How do you handle an umpire who disregards certain rules?

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PDM

Jun 18, 2019
165
43
NJ
Well I take it as an insult because the coach is saying you don’t know what you’re doing. I understand that coaches may have had bad umpiring in the past, but I’m not one of them. No arrogance involved.
Sorry, but if a coach brings a potential rules violation to your attention prior to a game, and you take it as an insult, then that sounds a lot like arrogance to me. None of us is perfect and sees everything all the time. I've been officiating for over 40 years. I've seen it all and I know the rules. If a 20 year old volunteer coach comes up to me and asks me to look out for a situation, I thank him/her for the heads up and I keep an eye out for it. If the same coach comes up to me during the game to tell me that the situation is occurring and asks why I am not calling it, I listen to his/her point of view. Maybe I am just not seeing what the coach is seeing from a different angle. It happens. When the coach has finished, if I disagree I explain the rule and why the coach is incorrect. No one's feelings are hurt and we are now all on the same page. As long as the coach is respectful, they can ask any question they like. My ego has no place in the game. I am there to see that rules are followed and to educate those who don't understand the rules (within reason while the game is in progress). That's all. A cooperative environment works a lot better than an adversarial one. I've also been a coach and tournament director for just as long and I don't hire officials who don't work well with coaches.
 
Jul 31, 2019
495
43
As an umpire, and as you describe it, that's not a conversation (in subject or execution) I'm having with a coach before a game. Seriously, going over a rule book on the field? About an opposing (warming up?) pitcher? And then acknowledging it, and declaring you will/won't call something? Bizzaro.

As for the rest of it, not sure how you are connecting that pre-game conversation to the in-game calls.
Never ever show up an umpire. You did just that by bringing out the rule book. I'm surprised he even let you do it. If he then became a little one sided that's unfortunate, but you never want to push an umpire far enough to piss him/her off. As for the girls, I never go there. I don't want to make excuses or allow them to make excuses for a loss, no mater how blatant the calls are.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
A few weeks ago there was a clear-cut obstruction case at the plate. The coach ask as kindly and pleasantly as could be about the play and asked why the Umpire did not call it. The Umpire said because this is 12u.

Heres the dealio....
Everyone gets the same umpire in each game.
Each moment in the game will be a different interpretation of the rules. People may have a real hard time understanding that but it is what it is.

For the coaches or people who want to scrutinize and have a detailed conversation about specifics befor the game...pretty much every umpire will tell you they can't just give you an answer sight unseen.
Yeah they can recite the rule book. However when they see the play they will have different interpretations of what to call...
BECAUSE ITS AN INTERPRETATION

that is what creates this dilemma of conversation threads like this.

It's not because of the rules it's because of the interpretation of them.
 
Last edited:

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
A few weeks ago there was a clear-cut obstruction case at the plate. The coach ask as kindly and pleasantly as could be about the play and asked why the Umpire did not call it. The Umpire said because this is 12u.

Heres the dealio....
Everyone gets the same umpire in each game.
Each moment in the game will be a different interpretation of the rules. People may have a real hard time understanding that but it is what it is.

For the coaches or people who really want to scrutinize and have a detailed conversation about specifics every umpire will tell you I can't just give you an answer sight unseen. Yeah they can recite the rule book. However when they see the play they will have different interpretations of what to call
BECAUSE ITS AN INTERPRETATION

that is what creates this dilemma of conversation threads like this.

It's not because of the rules it's because of the interpretation of them.
This is why I go with the phrase

'the umpire is right even when they're wrong'

Which really means it doesn't matter how I or anyone else interpret the situation what the Umpire calls on the field stands.
Have to continue playing the game.

👉 pitch the ball, hit the ball,
play defense and don't make errors.
work on what you can control!
 
Last edited:
May 1, 2018
659
63
"Can you watch the quick pitch?" Some time when she is throwing none warm up pitches.... fine. But during warm ups...weird
 
Jun 1, 2015
500
43
Never ever show up an umpire. You did just that by bringing out the rule book. I'm surprised he even let you do it.

Any coach who does this to argue a call, whether I had the call right or wrong, is automatically ejected. No questions asked. I'll speak to any coach all day long whether or not they had an issue about a call or wanted to discuss a matter - that's fine and dandy. The minute a coach pulls a book of rules out to try and make a point, that's beyond unsportsmanlike conduct to me and I don't need to give a warning at that point. They should know better and clearly, they don't.

It has nothing to do with ego or having any form of a superiority complex - I've blown as many calls as the next umpire beside me. It will happen and I'll learn from each call. The minute a coach tries to then use that point to make some grand statement, they can rehearse what they would've said from the parking lot. End of story. Luckily, I've never had that happen so long as I've been officiating, and as a coach myself I'd never do it (I don't even keep a copy of the rulebook on me when I coach - as a coach/official, I should know the rules before I go squawking about).
 

PDM

Jun 18, 2019
165
43
NJ
Never ever show up an umpire. You did just that by bringing out the rule book. I'm surprised he even let you do it. If he then became a little one sided that's unfortunate, but you never want to push an umpire far enough to piss him/her off. As for the girls, I never go there. I don't want to make excuses or allow them to make excuses for a loss, no mater how blatant the calls are.
How is bringing out a rule book "showing up" the umpire? The rule book should confirm what the umpire is calling. If it doesn't, then the umpire deserves to be "shown up". It is the umpire's job to get the calls right, not to worry about his/her ego. It's just arrogance and it has no place in the game for an umpire. Know the rules and call the game as best you can according to those rules. That's the job.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
How is bringing out a rule book "showing up" the umpire? The rule book should confirm what the umpire is calling. If it doesn't, then the umpire deserves to be "shown up". It is the umpire's job to get the calls right, not to worry about his/her ego. It's just arrogance and it has no place in the game for an umpire. Know the rules and call the game as best you can according to those rules. That's the job.
This👇 this👇 this 👇...
the rule book explains what the rules are.

👉It is up to the umpire to interpret what they see on the field.

(Are you asking/telling the umpire to interpret everything the same way you are?!
That would be arrogance.)
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
1.Know the rules
2. and call the game as best you can according to those rules.
3.That's the job.
1. Bringing out a rule book to an umpire who is already an official. Is possibly suggesting they don't know the rules.
2. Yes they are going to do 'the best they can' according to the rules
'that include interpretation'.
3. Correct thats THEIR job.
 
Apr 1, 2017
535
93
What if it's not an interpretation, and the umpire is just plain making stuff up??? Can the rule book come out then, or are we worried about hurting the umps feelings?

Best example I have is a few years ago we have a runner on second. Batter hits a deep fly ball that bounces over the fence for ground rule double. Ump says runner at second only goes to 3rd because "they weren't running hard to third when ball went over fence". I have no worries about "showing up" that umpire with a rule book.
 

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