Baseball vs. Softball

[ilyazhito]

I am both a baseball umpire and a softball umpire, and have noticed that some other users (bbman, BretMan) have experience umpiring both as well. I have also noticed that there are significant differences in mechanics between the two sports (softball umpires are less likely to call "Play" or point to the pitcher to signal "Play" than baseball umpires), and that some users in the softball forum have insisted that baseball not be discussed in relation to softball.

AFAIK, some baseball umpires with bad mechanics have borrowed their non-standard mechanics from softball (using "Dead Ball" on a stoppage of play, a big no-no for baseball umpires), and some softball umpires have inappropriately appropriated baseball mechanics (pointing on strikes), so some degree of crossover is inevitable (plate mechanics are similar in both sports, and the process of taking a play at a base is also basically identical).

Do baseball umpires have a similarly dismissive attitude towards softball and softball umpires as (some) softball umpires do towards baseball and baseball umpires?

Are there any baseball mechanics that are seen as unnecessary for a softball umpire, the way that brushing the rubber and bases and/or carrying the ball to the mound is for a baseball umpire?

Mods, please move this post if it is not in the appropriate location.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

Do baseball umpires have a similarly dismissive attitude towards softball and softball umpires as (some) softball umpires do towards baseball and baseball umpires?

Are there any baseball mechanics that are seen as unnecessary for a softball umpire, the way that brushing the rubber and bases and/or carrying the ball to the mound is for a baseball umpire?

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It is so much dismissive as trying to avoid confusion when discussing a topic for one sport or another.

I know little about baseball mechanics; but what I notice most are signal differences.

Carrying the ball to the "mound" is apparently frowned on for baseball (per above); and is certainly not a softball mechanic. Handling the ball at all except to put one into play is taboo. Same for bats, except to inspect.

[ilyazhito]

Carrying the ball to the rubber may not be a standard softball mechanic, but that is one which I noticed certain umpires use, along with brushing the rubber and bases, and using indicators on the bases (not standard practice in baseball above Little League Majors level).

To avoid confusion, I explicitly specify that something is done a certain way in baseball, and may ask for the equivalent way to do the same thing in softball. Certain things are similar (use of the slot, calls at 1st base, clearing the catcher), so I don't feel that it is harmful to infer a certain similarity between officiating the 2 sports. However, baseball is my primary spring sport, so I use that as a point of reference should I encounter something unfamiliar in softball (I had to explicitly note the differences between the baseball and softball strike zone, the rule on when a bunt attempt can be considered a strike, and whether a base is a safe haven from being called out when hit by a batted ball).

I am interested to hear what both baseball and softball umpires have to say about the two sports and the officiating practices thereof. Maybe softball can borrow a few useful techniques from baseball umpires (the wedge and baseball plate umpire stances), because I have noticed that softball has given me more practice behind the plate, and has helped me improve my timing for baseball.