Terrible Umpires, IMO, need to work the concessions.

[Eric F]

Apparently the umps at our tournament did not go to the same high level umpire school you did. Probably more along the lines of the Stevie Wonder School of Umpiring.

It's a well-known fact that umpires are blind, but hear EVERYTHING!

 

[MT 73]

Apparently the umps at our tournament did not go to the same high level umpire school you did. Probably more along the lines of the Stevie Wonder School of Umpiring.

Unfortunately the training of umpires is pretty much hit or miss and depends upon the league.
Unless you are an adult who really wants to umpire it is not likely that one will invest $300-500 on tuition ( 14 week course) $300 or so for uniforms and another $300-$500 on equipment, not to mention insurance,organizational dues, incidentals and on going mandatory refresher clinics.
Most leagues use volunteers or teenagers who have very little training and are just learning the craft on the job.
Sad to say that baseball gets most of the good umpires while softball comes in second.

 

[Sweet Lou]

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.

On 1 you should ask that he confer with the official scorekeeper to get the correct count.

On 2 indie correctly points out the ball is live and the steal is legal so they got the call correct.

On 3 don't know what to say. He's correct that it is a judgement call that he does not have to ask for help on but it seems pretty obvious he should have asked from your description.

 

[Eric F]

Unfortunately the training of umpires is pretty much hit or miss and depends upon the league.
Unless you are an adult who really wants to umpire it is not likely that one will invest $300-500 on tuition ( 14 week course) $300 or so for uniforms and another $300-$500 on equipment, not to mention insurance,organizational dues, incidentals and on going mandatory refresher clinics.
Most leagues use volunteers or teenagers who have very little training and are just learning the craft on the job.
Sad to say that baseball gets most of the good umpires while softball comes in second.

I suppose this varies somewhat across the country, but the only times we have encountered volunteer umps is when the paid ump has failed to show (last week's MS game, is one), and we had to recruit a parent. The only teen umps I have seen were in 6U and 8U rec ball, under the supervision of the League's UIC.

 

[BretMan]

So help me understand your comment about the pitcher needing to "try harder". What does a pitchers level of effort have to do with the zone you are calling?

This is typical. One umpire says he adjusts his zone to different levels of play and somebody bitches. Then another says he doesn't adjust his zone and somebody bitches.

Maybe someday, when your kids are grown and out of the sport, you might miss it and decide umpiring could be a fun hobby, a way to stay close to the game you love. Let this be the first lesson: No matter what you do, somebody is going to bitch about it!

It doesn't matter if what you're doing is 100% right, supported by the rule book, or accepted practice. Somebody won't like it...usually somebody associated with the team that happens at that moment to be behind in the score. And more often than not whatever they're mad about is completely wrong. The biggest dust ups I've ever had on the field were from coaches, players, or parents who were arguing about a rule they had totally wrong.

Umpiring is one of those jobs where people expect you to be 100% perfect on your first day...and then to improve from there. If this all sounds like your idea of fun, drop me a line. I'll get you signed up!

 

[MT 73]

I suppose this varies somewhat across the country, but the only times we have encountered volunteer umps is when the paid ump has failed to show (last week's MS game, is one), and we had to recruit a parent. The only teen umps I have seen were in 6U and 8U rec ball, under the supervision of the League's UIC.

High School is different.
Public and private schools have their own training process.