Home plate appeal costs HS Conn team Championship.
 

Home plate appeal costs celebrating team a state title - Prep Rally - High SchoolBlog - Yahoo! Sports

Do you have what it takes to make the call?

I have been in this situation and had to hear from fellow officials about taknig the game away from the kids. I used to work with this official when I lived in CT and definitely know he was there because of his ability.

What say you?

If he missed home then he missed home and it doesn't matter who, what, where, when or how..... It's an out on appeal. It's not the Umps job to teach baserunning only to call what he/she has seen.

I was watching one of the CWS games and I think it was Thomas who was giving commentary and was shocked when I heard him say on a really close play at first (which the correct call was made, safe pulled foot, even in super slowmo) "It was really close and the tie goes to the runner." Thats the same kind of guy who says you took a game away from someone. Just my opinion.

And if you lie and say you didn't see it or that he touched, aren't you taking the game away for the other kids?

If the defense sees it and appeals, we should have the integrity to recognize good defense.

Rita

That's what makes a good umpire. Call the game like you see it. Luckily for the winning team their F2 was paying attention because most of the time players today don't even watch.

I listened to the video and the coach even said the umpire was a good umpire, so that goes a long way with coaches.

Thanks
David

I do not like the demonstration from the umpire about how he touched the plate. Just make the call. But of course if he did not step on the plate, he did not step on the plate. That will just make him a legend to make a tough call in a tough situation. Good for him.

Peace

I agree with this. I'm not letting the coach demonstrate and would likely eject a coach for the same kind of pointing to the ground, etc.

"He missed the plate. He stepped right over it." Good enough. I made a similar call about 8 years ago and I ended up having to eject the player and the manager soon thereafter. I'd make the call again in a heartbeat. How hard is it to touch the plate on a dead ball?

Standing where he shouldn't be at least 30 feet away from home plate. Should have been point of plate 15 feet back, maybe rotating 3B side to see him touch as the celebration comes out of the 1B dugout. Not where he was... awful umpiring bottom line. If he missed it, he missed it, but don't tell me he SAW him MISS from where he was. And even worse job dealing with the situation.

Listen, nobody's perfect and we all miss calls and mishandle situations. But I know this guy was not the most qualified to work this game, period. Its nothing against him as an umpire, and everything against the state board who let this crap go on over here on a year in, year out basis. It's an embarrassment to our profession.

Well....
I don't typically find this sort of thing interesting, because the story is usually an emotional appeal to "fariness" or some such.

But now having finally watched the video, I'm wondering-- does the mechanics and positioning of PU permit him to make an accurate determination whether the runner touched the plate? Would you use this positioning on an extra inning winning run?

I count 4 umpires, so he didn't have too may other responsibilities.


ETA: Sorry TussAgee, I'm a slow poster.

Where are all the 'expected call' guys now?

The same guys that proclaim they will never call a pitch a strike if the catcher drops it are nowhere to be found.

The same guys who say they will never call a curve ball that cuts the bottom of the zone but ends up in the dirt are silent.

The same guys who preach that they call the runner out if the ball beats him to the slide by three feet (without regard for an actual tag) are AWOL.

Hmmmmm.

The demonstration/explanation was not pretty, but we only see the exchange. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for appeasing coaches who usually would be borderline insane on a call like that, during a game as big as it was.

"Coach, I watched him the whole way in. I dusted the dish just before the at bat and I can clearly see his foot print past it."
"Where?"
"Right here, skipper."
"Oh, crap."

Tough call, good call. I would have like to see the BU rodeo clown the others away from the dish though.

Finally, standing 3B extended would not have allowed him to see the touch in that situation.

Who appealed the missed base? I see the catcher with his back to the plate as the runner crossed HP.

If I'm the plate guy and that's the winning run, with no play I'm standing as close to home plate as I can get, and I'm doing my darndest to keep the teammates away from the plate while I watch him either touch it or miss it. Clearly the biggest call of a game like that needs extra scrutiny.

JJ

The coach could've shouted out an appeal from the dugout.

My question isnt about the PU, but your "fellow officials" who disagreed with your sich.
Either they were your partners, or fans in the stands that game, or weren't even there. In any case, "taking the game away from the kids" is coachspeak, what official even says that?

The catcher can. All he needs is for someone to tell him to do it.

Is been five years since I worked in that area and with the official that worked that game. I have no idea what shananigans have taken place since but, I do know the official at the plate was more than quailified to be there.

"But I know this guy was not the most qualified to work this game, period." I have heard this a thousand times and it usually means, why didn't they choose me.