Umpires Receiving Alot Of Attention

[I Love HS Football]

Just this past week, there were some write-ups in the Tennessean, (didn't get a chance to read the entire thing), and nearly two weeks ago there was more articles. What does everyone think about the write-ups? What are they trying to get accross to the readers? I don't know about this past week's articles, but the articles two weeks ago were stating that umpires are hardly ever appreciated.

[muffin]

With some of the calls being made in M.L.B. lately I can see them not being appreciated,they are terrible.

[I Love HS Football]

With some of the calls being made in M.L.B. lately I can see them not being appreciated,they are terrible.

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Well, the "One Liner!" Should have known you would find your way to this board and write a one line reply. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, I guess you do have yours.

[muffin]

You wanted everyones thoughts,I gave you mine like it or not,nobody made you read it so skip on by and ask another question.

[ksgovols]

I do some umpiring and also spend time in the stands watching games and how fans react and treat umpires. I'm amazed at how little alot of fans know about the game when they have a kid playing high school baseball. You know they've spent at least 6 or 7 years watching youth league games. Some things should soak in just from osmosis. Here's a couple of examples:

 

1. Kid gets hit in the hand while taking a pitch. "Hey Blue! Hands are part of the bat!"~ No, hands are part of your arms. Never saw hands attached to a bat at the sporting goods store.

 

2. Close play at first. "Hey Blue! Tie goes to the runner!"~ Really? That wasn't a tie, the throw got him by 3/1000's of a second.

 

3. Runner on first, nobody out. Hot shot to first baseman who steps on first and fires to second where the shortstop catches the ball on the bag as the runner slides in without getting tagged. "Hey Blue! What's the call?"~ I don't know, ummmm......Safe?

 

For the most part all referees and umpires are under appreciated and there's not a long line of folks willing to get in there and do the same job. I think every 'expert' in the stands should call a game or two and check their perspective afterwards. I can hook you up muffin...........

Edited July 7, 2005 by ksgovols

[muffin]

I do some umpiring and also spend time in the stands watching games and how fans react and treat umpires.  I'm amazed at how little alot of fans know about the game when they have a kid playing high school baseball.  You know they've spent at least 6 or 7 years watching youth league games.  Some things should soak in just from osmosis.  Here's a couple of examples:

 

1.  Kid gets hit in the hand while taking a pitch.  "Hey Blue!  Hands are part of the bat!"~ No, hands are part of your arms.  Never saw hands attached to a bat at the sporting goods store.

 

2.  Close play at first.  "Hey Blue!  Tie goes to the runner!"~ Really?  That wasn't a tie, the throw got him by 3/1000's of a second.

 

3.  Runner on first, nobody out.  Hot shot to first baseman who steps on first and fires to second where the shortstop catches the ball on the bag as the runner slides in without getting tagged.  "Hey Blue!  What's the call?"~ I don't know, ummmm......Safe? 

 

For the most part all referees and umpires are under appreciated and there's not a long line of folks willing to get in there and do the same job.  I think every 'expert' in the stands should call a game or two and check their perspective afterwards.  I can hook you up muffin...........

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Do not need hookin up,have umpired several different type of games,probalby 200 plus t-ball games,a couple hundred little league games,babe ruth,mens softball,but you want to take on a challenge try womens softball,slow pitch,that is the most difficult game to call there is,if you do not think so ,give it a try.

[ksgovols]

Do not need hookin up,have umpired several different type of games,probalby 200 plus t-ball games,a couple hundred little league games,babe ruth,mens softball,but you want to take on a challenge try womens softball,slow pitch,that is the most difficult game to call there is,if you do not think so ,give it a try.

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Been there, done that. 4 of my 7 state tournaments have been fast pitch softball from 12 year olds to 18's..........

[I Love HS Football]

Do not need hookin up,have umpired several different type of games,probalby 200 plus t-ball games,a couple hundred little league games,babe ruth,mens softball,but you want to take on a challenge try womens softball,slow pitch,that is the most difficult game to call there is,if you do not think so ,give it a try.

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Uh Oh, we have a t-ball umpire criticizing the mlb umpires. That is too funny! Oh yeah, I bet that slowpitch women's softball is pretty rough! lol What association are you with? I mean you must be in an umpire's association if you are calling sanctioned little league and babe ruth games?

[muffin]

Uh Oh, we have a t-ball umpire criticizing the mlb umpires.  That is too funny!  Oh yeah, I bet that slowpitch women's softball is pretty rough! lol  What association are you with?  I mean you must be in an umpire's association if you are calling sanctioned little league and babe ruth games?

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Like I said blowbag,skip my posts and move on,or you might want to start a rumor like you did a few months ago that you had to take backwater on,when the young lady called you on it.

[I Love HS Football]

Like I said blowbag,skip my posts and move on,or you might want to start a rumor like you did a few months ago that you had to take backwater on,when the young lady called you on it.

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No, I don't really feel like moving on right now. So what association are you with? Where is it that you umpired a couple hundred little league and babe ruth games?

[LCborn]

Hey, I know it's tough to umpire. When my kids were kids...seems like years ago...they played in a Little League in which the coaches for the 5-6-year-old and 7-8-year old leagues were required to umpire on the nights their teams played. You coach the first game, you umpire the second game, and so forth.

 

I have two strong memories from that. First was the time I was behind the plate and some kid's grandfather started ragging me because I called foul ball...the third baseman fielded the ball in foul territory, but grandpappy thought that because the third baseman's feet were in fair territory, the ball was therefore fair. His goof, and I told him so. The second was when I was in the infield and a baserunner completely missed second--turned left about 3 feet too early--and the shortstop went to second and second went to first. I called a double play. My bad, missing second should have been an appeal play. The offensive coach correctly chastised me, and after the game I apologized.

 

However...and this is a big however...I wasn't getting paid. I wasn't the only professional on the field, I was just another one of the amateurs. I think that it is fair to hold high school umpires to higher standards. They need to get the rules right, and they need to get the calls right. In any given high school baseball game, only the coaches and the umpires are getting paid to be there. And pretty much only the coaches are subject to getting fired for screwing up.