Yes another Ump gripe.... (look away if ya need to)

[BretMan]

"anyone.....anyone"........."Bueller"?

I've never had a TD tell me to not call illegal pitches. I've worked some leagues that ask us to give a warning first before calling them, especially for younger ages.

 

[Easton33]

That is a great question GD. I would like to see a reply to it from these guys that have been told this.

 

[Easton33]

I've never had a TD tell me to not call illegal pitches. I've worked some leagues that ask us to give a warning first before calling them, especially for younger ages.

Nothing wrong with this. I'm ok with a warning from 16u down.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

I've never had a TD tell me to not call illegal pitches. I've worked some leagues that ask us to give a warning first before calling them, especially for younger ages.

Lord knows I'm not trying to pick a fight with you umps, I know it's a rough job out there sometimes. But I'm trying to figure out a missing piece of this puzzle. Also realize that from my parents, we've had 2 previous D1 BB pitchers.......1 current D1 BB pitcher.......1 current D2 BB pitcher.......and my DD pitching in her first college year. So I've been to a few games in my day, and want ALL pitchers on both sides LEGAL. There is no other fair way to play this game.

The difference is I've seen 1000's of IP calls in baseball over the years, even a few on myself. I've seen less than 30 ( a solid guess ) in the 10 years I've been around fastpitch. Want to know how we in baseball improve our pitchers over their careers to throw less and less IP's? It's because of the wonderful help from the authority figures enforcing the rules of the game. The pitchers, and therefor their team, get penalized for ANYTHING outside the rules.

I can't even imagine the chaos we would have if the BB umps had the IP mentality of the FP umps. Can you?

Why do the fans / coaches / parents of young BB pitchers accept the IP call as a building block ( and without rioting ), and an IP called in softball is a "personal attack" where mom / dad / grandpaw / coaches want to hang the blue?

I know for a fact that to become a BB HS ump you have to pass a written test that includes the pitching rules. To become a college BB ump you have to pass a written and practical exam that covers pitching rules. ( league or rec is another story ) I'm assuming fastpitch umps have the same requirements along with knowledge of the pitching rules.

Let's take B class and above fastpitch travel ball. At those levels the pitching SHOULD BE required to be 100% legal by the books. So I still want to know what these TD's are saying to you gentleman to persuade you off the IP's. This is not some isolated event in ________, this goes on in the many states we have played in.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Why all the umpire bashing, you had a bad tournament and want to place blame on someone not part of your team?

Why do you want to categorize me so bad?

Wrong assumption RT - our W/L record was actually very good (won 4 out of 6 and lost one PARTIALLY to an insanely bad call and another to an insanely illegal pitcher). So this is NOT sour grapes RT it is an assessment of a role NOT being played well in the sport.

There are at least 42 outs in a regulation softball game and you want to place the whole outcome of the ball game on one call an umpire made.

So if 1/42 does not mean anything to you let me give you a revolver with 42 chambers and I will put only ONE live round in it. You gonna pull the trigger on yourself? Ya - didn't think so....

Big thank you to the umpires who work my teams games. Without you, my DD could not play this great game. Most of us coaches and parents appreciate your time and commitment to the game.

I love apple pie & puppies too......

 

[ORBlue]

OK...I have been told that the illegal pitch was not to be called during a specific tourney.

The TD had instructed the UIC of those instructions and then the UIC told his umpires what was expected during the games.

When umpires asked if the coaches were aware of this.....UIC stated that the TD informed the coaches during the pretourney coaches meeting prior to the first game.

Then during a game, when I was asked by coaches why we were not calling IP, I shared that we have instructions from the UIC not to call them. When I stated that the TD shared that information at the the coaches meeting.....I often got strange looks from the coaches. Not sure why the coach didn't hear that information. Go figure.

I disliked working tourneys with these type of restrictions. Often they were early in the travel ball season....and sometimes in the 14U and 12U level (I don't do 12U or lower.....)

The real problem develops the next weekend tourney, we are told to enforce the IP.....and then the coaches start saying "Hey, thought you were told not to call IP." Only thing to do is just smile and move on.

 

[ORBlue]

Since I'm already on-line....

Everyone does know that umpires have multiple manuals to work with in addition to the Rule Book?

The Case Book......teaches how to apply a specific rule with example situations

The Umpire Manual.....teaches the techniques how to effectively perform the umpire duties.


There is more than the Rule Book.

Those additional two manuals provide a tremendous amount of information that impacts the overall umpiring of a game as well as how a game is officiated.

 

[Easton33]

Thanks for sharing ORBlue, none of the others would. So more than likely none of the coaches were told. By the time the pretourny meeting has occurred everyone has paid. Kinda late IMO to start changing the rules. Was there a specific reason he did not want IP's called?

 

[ORBlue]

In reality, I think the coaches should be more upset with the TD instead of the umpire crews. The umpires are following the instructions of the "employer" for that weekend. The umpire then decides if they want to work for that specific "employer"....that TD.

Trust me......there are some TDs I will not work in their tourneys.


So, specific reasons for no IP's????
1. The TD doesn't want coaches (and parents) yelling about "letting the girls just play the game"; "The umps are too picky"; "That ump doesn't like me as a coach and is taking it out on the girls"....... should I go on?
2. The TD is tryihg to keep games on schedule.....IP's do take up time in a time limited game.....???????
3. I'm not really sure why........they just do.

Anyway, I prefer to call as I see it....apply the rules as they fit the situation.....and move on.

I have been very lucky to have outstanding training; a member of an outstanding Umpire Association; great clinics; game performannce evaluations from experienced evaluators....all have benefited me as well as the other quality umpires in my area.

This game is so diverse in skill levels.....skills of the players; skills of the coaches; skills of the TD; skills of the umpires...... One should be very selective which tourneys to play in based on the skill level you are looking for.

 

[Easton33]

Yes, the TD should not have the ability to change rule sets. Rules is rules. When it comes to enforcement though, that is completely on the ump. They choose to step on that field and NOT call. Coke would quit making drinks if everyone quit buying or if most everyone quit buying.
If more umps chose not to work for a paticular TD then this behavior would taper off some.

Had a TD try and rip people off with prices, $0.10 water was selling for $3.00 in the middle of summer, high gate fees, full price for 8 year olds and up, games ending at 3:30 pm on Sat and eliminating no one so they could the full gate fees on the next day, and after the first tourny she struggled to fill one. She droppedprices but she did a lot of damage to her park. That what it takes though is people refusing to play at a venue or an individual ump saying they refuse to work there before they start to change.