh Reader's Write column (what a jackwagon).
In my playing days on a skin field they did the ole gasoline and burn..........
Back in the 50s I recall that happening quite often during regular season games. I also remember coach turning a study hall into a work hour on the ball field. Racking and whatever it took to get the field ready to play. Then again those were the days when transportation to the game was cars driven by the coach, a parent and a 17 year old student/player. Times change.
Thavoice
Well-known member
Not quite the same thing as an umpire but we have went to Springfield Shawnee for a football game.
Both times they came over the PA asking for help doing the chain gang, opposing fans welcome, and they would not be starting the game until someone volunteered.
BOth times opposing fans dads volunteered and helped the chain gang.
Thought it was funny, and said, at the same time.
Beckons me to my first "real job" in 6th grade.
The AD asked me and two friends if we wanted to be the 'chain gang' for JH and JV (maybe frosh as well...been a long time). We accepted. $3/game (made a whopping $39 bucks that fall) and free admission into the HS games. That last part was more of a perk to my parents though truth be told.
I cannot recall the circumstances, but at least once (and I think twice) we were at youth games and there wasnt umpires so they asked for volunteers. The HS coach, who had a kid on the team, went out and did it both times. One was even behind the plate......
Stallionsmjc
New member
My post was prior to the crazy rain on Sunday 5/9. Anyone with common sense would expect a field to not be ready on Monday the 10th. However we did play on the 10th and I'm not talking field turf. There are some schools out there that will do their very best to get the field ready. Unfortunately there are plenty of wimps out there who do the bare minimum."Hey, kids! I know the field is underwater today because it rained 3 damn inches yesterday, but we gotta get out to the field and put a little effort in, otherwise Stallionsmjc will think we're wimps."
Stallionsmjc
New member
My post was prior to the crazy rain on Sunday 5/9. Anyone with common sense would expect a field to not be ready on Monday the 10th. However we did play on the 10th and I'm not talking field turf. There are some schools out there that will do their very best to get the field ready. Unfortunately there are plenty of wimps out there who do the bare minimum.
BASESWIMPARENT
Well-known member
it is pretty clear what schools think their baseball and softball program is important and what schools think their team is a requirement to field.