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Originally posted by BayouUmp
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Also, I can see you are similarly afflicted with coach phobia. Oh - sorry - RAT phobia. I didn't mean to use some foreign and unfamiliar lexicon.
Umpires who, at length, bash coaches speak volumes. It's like the unpopular kid at school who thinks everybody is a jerk because everybody hates him, never once considering that it might be HIM.
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I don't believe I stated that all coaches are Rats, nor do I bash coaches. Your response leads me to believe you took my post as an attack on you, therefore indicating what category you feel you belong. I don't know if youre a Rat...I don't care.
The only phobia apparent here is yours of umpires that dont share your opinion. Youve stated your case, some agree, others dont. Thats life
.everyone on the playground isnt going to like you.
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Then I apologize. I just noticed the liberal use of the word "Rat" in your post.
But, you're right. There really are rat-like coaches just like there are completely incompetent umpires. Neither has a corner on the market.
I've been coaching and umpiring too long for the term to phase me. The only people that have ever referred to me as a "rat" are the internet umpires. I get along with my players ... their parents ... and work harder at keeping peace in our games than 99% of the coaches out there. So I'm pretty much immune to it. I just find it fascinating how many umpires are spring-loaded to think the absolute WORSE of coaches knowing nothing more than that they
are coaches.
I'm not afraid of the possibility that you don't share my opinion that the video of the pickoff play is not a balk. That's why I made the video available. I suspected that there would be some who would LOOK for a balk in what is basically a very common maneuver - although initiated from the windup position. Had the pitcher been in the set position and performed the
identical maneuver, it probably wouldn't even have occurred to you to call a balk.
It's interesting how umpires put a much more strict criteria on the pitcher simply because he initiated the move from the windup position - as if there is some kind of higher burden the pitcher must meet.
If a pitcher simply steps (in the direction of the base), in one continuous motion - no balk.
David Emerling
Memphis, TN