Missed Call-Umpire Etiquette

[Rolling Hard]

Umps need to take their time calling balls and strikes. TBS, some umps over do this with the delay call driving parents/ coaches nuts. Most missed calls are unforced errors, IMO. Ump has made up his mind what he is calling before pitch crosses the plate and is fooled by offspeed movement pitches. I have seen center cut change ups called balls because blue saw as it as an up pitch and made his mind up too early. Same goes for back door CBs.
I have bever seen an ump correct a ball/strike call in real time.

 

[Tango]

Umps need to take their time calling balls and strikes. TBS, some umps over do this with the delay call driving parents/ coaches nuts. Most missed calls are unforced errors, IMO. Ump has made up his mind what he is calling before pitch crosses the plate and is fooled by offspeed movement pitches. I have seen center cut change ups called balls because blue saw as it as an up pitch and made his mind up too early. Same goes for back door CBs.
I have bever seen an ump correct a ball/strike call in real time.

I'm not an umpire and realized that very quickly. I was a leadoff hitter with a very good eye and I would only call what I would hit. Great pitches were balls and a hanging curve was a strike before the ball ever got close. LOL. One game and retired.

 

[253umpire]

Welcome to the ranks @253umpire ! I like the cut of your jib already!



I wouldn't say that I would never do that ... but I would strongly caution you to read the room. Easy going game and things are moving smooth with TWO teams you know, sure, you could if you have a good relationship. Note that I say TWO teams -- do not do this with ONE team you know and one you don't. (It drives me up a wall when umpires go seek out conversations with Coach Joe that they went to school with.)

A competitive game that can turn in a moment with conference rivals ... don't go near it. Stay professional.

If the coach approaches you and is pleasant about it ... again, read the room. If there is no harm in laughing it off, laugh it off. It happens.

I do want to specifically go to the comment you made about "hope she doesn't throw the next pitch there." If she does, call it correctly. Just because you made a mistake doesn't mean you continue to make the mistake. I've had coaches pull the "EXACT same spot" routine when the first one went in their favor and the second one didn't. My favorite response is "Yep, and I didn't miss the second one." It takes all the wind out of their sails because they know they got one. Do you really want to complain that my ONE screw up went in your favor and I didn't continue to screw it up?

This is great, thank you. It was the conference opener and a close game with teams I’ve never had, and this is exactly what kept me from saying anything.

“Yep, I didn’t miss the second one.” PERFECT. You have a certain cadence in how you talk as a player and a coach on the field that’s automatic as the game flows, and honestly the most difficult transition to umpiring has been finding that automatic cadence to a situation wearing different shoes!

 

[marriard]

I wouldn't say that I would never do that ... but I would strongly caution you to read the room.

This is where experience will get you. There are occasions where you can say I missed that one... and when I do say something, I normally don't say it right then but rather before their next time in the field I might say something quietly to the catcher. "Mad at myself for missing that one"
But lets assume you have read the room and realize this is not the game to say anything. You are just going to have to eat that call and deal with it. I do it by completely resetting - take a step back, breathe, take time to refocus, take a drink of water, make a note on a lineup card.. take your time until you are ready to focus properly. No different to how athletes do it. Some days everything is easy - other days you are fighting every pitch to get it right - the trick is to not have people know what day it is for you.

And don't make things worse - if they have to vent give them a little rope then shut it down. OK coach, I understand but nothing is going to change- lets get back to playing ball.

But most importantly, don't let one blatant miss lead to another blatant miss. Get that focus down.

And to let you know, that miss wont just stay with you during the game. You will be thinking about it for awhile. That is a good sign because it truly shows you care. Go talk to any umpire who has been officiating for years and they all have a list of stories about calls that they missed from over the years. I have several that to this day make me cringe - one from a basketball game I did over 22 years ago.

I do want to specifically go to the comment you made about "hope she doesn't throw the next pitch there." If she does, call it correctly. Just because you made a mistake doesn't mean you continue to make the mistake.

Yep - no make up calls, No excuses. You call something wrong again all you have done is make 2 mistakes instead of 1.

 

[marriard]

I have never seen an ump correct a ball/strike call in real time.

You make the strike/ball decision as the ball crosses the plate (or doesn't). Everything is a strike until it convinces you it is not. If I am thinking about whether it is a ball or a strike, then it is a strike.

You make the actual call after the ball hits the catchers mitt. That does several things:

• It gives you time to assess what you saw
• It makes sure you are ready for whatever else is happening can happen (steals, drops, pick offs, etc)
• It stops you looking like an idiot verbally calling a strike when the batter swings late
• It is a GREAT, repeatable timing mechanism (I do the same thing for every pitch - same movements, same everything)

And once you have a made a pitch decision - you are stuck with it. Once I say it is a 'strike' - it is a strike right or wrong.

 

[GIMNEPIWO]

I just watched (on gameday) a MLB Ump in the bottom of the 2nd blow a call to Soler (Marlins) with Scherzer (Mets) on the bump ... A pitch way outside and a little high for a called strike, next pitch catches the top of the strike zone on the inner half of the plate = called ball.

https://www.mlb.com/scores I don't see where they list the Umpiring Crew

 

[KenBlackfish]

First year umpire here that was immediately thrown into high level tournament and HS ball. I’ve coached for years and still play ball at a high level, so the game and it’s rules flow easily and I’m having as much fun umpiring as I do playing and coaching (why aren’t we recruiting more former players?!) We should be out there at every high level men’s/women’s/or co-ed slow pitch tournament and getting these guys/gals in a uniform!

Anyways, that’s for another post. My question here to experienced umpires…how do you handle the obvious missed ball/strike with players? I haven’t had many through 30 or so games, but last night I called a high strike at a packed varsity HS game that was definitely a gross miss, and I knew it immediately (as did everyone else) since it was truly a pitch I hadn’t called all night. My first instinct was to pull the batter subtly aside between innings and tell her I missed that one, but I didn’t. That one pitch bothered me all night! I’m not talking borderline calls and I won’t ever let a game get ahead of me questioning our calls out there, but for that gross miss what do you guys do? (besides pray the pitcher doesn’t throw the next pitch in the same exact spot lol). You see/hear of more MLB level umpires making that apology, and there’s nothing I hate more as a player AND an umpire than ego anywhere on that field. We’re here for the girls and the game, and I feel like a subtle hey I missed that one at the appropriate time is the right thing to do. Thoughts?

Just acknowledge you missed the call. A simple raise of the hand, or a nod of the head can calm the parents and the coaches (unless it was a game-altering call, then oh boy, haha). Maybe give a make-up call on the next strike? BUT THIS CAN BACKFIRE ALSO you called a ball a strike and strike a ball, and some may not pick up on the "make-up call", and just make parents and coaches even angrier.

All I know, in my area we have had to cancel several high school games because we can't get enough umpires. Part of it is how they are treated by parents, coaches, and sometimes players. The umps are just tired of being treated like crap.

I umpired Little League many years ago. Didn't seem that bad back then? Not a chance in hell I would do it now for LL of Softball. Hat tip to you for covering some games.

 

[The Man In Blue]

You have a certain cadence in how you talk as a player and a coach on the field that’s automatic as the game flows, and honestly the most difficult transition to umpiring has been finding that automatic cadence to a situation wearing different shoes!

As a player and as a coach, you should be attacking the game. As an umpire you need to let the game come to you. It's tough to master that part.

 

[Northball]

... Everything is a strike until it convinces you it is not. If I am thinking about whether it is a ball or a strike, then it is a strike.

I thought the mindset was you only call a strike when you actually see a strike. Just like you call a runner out only when you see them put out.

 

[marriard]

I thought the mindset was you only call a strike when you actually see a strike. Just like you call a runner out only when you see them put out.

You are still going to see the strike. That is the point... you are thinking strike until it isn't one. Not unlike a batter's mentality..... Mindset is I am going to swing until I am not (Yes... yes.... no...)