Interacting with Umpires

[jacketsfan]

I umpire LL games on occasion - usually end of season tournaments when there are lots of games going and they are short handed. I am not an official LL umpire, have no uniform, etc. Of course, it's voluteer work, but work that I actually enjoy (weird, I know).

Usually, when close calls happen, the team offended presumes I am a player's dad on the beneficiary team. That's always fun to hear.

It is interesting, though, to put on the gear and get behind the plate. It does give you a little perspective on how the noise coming from the stands and the dugouts sounds.

I did lose it one time with a team's parents. After they had been chewing on me all night, I asked the loudest individual between innings how Opie, Aunt Bea, and Andy and Barney were doing. He asked what the heck I was talking about, and I said "back in Mayberry. Just wondering how the gang was doing". He still didn't get it, and asked what I was talking about. Sort of took all the fun out of it. His wife told him she thought I was making fun of him, but wasn't sure.

 

[mad hornet]

Give a call to a coach just because he yells or complains about it? NEVER!

Umpiring, by it's nature, is going to involve times when there is conflict. If your strategy for dealing with that conflict is to cave in to the guy who yells the loudest, then I might suggest you find yourself another hobby. The flip side of that coin is that an umpire should NEVER make a call against a team just because their coach has been giving him a hard time.

Rather than "interacting" with the umpires, some of the suggestions here seem geared more toward "working" the umpires, in hopes of influencing them in your favor. I realize that many of you might play in games with inexperienced umpires who may not have well-developed game management skills. But I can assure you that this stuff doesn't fly with experienced officials, who have "been there and done that" and probably faced just about everything a coach can pull to try to influence him.

So, I'll turn this around and give you an idea of how we, as umpires, expect to interact with coaches.

Prior to the game, you should be able to articulate to us your official line-up and questions you might have about that, any questions about any rules or ground rules and raise any safety issues or concerns. The umpires should be able to provide you with answers to any of those questions.

During the game, you should be able to present us with any substitutions so that they can be recorded on the official line-up card.

You should be able to request time and have it granted for charged conferences with the pitcher, batter or any other player as permitted by rule.

If there is a rule or ruling you do not understand, then you should be able to ask about it in a civil manner and should expect a civil explanation in return. You should also understand that once you get your explanation that the game will not be delayed arguing the point. If it is a question of a judgment call, the decision is final. If it is a rule that was misinterpreted, you have the advantage of filing an official protest as outlined in the rule book.

If there is some legitimate reason why you think an umpire may have missed a call, such his view being blocked, his being caught out of position, a pulled foot on the tag of a base or loss of possession of the ball during a tag, you should able to civily request that the umpire check with his partner to see if he saw something that might have been missed. Asking to "get help" just because it was a close play and you didn't like the outcome should not be considered a "legitimate reason".

Other than that, there aren't really any other reasons to "interact" with the umpires. Complaints or jeers from the dugout will generally be ignored, up until the point where they become prolonged, profane, personal or disruptive to the game. Then you might find out that the squeeky wheel doesn't get the grease- it gets pulled off the machine and dumped in the trash bin, then a replacement is found!

Had the privelege of Bretman umping some of our games last year. He's the real deal.

 

[MTR]

I did lose it one time with a team's parents. After they had been chewing on me all night, I asked the loudest individual between innings how Opie, Aunt Bea, and Andy and Barney were doing. He asked what the heck I was talking about, and I said "back in Mayberry. Just wondering how the gang was doing". He still didn't get it, and asked what I was talking about. Sort of took all the fun out of it. His wife told him she thought I was making fun of him, but wasn't sure.

They must have been from Mount Pilot

 

[quincy]

Had the privelege of Bretman umping some of our games last year. He's the real deal.

I believe it and liked his answer. It is great to get umpire’s opinions on different topics.

I go and watch softball games all the time that our Team is not involved in, both the younger and older girls, I am sure a lot of you do too.

I pretty much go to the other games to yell at the umpires, since I am not associated with either Team I do not care if they throw me out. Just kidding.

We see the same umpires all the time and they have been to more games than I ever will be. If time permits I always go out of my way to say thank you, offer them coffees on a cold day, cold drinks on a hot day, etc. Am looking for a call or working the umpire, no. Have I had umpires say no just because I think they thought I was trying to work them yes. I have no Issue with them saying no either. If someone thinks I am trying to buy their integrity for a cup of coffee, each their own.


If I am not sure of a strategy we employed, not a ruling or judgment call, I will also seek them out for what they think and have seen other Teams do. Not their job and I am OK with them not talking to me, which has only happened once or twice.

I have found the umpires are a great resource for DD and me improving ourselves.

 

[Lozza]

One thing I've learned is that the umpire is always right. Even when they're wrong. I had the displeasure of watching a coach scream at an umpire over a bad decision. Guess who never got another strike called the entire game? Even when I put them down the middle. That was unprofessional on the umpires part, but they control the game.

It's different over here, as we generally have what you guys refer to as rec ball for half a season, then rep season is only two or three tournaments a year. (your travel ball) So in my case, the top umpires at my old association I grew up with. Both with the umpires and their daughters! So I knew the umpires back to front, when to tease them, when to hold back and so on. Even at rep level, it's all the same umpires year in, year out, so you do know them reasonably well.

 

[Coach JV]

We were in a tight game a couple weeks back and in the 1B dugout.
1B coach for the other team made a comment "Blue, lets bring the strikezone
up a little huh?" It was in a pleasant voice, but, the PU that was doing the next game was
watching from behind the dugout, I looked at him and smiled. He laughed and his comment
"If I was behind the plate, every marginal pitch will not go in his favor"

Personally, I found the comment a little harsh, but, having umpired plenty of games myself,
I understood. Umpires are human, I do not rattle the cage though.

 

[SnocatzDad]

Coaches need to do a little self evaluation. If you are arguing with an umpire in more than about 10% of your games it might be time to check yourself, the game is about the girls and people didn't come to see you put on a show. IME there are coaches that get into arguments with umpires in over 90% of the games and they usually

1. Don't know the rules as well as they think they do.
2. Think that they are the main reason people come to watch the game.
3. Think that they, not the players are the main factor in why games get won or lost.
4. Can't imagine how the team would survive absent their genius.

The reality is that the umpires are partners in bringing this game to these kids and should be treated as such. There are obviously terrible umpires and great umpires, just like there are great and terrible coaches, but IME the percentage of mediocre umpires is a lot lower than the percentage of mediocre coaches. Not very many umpires get to take a field with no training and no supervision, I would say 50% of first time coaches come to their first practice without even cracking open a rule book, much less being trained how to coach, and the chances of someone coming and performing an evaluation on how they are doing their job as a coach are slim. Of course umpires get paid, while most of those first time coaches do not, so it's fair to expect more professionalism from the umpires and IMO they do live up to that expectation.

 

[MTR]

We were in a tight game a couple weeks back and in the 1B dugout.
1B coach for the other team made a comment "Blue, lets bring the strikezone
up a little huh?" It was in a pleasant voice, but, the PU that was doing the next game was
watching from behind the dugout, I looked at him and smiled. He laughed and his comment
"If I was behind the plate, every marginal pitch will not go in his favor"

Personally, I found the comment a little harsh, but, having umpired plenty of games myself,
I understood. Umpires are human, I do not rattle the cage though.

While that may be a humorous comment to some, any umpire worth a damn would keep it just that, humor.

Think about how stupid an umpire would be to keep him/herself out there on the field longer than necessary just to spite a coach.

And do you think umpires actually take the time to check the uniforms before making a call. I cannot make an FYC, brain will not allow it.

 

[coach D'E]

Here is a funny umpire interaction story that happened awhile back: In a very tight, competitive game championship game, my daughter hurt both of her knees while attempting a delayed steal of home. While she was recovering from the injury she could not play defense. That day ,we had only 10 girls, and we batted all ten. A few innings later, when my daughter’s turn came up to bat, she grabbed her helmet and bat and severely limped to the batter’s box. She later told me that she did not want the team to take an out for her injury. The opposing coach protested and said that the batter was the injured player and could not play being that hurt. I was coaching 1st and objected saying that she walked into the box, she is O.K. to play. The umpires had a conference and said that my daughter was “too injured” to play and she was considered out of the game. Of course, I had my own interaction with the umpires questioning their ruling. The head umpire told me that “her parents would sue me if that girl was severely injured and we let her play”. My reply was “I’m her father and she has my permission to play”. His retort was “You look old enough to be her grandfather”. I said “O.k. I’ll shut up now.”

 

[MTR]

Here is a funny umpire interaction story that happened awhile back: In a very tight, competitive game championship game, my daughter hurt both of her knees while attempting a delayed steal of home. While she was recovering from the injury she could not play defense. That day ,we had only 10 girls, and we batted all ten. A few innings later, when my daughter’s turn came up to bat, she grabbed her helmet and bat and severely limped to the batter’s box. She later told me that she did not want the team to take an out for her injury. The opposing coach protested and said that the batter was the injured player and could not play being that hurt. I was coaching 1st and objected saying that she walked into the box, she is O.K. to play. The umpires had a conference and said that my daughter was “too injured” to play and she was considered out of the game. Of course, I had my own interaction with the umpires questioning their ruling. The head umpire told me that “her parents would sue me if that girl was severely injured and we let her play”. My reply was “I’m her father and she has my permission to play”. His retort was “You look old enough to be her grandfather”. I said “O.k. I’ll shut up now.”

As an umpire, I would have questioned your priorities in putting the game before your daughter's well-being, but that is your call, not mine.

Not knowing the rules under which you were playing the game, if she was supposed to be on defense and failed to play defense, then she is indeed out of the game. Otherwise, I would see no reason to forbid her from participating. BTW, if you wanted to impose your parental rights by stating she had your permission to play, I would have gotten that in writing since your statement pretty much acknowledged her injury. OTOH, you really do not have the right to waive any claims of liability whether she is your daughter or not.