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Online now: 0 members ; 8 anonymousDetails for The Screamer5
Real name:
Lawrence Sherrell
Location:
San Antonio, TX
Division:
Men's 60
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| June 1, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: play for more teams Fisherman, other teams ask you to go with them because you are a really good player and they want your services..., but BruceAZ is correct. You can only be on one roster, per division (age group) at a time. To change teams like that (officially), you would need your current team to release you from their roster. |
| May 23, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: getting 3 games vs our 5 Only been playing senior ball in Texas for 3 years now, so I don't know ALL the history with the tournaments here, but speaking as a player ALL we want to do is play! Saturday there was a lot of confusion about playing times and bracket placement, but we just figured it was mostly due to horrible weather we had here all week. (Thursday the fields were under water.) The tournament had to be condensed or backed up some to get all the games in. We played our first game at 8:00AM and didn't play again until 4:30. We just dealt with it best we could. We cooked out, hit some, and tried to make the best out of a negative situation. I don't know Mr. Parker. Never met the man, but it can't be easy to run a good size tournament like that, especially with ALL the bad weather and delays. I'm sure mistakes were made and some things could've been handled differently in hindsight. You gentlemen who have been here longer know a lot more about any issues than I do. Why hasn't anything been done about what you all say are the problems? I sure hope teams don't start boycotting the tournaments. Again, we just want to play ball. |
| May 16, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: heart of texas tourney starting may 19th CV3, thanks for the tournament information. I realize there will always be last minute changes to the tournament field/schedule...and that all the coaches receive this information when things are finalized...but it sure would be nice to have the tournament information (at least all the teams entered) posted to this site whenever possible. Who is responsible for posting that information to the website? |
| May 13, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Is it a strike if ball hits front edge of strike mat and also kicks up some dirt? As an umpire, I get hear this ALL the time. Batters complain that the ball hit the ground first and then bounced up and hit the front of the strike mat. I guess that can happen, but in my opinion if the ball hits the front edge of the strike mat and the ground in front of the mat simultaneously (thus kicking up a little dirt)...that's a STRIKE in my book. |
| May 13, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Confusion on coach's interference. I believe the ruling umpire made the correct call in that interference should've been called on the coach if the 1st baseman was making a play on the ball regardless of the number of strikes on the batter...but the play is ruled dead at that point and the umpire can't make the leap to call the runner out based on what may have happened next. Once the play is ruled dead, it makes no difference where the runners are at. They should be returned to first and second base. |
| April 18, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Vegas 50's Fields I don't how the SSUSA Staff can make everyone happy when it comes to assigning fields for such large tournaments. Everyone can't play on the most desired sites. I've been to Vegas the past three years (50AAA) and have played on several of the fields. To be honest, I don't even remember which sites we played at. I guess it just doesn't matter that much to me. Maybe it should, but it doesn't. I just want to play ball. I can only imagine the logistical nightmare it must be for the Staff to schedule the Vegas tournaments. What did we have last year...was it 68 teams...? And that's just 50AAA. Got to be a difficult task at best. |
| April 17, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Do we pay to play by the hour?? Wouldn't the goal be to get in as many of the seven innings in whatever the time allotted as possible...? As a competitor, I want my team to have as many offensive opportunities as possible. I've only been playing senior ball a few years, so maybe my mindset is a little different. I just want to see more games go longer than 4 or 5 innings if possible and anything we do to speed up the pace of play can't be a bad thing. And I beg to differ...starting with a 1 - 1 count does make hitters be a little more aggressive at the plate and would speed the game up significantly in my opinion. |
| April 11, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Do we pay to play by the hour?? You have to have some type of time limit on the games in a tournament or you would never be able to keep the tournament schedule running in some kind of orderly organized fashion time-wise. A tournament is going to naturally run a little behind schedule anyway as it moves through the day. You can't have game times behind 2, 3, 4 hours or you'll never get it finished. One of the problems I see is the slow pace of the game. I know we as senior players, tend to move a little slower at this stage in our playing days (no offense to anyone)...but to your point Adiktiv6, we need to somehow speed the pace of the game up so more games would actually reach 6 or 7 innings in that allotted 50, 60, or 70 minutes. Most games I've played in at the 50's level might make it to 4 or 5 innings then the open inning. Other games I've seen at some of the older levels are lucky to thru 4 innings plus an opening inning. These are just a few ideas I've heard discussed....starting your At Bat with a 1 - 1 count (with a courtesy). This would force batters to go up to the plate hitting. Now, starting 0 - 0 gives batters time to be very patient and selective. Most really good hitters I've seen and played with will almost always take a strike or two before hitting. Another idea I've heard is making the strike mat a little bigger. This will give some advantage back to the pitcher and also make hitters more apt to swing earlier in their At bats. Lastly I think the some umpires need to do a little better job in "game management." (Getting teams on and off the field and innings started promptly, less time explaining calls, etc., etc.,.... |
| April 11, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Obstruction????? The runner (offensive) must always avoid contact with a defensive player if the defensive player is in the process of making a play on a batted ball. If he doesn't it is considered interference even if it inside the baselines. The onus is on the runner as to not interfere with the fielder making a play. If the fielder isn't making a play on the ball, he must not impede the runner within the baselines from advancing, which would be obstruction. The distinction between the two is that the fielder is making a play. So to answer your question, yes, the runner has to avoid the 1st baseman who is making a play on the ball. If the ball isn't hit at the 1st baseman, he has to yield to the runner. |
| April 11, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: missing first base BJ...The appeal by the defense is simply asking the umpire if the batter runner missed the bag on the original play where he beat the throw to first. Maybe I'm confused but, the batter-runner coming back to touch the bag should mean nothing. The appeal window doesn't end for the defense when he comes back and touches the base. They have until the next live pitch. The defense is appealing that he missed the bag the first time through. I believe they can do that up until the next live pitch. |
| April 11, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: Teams looking for players Discussion: courtesy runners I know this isn't going to be a very popular opinion. While I applaud deep14 and his team with coming up with a great idea to recruit courtesy runners to keep their regular guys fresh during the year,... (kind of wish I had thought of it myself for our team), a part of me also believes the overuse of courtesy runners isn't in the best interest of our game, especially in the younger senior divisions (50s, 55s). I'd personally like to see more players running for themselves when they can. Too many times, a courtesy runner is used because a player who has reached base safely simply doesn't "feel" like running. On every team you have a combination of fast runners, medium speed runners, slow runners, good base runners and bad base runners. That's just the way it is. Base running is a big part of the game and I believe the natural flow of the game is slightly disturbed when we are allowed to used unlimited courtesy runners per inning. I agree with FOFO above... that maybe we should limit the use of a courtesy runner to one runner per inning. At least that would put a little more strategy into it's use and would force more people to run for themselves. |
| April 11, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: missing first base I don't believe it matters when or if the batter-runner has made it back to first base safely. Like you are saying, the runner is assumed to have touched first base on the play. If he beats the throw but missed the bag, the umpire is required to give the "safe" signal as if he touched the base. Him coming back to base means nothing. He can be back on the bag ready to go, but if the defense appeals that he missed the bag on the original play, (before the next live pitch), the umpire should then rule the batter-runner out. |
| Feb. 15, 2016 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Batting Average or On Base Percentage All great points...! Batting average and on base percentage are important and definitely have their place in developing a lineup and the batting order...but to me, over the course of a tournament, most players on the team know the players who've been overall killing it at bat and in the field (without knowing the actual percentages). I wish more coaches would get input from each player on the team before naming All Tourney and team MVP players. To me there are many variables that go into being MVP or All Tourney. (BA and OBP are just two of them.) For me timely and clutch hitting carry a little more weight. One more unrelated opinion. I've been fortunate and blessed to be awarded All Tourney and Team MVP a few times for my team after some recent senior tournaments. While I appreciated being recognized, they just didn't mean much to me at all if we didn't WIN the tournament...in which case I've turned the awards down or passed it on to someone else on the our team who I felt was also deserving. |
| Sept. 1, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: Question regarding Senior Recreation Leagues Just my opinion as a 50's Major player and long time umpire in many different organizations... but I don't feel you should have 40+ or even 50+ players playing together with 60/70+ players in the same league if it can be avoided. I know many times the numbers dictate they have to be mixed in together to have a league...and I'm also not saying they're not many 60/70 year olds who can't play (talent wise) with the younger seniors. (I know many older seniors who play in all age groups. In most cases, the older gentlemen know and respect the game a little more.) I'm speaking more about safety. Now I know if you can play, you can play, period. But the ball is simply "hotter" coming off a 40+ hitter's bat (especially with a senior bat) and generally speaking our reflexes and reaction times tend to slow down as we get older. We have 3 or 4 65+ players who play on our 50's team on league nights. (They play, not because we are short people, but because they want to play and they can hold their own.) I realize every player who plays is at risk...even still, I cringe a little inside when line shots are hit their way in the infield. Now it could be just me worrying too much...because we haven't had a major incident as of yet. Still....it concerns me. |
| Aug. 29, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Another Safe or out Question Good points Swing and OZ. Like you said, I guess it all comes down to what the umpire determines warrants a do-over or no play. I just don't like changing what has already occurred unless it is absolutely necessary. Fyi Swing, a good umpire should never come in and simply overrule his partner's call or ruling on a play. He or she should come in and give the calling umpire information or what was seen for their perspective. The good umpiring comes in when the calling umpire is willing to openly listen to the partner and then change the call if necessary. It's most always up to the calling umpire to change his or her call. |
| Aug. 28, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Another Safe or out Question I love this site...where we can respectfully discuss these types of things from many different perspectives. On this one, I have to respectfully agree to disagree with the Staff's opinion. I know you all will find this hard to believe, but sometimes we, as umpires miss calls. SMILE! Even the best umpires miss a call from time to time. IMO, giving the base runner the wrong number of outs is in the same category as missing a call. I don't know if its in the best interest of our game to ask the umpire to try to make things right "after the fact" or judge "what would have been the most likely outcome" of a given situation. I just think we open ourselves up for too many other potential problems. As an umpire, I wouldn't undo what has already happened on the field if I can help it. I'll just have to own my mistake, eat it, take the heat and move on. |
| Aug. 28, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: What's the call? Of course the fielder cannot drop the ball on purpose in an attempt to turn a double play. In that case the batter is out and runner allowed to return safely to first base. But the fielder is well within the rules to allow the pop up to simply drop if he notices the batter-runner isn't running towards first base. That's on the batter. It wouldn't be unsportsmanlike to do that, nor do I think you can call it a catch when there wasn't one. (That would be in essence, applying the infield fly rule, which doesn't exist in this case.) |
| Aug. 27, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Rules of the game Discussion: Another Safe or out Question Another good one! As unfortunate as it sounds, the umpire shouldn't try to undo what has happened on the field of play, even if he or she helped to cause it like was stated above. Can you imagine all the potential problems that could occur when we, as umpires start doing that? The umpire will just have to eat that one and take the heat that will surely come from the team at bat. I know I've lost count a few times over the years. It's going to happen. Of course, the fair and just thing to do would be to do as some of you suggested. (Call an out on the fly ball and put the runner back safely on first base.) But its not about trying to even things out. The umpire made a mistake, period...but the result of the play should remain exactly as it occurred, in my opinion. |
| July 12, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: Tournaments Discussion: Pool games....??? Excellent feedback everyone…! I get it…, big Senior tournaments aren’t just about competing and playing softball; they are EVENTS in and of themselves. And that’s what sets them apart! In that respect the 5 game guarantee makes a lot more sense to me with all the travel, hotel, rental car, food, etc., etc., costs individuals incur to come to these tournaments. They are like mini-vacations. Outside of playing ball, there is plenty of time allotted to spend with families and friends and also to bond with teammates. I LOVE playing senior ball in any kind of format. (The original question came from strictly a competitive perspective.) Wes, in your opinion,… with ALL the different individual and team approaches to how they play seed games, do they really give a “true” representation to how a tournament should be seeded prior to bracket play? And outside receiving a bye, does it really matter much where a team seeded? Example: Last year in Vegas for the Nationals, there were( I believe) sixty 50’s AAA teams divided in two 30 team divisions. Each team played 2 seed games. I don’t know the tiebreaker criteria they used, but how SSUSA was able to properly seed the teams prior to bracket play with all the different sites was amazing. In the end, it just didn’t matter to me where we were seeded. You have to play well to be competitive regardless. |
| July 1, 2015 The Screamer5 | Topic: General and miscellaneous Discussion: texas state championships I can only speak for the 50's AAA bracket, but things seem to run relatively smooth both Saturday and Sunday. Played 2 pool games first thing Saturday morning and bracket play commenced Saturday afternoon. All six teams played their pool games concurrently so there was no advantages there. Where the fields the best... no, but I've played on a lot worse. We can't forget that the Houston Sportsplex is a much older complex and also that the fields was basically under water just a few weeks ago with all the rain in the area. The championship "if" game finished up right before the local leagues where scheduled to play. Dancer: The skies were very threatening early Sunday morning, but other than a little drizzle, the weather was fine. Overall, no complaints. It's easy to find issues after the fact after any tournament...and I'm sure there were plenty valid ones this past weekend in Houston. But with the complaints, there should also come some suggestions and ideas with how to make our tournaments better. |
