2 rules i ran into this weekend

[MDUmp]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

You hit the nail on the head, Manny.

So easy to complain about bad umpires after the fact. But most of those guys don't get better because they go home thinking they got it all right. Unless a supervisor happens to be watching when they screw up, they don't get better.

I wish coaches would protest calls when they have a case ... like in this one.

I wish umpires (the ones getting paid and not volunteering) would learn the rules.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by MDUmp

I wish umpires (the ones getting paid and not volunteering) would learn the rules.

Doesn't matter if they're volunteer or paid. If they're willing to work the games, they should learn the trade.

I spent my first ten years strictly umpiring Little League Baseball. Never got paid a dime. But I read rule books, case books, and authoritative interpretations, attended clinics, and actively participated in a number of internet discussion boards. I also encouraged my fellow volunteer umpires to do the same.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Doesn't matter if they're volunteer or paid. If they're willing to work the games, they should learn the trade.

I spent my first ten years strictly umpiring Little League Baseball. Never got paid a dime. But I read rule books, case books, and authoritative interpretations, attended clinics, and actively participated in a number of internet discussion boards. I also encouraged my fellow volunteer umpires to do the same.

You are to be commended for that - but you are the exception. I work LL ball once a year - at the end when a nearby league brings in real, paid umpires. I'm always paired (or trio'd) with 1 or 2 umpires they've been using all year. And they scare the crap out of me. I've had them argue with me that the hands ARE part of the bat. I've had them argue that under no circumstances can you award a base that the runner didn't attempt to get to after they were obstructed. I've had them call TIE! on a banger at first. I've had them call time with two runners on the same base. I've had them call a foul-tip-strikeout on a ball that went bat-mask-ground. I've had one guy flat out insist that he would never eject a coach after he got berated by one and we were discussing it between games. "It's not about me, it's about the kids" - so when he botched the hell out of a call and the same coach came flying out - experienced partner and I let him fly in the wind. 5 minutes. No ejection.

And they "get by" with this nonsense all season until their tournaments... and the other "real" umpires and I leave the place stunned and with tons of stories like those I just mentioned.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

You are to be commended for that - but you are the exception. I work LL ball once a year - at the end when a nearby league brings in real, paid umpires. I'm always paired (or trio'd) with 1 or 2 umpires they've been using all year. And they scare the crap out of me. I've had them argue with me that the hands ARE part of the bat. I've had them argue that under no circumstances can you award a base that the runner didn't attempt to get to after they were obstructed. I've had them call TIE! on a banger at first. I've had them call time with two runners on the same base. I've had them call a foul-tip-strikeout on a ball that went bat-mask-ground. I've had one guy flat out insist that he would never eject a coach after he got berated by one and we were discussing it between games. "It's not about me, it's about the kids" - so when he botched the hell out of a call and the same coach came flying out - experienced partner and I let him fly in the wind. 5 minutes. No ejection.

And they "get by" with this nonsense all season until their tournaments... and the other "real" umpires and I leave the place stunned and with tons of stories like those I just mentioned.

Our LL District has sent 3 umpires to Williamsport (LLWS), 1 to Bangor (Senior WS), 2 to Taylor (Junior WS). About 7-8 of us have worked the LL Regional and 3 of us worked a regional final on ESPN.

We're also HS and college umpires in the spring. 3 of us have worked (or will work) HS state.

There are a ton of bad LL umpires and there are a ton of bad paid umpires who show up and "try" to "work" 6-7 games in a day not caring at all about the work except for the part where they get paid.

In the end, this has very little to do with volunteer/paid or LL/travel or any of that crap. It has to do with pride and being mentored by the right people along the way and wanting to be as good as one can be. I don't work any harder for that college check than I do for the LL kids.

[MD Longhorn]

Rich, I think there are a few pockets out there, like yours, where the "real umpires" do work LL. A friend of mine in Oregon has nothing but positives to say about the LL umpires in his area.

But I think that what I run into is more common, across the country.

[CT1]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I've had them call TIE! on a banger at first.

Really?!!! So what was the eventual result? (I'm guessing "safe" 'cause everybody knows a tie goes to the runner...)

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by CT1

Really?!!! So what was the eventual result? (I'm guessing "safe" 'cause everybody knows a tie goes to the runner...)

We (me, another experienced guy, and "Tie-man" as he will forever now be known) got together, asked him what he saw. He said a tie. Partner said - "the reason you're on this field is to decide what happened first." He said he didn't know. I said, "There is no tie. Did the throw beat the runner - yes or no." He said no - so we told him to signal safe.

Worse - I hear he called another tie during league play, with no partner, the following season. Don't know how that one got resolved.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

We (me, another experienced guy, and "Tie-man" as he will forever now be known) got together, asked him what he saw. He said a tie. Partner said - "the reason you're on this field is to decide what happened first." He said he didn't know. I said, "There is no tie. Did the throw beat the runner - yes or no." He said no - so we told him to signal safe.

Worse - I hear he called another tie during league play, with no partner, the following season. Don't know how that one got resolved.

Maybe they're still on the field.

[IAUMP]

I will say this first, baseball is not my #1 sport, actually more like #3. However, I give it my be effort every time I am on the field. I have never done things like you mention other "Little League" umpires have done and I have worked many Regional All Star games in my 5 years of Umpiring. Here is a situation I had last night in a 9/10 yr old game. Bottom of 1st lead off batter is very short. Pitch crosses the outside corner at the knee. I call strike, and the home HC grumbles from in front of the dugout. After the batter struck out, the HC states loudly to the batter "that's ok the Ump owes you one". I let the HC know that I am not going to listen to those types of comments all game. I start to return to the plate and he mouths off more, so I instruct him to get into the dug out. HC then states "so you are going to boss me around because I argued one G-D call. He was then removed from the game and area. Best part was I didn't have to report this as the Pres. of the leagues son is on the HC team and the Pres heard it all.

Did I do right or would you say this was done by a "Little League Ump"?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by MDUmp

I wish umpires (the ones getting paid and not volunteering) would learn the rules.

I agree with you. But you see how hard it is, sometimes, to convince some umpires of the proper ruling - and the vast majority of the umpires out there don't care enough about the job to come to sites like this one. It can be very frustrating.

[DG]

Originally Posted by MDUmp

I wish umpires (the ones getting paid and not volunteering) would learn the rules.

The last coach ejection I had was for mentioning to me that I was getting paid, so I should learn the rules.