Do you recognize you will sight the rules differently then the other umpires.No, umpires are human and that is the entire reason why they are not perfect.
Because you avoided the trueth in my post.
Do you recognize you will sight the rules differently then the other umpires.No, umpires are human and that is the entire reason why they are not perfect.
This makes my point.This thread makes me nervous.
If we get to the point of having perfect umpires, the masses will focus their wrath on the next likely target - the coaches. We need imperfect umpires to act as that thin(?) blue line b/w us and the bleachers.
To be more specific after re-reading your post it appears you do recognise how and why umpires are inconsistent.Some would say it is about calling the rules as written, others want umpires to exercise judgment and discretion, especially at the younger ages or in rec ball.
Some think exceptional play should be rewarded, such as when a pitcher is hitting her spots consistently and just wants to see 2 inning take 75 minutes and be a walk-fest?
Recently in these forums, some have said umpires think they are mind readers, guessing at what a player is thinking when they throw a ball. But, aren't umpires required to rule on intent?
Umpiring is both a science and an art, the science part is the written rule, the art is the spirit and history of those same rules, why does a rule exist? How and why has it changed over the years? What were the rules committees of the various sanctioning bodies trying to accomplish? The best umpires know the answers to these questions and are able to weave that into each and every decision they make.
Criticizing umpires is part of the game. After all, they are human. They do make mistakes. Criticism is helpful to an umpire, it makes him or her look back over a game and realize where they could have been better. But, how and when do you give that criticism? One thing to remember is this, most umpires have been a player and/or coach in their lifetime. When was the last time you heard an umpire question the decision or performance of a player or a coach during a game, if at all? How many players or coaches or parents have been an umpire? When was the last time you heard a member of any of these groups criticize an umpire?
I would love to hear feelings about what you think makes a 'perfect' umpire. Is it, “Call the rules as written, all the time every time?” Or is it, “ Have a feeling for the game and exercise discretion, we trust you enough to do that?”
Put some thought into it, but remember, you can't have it both ways.
Your an umpire right?I was going to refrain from responding in my own post, but I need to ask: What horrible inconsistencies are you referring to, Bullseye? A few examples would help to understand.
Do you support every call other umpires make in games you watch?
Examples dont matter.Do I support it? As long as the rule was not misapplied, yes. Do I agree with it? Not necessarily, my judgment may have been different than the other umpire's. Different angle, different distance.
It sounds like you are referring to umpires misapplying rules wholesale. I am just wondering if you could give a few examples.