ranting again

[RJK]

I realize there's an umpire shortage, but I agree that umpires are the only ones on the field getting paid (except for maybe certain travel ball coaches). Misapplication of the rules is the one thing that drives coaches nuts, especially when the UIC is not available or they're aren't any protests. We all have read the rules, taught the game to our kids. Especially when they get older, kids know what the correct rules are.

Judgement calls, I get you can't argue. What I have found with judgement calls is learning the umpire's movements on certain plays. For instance if they just stand behind home plate and make the call at 1st instead of coming out in front of the plate to get a better view. I've had success politely asking umpires to get into a better position next time to make the call. Although sometimes I feel like they're just doing it on purpose. This past weekend I had an ump that would stop watching plays when he thought the play was done. As a result, one of my players got their head shoved on the ground after stealing 2nd. Umpire wouldn't do anything because of course he didnt see it.

I appreciate what umpires do, but I wish 100% of them would take pride in their work and learn the rules and call the game accordingly.

 

[CoachJD]

Use whatever verbiage you want in place of the word adjustment.

Simply this situation/story is not the only time a pitcher might have an Umpire call an illegal pitch. Plenty of times pitchers have thrown many games in a tournament/league/friendlies only to come to one umpire that wants to call an illegal pitch.
Where then the pitcher has to make an adjustment.

It's not just a situation that umpires may or may not know rules. It is additionally a situation where umpires use different observational judgment.

How a pitcher handles that situation is important on the playing aspect.

For those that continue to want to discuss the level of umpiring abilities...
imo, that topic 'abilities' will always be fluctuating. Never perfect. For that reason pitchers learning to deal with an umpire unique rule/interpretation circumstance is really important!

Again, this isn't about simply "adjusting." This isn't seeing a low strike zone and saying "well, I guess we have to swing at the low one today." It's forcing pitchers (in conflict with the rules, no less) to alter their mechanics. That's potentially dangerous. And by simply saying it's an adjustment just displays ignorance to what goes into pitching. Most pitchers can't just "adjust" to adopt completely different pitching mechanics in the middle of a game.