Umps not knowing rules

[CoachJD]

First there is the issue of defining what a successful umpire looks like....

Edited the whole post down. I think I missed that thread, but for me, knowing the rules is #1. Not being a confrontational rear is #2 (because, and this is certainly a flaw of mine, I am much more likely to also be a confrontational rear, but if the umpire is calm and cool, it takes a LOT more for me to lose it).

My favorite umpire in our area/local rec league is a guy who I'm pretty sure blows more bang-bang plays than anybody. Others in the league talk about how terrible he is, but I love him. Because he knows all the rules. He knows our house rules (or, at least, he'll ask to clarify before a game). And if there's ever a rule-related question, he'll talk it out with you. And yep, sometimes he just gets that call at first wrong. Sucks when it happens to your team, but I feel like the game itself is safe in his hands. I'm not gonna go home feeling cheated because the umpire didn't know the rules.

Oh, #3 is "act like you want to be there." I realize this is not even an issue for so many who post here because umps who don't want to be there are likely not umping a lot of big travel tournaments, but #3 goes a long way. If I know you're trying, I'm gonna tolerate a lot before I get upset about something.

 

[Blue69]

This happened to me during a HS game a couple years ago. It completely messed up two different pitchers, and he did such a poor job explaining the issue that I didn't even know what he was saying to tell him that's not a rule.

Same umpire who completely missed a play where the 1B came off the bag for a throw and tagged the runner (she ran through the glove, almost knocked it off the 1B's hand). Ump was in C position, clearly had his view blocked by our 1B (she was a big girl). I calmly went out there, talked to him about what we all clearly saw, and he said he didn't need to get help (I would bet the life of every person I love that the tag was made. Like I said, she went through her arm like a turnstile). Terrible umpire in every respect. I bet he's been doing it for 30 years, too.

An umpire that doesn’t ask for help on a tag play at 1B from the HP Umpire is wrong! Yes it is a judgement call, but in a situation like was described in my organization it is mandatory and just the right thing to do!!!

 

[Fury_Mike]

She starts with the ball behind her back, I presume hands separated. What does she do from there? She needs to bring her hands together. Once they are together (hands may be motionless or moving) the pitch actually begins when she again separates them. Once the hands are separated, she cannot stop again. So, either she is not bringing her hands together, or she is stopping (if her hands were together after she took her place on the pitcher's plate) after she separates them. Whichever of those it is, it is an IP.

EDIT: The umpire, it seems, had the correct ruling, just didn't use rule book language. A pitcher needs to take her position on the plate with her hands separated, take or simulate taking a signal from the catcher, bring her hands together (moving or motionless) then separate her hands to signal the start of her delivery from which point she cannot stop again before delivery of the ball.

That’s different then the old presenting the ball

 

[CoachJ5513]

One of my favorite parts of umpiring are the post game/ post tournament discusions with fellow umpires about all of the "oddly facinating" and "never gonna happen" plays that we saw that evening or weekend.