WORST THINGS YOU'VE SEEN AN UMPIRE DO

[cowbyfan1]

Originally posted by Tim C
"The worst thing I have seen an umpire do is critize another official in public or in private for that matter. I think that far outways any mistake made on the field, because most of the mistake made on the field where learned from someone else."

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The general errors I see on the field (and also on sites such as this) are not learned behavior.

Most umpire errors come from failing to understand what is happening around them and how it can (does) impact the game.

The ONLY way an umpire can learn is to be criticized. Nothing is worth doing unless it is worth measuring. Evaluation and a critical review are parts of growing, it may not be trendy to disagree with you but I do.

I'll agree that evals should be done so an official, requardless of the sport could have the opportunity to improve. I say opportunity because some think they are already perfect and that they are not getting games they "deserve" due to political reasons, and will disreguard the eval. I personnally welcome being evaled from umpires I have the respect for, and that I know will do things right. I also agree that nothing annoys me more than hearing someone say you did alright and then nothing else. If I am only alright then what do I need to be good. I hear that quite a bit in basketball where I know I am still learning. I think some basketball officials are not at all helpful of newer refs for whatever reason. Baseball and football seems to be totally different in that requard.

[MichaelVA2000]

The worst I have seen was in a HS regional last year. The home team was ranked #1 in the state and the visiting team was ranked in the top 10. The visiting team had runners at 1st and 3rd with one out. I'm at A. The runner from 1st went on a hit and run. The batter swung and missed and his momentum carried him across the plate where he hit the catcher so hard he almost fell. I waited for the interference call, but it never came. The coach came out and discussed the play with my partner, then returned to the dugout. The two runs eventually scored and the visiting team won the game. After the game, my partner explained he did not call interference because "you cannot have interference without a throw".



Having read this play, my question to Blue 37 is: With runners on first and third....why were you in position A?

Michael

[GarthB]

Originally posted by MichaelVA2000
The worst I have seen was in a HS regional last year. The home team was ranked #1 in the state and the visiting team was ranked in the top 10. The visiting team had runners at 1st and 3rd with one out. I'm at A. The runner from 1st went on a hit and run. The batter swung and missed and his momentum carried him across the plate where he hit the catcher so hard he almost fell. I waited for the interference call, but it never came. The coach came out and discussed the play with my partner, then returned to the dugout. The two runs eventually scored and the visiting team won the game. After the game, my partner explained he did not call interference because "you cannot have interference without a throw".



Having read this play, my question to Blue 37 is: With runners on first and third....why were you in position A?

Michael

It was a HS regional game, maybe it was three man mechanics?

[cowbyfan1]

Originally posted by GarthB

It was a HS regional game, maybe it was three man mechanics?

That was my thought. Round here tho we only use 2 until the state final rounds. Regionals and districts we use 2.

[Strike3UROUT]

Worse thing I've ever had a partner do is NOT SHOW UP!!!!!!

Nothing worse than having your partner NOT show up and NOT call the school to let them know.

I've never had it happen in baseball before but it has happened 3 times so far in softball. Since softball has the shorter 60 foot bases and the teams didn't want to go to the hassle of re-scheduling they agreed to play with just one ump.

I made it very clear that I would do it ONLY if I got both checks and ONLY if I didn't hear any crap from either side on close calls.

All 3 times the games went fine (2 were actually 10 run rule blowouts). Actually if you clear the catcher and head toward 1st base you get a heck of a good angle on "bangers" on first. One time I had a good tag and an out on a steal at second but since I had just cleared the plate I ask them to "show me the ball". When the 2nd baseman showed the ball I called the runner out with no arguments.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by Strike3UROUT

Worse thing I've ever had a partner do is NOT SHOW UP!!!!!!

Nothing worse than having your partner NOT show up and NOT call the school to let them know.

I've never had it happen in baseball before but it has happened 3 times so far in softball. Since softball has the shorter 60 foot bases and the teams didn't want to go to the hassle of re-scheduling they agreed to play with just one ump.

I made it very clear that I would do it ONLY if I got both checks and ONLY if I didn't hear any crap from either side on close calls.

All 3 times the games went fine (2 were actually 10 run rule blowouts). Actually if you clear the catcher and head toward 1st base you get a heck of a good angle on "bangers" on first. One time I had a good tag and an out on a steal at second but since I had just cleared the plate I ask them to "show me the ball". When the 2nd baseman showed the ball I called the runner out with no arguments.

I agree, it's bad to just be a no-show... but it's worse to arrive after the halfway point of a game and want the pay anyway... which will be explained below.
Last season, mid-July, I showed up for an American Legion double header- two 7's. About 10 min 'til gametime, still no partner. I call my assignor... no answer. I proceed to the field and talk to both coaches and they agree to use a single umpire and they "will be nice."
In the fifth inning of the SECOND game, my partner arrives and tries to sneek into the A position. I hear the coach at 1B emphatically request time.
My "partner" approaches and says, "sorry, I had the wrong start time."
I assured him that I had things handled and he went to the parking lot. After the game, he asked me if I picked up his check... I just left in amazement!

[OzUmp]

As someone else has stated "this is easy for me." The Gregg fiasco in the 1996 NLCS (Atl v Fla). This was by far the worst example of umpiring I have ever seen. I am sure the Gregg fiasco has been beaten to death on these forums over the years, but it was shocking.

[JRutledge]

And the other umpires got there because they were the most talented around? Yeah right. I guess that is why when they turned in their resignations from the Ritchie Phillips fiasco hit no one was crying when the door hit them in the ***. Eric Gregg was just as bad as the rest of them. That is why most of those guys are gone now and the ones that wanted to play ball stayed. Do not give me that "he was Black" line when one of the white guys gets passed up. The whole system was flawed and that is why it was changed.

Peace

[nickrego]

I once saw an umpire innocently post a genuinely honest question on a discussion forum, and expect a professional, non-biased answer, without a personal attack on their intelligence, ability, or race.

[TriggerMN]

That's easy. I saw Don Denkinger take the World Series away from the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985.

[GarthB]

Originally posted by TriggerMN
That's easy. I saw Don Denkinger take the World Series away from the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985.

Bullsh!t. The Cardinals lost that series on their own. My how myths grow.

First remember Don's blown call was in game 6, not game 7. Then remember it resulted in the lead off batter making it to first. What happened next?

Jack Clark muffed Balboni's foul fly that would have helped the Cardinals get out of the inning unscathed. Let's not forget that catcher Porter mishandled a Todd Worrell pitch that put the winning run into scoring position.

Then game 7? Who are you going to blame that on?

No one call by any umpire including an admitted blown call at first by Denkinger cost the Cardinals that series. Get over it.

[Edited by GarthB on Mar 27th, 2005 at 07:21 PM]

[DG]

Originally posted by Strike3UROUT
Worse thing I've ever had a partner do is NOT SHOW UP!!!!!!

Nothing worse than having your partner NOT show up and NOT call the school to let them know.

I've never had it happen in baseball before but it has happened 3 times so far in softball. Since softball has the shorter 60 foot bases and the teams didn't want to go to the hassle of re-scheduling they agreed to play with just one ump.

I made it very clear that I would do it ONLY if I got both checks and ONLY if I didn't hear any crap from either side on close calls.

All 3 times the games went fine (2 were actually 10 run rule blowouts). Actually if you clear the catcher and head toward 1st base you get a heck of a good angle on "bangers" on first. One time I had a good tag and an out on a steal at second but since I had just cleared the plate I ask them to "show me the ball". When the 2nd baseman showed the ball I called the runner out with no arguments.

About 2 years ago my assigner called around 2:00 to ask me to work a game between 2 private high schools at 4:00. I said ok, arrived at 3:30 and by 3:45 no partner had shown up so I dressed for the plate. I did not even know who my partner was supposed to be. I showed up at pregame, told the coaches I was a late fill in and did not know who my partner was but it appeared he was going to be late. I gave them 3 options, go home, start and possibly end with one ump, or wait till my partner showed up. They opted to start the game. The game lasted 1 hour 20 minutes, 2-1 score, there was only one close call (a banger at 1B) and the home team wrote me a check for 1.5 times the normal game fee. There was no griping from either side except for mild disagreement on the banger. Partner never showed. Best game I had all year.

[Edited by DG on Mar 27th, 2005 at 07:50 PM]

[Strike3UROUT]

Sometimes NO partner is better than a inferior partner!!!!

Wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis but it can work if you make it work.

[Kaliix]

Man, I work without a partner more often than not.

YOU GUYS HAVE IT GOOD!

Originally posted by Strike3UROUT
Sometimes NO partner is better than a inferior partner!!!!

Wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis but it can work if you make it work.

The worst I have see was about 15/18 yrs ago in a 13/14 PONY game. The PU was a self-proclaimed rules expert but was in reality an idiot. Ball was hit to RF deep, the BR comes into second on a stand up double. The ball is relayed into F6 12/15 ft from the bag and way after the BR was there. The PU comes out and calls the runner out for not sliding. A conversation began between the two umps and the PU told the BU if he couldn't handle his calls he should leave. The BU took him up on the offer. This was only one of many bonehead calls I saw this guy make.