Umpire pet peeves?

[Lickety Split]

I'm not a coach, just a parent. I'm talking about coaches calling excessive time outs to kill momentum and stall the game. I hate it. It's annoying and I think it's rather pitiful. And I don't care if you believe me or not, though I can't imagine why I'd fake an opinion.

Okay, what you said is not an opinion, it's what you believe in and literally how you would run a team, if you coached. That's easier said than done. Now that I know you a very little bit, let me say what I said differently.

Things and how you process thoughts come differently inside the fence, and most decisions are reactive, sometimes without much time to consider options. It's either yes or no, steal or don't steal, tag or don't tag, bunt or don't bunt, etc.

I feel, if you were a coach and you were put in the situation I described you would reconsider "what you would do". That's all. If it meant winning your first tournament, I feel if the rules could help you in those final two minutes, you would reconsider.

 

[CoogansBluff]

There are subtle ways to either slow the game down when ahead or speed it up when you are behind. IMO, there is a bright line between using the clock to your advantage and using "bush league" tactics like having the outfield tie their shoe laces, fake injuries, changing catchers during an inning, etc.

What's the purpose of being subtle?

So that opposing coaches and fans won't get so upset? If it's part of the game, why be subtle?

 

[Rocketech1]

What's the purpose of being subtle?

So that opposing coaches and fans won't get so upset? If it's part of the game, why be subtle?

So the few crazy fans and coaches don't get all bent out of shape over a little clock management and ruin the game by complaining incessantly and making excuses why their team lost I have seen that scenario many times...

 

[grcsftbll]

Okay, what you said is not an opinion, it's what you believe in and literally how you would run a team, if you coached. That's easier said than done. Now that I know you a very little bit, let me say what I said differently.

Things and how you process thoughts come differently inside the fence, and most decisions are reactive, sometimes without much time to consider options. It's either yes or no, steal or don't steal, tag or don't tag, bunt or don't bunt, etc.

I feel, if you were a coach and you were put in the situation I described you would reconsider "what you would do". That's all. If it meant winning your first tournament, I feel if the rules could help you in those final two minutes, you would reconsider.

I can concede that point. I have never coached and I'm sure I never will, so I can't truly know what that kind of pressure is like.

 

[Lickety Split]

I can concede that point. I have never coached and I'm sure I never will, so I can't truly know what that kind of pressure is like.

You should try it, even if your just assisting or helping with the book. Trust me, it's a lot of fun.

 

[Eric F]

I can concede that point. I have never coached and I'm sure I never will, so I can't truly know what that kind of pressure is like.

Although Lickety's responses were rather blunt, he's right.

In a tournament situation with timed games, there are occasions when using the clock to either limit an opponents' chances, or improve our own, is simply effective management. If I'm 1 run ahead in an elimination game, and the opponent is due to bat their best hitters in their half of the next inning, I'm sure as hell going to make some sort of effort for that not to happen by dragging a little. Conversely, if I'm down by a run, I'm going to try to get my team another chance to bat by speeding up where I can. It doesn't always work out the way we hope, however. With my DD's team, it's not uncommon that attempts to have a long defensive side of an inning have resulted in 3 quick outs.

 

[grcsftbll]

I'm talking less about using the clock strategically, and more about those coaches who call time repeatedly just to stall, or to kill momentum mid-game. It's annoying.

 

[T.J.]

I'll change courses here a little bit. I'm not an umpire but sitting in the stands it bugs me when the kids take their time going out on defense. It doesn't seem to matter if they are winning or losing or what inning it is....nor do I think they are intentionally stalling...they're just some games where they're just too slow for me. Sometimes...to me...there seems to be too long of a time lapse between last pitch and first pitch of next 1/2 inning. On the flip side...it bugs me when the next batter isn't ready and the whole dugout appears to scrambling to find out who is up and helping that batter get her helmet and bat.....it's a mess...and totally avoidable. Eh....fwiw...thats my $.02

 

[MTR]

The difference is the clock stops in football and BB.

The difference is football and basketball and hockey and lacrosse and field hockey and soccer, etc. are all meant to be played with a clock.

 

[grcsftbll]

I'll change courses here a little bit. I'm not an umpire but sitting in the stands it bugs me when the kids take their time going out on defense. It doesn't seem to matter if they are winning or losing or what inning it is....nor do I think they are intentionally stalling...they're just some games where they're just too slow for me. Sometimes...to me...there seems to be too long of a time lapse between last pitch and first pitch of next 1/2 inning. On the flip side...it bugs me when the next batter isn't ready and the whole dugout appears to scrambling to find out who is up and helping that batter get her helmet and bat.....it's a mess...and totally avoidable. Eh....fwiw...thats my $.02

I was dugout mom on our 8U team, first rec then travel. I'm pretty organized but man, those girls are pure chaos. Every game I'd set up the dugout. All bags hung up, baskets under each bag with their names to dump their stuff into so they always knew where it was. Yet every inning, "I can't find my batting gloves!" "I can't find my face mask!" You've got 3 different girls telling you 3 different stories while you're trying to get another one to get her helmet & gloves on because she's supposed to be on deck. From what I can tell it seems to be better at 10U, or maybe it's that the team we're on now is so much more serious about what they're doing. Or maybe it is just as bad but I'm keeping score instead of in the dugout so I don't notice. I don't think that's it though.