I don't know if Harry Carey is the best example to use.

Personally, it sounds more to me that some don't understand the role of an umpire.

Well said. You are correct that for those of us who no longer work baseball below varsity level sometimes forget what little guys do out there. I am only speaking to baseball umpiring at varsity and above. While others may disagree and feel the need to involve themselves in the game, I would rather not and it has served me well for thirty plus years. Long ago, I was taught the 'don't do that' method of umpiring. It still has it's place but I don't believe on fields where varsity level and above play ball. Penalize what they do (or don't do as the case may be).

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Harry Carey is a legend in Chicago. Calling games for the Sox and Cubs endeared him to almost every baseball fan around this area. While no longer with us, his message of waiting and speaking still resonates here. Feel free to use the beloved commentator of your choice, the analogy works well. Umpires simply see what happens and then tell the world.

While there is a difference between levels of players (Varsity vs 13U) it has been my experiance that any form of appeared 'coaching" should be avoid. By making that interference or obstruction call imo will benefit them in the long run by 1. helping the coach understand the rules and 2. player/runner won't be doing that again.... There seems to be a fine line some make between coaching and preventive umpiring. I think the line is clear. Just call the game and leave ALL the coaching to the coaches.

Sounds like you should be coaching. :eek:

Age matters. You have a good point.

+1

I still remember... "IT MIGHT BE!!!! ... IT COULD BE!!!!!!!! IT'S caught. By the shortstop."

If the coach is paid, he's paid to coach... not us.
If the coach is volunteer (I.e. "league" ball), in many cases he's a babysitter and sometimes no more educated than the Team Mom.

You'd never catch me dead "coaching" a high-school game (V, JV, F, whatever) or a Select league game ... or even A-level tourneys.
But in league ball, I bet I've "taught" the coach what obstruction is and "taught" the first baseman not to stand on that bag admiring the triple the batter just hit 100 times a season... some coaches and players more than once!

You emphasized the wrong thing. I corrected it. Now what?

Bottom line for some seems to be it's OK to play in the street because it's the car's fault if you get hit.

I don't get the analogy. Seems to me like some are saying it is not our job to tell you not to play in the street because you might get run over by a car.

?

An umpire enforces the penalties when rules are broken. As others have suggested, an umpire who tells a player to get out of the way, pick up a bat, don't apply a tag so hard is being an OOO. You create an advantage for one team when you influence the outcome of a play. I am reminded of a partner who bit off a bit more than he could chew during a college game a few years ago. The first baseman was a goon. He spit on the feet of runners leading off first. If a guy would slide back on a pick off attempt, he would slap the mitt down hard enough to cause tempers to flare. He loved it. A partner thought he could handle this player through 'preventive umpring'. vefore the game he told him to behave and not slap the mitt on opposing players. After the first time he did it, my partner casually warned him that he wouldn't allow him to keep doing it. An inning or two later the guy slapped the mitt hard on the diving runner's helmet. My partner told him that if he did that again he was going to be ejected. The next pick off saw the fielder slap his mitt hard into the runner's midsection instead. My partner fumed and the fielder smirked knowingly. From then on, he slapped hard tags to different parts of the runner.

Enforce the rules, no need to coach.

how would you feel if a ump told you how to coach??? coaches coach
umps ump and players play--that is the way it is.

Pretty close, Rich. I'm not being paid to tell players where to stand.

+1