Umpires 3AAA District Tourney

[jydawg]

Clinton vs. Karns Game

For all that saw it, the bang-bang play @ 1st. was a judgement call. The field umpire called the runner out. The plate umpire reverses the call. My question is why? Was there irrefutable evidence? IMO, no. The ball didn't get dropped. That being said the umpires are human, mistakes can be made. My problem is the actions of the umpires after the play. Both umpires verbally attacked the Clinton dugout. The field umpire dropped the f-bomb. And I'll quote "This wouldn't have happened if you would have voted for 3 f'in umpires" speaking directly with the Head Coach. Now if this had been a coach talking, as soon as that word came out of his mouth he would have been thrown out. No question, do not pass go, go to the house. Eddie Turpin defends his boys to a fault. There are about 3 of them in the whole association that are good. Mr. Umpire you are not as much a part of the game as you think you are. You should be invisible. Make the call to the best of your ability and that is all. Stop trying to influence the game. I'll say it again, stop trying to influence the game. Eddie, sorry but sometimes you're guys are dead wrong. I'm not talking about the call, I'm talking about the way they conduct themselves.

This situation is exactly why things get out of control. The Coalfield incident for example. First of all, the kid was dead wrong. But if the umpire had gotten away from the dugout it wouldn't have happened. Once again an umpire antagonizing an already unstable group of temperamental young men. The players and coaches start in the fall and work til spring just to get their season started. Umpires pass a test and have a meeting and then they are on the field. Players and coaches have a little more invested than the umpires do. Umpires collect their $ and go home and cry and complain how "it's just a game". I agree, it's just a game but if I invested as much time,effort, and energy in checkers as players and coaches do in preparing for a season, I would be a cut throat player to anyone who sat down across from the table to play me at Cracker Barrel. So for the sake of the game stop attacking dugouts, quit trying to influence the outcome of a game, and make the call to the best of your ability. That's all anyone asks.

[HTV]

I'll just say this:

 

That was as poorly an umpired game as I have seen in high school baseball in a long time.  There were missed calls - and several of them that were badly missed - both ways. 

 

The situation could have been handled simply by letting the coach have his rant and then move on, but when the umpire "chased" the Clinton coach back to the dugout and got himself in the middle of the players and coaches in the dugout it could have easily escalated in to a really ugly situation.  That was a huge mistake that an umpire just can't make and he should be held accountable for it, in my opinion.  I hope he isn't picked to work any regon or sub-state games. 

[Hoop23]

Good luck having any Umpire held accountable for anything.

[glock22]

I say, play without them.

[strongx]

I say, play without them.

...and flip a coin on the close calls. Both teams would sometimes be better off than with bad umps. And that is sad.

[glock22]

...and flip a coin on the close calls. Both teams would sometimes be better off than with bad umps. And that is sad.

Nah, let the catchers call balls and strikes and the defensive players call fair/fouls, catch/no catch, safes/outs. That would be a lot better.

[ChattTownHoops]

Play with a Head Coach, one Assistant Coach and zero parents in the stands. That will cut down on 100% of the drama.

[MLREB]

Play with a Head Coach, one Assistant Coach and zero parents in the stands. That will cut down on 100% of the drama.

 

ChattTownHoops wins the thread!

[glock22]

If you have the coaches, let the catchers call the pitches.

[catbyanyothername]

Yep coaches should only call when it's a big pitch

[Solo-mon 2]

Umpires are a part of the game, BUT the best Umps are the ones you hardly know are there.  There are too many Umps that show up to the field with a chip on their shoulder and let that carry over to the game.  From the comment in the original post on this thread, it seems the umps came to the field already upset that there were just 2 umps and not 3.  Umps that chase a coach or player in the dugout or outside are just looking to cause problems and should be reprimanded by their association.  There are some very good umps out there, but ones like these seem to get all the attention and make them look bad.  The good umps don't really want to work with the bad umps either.  They know there is an issue when you have a ump thinks they are the CONTROLLING Factor in the game.  The Umps need to have a grading system where both coaches get to add input after the game.  This grading system should be the determining factor for post season.  It should also be a determining factor on pay scale for a game.  This would make the Umps be accountable for their actions.  Higher grade umps would make more.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[catsbackr]

It seems like I always hear that the best umps are the ones you don't notice.  I don't know. 

 

If there is a BIG call, you are going to notice the ump that makes the call.  Umpires can't be afraid to make the BIG call either.  The call that goes against the home team, a call that the umpire and the fielders only can see, etc.  Umpires can't be afraid to shut down the chirping or whining that comes from coaches or benches, either.  Granted, there are ways to handle each of these situations that achieve the umpires' goal and does not call attention to the umpire.  That is Game Management.  Good umpires have good game management, lesser umpires do not.  That is what separates the good ones from the lesser ones.

 

I wholeheartedly disagree on letting the coaches grade umpires.  You will not get unbiased grades from coaches. 

 

Umpires should be graded, but by officers within their associations.  Problems should be brought out during evaluations, plans for improvement implemented and then re-evaluated later in the season.  2 evaluations per season.

 

Just my thoughts.