What I Never Want to Hear
 

Rec league softball tonight. I know, it's not basketball, but I think this instance covers all sports.

My team is down by 20 or so. We actually have something brewing, runners on and the heart of the order up. One of our guys hits it, and there's an eventual throw home. The ball gets away from the catcher, and crosses the threshold of our dugout area, clearly out of play, as was described to me in the pregame conference.

The umpire refused to call the ball out of play, and never gave us a reason why he didn't call it out of play.

After the game I asked him why, especially since the same play happened to us a couple of weeks ago, and even though we were down by 15 in that game too, the umpire called it out of play.

His response to me? "Eh, I didn't think it would have mattered." I just walked away at that point, and our league commissioner will be getting an email in the morning about this umpire.

I hope that none of us ever use that line with a coach, especially a losing coach, no matter the time, score, or situation. I think it's one thing to let a close foul go, or to widen the strike zone, but it's a whole other deal to not make a call on a black and white rule.

Oh my
 

Down 20 in a wreck SOFTBALL league? Come on!

Perhaps that wasnt the right answer but it was an honest answer & probably an official to official answer.
Now you, as an official, are going to tattle-tell on a guy over a wreck softball game... Come on!!

He had no idea that I'm an official too. Again, I get that it wouldn't change the outcome, and that's fine, I'm not about to protest the game because of it. All I want is integrity (by no means am I suggesting he was cheating...believe me the other team didn't need the umpire's help). By integrity, I mean calling the rules as they're laid out. We don't stop officiating basketball because it's a 40 point game, no matter the level. That's all I'm asking for.

I agree that was not the best thing to say to a participant. But the reality in games like softball/baseball is umpires will open up the strike zone a little when the game is getting out of hand. For one thing coaches in those sports are not trying to be there all day and want umpires to call strikes. But that is a different sport and I would not compare it to what we do in basketball with the clock constantly running and eventually the ending in realistic sight. Now something like the ball going in DBT is not something that should be ignored. I would also bet that this league you got a guy that is doing it for the money or he would not be out there. I do not see a slow pitch men's league as a major officiating assignment for most, so you get these kinds of attitudes even if you do not like them, so to compare what happen in this game or a basketball game are not really fair or a good comparison IMO.

Peace

I agree with stiffler. I see a big difference between widening a slow-pitch strike zone and ignoring a ball out of play.

I work 50-60 slow-pitch games every summer. Rut is correct that these aren't major assignments. These gigs are for fun and to make a little extra scratch. Still, you have a job to do, and your integrity will be judged, regardless of the level.

If the ball goes out of play, give 'em their bases, period. No-one could possibly think the lesser of you for that.

I do agree, but when I worked those games several years ago, most of the guys were going through the motions and did not care about specific rules or the games themselves. Now usually this kind of thing was not an issue, but I can tell you guys did not lose sleep over not hustling or not being dressed properly. It was a money grab for most plain and simple. And even if they did a bad job, no one was firing them as they would be there for those games to make that money. This is why I would not compare this to even a JH basketball game. It is more like a Men's league basketball game and you get the same attitudes there. It might be sad, but often true.

Peace

Tattle-tell??? Come on!!

It's a piss poor excuse to not make a call. If you told someone that and I was working with you, I'd write the email the next morning!

dude, down 20 in a softball game?...




you're kidding right?

See post number three...blue font (but not sarcastic). Our second game started at close to 10:15. No reason for a softball game to start that late.

I'm with Stiffler on this. I think he understands the relative importance of the game, but that statement is another way of saying, "you know, I just dialed this one in."

Is that a mid-western usage? Never heard it that way.
'round these parts it would come out "mailed it in"

Agreed, I think Snaqs meant "mailed it in". In fact, dialed in is basically the opposite...meaning being really focused on the task at hand.

Nothing to worry about there, I'd never work THAT sport.

BktBallRef, you wouldn't happen to play on a softball team with Snaqs & bainsey, would ya? :D

Tref - I'd do the same. This guy doesn't deserve to be sucking up games and paychecks that could go to someone who actually cares to be there. Bad umpiring happens in games like this... but intentionally ignoring what happens in a situation and using "I didn't think it would matter" as your excuse? I'd report him too.

I think this cliche sums up my point here...

We're playing hard no matter the score, we paid to play. I'm sure part of our league fees contributes to the umpire's pay. We deserve the umpire's best efforts.