- Mar 1, 2013
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"Where was that one blue?"
"I don't know, I was looking in the strike zone"
"I don't know, I was looking in the strike zone"
How much Chirping?
- Thread starter newsoftballdad
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- Oct 16, 2019
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It helps to have thick skin, because coaches are going to chirp. I probably have officiated close to 1000 games in the 15 years or so that I umpired or refereed in baseball and basketball combined...never had to toss a coach. But players, they don't get to chirp. I have walked towards dugouts before after hearing chirping or a negative comment and said something to the effect of "I don't know who said what I just heard, but next time I hear it, someone is gone" and it always worked because the coach would gain control of the dugout - guess I was lucky to have decent coaches most games. I have only had to toss two players, both for malicious contact - one was intentional malicious contact, the other, a kid popped the ball up on the line between home and first and kept their head down not watching the ball, and ran over the first baseman hard, completely unintentional. Hit 1B so hard, an ambulance took the kid off the field.
But if a catcher would have ever done what @kennykozman said happened, that would have been considered ejecting themselves, and quickly.
But if a catcher would have ever done what @kennykozman said happened, that would have been considered ejecting themselves, and quickly.
- May 29, 2015
- 3,813
- 113
I will not answer this question. I used to. I absolutely will not anymore.
This is not a question to help a coach adjust a pitcher. It is arguing balls and strikes in a passive-aggressive manner, plain and simple.
I miss strikes. I miss balls. If it’s a one-off, that’s on me. If my zone is consistently low that day, you need to adjust. The pitcher and catcher know what they need to do.
A few weeks ago, I had zone where I wasn’t calling low strikes and I hated it. I knew it. The team complained about it. Do you know why it was low? The catcher had horrible framing (NOT SELLING), was sitting right on home plate, and I had to adjust to see around him. Fix your catcher.
Another day I had a horrible zone where I was calling strikes too low. I was overheated, exhausted, and not positioning myself properly. That was on me. But I was consistent for 6 innings ... yes, it sucks, but you saw it, you know it, quit complaining and swing.
radness
Possibilities & Opportunities!
- Dec 13, 2019
- 7,270
- 113
THIS post ☝
Needs to be AWARDED
Honesty Still Happens !!!
Up front umpire telling like IT is!
Thank you for it Sir!
After some success with our first 16A team we decided to enter them in our first 18 gold tournament just to see how we stacked up against some of our region's best teams. We noticed right away the officiating was stricter than normal. No friendly banter between umps and coaches, or umps and players, and no loose strike zones.
In one game we faced three pitchers who were close but not getting strike calls. From my view, only strikes were being called strikes and the zone was consistently tight both ways. No river calls, no ankle calls and nothing at the top of the letters.
We heard parents from the other team start to chirp about missed called strikes while their first pitcher was in the circle. By the time their 3rd pitcher had some circle time, the chirps were loud and relentless. Finally, after the HP ump had enough, he turned and used his deep booming voice to address the entire section of parents who were doing the chirping: This is an 18 gold level tournament. It is being officiated that way. If your players can't compete at this level then they shouldn't be here. He then turned to their coach and gave him his one and final warning to control his crowd. I don't know if that was the recommended way to handle it but it certainly quieted their crowd.
In one game we faced three pitchers who were close but not getting strike calls. From my view, only strikes were being called strikes and the zone was consistently tight both ways. No river calls, no ankle calls and nothing at the top of the letters.
We heard parents from the other team start to chirp about missed called strikes while their first pitcher was in the circle. By the time their 3rd pitcher had some circle time, the chirps were loud and relentless. Finally, after the HP ump had enough, he turned and used his deep booming voice to address the entire section of parents who were doing the chirping: This is an 18 gold level tournament. It is being officiated that way. If your players can't compete at this level then they shouldn't be here. He then turned to their coach and gave him his one and final warning to control his crowd. I don't know if that was the recommended way to handle it but it certainly quieted their crowd.
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- Jun 1, 2015
- 501
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Whenever I'm behind the plate for games for HS or travel, the last part of my plate meeting goes something similar to this (paraphrased): "And finally, are you folks the head coaches? We will only speak to head coaches. If you have a rule question, let the play settle, come out, and calmly approach us afterward and if we need to, we'll get together and get it figured before we get it going. We will handle the calls and let you handle the coaching. That goes for your dugouts and your sidelines too."
I haven't ejected anyone in 3 years of 'ball so far. I'd rather stay on top of things THEN and set that tone early and then react afterward IF someone tiptoes along the line.
I haven't ejected anyone in 3 years of 'ball so far. I'd rather stay on top of things THEN and set that tone early and then react afterward IF someone tiptoes along the line.
Sounds to me like you hear a little something and go looking for a fight. If I'm the coach, I absolutely get my dugout under control, and then after the game I file a special report to mention the umpire's lack of professionalism/unacceptable conduct.
I can't see any justification for the umpire approaching the dugout like this. It serves no purpose other than to provoke.
There have been a FEW times where I was legitimately curious about borderline pitches, and usually I'm wondering if it was outside/inside because I can't tell from the side. Did it look good to me? Sure. I'm not asking on a dirt ball. But I'm also not asking on a single pitch that didn't go my way. If I see the same pitch a couple times, I might ask my catcher "was that low?" I'm not passive-aggressively complaining. I'm trying to figure out your zone (and I'm not going to ask you about it because, of course, the implication is that your zone is not the defined zone).
Now a question. Is there a better way to do this? The only reason I'd ask in the moment and not after the inning is half the time I ask my players about a specific pitch in an inning, they've already forgotten.
I don't complain about strike zones (to you... I'll quietly bitch to my AC though!), but if that bad catcher situation arises, how do I get that information from you? I don't expect an umpire to volunteer it, but if I go to talk about the strike zone I'm probably in hot water as it is.
Just be nice and friendly. I never have problems talking to anyone about anything if they are nice about it. Times where coaches have come to me to ask about the pitches missing off the plate it always helped that they were nice and talked in a calm manner like adults and not yelling and screaming making a big show or deal about it.
I remember one time where the pitcher wasnt anywhere close to the plate. I mean 6 inches and more off the plate because the ball was going over the line of the batters box. Outside looked way out to me and then they thrown it inside and i could see it clearly over the inside line of the batters box. Catcher kept thinking it was a strike and would tell the coach she didnt know where it was missing. Well after a couple of innings and telling the game administrator to go talk to the fans that they need to settle down about the strike zone she finally came out in the 3rd inning I think and asked me about the pitches. I just plainly told her, I know it looks like perfect pitches from the dugout. Belt high, but you just got to trust and believe me that they are no where near the plate. I cant call strikes when they are going over the batters box.
So just be nice, goes a long way. Dont know anyone who wouldnt want to talk to a coach who was nice and respectable. Its when they start yelling and shouting that they dont get to talk.
