Missed Call-Umpire Etiquette

[mmeece]

So here is another case of umps just making stuff up. New for me today.

USA and USSSA is primarily played here.

Catcher and pitcher and doing warm-up pitches at the change of the inning. Ump tells them they only get three pitches. Everything being normal in a team switch after 3 outs.

Both Rule Sets ..... "At the beginning of each half inning, or when a pitcher relieves another pitcher, not
more than one minute may be used to deliver not more than five pitches."

Teen athletes can be negatively impacted by rouge comments, changes, etc.
Why and how do umps make stuff up and not held accountable?

There certainly isn't any coach to ump exchange that with correct issues.

I don't know the specifics here, but some tournament directors will specify that they only want 3 pitches between innings. Or, if the team has taken too long (don't miss the 1 minute part of the rule cited above) I will cut pitches.

 

[The Man In Blue]

I don't know the specifics here, but some tournament directors will specify that they only want 3 pitches between innings. Or, if the team has taken too long (don't miss the 1 minute part of the rule cited above) I will cut pitches.

I was going to say the same thing ... I've worked a couple of tournaments where the TD would specify 3-warm up pitches. I don't like it because here is where that bites you in the arse: you just threw out the whole rule, including the "1 minute" portion. Now the teams take their time and mosey out because you said they get three.

I prefer TD's who say "enforce the 60 seconds and let's keep moving."

That said, I will actually side with @MoJo and say there are just some umps that are stuck in their own world. I would just caution to find out is it the ump that made that up or the TD.

One of the last games I ever played I was ejected from ... for throwing down to second base between innings. The ump said at the beginning of the game that he didn't want to be there because the Bulls were on TV that night. He told us we didn't need any warm up pitches. I took three and threw down.

 

[canyonjoe]

I like the thought process from the OP. I would say you are better to say nothing unless you really know the teams and coaches. We did once have an ump when we asked where a pitch missed (it was on the corner at the knees so we just wanted to know). He said "To be honest I might have missed it". I appreciated that, but I could see some coaches then asking him to change it. I think the best response it to say "I think it was xxxx" if you think you missed it. If you are sure you didn't answer with "It was XXX". There are so many pitches that you will miss some.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Varsity game tonight ... partner has a steal at second with an errant throw well ahead of the runner, but the fielder has to wildly swing for a tag. Partner calls the runner safe. From my view back at home plate, looking through the pitcher and the play, it looked like daylight (no tag) all the way.

Coach comes out very politely and asks me, "Can we get help on that? From here it looked like she did get her on the hand." I told him quite honestly, "You can go talk to him if you'd like. I can understand how it may have looked different to you since you are at an angle, but I'll tell you I am straight on and all the way back here. It looked like a missed tag to me, so I don't have anything that can help him."

I don't usually give away what I have, but in this situation it felt right to acknowledge the coach was going about it the right way, but a tag on a steal at second usually isn't a good play to ask for help on. Sure, it is possible the BU gets blocked out by the other middle infielder running across and I might have something, but that didn't happen here.

Props to the coach for being cool and polite, even though he didn't like the outcome. I don't get to say that enough!

 

[MoJo]

Varsity game tonight ... partner has a steal at second with an errant throw well ahead of the runner, but the fielder has to wildly swing for a tag. Partner calls the runner safe. From my view back at home plate, looking through the pitcher and the play, it looked like daylight (no tag) all the way.

Coach comes out very politely and asks me, "Can we get help on that? From here it looked like she did get her on the hand." I told him quite honestly, "You can go talk to him if you'd like. I can understand how it may have looked different to you since you are at an angle, but I'll tell you I am straight on and all the way back here. It looked like a missed tag to me, so I don't have anything that can help him."

I don't usually give away what I have, but in this situation it felt right to acknowledge the coach was going about it the right way, but a tag on a steal at second usually isn't a good play to ask for help on. Sure, it is possible the BU gets blocked out by the other middle infielder running across and I might have something, but that didn't happen here.

Props to the coach for being cool and polite, even though he didn't like the outcome. I don't get to say that enough!

Good job to both. Doesn't happen enough for sure.

 

[Gtrips07]

Sorry for the split-ups...not used to how the forums work. So I just made my responses in "Bold."

How well has that worked for you, reversing a call or telling everyone you blew it?

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[KenBlackfish]

How well has that worked for you, reversing a call or telling everyone you blew it?

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I have been there and done that. It worked out for me just fine. I'm 5 and 15 years and 20 removed from that part of the game. I have come to the conclusion, coaches, and parents have lost their minds at younger ages. 8u, 10u, 12u, rec, 10u club, 12u club 14u club in pretty much all youth sports. But keep on trucking. I'm glad I am pretty much done having to see as a coach, and as a parent. But hey...keep on trucking. This entire website shows a perfect example of what has gone wrong with youth sports. Have a great one. This will be my last ever post here. There are a lot of crazy people here. hahhaha

 

[The Man In Blue]

I have spoken. This is the way.

/ thread ?

 

[Agcy]

I have spoken. This is the way.

/ thread ?

So it be written. So it be done.

 

[marriard]

Just went through a local scenario where we had to deal with a situation with a local umpire that did something unacceptable.
He has been a known issue, and no one wants to assign him, but there is NO ONE ELSE. He was being assigned to games where he could do the least harm (i.e, low-level high school games where the score was going to be 30-5 with zero hits from either team) and he still managed to mess it up. So he is gone... but that also means at least 3 games this week just wont get played. There isn't some pool of local umps waiting to be assigned.

We had dinner after to discuss numbers (again); and at one point we decided to go through our membership lists from the past 10 years. Apart from age & physically unable to continue retirements, plus those no longer in the area and some other reasons there were 43 umpires who had just out right quit because they didn't want to deal with it anymore. In that group were at least 25 good umpires who have just been chased from doing it by coaches, parents and others.

So you can go on and on about needing umpires to be 'held accountable'. which we would love to do more than we do to be quite frank... but that means coaches and parents need to be held accountable as well to help us keep the ones we have and develop the ones that are new and there is nothing more than cheap talk when it comes to that.