[Skahtboi]

Originally posted by walkerbard
Forgive me for sticking my nose into this "discussion"
especially my being a player here in an officials
forum.

No apologies needed JW. You are more than welcome here.

As a player, I NEVER complain about judgment
calls, ONLY rules. I may show some displeasure about
a close call but will never say anything.

Only human!

Umpires don't have the luxury of replay and have to make quick decisions sometimes in the "blink of an eye." Sometimes they're not the right call, but most of the time they are.

Agreed. Everyone of us is trying our damndest to make the "right" call, but sometimes for whatever reason we do blow a call. All we can do is try to call them like we see them.


Every one is human so I don't have a problem with calls.
I DO, however, have a problem with umpires who don't
KNOW the rules.

SO DO I!!!

Our league pays about $40 a game per ump...

That's pretty respectable pay! Is this for slow pitch?

The way I see it is that the ONLY thing we should EXPECT for that $40 is that the ump knows the rules (especially the basic ones.) After that, perhaps that they make an effort to at least be in position to make the right call.

You should get all of this from anyone who ever dons an umpire's uniform, regardless of renumeration!

I just had a case in a game where a player tagged up on a juggled fly ball...ramma, ramma, ramma!

That is a pretty basic, and most rookie umps would have been able to tell you this. I agree with you on this. However, during the game was not the time to bring out the trusty rule book and prove him wrong. If this were on my field, whether I was right or wrong in my interpretation of the play, I would have had no choice but to send you packing. That is making it personal, and in the eyes of many, attempting to show up the umpire. (Of course, I wouldn't have been juvenile enough to challenge you to a bet to begin with.) On the other hand, had this been after the game, I would have not only listened to you, but also looked up any interpretation in the current rule book, and had I been wrong would have gladly admitted my error, and committed that piece of info to memory. Had you approached me like an adult, complete with mutual respect, and I was wrong, I would have done all of the above plus probably offered to buy you a cold adult beverage.

At least the HP ump recognized my 1997 book and thanked me later for pointing it out to him.

Good. Sounds like he is probably out there for all the right reasons. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Scott