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ozzy6900 · #1 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 24, 2003, 05:43am

Umpires aren't even supposed to talk to the players in this league. Talk to me.

I don't know where your league gets this from but never the less, I say to you, if you have a problem where the pitch was, the last thing you do is shout to your catcher "Where was that pitch?"!

Don't threaten a 13 year old by telling him that if he doesn't answer his coach, his team will suffer the consequences.

I don't threaten the team. At my level, I simply tell the catcher quietly that if he answers the coach's question, the 2nd stringer will take his place. If he wants to tell the coach between innings in the dugout, that's fine.

I am trying to teach him how to pitch, the catcher how to frame, and I should have a right to no if the pitch is if I can't figure it out.

First off, do your teaching at practice, not during a game. If you can't figure out what the umpire is calling, instruct the pitcher to send a few down the chute. That may "reset" the umpire.

Look, I may be back there with a varsity (FED or NCAA) pitcher hurling his best and I'm the one having the bad day. I try to work with the catcher and get him to hold the ball a second or so longer for me so I can get back into the flow. Nothing irks me more than to have the coach start yammering from the dugout about where the pitch is. You are correct, from the dugout you can't see the location of the pitch. Your asking the catcher is not helping at all.

Now at the age level that you are dealing with, you should be thankful that you even have umpires! I don't care what the age of the umpire, he is the umpire! I don't agree with the statement that he made but your questioning the catcher put you all in a bad position.

How far do you think I would have gotten if I would of asked him??

I don't know, but if you ask me that question, I'll suggest that you return to the dugout and run your team. The ball and strike call is the umpire's judgement and is not your concern, just something you have to live with.

By the way, I (as an umpire) don't question you when you screw up, do I?