Umpires, yes umpires

[catsbackr]

I think we should just play without umpires and let the catchers call balls and strikes and the defensive players call safes and outs, fair/foul, etc.  What do you think?  Or let a fan on the home side call pitches, safes and outs, etc. when their team is on offense or defense and do the same with the visiting team.  Everyone knows you can call a game better from the stands.

[Hoop23]

Man people start getting testy when we start talking accountability. I think the better Umps would not have a problem at all. It would be the incompetent, under paid, over worked ones that have to leave work early that it would hurt. I know that some people complain even when the Umps are doing a great job so this is a different argument. I'm not talking about mistakes or human error. All I'm talking about is improving, and the first step in improving a process is acknowledging the problem.. If the current defined strike zone is too rigorous for the level of play why not make the plate bigger so everyone knows what's a strike and what is not. I think many Umps do a good job and are hard working professionals. I just think that the total lack of accountability in the areas I'm familiar with is the source of the problem. I've never seen anyone who didn't do a better job no matter what the job was when they were held accountable for their performance.

[catsbackr]

Play without them.

[MLREB]

Man people start getting testy when we start talking accountability. I think the better Umps would not have a problem at all. It would be the incompetent, under paid, over worked ones that have to leave work early that it would hurt. I know that some people complain even when the Umps are doing a great job so this is a different argument. I'm not talking about mistakes or human error. All I'm talking about is improving, and the first step in improving a process is acknowledging the problem.. If the current defined strike zone is too rigorous for the level of play why not make the plate bigger so everyone knows what's a strike and what is not. I think many Umps do a good job and are hard working professionals. I just think that the total lack of accountability in the areas I'm familiar with is the source of the problem. I've never seen anyone who didn't do a better job no matter what the job was when they were held accountable for their performance.

 

 

You are not accurate if you believe there is zero accountability.

[imontheline]

Umpiring  must have improved over last year. There has not been as much umpire bashing this year on Coacht.

 

I know the games I umpired were done so better than last year.

[Hoop23]

 

You are not accurate if you believe there is zero accountability.

 

 

Maybe in some area's. But I'd like to know of some examples of accountability. In my experience even when rules are violated there is no recourse on the part of the coach or team. Whatever the Ump says no matter how obviously wrong (and in violation of rules) his word stands. Most other organizations I have been involved in at least had some protest procedure to handle rule violations. I’m not aware of any with the TSSAA. However, I may be wrong if so please enlighten me.

[IYellAtUmps]

I don't guess anyone heard what happened at the Loser's bracket Championship game for District 3AAA last night. 

[cocheese]

I don't guess anyone heard what happened at the Loser's bracket Championship game for District 3AAA last night. 

 

Judging by the screen name, I don't imagine you're on here to tell us how great the umpires were. Please inform us.

[Gut Bombs]

I don't guess anyone heard what happened at the Loser's bracket Championship game for District 3AAA last night. 

Awesome screen name. That is a classic.

[IYellAtUmps]

Situation:

Home: Karns 3

Visitor: Clinton 3

Bottom 7

Field umpire has already made 2 questionable calls, involving huddles with the home plate umpire, at first.

 

Lead off runner for Karns gets on 1.  2 balls no strikes on the hitter

Pitcher starts delivery and the field umpire throws his hands up, yells "TIME" (yes, he yells time) and sends the runner to 2 after explaining the pitcher balked.  Clinton coach comes out to argue to no avail.  Home plate umpire announces a 3-0 count on the hitter and puts the ball in play.  The batter then bunts out to the pitcher.  Runner on 2B does not advance. 

 

1 out Runner on 2:

Batter hits a ground ball to the right side hole.  1B dives for it and the 2B gets to it and throws to the P covering first on a bang bang play.  Umpire in the field calls the batter out at 1.  Karns coach calls time from the 3 coach box and appeals to the home plate umpire.  Umpires huddle up and overturn the call at 1.  This is the where the Clinton coach comes apart.  After some arguing he's sent back to the dugout and the field umpire walks all the way across the field to the Clinton dugout pointing at what is believed to be a Clinton Asst Coach.  The field umpire wont leave the railing of the Clinton dugout.  The field umpire stays over there in a confrontation with the Clinton bench even after the Clinton Head Coach gets between them.  1-2 mintues pass and play is resumed with no ejections.  

 

Runners on 1 and 3 with 1 out. 

Next karns hitter is intentionally BB'd to load the bases. 

Next Karns hitter draws a  walk to score the game winning run.  Ballgame.

 

Clinton Head Coach follows both umpires off the field "sharing wisdom and experiences". 

[cocheese]

I was expecting something more juicy than that! Other than the field umpire approaching a dugout to confront a coach and/or player, doesn't sound like much trouble. Questionable calls will be blown up more so in an elimination game. Close calls always piss someone off. People gripe about umpires not going to their partner to review a call, but then explode with anger when they do and the call gets overturned. Clinton coach needs some discipline if he followed the umpires off the field, that's not good at all, very poor leadership. Field umpire needs some too for approaching a dugout to confront a coach. What is it with baseball out in the East side of the state? Lots of problems with hot headed coaches, umpires, fans and players. The umpire didn't technically do anything wrong by saying "time" instead of "balk". The ball is dead immediately.

[DiamondDad]

In high school baseball balks are immediately dead. In all other levels balks are live and play continues if the pitcher throws the ball.  So I'm pretty sure the protocol is to call "Time!" declare a balk and then award the bases in high school.  

 

On plays at first,  the plate umpire watches to make sure the fielder has a foot on the bag or if he pulls the foot early.  He also watches for sweep tags on throws up the line.  So it sounds like a basic appeal - I wasn't there though. 

 

This is exactly the problem.  You have a large majority of fans/dads thinking they know protocols and rules more than the guys who get paid to know them, and the worse part is they're not quiet about it. Why's it ok to yell insults at another human? Maybe at the pro level, but high school? 

 

It's pretty simple - this is HS baseball. The games are rarely played to perfection by the players. They're rarely coached to perfection by the coaches. Yet the umpires are expected to call the game to perfection. You can't hold the umpires to a higher standard than you hold the coaches and players and then get upset when they don't live up. 

 

Watching my kid grow up, you could usually tell if the umpire was ready to handle the level of ball they're calling. If they are, and they get in the right position and administer rules correctly, what more can you ask of them?

 

If they were perfect, or close to it, they wouldn't be calling high school baseball in east Tn.