WORST THINGS YOU'VE SEEN AN UMPIRE DO

[mattmets]

Ouch.

[mattmets]

I play HS Varsity baseball and last year we had an umpire who was terrible, just really bad. One day the guy was having an especially bad day behind the plate. We're in the field as the visitors, maybe 4th inning of a 6-2 game... our pitcher throws a belt-high fastball right down the middle....and it's called a ball. My coach asks where was it, and the classic response? "Low."

[mrm21711]

Originally posted by tasoump
I posted this once before but here it goes again. HS Varsity game. I'm BU, bottom of 2nd 1 out R1, PU calls balk while pitcher is standing on rubber getting sign. I had know idea why PU called balk. Visiting head coach calmly called time and walked out to the PU, had a conversation and returned to the dugout. I did not hear the conversation between the coach and PU. Pitcher asked me why he called a balk and I replied I have no idea ask your coach when the inning is over. Later the visiting coach told me it was because the pitcher was holding the ball beside his leg not behind his back. Now the fun begins bottom of 7th home team trailing 11-2. PU lost his strike zone and walked the next 13 batters in a row. Visiting team used 3 pitchers during the walkathon. From my viewpoint there were plenty of pitches that could be called strikes. Visiting coach asked me during one of the pitching changes if I thought he was getting screwed and could he appeal to me on called balls. I informed him no he cannot appeal to me on called balls and I hope you have your KY jelly so it doesn't hurt so bad. Home team wins game 11-12 with no hits and no outs in bottom of 7th. Found out later that PU was a graduate from the home team HS. I quit being an umpire after that game.

In my opinion, thats why you should umpire, to do it right and restore some integrity to the game unlike this clown.

[Blue37]

Originally posted by mrm21711

In my opinion, thats why you should umpire, to do it right and restore some integrity to the game unlike this clown.

Personally, if what he has stated is accurate, I think we are better off without him. You might think your partner is deliberately throwing a game, but to share that perception with a coach during the contest is less than honorable. Take your concerns to your assignor. I hope the quip about the KY was an embellishment and did not really happen.

[Reznor]

My partner and I are both first year umpires. R1 and R2 pitch bounces in the dirt and hits the PU in the chest, runners, who would have been safe standing up, take off. PU calls it a dead ball because it hit him.

Of course the offensive coach went and spoke to him. PU came to me and asked me about it. I think we made the right decision. I told him we had to eat it because he called it dead so it was dead forever and the runners had to go back. Luckily it was a 10 run rule game and the runners later scored.

Was I correct in making the runners return to their bases or should the runners have been awarded 2nd and 3rd base?

[cmcramer]

in a Little League tourney. BU calls time and turns to face he outfield fence 200 feet away where a parent is grousing about a call. Umpire yells, "You wanna Ump?" Parent yells, "Sure..but my kid's in the game." Ump yells,"That's OK...get out here!"

Parent jumps over fence and trots to second base, stays for a couple pitches before tourney Director - red as a beet - comes on to field to escort parent off.

I'm not making this up.

[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.

[LMan]

Hehehe, one guy chums the water and watch 'em take the bait.....

[stmaryrams]

I haven't seen too many really bad calls but this was one of the more botched up calls. Good thing was he eventually got it right

Bases loaded, one out, batter hits a two bouncer to first who steps on the bag and fires home. Catcher steps on home and walks off as PU calls the out.

I "as LL coach" ask PU calmly if when F3 steped on first if it did not take off the force at home. He agrees and changed the call as my player slid in without any attempt for a tag at home.

It's amazing what some civil speech can do for you. It unfortunately didn't make up for the guy's strike zone which may have been the lowest (for both teams) that I've ever seen.

[mcrowder]

I have two. Not sure which was worse, probably the second of these.

#1 - Female partner, first time I'd ever worked with her, but I was told she taught clinics for both softball and baseball. Seemed very professional at first. At some point in the game, the pitch comes bouncing in on a swinging strike three, and the catcher fields it cleanly. Batter takes off. F2 throws it into right field, but PU is screaming "Batter's out, batter's OUT!!!"

Coach comes to me, and I direct him to her, but trail a bit - and keeping the assistant coach out of the discussion. Finally the coach says, "Well, then, I protest." PU says, "You can protest from the F'ing parking lot, cause you're gone!" So I step in, and pull partner aside. I start with explaining that we need to log the protest, or we could just correct this on the spot, since it was obviously a dropped third strike. She argues (with me, and loudly now) that since the catcher caught it cleanly, it wasn't "dropped". Then points at me and says, "Get your @$$ back to your position or I'll call the rest of this on my own."

Pretty bad - eventually had to replay the whole game over when all was said and done. Never saw her again.

2nd sitch:

Redneck moron know-it-all OOO on the bases. Game is tight, late, bases loaded, 2 outs. Pop up to F4. High enough that batter was almost to 2nd when it was about to be caught. Fans on that side all yell "DROP IT!!!", and F4 does. 4 runs score before the dust settles. BU then starts yelling for "Interference" on the offense, nullifying the run. As coach is arguing, I overhear that my partner is calling this "Fan Verbal Interference". OMG.

[jumpmaster]

Mcrowder - where are you located? You have now posted two examples of very third world plays that occurred in my association in the last 3 years.

[mcrowder]

I'm in Northwest Dallas.