We had this exact situation this past weekend. Umpire told me that our pitcher was hitting the corners, and he would call them, but the catcher was pulling the ball back over the middle of the plate each time. To his defense, it was a pool game, and that particular catcher does not do the best job of receiving balls and strikes. She was clearly jerking strikes back into the middle of the plate every pitch.
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We had this exact situation this past weekend. Umpire told me that our pitcher was hitting the corners, and he would call them, but the catcher was pulling the ball back over the middle of the plate each time. To his defense, it was a pool game, and that particular catcher does not do the best job of receiving balls and strikes. She was clearly jerking strikes back into the middle of the plate every pitch.
- Jun 22, 2008
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Protest. That isn't judgment, but an admission that he would not call a pitch he decided was a strike simply because the catcher was doing a poor job. Then again, there is always the view that if the catcher thinks she needs to draw the ball back over the plate apparently she didn't think it was a strike, either.
But none of that should make a difference. The umpire stated it was a strike but was refusing to call it. That is just plain wrong.
Good luck with that. The old boy network protects its own. I may return to umpiring after DD's D3 time is done - but it would be tough. I keep seeing the same guys, which have had "feedback" shared with their UICs for years, umpiring championship games in rec, travel, and HS. And most of the college umpiring I've seen this year (at least following DD at her D3) is about the same. Watch D1 umpires on the various networks is just as painful most times.
Obviously lack of new blood is a factor - but institutional integrity in severely lacking too. When umpires start costing teams games because of lack of rules knowledge, a postage stamp strike zone, and outright bias, it's time for the robots to take over.
- Jun 22, 2008
- 3,438
- 48
That was never an issue in my area. For that matter, we had umpires who would leave ASA because they weren't given tournaments they thought due to them simply because they put in years. I don't disagree that this doesn't exist in some areas, but certainly not all. IMO, the only thing an umpire's group has to support them is their integrity.
In Ohio, after the HS game is completed, the coaches are expected to go onto the OHSAA site and rate the umpires. Other approved individuals get to vote for them. A low rating and/or lack of votes can keep them from officiating in the state tournament games. That said, I know many of these umpires since they do a lot of TB ball tournaments and there isn't one I wouldn't feel comfortable with behind the plate.
My point was hearing the same feedback from both sides is more likely to get them to check it out than complaints from random coaches and dads that are largely ignored as sour grapes.
