Terrible Umpires, IMO, need to work the concessions.

[Sweet Lou]

Had three bad (IMO) calls this weekend that just left a bad taste with me. First , bases loaded and ball hit to my SS, makes the play and as she throws, the runner runs into her arm and leg, causing the ball to go toward the ondeck circle. Nothing called, Ump says incidental contact in his judgement. SMH. Next, line drive down third base hits the runner on third ( she was on the line, but jumps back as ball is coming at her) my third baseman collides into her, no catch and "foul ball". I understand she may (he saw her in foul territory)be on left side of the line, but shouldn't my third baseman be allowed to make the catch? I thought she interfered with the catch, even if she was in foul territory. Last, which was the biggest game changer, tied , with my lead off up. last strike is outside and batter swings, and there is a clear ting ,pop (bat to leather) . ball rolls sideways about 5 ft. batter doesn't run and is thrown out at first. What happen was a catcher interference as the batter hit the glove and ball. so it was either a catcher interference or foul ball. UMP says he didn't see it, ( of course you didnt see it, but you should HEAR it with the rest of us at the ball park) then as i'm walking away he tries to walk and tell me to come back. It was best that I didn't! An Umpire is going to make mistakes, but shouldn't go after a coach after he has walked a way. I don't think for one minute that they care about the outcome of games, but please pay attention. or sell popcorn and tickets!!!

On 1 if the runner was close enough to run into your SS when she was throwing, why didn't your SS tag her and then get the force out at 2B or 1B for the DP? But yes from how you describe sounds like interference.

On 2 sounds like ump rules runner hit with line drive in foul territory dead ball foul. If he thought your 3B had a play on it he might have ruled interference but sounds like a stretch.

On 3 like you said some calls get missed not much you can do about it.

On 4 did you rather loudly ans sarcastically tell him he should have at least heard it?

 

[MT 73]

Why is your strike zone for 18U different than it is for 12U? As I understand it, the rule book defines the strike zone, and is the umpire's duty to do their best to make pitch calls based on the defined zone. It shouldn't matter what age or competency-level the players are.

You are definitely NOT an umpire.
Thank you for proving my point.

 

[Eric F]

You are definitely NOT an umpire.
Thank you for proving my point.

You are correct. I'm not an umpire. I'm a coach and parent who is constantly trying to improve his knowledge of all parts of the game, which is why I asked the question. I have no idea what point I proved, either.

Are you able to offer an explanation why you change the strike zone depending on the situation (age, fan reactions, etc.)?

 

[SBmom8992]

Really now...

Opening up the strike zone leads to tremendous arguments from coaches and the peanut gallery screaming, "How is that a strike!" Or, "Swing baby--Blue is tired and wants to go home!"
When things got really out of hand I would start calling a top level 18U zone in. 12U game.
That would shut them up--except for the groaning.

I didn't say he wasn't calling the river I said he wasn't calling the corner. If you're changing your called strike zone based on the "peanut gallery" I would question your integrity.

 

[NCASAUmp]

You are definitely NOT an umpire.
Thank you for proving my point.

I am an umpire. My strike zone does not change based on the age group. If a league tells me to open it up, fine, I will.

I've been officiating youth sports for a long time, and I've found that kids rise to the level of expectations. If the pitch isn't there, I won't call it. That child may struggle that game, but she'll try harder next time.

 

[MT 73]

You are correct. I'm not an umpire. I'm a coach and parent who is constantly trying to improve his knowledge of all parts of the game, which is why I asked the question. I have no idea what point I proved, either.

Are you able to offer an explanation why you change the strike zone depending on the situation (age, fan reactions, etc.)?

Strike zones depend upon the skill level of the players and is designed to get batters to swing at hitable
pitches.
(Any coach who argues a called pitch is shut down very quickly with a warning before things get out of hand while everyone else is ignored)
I have done 10U tournaments where the talent level was phenomenal and I was able to call a text book strike zone.
Many things can influence my call-- how the pitch is received, batter jumping out of the box, etc. but this only applies at the higher levels.
Believe me, calling these types of games are an umpire's dream because we can actually do our job properly.
Conversely I have done B level Varsity games where the "pitcher" could not hit the plate with her fork.
Trust me--umpires like to call strikes because it makes the game go faster and a lot more interesting.
At the lower levels I was taught to open up the corners a lot more--one ball on the inside and a ball and a half on the outside.
And maybe a tad more outside for a kid who is really struggling.
I also allow lower pitches to be called strikes as well as some higher pitches that slightly loop in.
The idea, again, is to get the kids swinging to avoid a walk a thong and to avoid killing a
kid's arm/concentration by squeezing him/her.
And at a very low level I sometimes go, "Nose to toes and New York to California" although that is, thankfully, rare.
I have found that most coaches at the lower/novice levels appreciate a big strike zone as long as it goes both ways.

 

[MT 73]

I am an umpire. My strike zone does not change based on the age group. If a league tells me to open it up, fine, I will.

I've been officiating youth sports for a long time, and I've found that kids rise to the level of expectations. If the pitch isn't there, I won't call it. That child may struggle that game, but she'll try harder next time.

I have been trained by top level umpire organizations which have included college and pro ball clinicians and they disagree with you.
If you want to call the same zone for a travel 18U team and an 8U recreational pitcher then more power to you.

 

[CoachJD]

Why is your strike zone for 18U different than it is for 12U? As I understand it, the rule book defines the strike zone, and is the umpire's duty to do their best to make pitch calls based on the defined zone. It shouldn't matter what age or competency-level the players are.

I get what you're saying, but I have to say I'm thankful that the umpires for some of our high school games have expanded their zones.

We've had games where we've drawn 21, 19, 20, and 16 walks. And they all would've been much worse if not for expanded zones. We have 124 walks in 316 plate appearances through 11 games. And our girls understand that some of those strikes aren't really strikes, but they're being called for the sake of everybody's sanity.

Usually the expansion is with high, hittable strikes. Sometimes I've seen pitches called that were so far outside that they were unhittable. I'm not a huge fan of that because it takes away an at bat from a kid (One poor girl on our team is a bench player who doesn't bat much, and she's been the victim of this a couple times). But even then, I'm certainly not going to argue.

Edit: I should add that it's unfathomable that some of these schools can't find a girl who can at the very least lob the ball over the plate. Our first junior high game was tonight, and our pitcher who has been pitching for about two weeks (long story, but it's a new team and the coach was late getting it together, so they just started practicing a couple weeks ago) was throwing strikes. She wasn't throwing hard. No IR mechanics or anything. But she got enough balls over the plate that the game wasn't boring.

 

[riseball]

I am an umpire. My strike zone does not change based on the age group. If a league tells me to open it up, fine, I will.

I've been officiating youth sports for a long time, and I've found that kids rise to the level of expectations. If the pitch isn't there, I won't call it. That child may struggle that game, but she'll try harder next time.

So a pitchers ability is largely determined by her level of effort, not her athletic abilities. In order to be successful all she must do is try harder. Is that what you are going with?

 

[doublesteal]

We had good umpires on Saturday to the point a few parents even made the comments some of the better umpiring we have seen. Guess on Sunday was our payback. I don't blame them for our loss we let the other team capitalize on too many mistakes but I did have a quite a few oh its going to be one of those games moments.

Second batter of the game runner on 1st base, runner steals the first pitch and is out, next pitch is a ball. Umpire says 1-0 count I pause and say wait whats the count? Since it should be 1-1 he repeats 1-0 I said but there were 2 pitches thrown he goes no just that one, I said the pitch on the steal and he responds oh time confers with the other umpire comes back and goes nope 1-0 count, There was a pitch thrown but I don't remember what the pitch was so I can't award it. Well at least he was honest.

Next inning runner on 2nd base, foul tip for strike 3 my catcher keeps it in glove. Batter stands there and says I tipped the ball, Umpire immediately says yes but catcher caught it cleanly, is out in the mean time the runner from 2nd steals 3rd. My catcher knowing it was a foul tip doesn't throw. Next batter comes up and I say blue she's gotta go back to 2nd it was foul tip. He responds no she stole 3rd. I argue that even he said it was a foul tip and he confers for a little bit with the umpire and comes back and says no she can steal on that.

Last play that really got me 2 outs runners on 1st and 2nd our 3rd baseman fields the ball bobbles it a second than steps on 3rd. Our girls start to leave the field the umpire says that's only 2 outs she was safe no tag, my 3rd baseman looks at him and says its a force. He looks around the bases sees it a force and goes oh, um she's still safe. I ask for help he walks up and goes what do you want to appeal, I said can we ask for help on that play at 3rd, his response that's my opinion you can't appeal my opinion.