Admitting a Mistake

[PeteBooth]

Ok we have talked about Changing calls Every Which Way but loose . I would like to approach using a different viewpoint.

We are the BU and it's our call. The call also DOES NOT meet the criteria of Papa C's FAB 5 on when we can change so we now have to eat it .

What do we do now? How much wrath should we endure?

I do not know about you but IMO, it would be nice to just admit to a coach that we made a mistake and simply move on.
Presently, we have to employ all those tactics which Dodge a Bullet and then hear the sarcasm which accompanies most blown calls.

A pitcher can give up a gopher ball, a player commit an error, a coach fail to make a pitching change. In other words, coaches and players can make mistakes but if Blue makes one it's That Bum just cost me the game.

A player can redeem himself by getting a clutch hit or making a spectacular play, but Blue can get the next 1000 calls Right On but the one he blew will be remembered.

I know it's the nature of the beast, but it shouldn't be. When a coach comes out, we should be able to say "Sorry Skip I made a mistake and move on". Even with all the training most of us receive, we will inevitably make a mistake, especially in a 2 man system. It's not intentional but it does happen.

Also, Timing is Everything. Most of us want to advance and when we do get our Shot wouldn't you know it, we blow one with the Whole world watching, and all we can do is hope we get another chance.

In all walks of life it seems as though people can say they are sorry and be forgiven except the Official. For some strange reason an Official cannot say I'm sorry and all is forgiven. It's one of those ironies of life. We forgive athletes numerous times when they "Fall off the Wagon" but God Forbid if an official blows one.

If we can go down memory lane for a minute. Remember the KC Royals / St. Louis Cards World Series - Game 6 (if memory serves). Don DenKinger (U1) blew a call at first. KC went on to win the game and the series and all that was talked about was this blown call at first. In fact it is still talked about today.

What isn't talked about is Jack Clark's misplay of a routine pop up which continued the inning. Hey as I said I know it's the nature of the beast, but it really is unfair.


I'm sure there are a few coaches out there in which you can say hey Skip I blew it but not many. In summary, what are you thoughts and what techniques do you use when you blow a call.

Pete Booth

[GarthB]

If I made the call, Pete, it was with the information available at the time and hopefully good timing. If the call was wrong, I still wouldn't have proof of that. That would be the opinion of people who saw something other than what I saw, a different angle perhaps.

I have to call on what I see, not on what the first base coach saw. I can live with that. So it isn't hard for me to defend my call.

"Skip this is what I saw......"

Well that isn't what I saw.

"Skip, the difference between what you saw and what I saw is that I'm wearing the blue shirt. What I saw stands, now were gonna play ball."

Then I walk to my position. If he is stupid or tired of watching the game, he may follow me. His choice at that point. If he does, I'll honor his request and send him to his car.

I don't make calls that I believe to be wrong. Sure I make mistakes, but I believed I was right or I wouldn't have made the call. I am not going to cut any coach extra slack just because he thinks I'm wrong. When doesn't he? Where would it stop?

GB

[Warren Willson]

Originally posted by PeteBooth
We are the BU and it's our call. The call also DOES NOT meet the criteria of Papa C's FAB 5 on when we can change so we now have to eat it .

What do we do now? How much wrath should we endure?

I do not know about you but IMO, it would be nice to just admit to a coach that we made a mistake and simply move on.
Presently, we have to employ all those tactics which Dodge a Bullet and then hear the sarcasm which accompanies most blown calls.

Pete, whoever said you couldn't admit your mistakes? In another thread on this issue, I think the original thread, I posted a course of action that Moose SHOULD have taken, if he didn't want to flat out admit that he'd made a mistake but wanted instead to give the coach a clue that he knows he probably did. It included the way to handle the conversation with the coach, and went something like this:

Coach: "What did you see, Blue?"

Ump: "Skip, I saw an OUT. What did you see?"

Coach: "I saw ...blah, blah, blah ..."

Ump: "Well, Skip, if I had seen it your way I might have called it differently. The OUT stands. If you think I kicked the call I can't change it and I can't make it up. I'll try harder next time. Let's play ball."

Now, that is a way to AVOID actually admitting the mistake directly, but still telling the coach that you might have made a mistake. There is a way you can do it much more directly, and still avoid any protest. It goes something like this:

Coach: "What did you see, Blue?"

Ump: "Skip, I thought I saw an OUT and that's what I called. I'm sorry - I've just flat out kicked that call, but I can't change it and I can't make it up. I'll bear down hard in an effort to get those right in future. Let's play ball."

Coach: "???????...er, well see that you do, ok?"

You have support in OBR 9.02(a) that says you simply cannot change a judgement decision LEGALLY, once it's made. If you get one wrong you can admit that with no fear of a protest because judgement decisions aren't protestable. As long as you aren't doing so regularly, coaches will accept that you are human and can kick the occasional call. They won't be HAPPY about a kicked call going against them, but there's nothing we can do about that, and they WILL respect you for being prepared to admit your mistake, apologise for it and get on with the job vowing to do better next time.

The important thing to note about the above dialogue admitting your error is that it gives the coach no ammunition to protest a rule misapplication. You have NOT said you saw 'A' and still ruled 'B', contrary to a rule. You HAVE said that you got it wrong, but that's not sufficient cause for protesting a rule misapplication. The coach would have to establish that you KNEW that the conditions for ruling 'B' existed. Even Moose didn't KNOW that for sure, until he asked his partner.

What about umpire dignity? Well, admitting the occasional mistake to ONE COACH is more likely to enhance your dignity than destroy it. What kills umpire credibility is not only being wrong, but being bluffed into getting help when you shouldn't and then being forced to admit that error to the WHOLE ASSEMBLY by changing your call! There is a HUGE difference, in terms of your continuing credibility on judgement calls, between a quiet private admission and an open public humiliation.

Cheers,

[Edited by Warren Willson on Feb 27th, 2001 at 01:14 AM]