Am I really an Ump....The truth

[PJUMP]

To answer the question, YES. Am I great at it. Probably not. I volunteer my time at the little league field in my area beacuse my son plays there and they need help. (I don't get involved with my sons games) No one else wants to do it. I bought my own equipment out of my own pocket. I got tired of having to re adjust equipment that wasn't meant to fit me properly.

I will be the first to admit that I don't know every single rule in every situation and all of the exceptions to certain rules. However I look online and try to find answers and read about situations as much as possible. Which is probably a lot more then some volunteers do? NOT SAYING EVERYONE. I do find the rule book for little league to be quite confusing.

I came across this board and thought that this could be another great opportunity for me to learn. Maybe that is not what this board is about. Maybe this is just a board for all professional paid umpires to talk about situations and have discussions.

I apologize if I annoyed anyone here or if they feel like I'm wasting their time for asking stupid or simple questions. On the other hand I also want to thank everyone for all of their help by responding to my questions.


Mike

[mcrowder]

You didn't annoy anyone (or at least not me) - my question was asked in seriousness, as most of the questions you ask are things that are covered in the very earliest clinics. I suspected you might be someone thrown into the breach with no real training. Kudos for taking up the charge.

Honestly, though, you will find it 100 time more beneficial to find and attend a clinic or three. While we can answer, ad infinitum, every individual question you could think of - each of those are merely slivers of the picture. You need to learn the picture itself.

You can ask, for example, "Is interference a dead ball". We'd start by saying yes. Someone would then correct that by reminding us that catcher's interference (which is technically obstruction) is a delayed dead ball, at which point we'd argue terminology, and end up proving that a fastball cannot rise.

On another thread, however, you ask "what is interference" - the two may or may not tie together, and it's logical that you would need a full understanding of what constitutes interference BEFORE asking if (or when) it's a dead ball.

A clinic, however, would teach you the rules in broader stroke, and in an order in which the other rules will make more sense. You'll find that 90% of the questions you ask for absolute answers on will not have absolute answers that are true 100% of the time.

Hope that helps. Welcome to the fold.

[PJUMP]

Mcrowder,

You're right, I was thrown right into this. When I first started it was just to help out with the bases and was usually with a very good home plate umpire who understood everything as you guys here do. One day I showed up to help out with the bases and NO ONE showed up to do the plate. So if I didn't do it - NO GAME WOULD HAVE BEEN PLAYED. I did it. VERY NERVOUSLY.

The decisions I've made over the past year must have been pretty accurate, or they were all clueless as of the rules because I never had a argument with a player/coach/parent. Little league parents and some coaches are the worst. This is not to say that I haven't had any calls questioned or they didn't agree with me BUT I was confident that I made the right call. I know for a fact that I'm not worse then some of the other people that have been doing it. I'm just trying to get better.

Mike

[SanDiegoSteve]

PJUMP,

Here is a link to a place where you can get some answers to basic umpiring questions. I hope it helps.

http://eteamz.active.com/baseball/ru...fm?m=1,2,3,4,5

[WhatWuzThatBlue]

"One day I showed up to help out with the bases and NO ONE showed up to do the plate. So if I didn't do it - NO GAME WOULD HAVE BEEN PLAYED. I did it. VERY NERVOUSLY."

That sounds an awful lot like what will happen on Minor League baseball fields.

PJ - Yes, the discussion level is often geared towards more accomplished umpires. Some of the mechanics are taken for granted, the assumptions and calls seem arbitrary, but are usually founded upon years of experience. I sometimes find myself reminding others that the advice we give may not be appropriate to newbies. We were all there and know what you go through. Hang in there, pay attention to what you see and hear out there and it will get easier.

[ajjl22]

this list is also very useful

http://www.lzbsa.org/rules%20myths.htm

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by PJUMP

However I look online and try to find answers and read about situations as much as possible. Which is probably a lot more then some volunteers do? NOT SAYING EVERYONE. I do find the rule book for little league to be quite confusing.

I came across this board and thought that this could be another great opportunity for me to learn. Maybe that is not what this board is about. Maybe this is just a board for all professional paid umpires to talk about situations and have discussions.

I apologize if I annoyed anyone here or if they feel like I'm wasting their time for asking stupid or simple questions. On the other hand I also want to thank everyone for all of their help by responding to my questions.

You have to admit your questions were very vague.

This is NOT a professional umpires Board and most who post do try and help.

You DID receive good advice.

1. Attend a Rules clinic

I too was one of those parents that got pulled out of the stands, however, I became PRO Active.

Read the thread on keeping a journal.

To me that was one of the BEST things i ever did.

Why!

By keeping a journal I was now able to ask SPECIFIC questons on a given situation. You are CORRECT, the OBR/LL Rule-Books are written VERY POORLY. The OBR rule-book is for Professional athletes. Amateur Leagues borrow those rules and try to FIT those rules in THEIR game.

When you start out in LL or any other OBR rule-based league you for the most part HAVE to keep a Journal.

here's a very basic situation

1. B1 is hit by the pitch - What is the STATUS of the ball

In OBR you will not find the answer without looking in a few places. You first go to rule 6 which covers the batter, then you have to go to rule 5 to find out the status of the ball (ie; is the ball LIVE or is it DEAD).

In many instances using the OBR rule-book you have to go to 3 places.

Therefore, it is a MUST that you attend a rules clinic or purchase materials that EXPLAIN the OBR rule-book.

Here's My advice for you.

1. If you are going to take Umpiring serious, Read the book and come up with a list of questions.

2. Attend a Rules Clinic and make certain you have answers to those questions

3. make up your own "Cliff Notes" so to speak concerning Base Awards / Status of the ball.

One of the reasons I prefer FED rules is because FED rules were designed for the Amateur Game. Their rules are much more concise, Explained very well and FED has a Case Book to Clarify certain rulings to aid the umpire.

In OBR, without purchasing Carl's BRD or the J/R, PBUC manuals it is almost impossible to truly understand the OBR rule-book.

Conclusion: After you umpire your games Keep a Log of a SPECIFIC situation and write it down. Then Come to this Forum and we will gladly try and help, but it is difficult when the questions you pose are Vague.

Good Luck!

Pete Booth