LL Baseball Umpires . . .

[IRISHMAFIA]

. . . are killing me with their called strikes. I have no problem taking one's time to get to the hammer, but holding off on the verbal until the hammer have been keeping some in suspense

[Rich]

I have always called the strike at the same time as the signal...

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Rich

I have always called the strike at the same time as the signal...

Even when I started in baseball (1966), I always made the call in the set prior to the signal, just the way I was taught.

[Rich]

Maybe so, but not how it's taught at pro school. LL is moving towards standardizing umpire mechanics based on that model.

[BretMan]

I started in high school baseball about 16 years ago and their umpire manual says to make a "ball" call from the set position, make a "strike" call by standing up to give the verbal and visual signal together.

It took me some time to get the hang of doing it "the softball way" when I started in softball a few years later!

But, yeah, some of the guys I've seen in the LL tournament seem to take forever to call the pitch. Good timing is one thing, but they seem to be taking an artificially long amount of time, probably in an exaggerated effort to demonstrate their "good timing".

There's a brief pause you can take to make sure you get a good look at the pitch all the way into the mitt so you're not calling the pitch too soon, and then there's a long pause that really is too long and it makes you look like you're unsure about your call. Some of these guys need to find the happy medium in between those two.

[SWFLguy]

For me on a called strike--it's the call--then the non-verbal signal. I think doing both at the same time too long after the ball is in the catcher's mitt smells like indecision, too soon smells like anticipation. Just one old school umpire's 2¢.

[SE Minnestoa Re]

I thought the ump that stopped play the other night to bring the catcher over to his coach for a "teachable moment" was great. These kids are 12 and 13 and acting up over ball and strike calls is not appropriate. The umpire set the record straight on who was in charge.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by SE Minnestoa Re

I thought the ump that stopped play the other night to bring the catcher over to his coach for a "teachable moment" was great. These kids are 12 and 13 and acting up over ball and strike calls is not appropriate. The umpire set the record straight on who was in charge.

If softball umpires did this, games would take 4 hours and half that time would be spent talking to the coaches about their players.

Next question is who do we talk to about the coaches?

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

If softball umpires did this, games would take 4 hours and half that time would be spent talking to the coaches about their players.

Next question is who do we talk to about the coaches?

Irish - not sure if the first line in your comment was completely tongue-in-cheek...or not. If so...ignore the following. I didn't see the LL game mentioned above, and I don't work LLBB, but I understand the pervasive "sportsmanship first" and "all about the kids" ethos of LL, especially at their pinnacle event. They are 12-13 year old boys, after all. How smart were all of us at 13?

I don't know if you work a ton of 10U/12U/14U softball (and bless you if you do), but at that level in international showcase championship play, wouldn't you approach a coach if possible about a player grumbling too much about balls and strikes? I mean, we can always address it with the big hook later...

(For additional context, I ejected an 11-year-old girl this year for MC on a crash play at the plate, so I'm not opposed to handling things ourselves...)

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by teebob21

Irish - not sure if the first line in your comment was completely tongue-in-cheek...or not. If so...ignore the following. I didn't see the LL game mentioned above, and I don't work LLBB, but I understand the pervasive "sportsmanship first" and "all about the kids" ethos of LL, especially at their pinnacle event. They are 12-13 year old boys, after all. How smart were all of us at 13?

I must have been pretty smart since that was the year I realized I would be a better umpire than player There is no doubt I was right about that.

I don't know if you work a ton of 10U/12U/14U softball (and bless you if you do), but at that level in international showcase championship play, wouldn't you approach a coach if possible about a player grumbling too much about balls and strikes?

I would inform that coach they s/he may need a new (enter position) if the banter continues. I am not walking the player to the coach and spending 30-45 seconds explaining the unsportsmanlike conduct encountered.

I mean, we can always address it with the big hook later...

Not from me. I refuse to play into their (coach/player) game and will not put on a show. When I eject someone, the only way anyone other than the player, coach or scorekeeper know is if one of them announces it. I once tossed a player and my partner didn't realize if until 2 inning later.

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I must have been pretty smart since that was the year I realized I would be a better umpire than player There is no doubt I was right about that.

Touche.

Also I meant "this" hook...not a giant EJ mechanic for 12 year olds: