What the #$%#$@?? Ump on the fritz!

[Quigs10]

Saw this on a random facebook post today, says it was this weekend I think.



Why in the heck would the ump do this? It must have been his 7th game on a hot and humid day and the ol brain was malfunctioning.

LOL, I like the fans reaction... HEYY...HO...WTH??? Apparently, both coaches complained to the TD and the ump was fired/let go on the spot.

 

[Long Baller]

Maybe he thought the lines were wrong? idk. We've been to many games where the batters' boxes were clearly wrong, and as a slapper dad, I wish the ump would have done that.

Must be some sort of back story behind his action though.

 

[bmakj]

maybe he wanted to have a very wide zone, and did not want to see the lines that would clearly show balls well off the plate were being called strikes (ie wanted a quicker game and to leave early)

 

[radness]

Lines were wrong.
Good Job Blue

 

[Westwind]

The parents are unbelievable.

Good gawd.

 

[radness]

The parents are unbelievable.

Good gawd.

Yes almost worth just listening to the soundtrack!
...almost...

 

[The Man In Blue]

Edit to add: I am not an umpire apologist, nor do I excuse every stupid action I and my fellow umpires do. However ...

It's hard to tell by the angle and with the umpire in front of us ... but if the lines are wrong they need to go (they look too close to the plate, IMO). I'll need to play this later with the audio, but my inclination is shame on the coaches, parents, and especially the TD for reacting in the manner they did. Even if it was something weird, you are going to react like that over that? I see two coaches separately approach the umpire (while trying to start play) and you said the TD "fired" the umpire. Seriously?

I reserve the right to change that judgment when I hear the audio (or if other details arise that we are not aware of).

I will -- and have -- done this. If the ground crew can't get it right, don't bother because you are messing up my game. I have chased ground crews off my field because they couldn't get it right. I'd rather have no lines than wrong lines.

Typically, if this is necessary, I will bring it up at the plate meeting so the coaches are aware. When the first batter comes up I will usually tell her/him: "Did you know that if you erase one of my lines, it's a strike? But I can do it ... and these are wrong."

 

[The Man In Blue]

maybe he wanted to have a very wide zone, and did not want to see the lines that would clearly show balls well off the plate were being called strikes (ie wanted a quicker game and to leave early)

Considering parents and coaches believe 8 inches into the opposite batter's box is a strike when their pitcher pitches ... WITH the lines there ...

 

[radness]

imagine there are batters who use the lines to guide where they stand.

Not the plate.

Blue probly saved batters from getting beaned.

 

[2br02b]

Take a look at the pitching circle and see how off-centre the lines were... Looks like the batters would be looking at the 2nd baseman instead of the pitcher.