Umpire just looking to better myself

[Argus]

Hello everyone.

I'm an umpire in Indiana and just looking to better myself in the game, so if you have any cool situational calls I would love to hear the story. Just be sure to tell me what sanction/leauge of play and age group to help narrow down the possibilities of what the call should be versus what it was called in the game... hopefully I can be of assistance here to better the community that coaches and play the game. I know it helps to know what an umpire looks for when making a call on the play. In the lower levels like 12u and younger groups there are alot of things to learn and hopefully not form any bad habits to become a better player/coach or lord willing, an informed fan of the sport.

 

[marriard]

Hello everyone.

I'm an umpire in Indiana and just looking to better myself in the game, so if you have any cool situational calls I would love to hear the story. Just be sure to tell me what sanction/leauge of play and age group to help narrow down the possibilities of what the call should be versus what it was called in the game... hopefully I can be of assistance here to better the community that coaches and play the game. I know it helps to know what an umpire looks for when making a call on the play. In the lower levels like 12u and younger groups there are alot of things to learn and hopefully not form any bad habits to become a better player/coach or lord willing, an informed fan of the sport.

Hi Argus,

Great to have another umpire here.

The rules section is outstanding here with lots of this sort of questions; and there are several very experienced umpires who chime in all the time to the discussion.

I am a way better umpire from being here in this forum - and huge chunk of credit goes to those who have been willing to share.

 

[Butch18507]

Here's a quick question, 10U USSSA tournament. Player draws a walk and hustles to first, rounds the bag and stops and takes a step to first. Makes a motion to start running to second and pitcher sees her and turns to walk to her and player runs back to first.
Umpire called the runner out, is this correct?

 

[marriard]

Here's a quick question, 10U USSSA tournament. Player draws a walk and hustles to first, rounds the bag and stops and takes a step to first. Makes a motion to start running to second and pitcher sees her and turns to walk to her and player runs back to first.
Umpire called the runner out, is this correct?

Maybe - by description probably not, but my experience is that what someone thinks they saw happen doesn't match up with what actually happened - so without video, it remains a maybe. Best I can do is what LBR is (there are extensive threads on this in the Rules forum)

In general:

• Look Back Rule to be on requires the pitcher to be in the circle and NOT making play on the runner (and if on a hot or walk for the batter-runner to have reached 1B).
  • What constitutes a play on the runner has some clear aspects defined in the rules and case books, but also is a judgment the umpire has to make (which you have to be there to determine).
• Once the LBR is ON, the player can continue the direction they are headed (at any speed they like) with the right to make ONE change of direction (after which they are required to continue (at whatever speed they like) in this new direction). This is the same for any situation (there is no special rule around walk v hit v adter a pitch v a steal... etc)
• If the runner has already stopped and committed to a base and the pitcher is in the circle not making a play - there is a whole set of other things that could happen - but not LBR related.

 

[ang2bmd]

Here's a quick question, 10U USSSA tournament. Player draws a walk and hustles to first, rounds the bag and stops and takes a step to first. Makes a motion to start running to second and pitcher sees her and turns to walk to her and player runs back to first.
Umpire called the runner out, is this correct?

In this order....rounds....stop....takes a step towards first she is now committed to first, makes a motion back towards second...out look back rule applies. Nothing else after applies.

In this order....rounds....stops....takes a step back towards first....she is committed to first....pitcher makes a motion towards her...like a ball fake, stepping towards her...not just looking at her....look back rule is off....makes a move to second play on.

It can be really tricky when its happening in real time if the pitcher makes a "play" on the runner canceling off the look back rule

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Argus]

In this order....rounds....stop....takes a step towards first she is now committed to first, makes a motion back towards second...out look back rule applies. Nothing else after applies.

In this order....rounds....stops....takes a step back towards first....she is committed to first....pitcher makes a motion towards her...like a ball fake, stepping towards her...not just looking at her....look back rule is off....makes a move to second play on.

It can be really tricky when its happening in real time if the pitcher makes a "play" on the runner canceling off the look back rule

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Like marriard said this is one of those that would have to be there to know for sure... but with what you are saying about the pitcher engaged the way you say I would not enforce the look back rule. But I would like to see video of it cuz depending on how the round and stop is a trigger for the look back rule to be in effect.

 

[santafe]

How long have you been an umpire?

 

[Argus]

How long have you been an umpire?

Well I was umpiring as a youth at the age of 13 and did it till I was about 22 and life caused me to take a ~20 year break... I started back because of such a shortage in my area (small remote towns) I have just started the process of getting my ihsaa certs and have been working with the usssa softball rules this year. Needless to say I'm rusty at the first few games but I keep digging in the rules book and run the plays over and over in my head to better myself in making the right call... ball, strike, safe, and out are the easy calls. It's the situation calls that really make an umpire.

 

[santafe]

Well I was umpiring as a youth at the age of 13 and did it till I was about 22 and life caused me to take a ~20 year break... I started back because of such a shortage in my area (small remote towns) I have just started the process of getting my ihsaa certs and have been working with the usssa softball rules this year. Needless to say I'm rusty at the first few games but I keep digging in the rules book and run the plays over and over in my head to better myself in making the right call... ball, strike, safe, and out are the easy calls. It's the situation calls that really make an umpire.

Sounds good. I’ll throw some questions your way. We only have a couple of weeks remaining in our current season, but we come up with one head scratcher question regarding fastpitch rules, weekly. Most of the time, we have a pretty good idea why a call is made once we analyze it, but sometimes there‘s a little bit of uncertainty remaining.

 

[The Man In Blue]

As described in the OP, I am 100% calling that out. @ang2bmd nailed it. The pitcher's reaction after the violation is inconsequential. Many newer umpires will miss this call because they are placing improper weight on the pitcher's reaction. Reaction ... not action.

As @marriard noted though, often the eyewitness account and the actual event can be different so this is, as we say, HTBT ("had to be there" for our cool new members!).