What should have been done? (poor umpiring)

We had an umpire for two games over the weekend, who blew 4 calls. In all honesty it probably would have been more if the second game had not been forfeited 1 out into the top of the second inning (more on that in this post). Here are the scenarios:

Game 1

Scenario 1:
We have runner on 1st base. Runner steals and would have easily made it to the bag, had the SS not been standing in the base path waiting for the ball to arrive. Runner slides, makes contact with SS. while SS is falling she catches the ball. Runner called out because she never reached the base. Am I wrong to have argued for an obstruction call?

Scenario 2:
Our batter hits a weak grounder to 3B and gets 2 steps past first base before the ball gets to 1B. She's called out. When we ask blue to get help he refuses saying it's his call and he made the correct call.

Scenario 3:
We are on defense, runner's on 1st and 2nd. Ground ball to SS, runner makes contact with SS while in the act of fielding the ball. Blue calls obstruction and tells us (coaching staff), had the runner not bee thrown out at 1st he would have award the runner home due to the obstruction.


Game 2 (Same umpire, now behind the plate)

Scenario 4:
We are batting runners at 1st and 2nd. Ground ball to 2B. Runner at 1B hurdles the ball, no contact made. Home plate umpire calls dead ball, interference on the runner. 2B was playing deep and mishandled the ball about 8 feet away from the runner. He is later overheard telling the other coach, they missed a call on the play before so he made it up.


We were livid, but ended up winning the game by forfeit. It also happened to be the championship game.

Our Team was ready to linch one ump, game kind of mattered and DD was is middle of it.

All the powers that be monitored thier next game.

I asked DD about them, she said they were OK. Pretty much the best your going to get out of DD.

Not my favorite ump but if DD says they are OK ... I ended up supporting them.

Scenario 1:
We have runner on 1st base. Runner steals and would have easily made it to the bag, had the SS not been standing in the base path waiting for the ball to arrive. Runner slides, makes contact with SS. while SS is falling she catches the ball. Runner called out because she never reached the base. Am I wrong to have argued for an obstruction call?

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You are already aware of the obstruction rule. A defensive player without possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding a batted ball cannot impede the progress of the runner. Based on your description, should have been obstruction.

Scenario 2:
Our batter hits a weak grounder to 3B and gets 2 steps past first base before the ball gets to 1B. She's called out. When we ask blue to get help he refuses saying it's his call and he made the correct call.

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This is a judgement call and cannot be questioned. That was his call and it is his choice to ask for help or not. He saw an out, you saw safe, who knows what the plate umpire saw but at that point even if you have 2 umpires who saw different things now it becomes flip a coin. Unless you saw a pulled foot, bobble ball etc, the umpire made a judgement call and it is final.

Scenario 3:
We are on defense, runner's on 1st and 2nd. Ground ball to SS, runner makes contact with SS while in the act of fielding the ball. Blue calls obstruction and tells us (coaching staff), had the runner not bee thrown out at 1st he would have award the runner home due to the obstruction.

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This may depend somewhat on rule set, but as long as the ball was not deflected to the SS, they have the rights to field the ball and offense has the responsibility to not interfere. Again, based on your description probably should have been ruled interference.

Scenario 4:
We are batting runners at 1st and 2nd. Ground ball to 2B. Runner at 1B hurdles the ball, no contact made. Home plate umpire calls dead ball, interference on the runner. 2B was playing deep and mishandled the ball about 8 feet away from the runner. He is later overheard telling the other coach, they missed a call on the play before so he made it up

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As long as the runner did not purposely time the crossing in front of the fielder, did not stop in front of the fielder and left room for the fielder to make a play, simply passing in front of or jumping over the ball is not in itself interference.

Comp said:

This may depend somewhat on rule set, but as long as the ball was not deflected to the SS, they have the rights to field the ball and offense has the responsibility to not interfere. Again, based on your description probably should have been ruled interference.

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I should have been more clear on this one, SS was making the initial play on the ball. There was no defelction.

Scenario 1. you are correct but you need to teach your girls to slide better, when my DD initiates a slide she will reach the base that includes home plate with a catcher blocking the plate. If the defensive player is too far out you would either run into them (not on purpose but simply because she is taking a direct path to the base and you are in the way) or if there is no incoming throw just go around, once she commits to sliding it is to reach the base period there is no she did not touch the base.

Scenario 2 Judgement call period you suck it up, after balls and strikes this is the second most annoying call for an umpire to get challenged; you can ask them to ask for help, most often for a foot pull since the home umpire as best angle but once they say no just leave it alone.

Scenario 3 easy interference, this might be one where I might be tempted to get the umpires together and make sure the calling umpire states clearly what they are calling and you make sure they are applying the proper interpretation. As long as they all vocalize the play the way you described it and apply the rule incorrectly calling the UIC over for a ruling is not out of line, assuming they close and we are not calling them over from another complex and its going to take more than 5 minutes then it depends on circumstances...bracket close game etc.

Scenario 4 as long as the umpire judges they timed their jump to cause an obstruction of the fielders vision this is a judgement call