Question for Umpires - Infield Fly Rule

[Lozza]

You can have a fit all you want. ASA Rule 10 clearly allows umpires to correct calls where the umpires have erroneously put runners in jepoardy.

I'm in Australia so I'm not bound by those rules. I really don't know the exact rule here TBH.

 

[ASAPAump]

Lozza;

You can have a fit all you want. ASA Rule 10 clearly allows umpires to correct calls where the umpires have erroneously put runners in jepoardy. You can argue - I guess - that the ball could not be caught with ordinary effort, but good luck.

I will admit, however, that I have NEVER seen a line drive called an infield fly even though the rule book states that a fair fly ball includes a line drive and a bunt.

Correct on Rule 10.

I hope you've never seen a line drive called an IF, because that's the rule. I hope that you meant to say that an IF situation does NOT include line drives and bunts.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

After all, they are getting paid $25 per game. For that kind of money, why can't these guys be more professional?

You all are getting a bargain. In HS we pay $55 per ump per game. Travel is $35 per ump per game.

 

[SoCalASABlue]

ASAPAump;

Correct - my mistake - this is what happens when you don't proofread ;-)

 

[amanda_cake]

Just to add in about the umps--here they get $40 a game. They are paid to ump three games =$120 for the night. A 10U, 13U, and 16U game for rec. I don't know what the HS umps are paid.

 

[MTR]

Who cares how much an umpire gets paid?

What has that got to do with knowing the rules, mechanics and how to apply either?

 

[sluggers]

Who cares how much an umpire gets paid?

The umpires care how much they get paid. The softball organizations operating on a budget also care.

What has that got to do with knowing the rules, mechanics and how to apply either?

You get what you pay for. When running a large softball organization or a tournament, you've got to have a large pool of available umpires. Many of the people in the pool aren't going to be versed in softball rules. And, for $20 an hour or less, you aren't going to get a lot of self-study.

There are some very good umpires that work hard at being an umpire. The pay is secondary to them. But, there aren't enough of those to go around, and they are usually the first to be taken. These umpires also pick the events they work. So, they are going to be doing the softball games between "A" level teams.

Go to the ball park and watch the parents at a 12U rec game. Listen to the insults. Suzy is doing an impersonation of an open door at SS, the score is 22-18, and some idiot is yelling at the umpire that he is "squeezing" the strike zone. Do you think a good umpire is going to sign up to referee that circus?

 

[Coach Al]

I use to ump for a umpiring association in my area years ago. There is a thin blue line! I was told bt the umpire-in-chief to lie to make the game move along and to avoid protests. That and my arthritis is the reason I am not umpiring for them anymore.

 

[MTR]

You get what you pay for. When running a large softball organization or a tournament, you've got to have a large pool of available umpires. Many of the people in the pool aren't going to be versed in softball rules. And, for $20 an hour or less, you aren't going to get a lot of self-study.

There are some very good umpires that work hard at being an umpire. The pay is secondary to them. But, there aren't enough of those to go around, and they are usually the first to be taken. These umpires also pick the events they work. So, they are going to be doing the softball games between "A" level teams.

Go to the ball park and watch the parents at a 12U rec game. Listen to the insults. Suzy is doing an impersonation of an open door at SS, the score is 22-18, and some idiot is yelling at the umpire that he is "squeezing" the strike zone. Do you think a good umpire is going to sign up to referee that circus?

That just isn't so. Having been an umpire since 1966 in baseball and then softball for the past 22 years from rec ball to world cup, from rookie to state staff, I can tell you that no matter how much you offer, it does not get you better umpires.

Umpires in it for the money, are in it for the money. Paying more gets you nothing, but more poor umpires looking for a bigger payday. These umpires will NOT wear cleaner/more appropriate uniforms; Will NOT attend more clinics; Will NOT be more likely to study and learn the rules better or reach for a higher level.

The better umpires will get the better games/schedules. Have a league/tournament that treats officials like **** or have a history of abuse of any type, and you will not get the good umpires as they will find better assignments. Something as simple as a lack of support in some situations will push umpires away from assignments no matter how much you wave in their face. A good umpire is going to be a good umpire whether getting $12 a game or $100 a game.

Don't misunderstand, better money can help as umpires do have expenses, real jobs and families. I've always been wary of an umpire who states that s/he will not work for less than whatever unless it is a matter of not losing money on the transaction. That doesn't mean you will get better umpires for less money as the better assignments will demand a decent pay rate.

However, the point is that throwing money at umpires guarantees you absolutely nothing. It is very possible to draw the better umpires just be taking care of them while they are there.

 

[hallelujah]

Infield fly can't be applied after the ball is on the ground. It has to be called in the air. I would chuck an aboustle fit if an umpire called it afterwards. Its not my fault if they stuff up.

If they're being paid, I'm assuming they are blues, so don't they have the signal when its on?

I disagree. But then again, I'm not American so maybe the rule or application is taught differently.

There is a signal for when it's on, but you know, you do it at the beginning of the at-bat in a situation, and sometimes that at-bat takes 10 pitches, and once the batter pops it up, you've forgotten that you have to yell something out. If it's on the ground, and you miss the call, for whatever reason, you can still fix it without screwing anything up. It's not like you're reversing a call, you're just applying something a little late.

Have a fit all you want, but umpires shouldn't care, you're really having a fit for no reason. Sometimes you hesitate and it just doesn't come out on time, but you still realize that the infield fly should have been called and there's no reason not to call it as soon as you realize you missed it. Sometimes you call it too quietly and nobody hears, but you can still fix it.

On another note, runners should know the infield fly rule anyway. Basic stuff, I had to memorize it when I was 10 years old, so I would know that I didn't have to run in that situation. Whether the umpire called it at the right time or not was not my concern, I knew that I didn't have to run.