Feels a little bush league and I'm not sure if this works but I've heard a coach scream something like "She left early!!" even when the runner didn't to simply put it in blue's mind that they might have missed something and maybe give them a call later. I know that's what this particular coach was doing because he told me later (it was my DD running).
Interacting with Umpires
- Thread starter quincy
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This in one area of softball I feel I have a very strong system.
I know many of the umpires by face not name, having coched Varsity, JV, "B" and "A"
Last things first, after EVERY game, I say "Thank you sir" as the umpire leaves or as we leave.
If I ask a question, whatever his r her response, I say "Thank you sir"
When asked about the score or whether or not I got the substitution, I say "yes sir"
If they blow it on a ball strike call I simply tell my pitcher "keep working hard" and not with sarcasm.
If there is a vital call which the umpire could consult, I ask politely and am happy with any ruling. I feel the cowards don't ask for help, and as long as they ask that is all I can hope for.
Rules questions between innings with the preface that I am fine with the result of the call, and just want to get my mind around the rule so I can teach my girls the proper progression in that situation.
I feel like the umpires I have been around have never intentionally stuck it to my team.
I know many of the umpires by face not name, having coched Varsity, JV, "B" and "A"
Last things first, after EVERY game, I say "Thank you sir" as the umpire leaves or as we leave.
If I ask a question, whatever his r her response, I say "Thank you sir"
When asked about the score or whether or not I got the substitution, I say "yes sir"
If they blow it on a ball strike call I simply tell my pitcher "keep working hard" and not with sarcasm.
If there is a vital call which the umpire could consult, I ask politely and am happy with any ruling. I feel the cowards don't ask for help, and as long as they ask that is all I can hope for.
Rules questions between innings with the preface that I am fine with the result of the call, and just want to get my mind around the rule so I can teach my girls the proper progression in that situation.
I feel like the umpires I have been around have never intentionally stuck it to my team.
i agree with most of you. i'm not a yeller or screamer. i'll challenge them on rule interpretations once in awhile and maybe ask as sincerely as possible once a game or so, 'was that pitch high?', just because.
my concern is the 'squeeky wheel gets the grease' addage. i wonder at times if i'm cheating my girls out of calls because i'm not the yelling kind. the guy on the other side who's screaming may get a call or two more than me because people, in general, avoid conflict. avoid conflict in this case means giving the call to the yeller to shut him up.
my concern is the 'squeeky wheel gets the grease' addage. i wonder at times if i'm cheating my girls out of calls because i'm not the yelling kind. the guy on the other side who's screaming may get a call or two more than me because people, in general, avoid conflict. avoid conflict in this case means giving the call to the yeller to shut him up.
I not a yeller either and have been lucky to always have had umpires that I thought were doing their best. Some games we get screwed, some games we come out ahead. Over the course of an entire season it seems to more or less even out.
One thing I am going to do this year, which I have not done before, is to keep a book on all the umpires. Primarily focused on their individual strike zone.
One thing I am going to do this year, which I have not done before, is to keep a book on all the umpires. Primarily focused on their individual strike zone.
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!
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That is done for 2 reasons, one to get the blue to watch all runners all game. ( In a tight game I've seen girls at all levels leave early once in a game, especially if they know blue is not watching. And of coarse it's too late to bring it to blue's attention. )
Second, at the younger ages it usually will intimidate a few runners to stay on base just a hair longer. Older ages not so much.
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During games I don't focus much on umpires at all because it's not where I want my team's head to be either.
If there is something of question, I will call time and respectfully discuss it with them.
Like many have suggested, my interaction with umpires is respectful. I thank them after every game as well.
I have spoken hints (like the she left early thing).
With most judgement calls, I react in a way that I want my team to...have your initial reaction, then discard it and move on to what's next and find a way to execute regardless of what just happened.
One thing I KNOW is that I don't want their job. Another thing I know is that sometimes we don't get the call we want, but there are always times when I think the other team got jipped on a call too. So, like others have said, overall, it more or less evens out which, in essence, makes it a non-factor. I'd much rather be able to teach players to keep moving forward and be successful in spite of less than desirable circumstances rather than try to "win over" a call or to more by making a big deal out of something that any human can make a mistake on from time to time. Focusing on the negative and what's not going your way rarely brings about the results you're looking for.
Plus I just feel like, if I am respectful to umpires and they actually LIKE umpiring my games, I'll probably get better calls overall than if I was a pain in the butt and umpires hated calling my games.
If there is something of question, I will call time and respectfully discuss it with them.
Like many have suggested, my interaction with umpires is respectful. I thank them after every game as well.
I have spoken hints (like the she left early thing).
With most judgement calls, I react in a way that I want my team to...have your initial reaction, then discard it and move on to what's next and find a way to execute regardless of what just happened.
One thing I KNOW is that I don't want their job. Another thing I know is that sometimes we don't get the call we want, but there are always times when I think the other team got jipped on a call too. So, like others have said, overall, it more or less evens out which, in essence, makes it a non-factor. I'd much rather be able to teach players to keep moving forward and be successful in spite of less than desirable circumstances rather than try to "win over" a call or to more by making a big deal out of something that any human can make a mistake on from time to time. Focusing on the negative and what's not going your way rarely brings about the results you're looking for.
Plus I just feel like, if I am respectful to umpires and they actually LIKE umpiring my games, I'll probably get better calls overall than if I was a pain in the butt and umpires hated calling my games.
I guess you think it's a good idea to do that then. Not saying I disagree. Its just interesting the things you pick up along the way about game/umpire management. While I do help coach I'm really just a parent learning. I wonder what other things are done to "manipulate" things to go your way.
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This is a mental game. I would never stoop as low as to personally hurt a player.
But I will leave you with this.............a pitcher is trying to "manipulate" the ball to break, trying to "manipulate" the batter to chase pitches. A FB runner may pickle to pull a throw to allow 3B runner to score, "manipulate". A runner may take a large lead to "manipulate" a throw down to steal or cause a throw away.
I could go on and on but you get the point.
Confusion and chaos lead to errors, which lead to runs, which lead to wins. It happens in every sport.
But I agree there is a fine line between being smart and being a smartazz.
Just remember - if you have a game with a single umpire you're not going too see many "she left early" calls unless the runner leaves early from 2B. If your single umpire is calling runners out for leaving early at 1B or 3B WHILE TRYING TO CONCENTRATE ON THE PITCH, consider yourself lucky - because your umpire is SUPERMAN.
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