Umps are human (I guess)

[marriard]

Just finished 'our' last year in HS SB and ready to be a full time Umpire!

Welcome!!!

- Players wiping out the lines in the box - there are a few girls in our conference that run their foot along the line closest to the plate effectively wiping it out. I know that, eventually, the lines disappear, but in the first or second inning, after playing against them a few times over the years, it is obvious they are erasing the line to their benefit

The penalty for intentionally wiping out a line is in the rule book. If you see it, call it. Don't make up a new rule. Call it if you are certain.

- Players standing too close to the plate (after the previous point). I have yet to see any umpire ever call/correct this. It's 6 inches from the edge of the plate to the edge of the chalk. My umpiring shoe is 5" wide. It isn't hard to slide my foot along home to get a good estimate of how far the batter should be. I've seen many girls plant their toes 2-3" from the plate with nary a care from any umpire I've ever watched.

You can see it. Don't slide your foot or draw your own line. You can see it.

If their feet are too close, call time, and have the batter move back. You are not meant to let the play start if the player is not fully in the box. The lines are there whether they are drawn or not. I normally do it quietly and no one but myself, the batter and the catcher probably even knows it happened.

- Hit by pitch in the river. Very few girls play the game this way, but there are a few that stand right next to the plate, park their elbow adjacent to the strike zone and wait for the inside pitch to 'earn' that free pass to first.

Surprisingly don't see this as much as you think. However, this is part of your pre-pitch routine. "Is she crowding? Is her elbow over the plater?" etc, etc. Helps you be prepared for something that is more likely to happen..

- Illegal pitches - the only illegal pitch I have ever personally seen called is 'presenting' the ball. Not leaping, replanting, lane violations, or even taking a signal. I've seen one umpire repeatedly warn the pitcher over several innings to simulate a signal, but would not call it.

Hate everything about illegal pitches. The sanctions don't make it easy for anyone to call it.

- Although most girls in HS understand it well, I've seen a few examples of not calling the look back rule

If you see it, call it. It isn't hard. Be certain. It should be a very rare call. But don't 'gotcha' the call (i.e. the whole she stepped off the base to tie her shoe... "Ahaha!!!! - gotcha"... I saw one A******* call it when a girl lost her balance. That isn't right

- Not willing to ask their partner. IMO, if a coach comes out and asks if an umpire could ask their partner if they saw anything different (unless they do it a lot), there is no reason that the umpire shouldn't oblige. IMO, pure arrogance to not get a second opinion. If nothing else, asking your partner is respectful to the concerns of the coach and gains respect from both sides of that equation.

When done properly, it is not arrogance. How it should work is very well defined - but a lot of umpires are just not well trained (or lack the opportunity to be well trained)

• You CANNOT go on a judgement call that you have everything in front of you. If I have ALL the elements in front of me, and I am in good position, then you have NOTHING to go to your partner for.
• I can only go to my partner for new information;
  • Me being blocked, out of position, pulled foot on a bag, tag timing, if there was a tag (don't call a player out if you did not actually see the tag), and so on. There is a lot of non-judgement situations
  • If I am not sure of the correct application of the rule in the situation.
  • If I want, I can go to my partner without a coach asking. Make your call, call time and go ask your partner for any additional info
  • For a coach, they have to ASK ABOUT AN ELEMENT of the play that I missed because of X or about a correct RULING ON A RULE; I cannot go if they DO NOT ASK ABOUT SOMETHING SPECIFIC and just think I was wrong.
  • You made the call - it is YOUR CALL.

- Influence by fans. The vast majority of fans are cool - only cheering for their team. BUT, a couple teams we faced were very flamboyant with their cheers for and against the calls of the umpire. I've seen umpires start a game cool/calm/collected and by the 3rd or 4th inning their strike zone has changed, their body language isn't good, and their ready to just be done with the game. Even in my short umpiring career, I've learned to ignore the fans and assume they are only cheering for their team.

That comes with experience, training, personal temperament, etc, etc. There is a line out there that will be crossed one day you are umpiring and you will need to handle it. I don't hear 99% of what the crowd says - honestly I don't - I am too busy concentrating on umpiring. But it will happen. And it will shake you.

- Some instances of not knowing the rules (batting out of order and lineup card with the wrong jersey number come to mind).

Again lack of training, experience and also a huge volume of rules out there. Especially across sanctions and across sports. I spend a lot of time between games getting better and learning more. Lots of umpires just go umpire.

HS ball is the epitome for most softball players; umpires that don't take it serious or look at it as 'it's just softball' drive me nuts. It's so much easier being half ignorant of what good umpiring is than understanding good technique/calls and watching it not happen. But, I've learned a lot from being involved in the game; patience for other humans being pretty high on the list

You will find as an umpire, you will hate the umpires who 'make umpires look bad' because they don't put in the effort in some way much, much worse than any coach or parent or supporter.

 

[marriard]

As I thought through this, I would ask the batter to move back and/or redraw a line for them. If they refuse or take longer than 10 seconds after not listening to me, I'd call a strike and start the next pitch.

Do not do this.

This is pure MSU. Do not draw lines. That is NOT the umpires job.

If you are certain and see the infraction, call the rule. Call the penalty.

At college you can have the grounds crew come out and redraw the line. Most other places you are out of luck and just call the game with the lines gone (remember they are still there - drawn or not).

 

[The Man In Blue]

@Agcy I have been trying to break down your entire post ... but I don't think I can reasonably do it without writing a tome and, quite frankly, probably sounding a bit snide at times (don't mean to, but I can be rather blunt). Plus many of my thoughts have already been said, so I will add these thoughts ...

Welcome to the ranks, I will enjoy watching as your thought process on many of those things changes.

 

[Mike Hurd]

Specific examples:
- The runner at first, umpire next to 2nd baseman, short pop fly in front of 2nd base where the 2nd baseman caught it/dropped it just as it hit the ground. From my vantage point, the umpire was looking through the defender to see if she caught it or trapped it. A second opinion would have helped.
- Any time the umpire is not at 1st, it is really hard to see if the 1st basemen pulled her foot. I am not saying that every play should be questioned, but if it is 'close', it doesn't hurt to ask the PU if they have anything to add to the call.

Agreed that not all challenges have to be respected, but if it is close at all, it doesn't hurt to ask your partner if they have anything else to add.

In regards to the first comment. You as the base umpire would not be making this call. That is the PUs call. Thus the coach shouldn't be coming to you as the BU.

 

[Agcy]

In regards to the first comment. You as the base umpire would not be making this call. That is the PUs call. Thus the coach shouldn't be coming to you as the BU.

Fully agree, but I am guessing, based on this crew's handling of the situation, that they are not up to date on proper umpiring responsibilities. Maybe they don't care or just don't know any better, but that kind of mistake just lowers my opinion of their ability and quality of their calls.