Technically true. I never have argued with an umpire and don't plan to start now! Umpires blow a call, make mistakes, have a strike zone I may not agree with, etc, but over the course of my girls' softball days, good and bad calls will even out. I've occasionally asked for a rule clarification (once it was taken as questioning a call until I let her know that I really was just asking the question because I didn't know and she was more than happy to explain it to me after that!)
But I "umpired" a game last night. In-town scrimmage between sister teams. I'm NOT an umpire, but I was the logical person to do this game with two 1st year 12U teams in our organization (neither teams anywhere near a B level status, so not *great* teams.) The game didn't count, it was just a way to knock some rust off before our season starts.
Man that was hard. I didn't have equipment so I called balls and strikes from behind the pitcher. My daughter said my strike zone was pretty good (she pitched the first two innings, 3K, 3BB, 0R, decent outing but we wanted all our pitchers to get work) except for the strike I called on her when she was batting. Reminded her she wants that strike call when she's pitching, which shut her up
Things I know I messed up. Obvious interference call when a runner ran into a SS. Should've called it, but didn't, I was thinking about the other end of the play. that was my fault. I know I missed one strike that I called a ball. Poor girl (4th pitcher on the other team) couldn't find the plate and you sort of get into a zone of calling balls when it's ball after ball.
Maybe messed up the Look Back Rule. Runner on 3rd, batter walks. Coach gives her the signal to continue onto 2nd. She rounds first base, Pitcher has the ball and raises it up, runner stopped and returned to 1B. It was borderline if the pitcher was "making a play" so I wasn't sure if the Look Back Rule should've called the runner out at that point or not. Didn't call her out, maybe a make-up call since this girl was playing SS a few innings earlier when I didn't call the interference!
Also almost took a line drive to the chest. Missed me by inches. Not used to being on the field without a glove!!
Nothing I called would've made a difference in the final of the game, which was a relief!
Umpiring is hard work. Thank you to all that do it for us, we couldn't play without you!
But I "umpired" a game last night. In-town scrimmage between sister teams. I'm NOT an umpire, but I was the logical person to do this game with two 1st year 12U teams in our organization (neither teams anywhere near a B level status, so not *great* teams.) The game didn't count, it was just a way to knock some rust off before our season starts.
Man that was hard. I didn't have equipment so I called balls and strikes from behind the pitcher. My daughter said my strike zone was pretty good (she pitched the first two innings, 3K, 3BB, 0R, decent outing but we wanted all our pitchers to get work) except for the strike I called on her when she was batting. Reminded her she wants that strike call when she's pitching, which shut her up
Things I know I messed up. Obvious interference call when a runner ran into a SS. Should've called it, but didn't, I was thinking about the other end of the play. that was my fault. I know I missed one strike that I called a ball. Poor girl (4th pitcher on the other team) couldn't find the plate and you sort of get into a zone of calling balls when it's ball after ball.
Maybe messed up the Look Back Rule. Runner on 3rd, batter walks. Coach gives her the signal to continue onto 2nd. She rounds first base, Pitcher has the ball and raises it up, runner stopped and returned to 1B. It was borderline if the pitcher was "making a play" so I wasn't sure if the Look Back Rule should've called the runner out at that point or not. Didn't call her out, maybe a make-up call since this girl was playing SS a few innings earlier when I didn't call the interference!
Also almost took a line drive to the chest. Missed me by inches. Not used to being on the field without a glove!!
Nothing I called would've made a difference in the final of the game, which was a relief!
Umpiring is hard work. Thank you to all that do it for us, we couldn't play without you!
