umps?

[Guest inappropriate87]

is it just me or are they just horrible this year

[binns37388]

QUOTE(inappropriate87 @ Apr 10 2007 - 10:09 PM) 826434460[/snapback]is it just me or are they just horrible this year

 

I would say it's probably just you.

[putboobieincoach]

QUOTE(inappropriate87 @ Apr 10 2007 - 10:09 PM) 826434460[/snapback]is it just me or are they just horrible this year

 

wow you are never gonna get a call now!!! /laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

[CUBCADET]

QUOTE(binns37388 @ Apr 10 2007 - 10:19 PM) 826434473[/snapback]I would say it's probably just you.

 

BINNS, All the guys I know in the umpire business have but one thing to repond to this comment with....ATTA BOY!!!!!! Please make planty of umpire job applications available at ballparks everywhere so people can get a chance to do this job...Everybody seems to know a lot more than the umps so, that should make the job a piece of cake...After all it takes no skills...I heard that ANYONE can do it, right? If they only knew what it takes...

[catsbackr]

QUOTE(inappropriate87 @ Apr 10 2007 - 09:09 PM) 826434460[/snapback]is it just me or are they just horrible this year

 

I echo binns response.

 

Every year, players, coaches and fans complain about calls their teams are getting or not getting or rulings they get or don't get. That's just baseball.

 

In our association, we meet, starting in January, a minimum of once per week until the season starts to go over rules, situations, etc. Unfortunately, the coaches only meet 1 time at a State required meeting to discuss rules and rule changes.

 

There is another topic on the baseball board regarding an appeal that was started by a coach. The coach does not understand the appeal process and in the situation he describes, the umpires ruled correctly after his team went through unnecessary motions to appeal. The result is that players, fans and coaches are upset with an umpire for CORRECTLY applying a rule.

 

Each and every year, there are fewer and fewer people wanting to umpire. Don't criticize unless you're willing to strap on the gear, make the calls and apply the rules. I can forsee in the not too distant future where there will be only one umpire on the field for games due to the lack of umpires.

[binns37388]

QUOTE(catsbackr @ Apr 11 2007 - 07:51 AM) 826434620[/snapback]I echo binns response.

 

Every year, players, coaches and fans complain about calls their teams are getting or not getting or rulings they get or don't get. That's just baseball.

 

In our association, we meet, starting in January, a minimum of once per week until the season starts to go over rules, situations, etc. Unfortunately, the coaches only meet 1 time at a State required meeting to discuss rules and rule changes.

 

There is another topic on the baseball board regarding an appeal that was started by a coach. The coach does not understand the appeal process and in the situation he describes, the umpires ruled correctly after his team went through unnecessary motions to appeal. The result is that players, fans and coaches are upset with an umpire for CORRECTLY applying a rule.

 

Each and every year, there are fewer and fewer people wanting to umpire. Don't criticize unless you're willing to strap on the gear, make the calls and apply the rules. I can forsee in the not too distant future where there will be only one umpire on the field for games due to the lack of umpires.

 

I agree about the future, using only one umpire for games. I know personally, we have fewer umpires and more teams this season. We are seriously considering using one umpire for middle school games next season.

[Guest inappropriate87]

i know umps make mistakes but it just seems like that are making more and more mistakes. simple mistakes that shouldnt even be a question

[ksgovols]

In general, the lack of TSSAA umpires is due more to the times that the games are played than anything else. I umpire alot of youth league and travel team games because the hours work for me. I've joined an association through TSSAA, but there's not enough games after 5:00 to make it worth my while. Everybody else starts at 6:00 and Daylight Savings Time this year is more conducive to having later start times. That and having the JV play after the varsity are my two biggest complaints about school ball. Baseball coaches with bankers hours and school administrators that have worked 7:30 to 3:00 jobs their entire careers have a hard time grasping the concept of how to make money at the gate and at the concession stand for high school baseball and softball. Basketball and football get it.

 

I will say that I saw an umpire that I always thought called a good game have a clear misinterpretation of the rules on a fair/foul call. Not once but twice he called a ball foul that was clearly in fair territory in the infield but was touched by a player positioned in foul territory. That doesn't make him a 'horrible umpire'. He's a good umpire that made a horrible call. That happens every day. Judgement calls are more acceptable than misinterpreting a rule, but there's not a perfect umpire and they're not out to 'get you' as a team or individual. Umpires want 2 things. Strikes and outs. Each of those things gets an umpire closer to the parking lot and on his way home with his check in hand. When in doubt, call him out. /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

[ksgovols]

QUOTE(inappropriate87 @ Apr 11 2007 - 10:55 AM) 826434775[/snapback]i know umps make mistakes but it just seems like that are making more and more mistakes. simple mistakes that shouldnt even be a question

 

 

Your defense is playing error free ball this season? No mental mistakes on the basepaths, no throwing to the wrong base, missing signs, hanging curve balls or misjudged fly balls?

 

But you want the umpiring to be perfect. Gotcha......

[SuperSport]

I understand umpires make mistakes. It is upsetting when there's a disagreement, but the game will go on, the next play will happen, and I'll get over it. I've umpired Little League and Babe Ruth, no piece of cake by any measure, but I always feared the day I took the bat out of the kids hands, and made the game my decision, and not his.

 

In high school, there are 9 positions, 9 players, and those players, and their talent/effort should be the deciding factor in games. Not the coach or the umpire.

 

I do admire and respect umps for the job they do. Good job Blues!

[catsbackr]

QUOTE(SuperSport @ Apr 11 2007 - 11:30 AM) 826434900[/snapback]I understand umpires make mistakes. It is upsetting when there's a disagreement, but the game will go on, the next play will happen, and I'll get over it. I've umpired Little League and Babe Ruth, no piece of cake by any measure, but I always feared the day I took the bat out of the kids hands, and made the game my decision, and not his.

 

In high school, there are 9 positions, 9 players, and those players, and their talent/effort should be the deciding factor in games. Not the coach or the umpire.

 

I do admire and respect umps for the job they do. Good job Blues!

 

...bottom of the 7th, home team down by 1 run, 2 outs, runner on 3rd, 2 ball 2 strike count, cleanup batter batting...

 

The batter decides in this situation to take strike 3 on the outside corner. The umpire rings him up. Now the home team claims that the umpire took the bat out of the batter's hands, didn't let the kids decide the game. Who threw the pitch? Wasn't it another kid? If the umpire calls it a ball to keep from taking the bat out of the batter's hands, aren't we short changing the kid pitching?

 

You've gotta have stones to umpire.

[ksgovols]

Strike three! Drive home safely.

 

The strike zone is set in the first couple of innings. As long as it's consistent both ways, there should be no complaints. As an umpire you don't want to redefine your strike zone during the course of a game. That confuses the kids batting.

 

My kid plays and I tell him not to let the umpire decide his at bats. In a game last night the guy behind the plate was giving the pitcher about 4-5" outside. After one called strike out there he swung at potential strike three because it was in the same place. He barely caught it and bounced it over the pitchers head for an infield single. The umpire defines the strike zone and the players adjust to it.