- Dec 11, 2010
- 4,728
- 113
Just makes me realize how much the world needs my insightful nuggets lol!
Hey @EdLovrich, don’t coach players. Ever.
If you coach my players, I get to coach you. You won’t like it.
The answer is still no. That goes beyond what an umpire is charged with doing. You seem intent on wanting the catcher to know that she is not "fooling" you with her attempts at framing. Let it go. Not your place.
there is a hole developing in front of the pitcher's plate AND the P's foot looks like it may be coming above the level of the ground, I am not convinced it is illegal, but it is definitely different than it was earlier in the game, in other words, the P is getting close, but I am unsure at this point if it is illegal, just different than it was when the game started. Or, a P is not pausing as long as she was earlier in the game and borderline to not 'simulating taking a sign' It isn't illegal yet, but if it gets any worse it will be called. (EDIT: In either case, it is not the motion she started the game with, but something that has changed during the course of the game, perhaps nerves, perhaps fatigue, perhaps a minor injury, perhaps just a lose of focus, I don't care and am not going to adress any of those things. The delivery is different than it was and if the change continues/worsens it will cross into illegal territory.)
If the catcher questions the calls (not in a disrespectful way), nothing wrong with the umpire responding with "You're pulling balls back into the zone. Those aren't strikes." The umpire should not volunteer that information to help the catcher out.
Until she does something illegal, she's legal, so don't say anything. Once she's illegal, explain the reason for the call.
One reason to not say anything: You're going to get in her head with the warning/help. She's going to be thinking about what you said. Now you're having an outsized effect on the game. Wait until she actually breaks the rule, then address.
Me too. And while we're not talking about pros here, it's a huge deviation from what we see in professional softball/baseball.I just find this whole thread that posits the umpire should have no communication with the players to be baffling.
I think where I stand is that the umpire should never initiate.
If the catcher questions the calls (not in a disrespectful way), nothing wrong with the umpire responding with "You're pulling balls back into the zone. Those aren't strikes." The umpire should not volunteer that information to help the catcher out.
Depends on the coach. I instruct and work with a lot of catchers in my area including those on my team. I would like to think that I would see a problem or issue at the same time and correct it before the HP ump approached me. But I'm not so self-absorbed to believe that I wouldn't miss it and would be appreciative of the imput.If I DO go over to the dugout to talk with the HC, how might THAT conversation end?
This is more along the lines of what I am talking about in the case of the interactions with the C. I don't believe I have ever, out of nowhere, said anything to a C about how she catches the ball during a game unless there has already been (polite) discussion about the location of previous pitches. Is this coaching the player? Am I telling her how to do her job? Should I have this discussion with the HC? If I DO go over to the dugout to talk with the HC, how might THAT conversation end?