Illegal pitch called

[Dabears17]

I know this wouldn't help the whole not enough umps thing, but when guys pull this crap they should simply not get paid. You get paid for doing a job. This, imo, is not bothering to do the job. If you work a softball game and don't know one of the most basic rules of softball pitching, you either get your stuff together immediately or you just volunteered to work that game.

But if we did that, they'd moan and cry and people would say we lost another good ump when in reality we lost another terrible ump who's ruining the game.

I often wonder if the game would be healthier if everybody collectively played half the games we actually play, but umps like this never set foot on a field ever again.

I attended the California State Athletic Director’s Association conference this spring. It was said a couple times that if the trend of declining number of officials continues, in two or three years half the high school contests across all sports will have to be scrimmages or glorified recess. A lot of officials didn’t come back after Covid. There is a shortage of officials for rec games, even though number of girls playing softball in my county is down 30 pct from Pre-Covid. What happens if half those players come back?

Softball umpiring has a high cost of entry because of the cost of equipment. I told an assigner this spring to only give me games if no one else was available. I did 14 High School games. I’m in my mid 50’s and only 3 times was my partner younger than me.

Who is responsible for recruiting and training umpires? Leagues, AD’s, NFHS, CIF, Alphabet sanctions?

Two weeks ago 4 nights I was asked to do games by 2 different orgs, 1 night 3 different orgs.

One rec league hasn’t paid me yet for two games I did for them mid March. Another promised me my money would be in my PayPal within 48 hours of me doing a game. I haven’t been paid for 4 games I did between May 12th and 18th. They claim they paid me for a game I did for them in early April when they haven’t, even after I sent them a screenshot of my PayPal account.

I could make about the same per hour working a couple hours a week at Ace Hardware or Sports Basement.

 

[eddieq]

Who is responsible for recruiting and training umpires? Leagues, AD’s, NFHS, CIF, Alphabet sanctions?

I’ve always been told it’s the district UIC/deputy UIC that’s responsible for recruiting/training/retention. Personally I’ve never seen that. Perhaps it’s just the nature of our times/society but I had trouble just getting a response through the channels when I first tried to get into umpiring and I’ve taken an active role in finding training, getting with assignors, etc. I signed up for and attended a NUS, several regional clinics, and most of the district/local ones offered but I found those on my own. I don’t think I have ever gotten a call/email with, “hey Ed, there is a clinic coming up that you’d benefit from”. Most of the contacts I get are, “come to this meeting where you can register this year”. My personal experience is that it’s a bit cliquey/old boys club that is tough to break into if you didn’t start umpiring as a 16 year old with these guys.

One association pulled us all together late in a season to go over 2 man mechanics as we got into playoffs and most had been doing solo games. That ra a slow pitch league though so maybe that shouldn’t count

I talked with a friend who is a baseball guy that does the assigning for local ll/legion ball tournaments about maybe crossing to the dark side next season. He acted like he had plenty of umpires and blew it off. He at least called me later with another softball opportunity.

So I agree, there is a big hole in recruiting, training, etc. and it starts all the way at the top. I try to do my part. I encourage people to get into it if they express any interest. A local 12u travel team that practices where I call games has two that are interested. They come running up to me to say hi and ask about rules and mechanics when I show up for games. I mentioned to my assignor that there is interest there.

All snarkyness aside, coaches that live to complain about umpires and always going to be part of the game. We can suggest they put up or shut up but most won’t and that’s ok. Just getting warm bodies but not offering training and support is ultimately self defeating because all you end up with is a glut of untrained umpires.

 

[chinamigarden]

She has to simulate taking the signal. Have her pause, look in at the catcher, then begin her motion.

Did the umpire that called her on the illegal pitch say why or are you assuming it was the not taking a signal from the pitcher’s plate?

Also, it’s a pitcher’s plate not a rubber That’s a baseball term.

Geez. Are we going to add rubber to the list of things we can’t say because “baseball”.

 

[Tango]

Nobody really argued the call. It was confusing since she struck the batter out with a great change. The batter went to the dugout and they had to retrieve her. She was confused along with the pitcher. She swung at the pitch. She wasn’t surprised by a quick pitch. Nobody heard or saw an illegal pitch call. Not saying it wasn’t called.

Side note in the regional championship the third base umpire kept telling our coaches they were going to call an illegal pitch on our other pitcher for not pausing at state (not sure why they didn’t during the regional game). Not the same pitcher during this game.

The comment was made that you were warned in the regional. Not even the same kid. Not the same crew either.

Of course both of the opposing pitchers we faced leaped but no call.

 

[Dabears17]

I’ve always been told it’s the district UIC/deputy UIC that’s responsible for recruiting/training/retention.

I was accidently assigned JV baseball games twice. Said I would only do it if could call them for leaving early.

District UIC commented to me when I saw him at a CCS playoff game "Mom called me last week and said her 14 year old wanted to umpire games this summer. How am I supposed to get her trained?" I should have asked him for her contact info because he assigns for the rival officials association to the guy I do games for.

Had a talk with a HS AC at a game I did bases on who coached baseball for over 30 years and is helping his daughter out as a HC who wasn't thrilled with my strike zone at a game earlier this year. We are good now, he thought I was one of those umpires who refuse to call corners and I told him I do call corners; it was only my 2nd HS game calling plate, and I wasn't ready to see clearly riseballs with velocity just missing or just getting the front corner of the plate.

I told him the future of the game depends on him getting some of his players to umpire rec games in the spring, do some tournaments as a summer job when they are in college, and hopefully do high school after they graduate college. He said two of his players are doing some rec games.

The rec league I came out of has teenagers do bases in 10u and plate in 8u. I need to get more leagues doing that and the teenagers better training and mentoring. At least 3 other leagues in my county do something similar.

 

[Jeffrey]

crouch is not required for a catcher. At least on a pitch out you will see them sometimes stand.

I’m just trying to picture how the ump might have seen it. She does have to be “in position” for the pitcher to be “in position.” I could picture her standing too far out of position and yelling out a number…then getting in position. At that point the pitcher would need to simulate taking a sign. I could also see an umpire thinking she needs to give the sign from a crouch - just spitballing here!

 

[_MIA_]

Are the games not live-streamed?

 

[The Man In Blue]

I often wonder if the game would be healthier if everybody collectively played half the games we actually play, but umps like this never set foot on a field ever again.

I am still firm that this is the answer.

 

[Gtrips07]

I am still firm that this is the answer.

Still not going to solve the problem of a generational lack of umpires.




Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[The Man In Blue]

Who is responsible for recruiting and training umpires? Leagues, AD’s, NFHS, CIF, Alphabet sanctions?

That is both the question and the current answer. See the issue?

Alphabet nationals only care about you paying them fees.
Local associations vary greatly by area, but in my area they are the same as the alphabets.
Leagues, ADs, tournament directors ... they just contract it out so somebody else can do the job.
NFHS? They put together resources and maybe an occasional feel-good ad campaign that they can pat themselves on the back for.