"Go get her!"

[left turn]

My DD played a 14U tourney a couple of weeks ago that was put on by a local umpires association. Something happened that I have never seen before.

Sometimes my DD leaps with the back foot losing contact with the ground. We are working on eliminating it, but sometimes it is there. When she leaps, her foot comes off the ground an inch or so, but with the hole in front of the pitcher’s plate, it is less clear than on flat ground or turf.

My DD pitched the first game and the base umpire noticed her leaping and warned the coach, who talked to my DD. She did better but did not eliminate the problem completely. So he called 8 illegal pitches over the next 5 innings which were defensible calls. He looked pretty funny because he got into a crouch with his hands on his knees and focused only on my DD’s back foot. We lost 2-1, but the IP calls weren't a factor.

After the game, I went to look at the tournament brackets under a small pavilion where the umpires were hanging out between games. While I was reading the brackets, the base ump got the attention of all of the umps. He said, “I just got through with a game and the pitcher was a leaper. She plays on ____ team and her number is ##. Go nail her! I got her a bunch of times. Go get her!”

He didn't know I was her dad. I didn't respond because there was no way my DD would be better off if I tell him what I thought. It would turn it into a “thing” and would have consequences later. There were three more games left for the day. She pitched parts of two more games and was not called for IP again.

What do you think of the ump and what he said?

 

[starsnuffer]

You found the only umpires who actually call the game by the rules. And in New Jersey no less? I'm going to go cry in the corner now.

-W

 

[left turn]

It was an interesting game. The thing I reacted to was him trying to convince the other umpires to "Go get her!"

The force and exuberance which he said "Go get her!" to the other umpires was like it was a grave sin, rather than something a 14 year old girl occasionally does - and is working to fix it. It was just out of proportion to what was happening. It reminded me of the Baptist pastor of my youth in Georgia when he got wound up.

He beamed with pride as if he felt it was only due to his superior mental acuity he alone could correctly assess the situation. In between every inning he would call over the home plate umpire and talk about it. He made the whole game about my DD and whether he could slide a wafer between her drag toe and the ground. It seemed irrelevant to him that there was a terrific and close game going on against two good teams.

Also he was trying to influence the outcomes of the other umpires with his discovery. He was not successful.

Thankfully my DD was cool about it and didn't get rattled. She kept pounding the strike zone and hitting her spots. She threw 65% strikes including the balls from IP calls. I was really proud of her composure.

My point is make a call or don't make a call and move on. He should have spent more of his inestimable intellect getting calls right in the field.

 

[PEPPERS]

IMO the ump did your daughter a favor, to continue to be allowed to pitch illegal is not in her best interest.

 

[Comp]

Telling other umpires what he was seeing there was absolutely nothing wrong with. If as you say he was being exuberant about it, especially doing it within earshot of the general public he was out of line.

As has been mentioned, the umpires that are not calling your daughter are not doing her any favors. As I have always said, alot of pitchers get away with things for a long time but sooner or later they are going to run into an umpire that is calling it and then what are they going to do?

 

[left turn]

Comp, it was amongst other parents as it was a central gathering place for the tourney. If the ump had said that "Just to let you know, I had a game with a leaper in game 1," I wouldn't have had the same reaction. The thing that bothered me was "Go get her! said loudly and with exuberance to the other umps. He was reacting to the situation as if it was a morality issue, not a mechanical flaw and a call to be made.

As I implied above, I have no problem with the ump making the call. The majority of the IP calls were correct. Keeping the back toe in contact with the dirt or level with the ground is a mechanical flaw and it is focus for her to fix. It can drain power and erode control. She has worked so hard to get to where she is.

"Go get her!" ?? I don't see how that's defensible.

 

[Comp]

Where exactly did I defend him saying "go get her"? My response was there was nothing wrong with him sharing with other umpires what he was seeing, but, being exuberant and doing it in a public place and earshot of the general public was out of line.

 

[JJsqueeze]

There is a reason the "overheard conversation" plot is used so much in sitcoms. Best to ignore it when you hear something not intended for your ears. You probably don't have all of the information. I'm all for umps going after leapers. I prefer this to all of the illegal deliveries I see. All I expect from a ump is a consistent strike zone and preferable one that is close to what is described in the rulebook.

 

[GatorGirl]

I know that you are a bit down that everyone is not as outraged. It stinks when you think something is deplorable and no one else agrees. His exuberance was probably from being in a group of his peers and almost like a hunter's freenzy. Not excusable, but I can see it. It sucks when the points are at your child, but at least he was communicating and it seems like the umps were trying to call consistently rather than all over the board?? I think you would have been equally upset had it only been the one ump calling them and none of the others??

At the end of the day, you were right in not to say anything. I would have made a a** of myself. Also, to hold back and not tell your child-awesome. I wouldn't have been able to contain myself. Also, now you know how important this is to fix. I am sure you are still peeved, but from an outsider looking in--this was a win for you and your DD.

Namaste,
GG

 

[Comp]

If your daughter had not corrected the problem in later games, the umpires not calling it were not thinking for themselves, they have just chosen to ignore calling illegal pitches.