That wasn't the third out
 

9th grade game.

Runner on second, one out.
Batter strikes out on a foul tip.

Catcher rolls the ball back towards the pitchers mound. All members of Team B, thinking that there are three outs, start to jog back to their dugout. R2, between second and third, stands there, confused. Knowing that there are only 2 outs, I say nothing. Finally, Team A's 3rd-base coach yells to his runner "There's only 2 outs, get over here!"

R2 makes it safely to third, Team B freezes.

B coach comes out of the dugout, asks if that was the third out. I say "no coach, there are two outs. One on the foul tip a second ago, and the other one on the sacrifice bunt by the second batter in the inning." (It didn't help that it was an 8- or 9- run inning between the 1st and 2nd outs). Coach accepts this, and we play on.

My question: should I have done anything differently, perhaps by saying loudly "2 outs" as the Team B players started jogging off the field?

I would have just sat there and not said a word. What did BU do? I just had the samething in Mens league and when we just stood there, the Base Runner figured it out and the defensive team did too.

There was no BU, as all sub-varsity High School contests around here are single-umpire.

How do they expect to develop Varsity umpires? The tried to do that here but the Associations balked.

No, no, you handled it exactly right. It's generally not your job to "fix" things when the offense or defense screws up.

Probably had that deer in the headlights look, didn't ya? :D

In general, during the summer.

Spring ball here is abbreviated and prone to weather. When every team (and I mean EVERY team) in the state is playing on the same days due to rainouts/snowouts, there aren't enough umpires to put two on sub-varsity games, and even if there were, I don't see schools paying for it.

It's the way it is here as well. One thing that keeps people away from the game and it does not train umpires well.

Rita

We have the same issue here. If the association stood firmly in solidarity, they could mandate 2 umpires and not work the lower level games if they believed that strongly in it. I agree that the lower level is where you develop, assuming your experienced umpires are also committing to work lower level to develop.

SHHHHHHHHHHH! :cool:

Almost 50 years ago, I saw the Pittsburgh Pirates start to trot off the field with 2 outs. The umpires waved them back before they got too far. I can't remember whether there were any runners, though.

Yep.
Half thinking "Did I forget to record an out on my clicker?" and half thinking "Am I supposed to tell them there's only 2 outs?"

Luckily for T, the next batter struck out, so no real harm done.

RE: training newer umpires, I agree it's a problem. Luckily, I was able to attend a clinic prior to my first umpiring gig, so I got a little bit of a chance to learn some mechanics. I'm also shadowing some more experienced umps, and observing varsity games when I can. I've also picked up some summer ball that's 2-umpire, so hopefully I'll get paired with some experienced folks there.

But it was definitely a very nervous experience for my first couple of solo games.

Amazing. We have a lot of weather in Wisconsin, and no school game can be played here (by the state association rules) with one umpire. The schools have no choice.

In a place where we go out and build our own schedules anyway, I guarantee even if the state got rid of this rule, I wouldn't be accepting games where I worked by myself.

Who said it was the mission of schools to develop umpires? With that said I don't know of any schools around here that would play any kind of game with one umpire and no assigner would assign just one.

If schools wish to have adequate officiating they must be a significant partner of the process of training officials (in this case by paying for two man crews in JV ball). If not, they deserve what they do not get.:(

If the association is incapable of attracting new umpires, ASSuming the Big Dogs are not doing their usual hording of games :rolleyes:, then the schools ("Contractors") need to lean on the association to GTF in gear.

Either way, he who has the gold should and must rule.Get in your car, travel, you would be surprised at the countryside. And the issues, problems in real umpiring worlds other than yours. ;)

MSHSL only requires it at the varsity level, and only quasi-sanctions sub-varsity games.