NCAA Softball Umpires

[TussAgee11]

Better physical shape to do 60 foot basepaths, slowpitch? When most slowpitch is 45 year old adult men that chug beer between innings?

[GarthB]

Best comparison I can think of:

One of our middling veterans, a guy with a year's experience repeated 15 times who worked best at the 4A JV level or 2A Varsity, quit last year and switched to softball. At the end of his first season he was awarded "Umpire of the Year" by the local softball association.

[jimpiano]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Better physical shape to do 60 foot basepaths, slowpitch? When most slowpitch is 45 year old adult men that chug beer between innings?

Softball umpires work 2-3 games a night and, in slowpitch, have a ball in play nearly 100 per cent of the time.

A slow pitch umpire, on an average night, will outrun a baseball umpire( who works one game) 2-1 in distance. The slowpitch umpire will make more calls and interpret more rules in that same evening, not to mention hearing more gripes.

Further, most slow pitch games, and many girls's softball games, are officiated
by one umpire.

[HokieUmp]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

Softball umpires work 2-3 games a night and, in slowpitch, have a ball in play nearly 100 per cent of the time.

A slow pitch umpire, on an average night, will outrun a baseball umpire( who works one game) 2-1 in distance. The slowpitch umpire will make more calls and interpret more rules in that same evening, not to mention hearing more gripes.

Further, most slow pitch games, and many girls's softball games, are officiated
by one umpire.

You're kidding, right? Sure, the ball in SP is in play most of the time, 'cause the game's been slowed down so ANYone (even me) can play it. And it's only live until it gets back to the infield, where ASA (used to, at least) says to call "time."

But I umpired SP at a US base in Japan, and in a town beer league in Australia (teams had umps for each other), and there's no WAY it was harder work - virtually every call is obvious. And most every SP game I did had a 2nd ump present.

And my baseball games have required way more interpretation - or rather, more circumstances that required a interpretation - so I'm really not sure what you base this one.

I'd even argue the running 2x farther bit - maybe more running, if there's just one, but I think you overstate it. And I'm probably more inclined than others to be sympathetic to the softball cause, having also done FP softball in Hawaii for a couple years, too.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by GarthB

Best comparison I can think of:

One of our middling veterans, a guy with a year's experience repeated 15 times who worked best at the 4A JV level or 2A Varsity, quit last year and switched to softball. At the end of his first season he was awarded "Umpire of the Year" by the local softball association.

This reminds me (on a tangent) of a middle of the road, backup soccer player in high school that quit and became a fencer (he was dating one I guess). Long story turned short, the kid picks up a fencing wand (stick, sword? ) and wins a state championship, individually, 2 months after just knowing how to put on equipment.

So baseball umpire : softball umpire :: soccer player : fencing player person

[GarthB]

For me, softball exists to counter the claim that baseball umpires are in it for the money. If that were true, we'd all be working softball. Quicker games...same pay.

Somethings are more important than money.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by jimpiano

Softball umpires work 2-3 games a night and, in slowpitch, have a ball in play nearly 100 per cent of the time.

A slow pitch umpire, on an average night, will outrun a baseball umpire( who works one game) 2-1 in distance. The slowpitch umpire will make more calls and interpret more rules in that same evening, not to mention hearing more gripes.

Further, most slow pitch games, and many girls's softball games, are officiated
by one umpire.

Guess you weren't around for all the triple-dipper, all day long in the hot sun, 21+ innings worth of solo, 1-man, worst baseball in the world (JR/SR League), run my a$$ off, get beat up behind the plate all day, with players, coaches, and fans who could really care less about being there, games that I worked for 20 years. Three softball games a night. . . sheeeit! Standing on my head.

[Welpe]

I never will understand the animosity between softball and baseball umpires.

[mbyron]

Some of you need some practice spotting trolls.

[etn_ump]

WOW!

Great troll!

[GarthB]

I envision our recent addition as more of a troll like this:

[charliej47]

In the 40+ years of calling balls & strikes, I have umpired baseball and softball. I have enough uniforms from different Alphabets to fill a closet.

Most of my games I've been by myself as most of my games were ASA softball, either SP or FP.

The year NCAA went with their own ruleset, I attended their clinic and was informed on how to i was to call balls and strikes. I was told how I was to address the coaches and players and what my mechanics would be and if I expected to advance past regular season play, I would conform to their expectations. After the clinic, I called the assignor and told them I would not be doing college softball except as fill-in from then on and I have since quit doing college softball.

[greymule]

I was told how I was to address the coaches and players and what my mechanics would be and if I expected to advance past regular season play, I would conform to their expectations. After the clinic, I called the assignor and told them I would not be doing college softball except as fill-in from then on and I have since quit doing college softball.

Sounds familiar. I'm glad you put your principles ahead of the demands of effete elites. But why did you quit doing regular-season games? You could still have done those without selling your soul.

[VanStanza]

I too am a person who umpires both baseball and fastpitch softball at a ratio of about 50-50. I have umpired both for about 12 years now, and have officiated both at a high level.
When I first began doing both, it was mostly out of necessity due to the low number of good officials in our area. Long story short, it has been 12 years of ups and downs with respect to my feelings for both games, and the umpires that work them.
I can, with honestly and respect for both games, agree that each game is very different with respect to the skillset required to do them.
A comment has been made that you need to be in better shape to do one game or the other. It has been my experience that you need to be in great shape to do a great job in either game. On one hand, in a softball game, the plays are quicker and shorter, requiring good instincts and reflexes. It is true that there are more bangers at 1st, and snap throws by catchers. In baseball, the plays take more time to develop, but the distances you must cover are greater. Your hustle to get to the best position is difficult, requiring good athleticism.
The mechanics (another topic many have touched on) are different for both. Many baseball umpires criticize the "robotic" mechanics. I think they are appropriate for the game in that they are crisp and uniform from official to official. I do not agree with some NCAA mechanics, and do feel they are over the top (check swing mechanic), but many look good. In baseball, many softball umpires criticize baseball umpires for their "lazy" mechanics. I believe that the mechanics, regardless of the game, need to be executed properly, and a certain level of personality can be injected into mechanics.

The bottom line....both games are great. Both games are challenging to officiate for different reasons. In both games, there are poor umpires (who think they're good) and there are great umpires.

On a final note, if you have never done a high level fastpitch softball game, or have never done a high level baseball game, you do not have the grounds to criticize the other game's officials. Have pride is one thing, being assinine is another.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by VanStanza

Have pride is one thing, being assinine is another.

And having a good dictionary or spell check is another. Asinine has only 1 "s."