Mechanics
 

Someone tell me exactly what else the 3rd base umpire has to watch other than a runner retouching a base on a caught line drive on the other side of the infield

Appeal play

Then again, how hard is it to make a ruling after being told what happened.

Not going with HM, but unjustified ball watching.
Plus:
1- scream if you see me folding my arms while a coach talks
2 - scream if my hands are on my hips while explaining
3 - remind me to remove dark glasses
4 - same as 1, more so with angry coach
5 - why can't MLB umps think & talk w/o the PU?

Because each crew has a chief and not always the PU. In this case, I believe the 3B umpire was the CC. Each crew also has a rules guy. Yeah, they should all know them, but often there is a particular umpire whose job is to be the rules guy.

If they come together and discuss a play or rule, it eliminates the request to check with someone else so the only subsequent action would be to protest or go to a replay (if that is available for the play/call at hand).

Not trying to defend the umpire because I think most MLB umpires are a bit too arrogant for my tastes.

However, 3U and PU may not have had a good angle for the runner returning to 3B. The runner did head back, but obviously didn't go back all the way. PU may have been straight lined by the runner and may not have been able to tell if he went all the way back. 3U may have had a similar problem seeing the runner's foot. The runner could have touched the base without having stepped on top of the bag.

Seems like the guy who might have had the best angle would be 2U, and he was dealing with the missed ball at second base and the scramble that followed that.

So, yeah, they got it right, but it took an awfully long time.

Ditto comments about sunglasses, arms akimbo and/or folded.

Or maybe that was supposed to be his day off. And he certainly acted like it.

Check the video at 1:32 on the video in the OP. The umpire is maybe 6-8 ft from 3rd base. There is absolutely no excuse for him to not see the no touch at 3rd.

I cannot agree about the sunglasses comments. I wear mine a lot. I don't think it's disrespectful to keep them on when talking to someone. Especially a coach, who is also wearing sunglasses.

Well I think you will agree to disagree with most on this board. It is a sign of respect to take the glasses off and look them in the eye. Even if they don't take theirs off when they talk to us, we should be above that and take ours off and look them in the eye. I also wear glasses almost always as my contacts hate the dust, but they come off at the plate conference and anytime I am discussing something with a coach. Not for lineup changes but anytime we are having a discussion about a ruling etc.

Yes, I get all that, except the bold, but just dislike the preference given to PU, there and in our games. :(

As many of you are fond of saying, baseball and softball are different sports. I work college and HS baseball and my glasses never come off. Why should I squint at the plate meeting?

The only umpires I know who worry about those kinds of things are those who also work softball.

Any point to this thread other than ripping MLB umpires? :rolleyes:

Ripping weak and discourteous umpires, as a teaching moment.

Discourteous? Only to people who look for stuff like this.

I get along marvelously with coaches, despite leaving my sunglasses on my face from the moment I walk from the car until I return.

Yes to #1, but it happens. :rolleyes:

Of course to #2, g. lad you don't have to run to your car. :)

I would have posted this, including my opinion, regardless of the umpire, organization or level.

Remember when it was taught to annoy the coach by walking in small circles and make the coach chase if s/he wanted to "argue"? Or put your back to the sun to force the coach to look into it. I have never taught such things and would correct anyone who would bring them up in a clinic. IMO, an umpire who uses such childish tactics is classless.

AFA the sunglasses, I agree with Dave

This world has a lot of "signs of respect" that don't have shit to do with actual respect.

Follow up on the sunglasses. As noted, I agreed with Dave concerning removal.

Doing so and looking straight at the coach is an indication that the umpire is paying attention and giving his/her opinion/argument the consideration that is due the coach in representing his/her team.

Stopping the game, listening and giving professional responses to questions, with rules based knowledge should be indication enough that I'm paying attention and giving him due consideration.

Some of these things are just another way for someone to be offended which have nothing to do with offensive behavior. But that's just me, I'm one that lets kids and coaches call me by my first name and I know that really sets others off and they patently do not allow it. I don't see that as respect or lack there of either.

I have worn glasses since I was 7 years old. So, naturally I have prescription sunglasses. Most of the time at games, I try to wear my regular specs at the conference, and then change to the sunglasses. I figure this way, the coaches understand that I am not dissing them during a game by not taking the sunglasses off. Not that it really matters....

I'm not thrilled with the being called by the first name thing, a certain lack of professionalism there....One thing I do is call the girls 'ladies' instead of 'girls' - gives the players a certain amount of respect, I believe.

If you want to do a sport where the powers that be have arrogance, try volleyball. Their pre and post game mechanics are terrible as far as talking to the coaches and players are concerned. I, and most of my fellow ignore them anyways, but still....

A lot of officials - especially the leadership - tend to forget that sportsmanship is a two way street.

What do you ask to be called by then?

As far as the name thing goes, I take it as more a form of respect that coaches and players (most of the time catchers) will learn and remember my name. Anyone can call me blue or ump or sir or whatever generic term that most take as respect. I appreciate them taking time to learn and remember my name

I think "ladies" is patronizing, especially teens and under, maybe condescending. There is nothing wrong with the accurate word for young females.

As far as sunglasses are concerned, most person to person communication is non-verbal, and eye-to-eye contact is a part of that. I don't want to be perceived as this guy,
https://engl245umd.files.wordpress.c...pg?w=300&h=164
so, I take my sunglasses off (when I remember... :eek:).

As far as how I am addressed, I prefer to keep a demeanor of approchable yet professionial. In most games, it doesn't really matter that much, but in certain games (e.g. between rivals, in the high school playoffs, in championship tournaments), appearing to be too familiar with one side and not the other can lead to issues.

I'm talking about regular sunglasses, not script or glasses with photo-grey lens. Then again, I would like to think that wouldn't have to be something that would have to be explained..

I'm glad that you approve of my Oakley prescription half-jackets which, by the way, look exactly like a pair of non-prescription Half Jackets.

Addressing an umpire by their position is no different than an umpire referring to a player or coach by their position. It has always been Coach, Pitcher, Catcher, Short, #17, etc. Responses are always Yes sir, no sir, yes ma'am, no ma'am.

At council meetings, I would run into coaches or players who I would also see on the field. At the meetings, it was Steve, Kirk, whatever and they would address me a Mike. But on the field, it was always Blue, Umpire and Coach.

And then there is the possible problem of undue friendliness on the field that may be perceived by others as bias that could influence the umpire's action on the field.

JMHO

Not a........never mind, waste of keystrokes

Give me a break. Influence calls bc we are on a first name basis? And if someone has ever percieved that and tried to make it an issue, it came with a one way ticket to the parking lot. We cannot be part of the problem on this kind of stuff. Nip these kinds of issues in the bud and they won't become problems.

Happens all the time and I've seen it and heard the complaints even at a national level as an umpire and UIC. I find it hard to believe that you don't believe the "homer" mentality still isn't around the game.


You are right, nip it in the bud by not providing the fodder. That is the only way you can control perception.

I've not done HS games long enough or frequently enough to have developed relationships with the coaches. There may be 2 exceptions. One is a JV coach that I played softball with many years ago. The other is a varsity coach who also runs a couple of invitational tournaments during the summer that I've worked with. This season, I'm scheduled to only work the varsity coach's team in a scrimmage next Tuesday. Since we're supposed to get snow on Monday and have daytime high temps in the mid-30s on Tuesday, it will likely get postponed.

Otherwise during introductions, I'm Mr. L and my partner is Mr. X. Most coaches undoubtedly forget our names about 3 minutes later. From there, "blue" or "ump" is fine.

About the only time I'll use "girls" to address team members is if it's 10U and I haven't done many of those (knocking on wood here). I do use "ladies" and hear a lot of coaches using that term as well. Coaches also use the gender-neutral (these days) "guys" when pulling the team together. And some do use "girls" as well.

I address coaches as "coach" in any HS or tournament games. In our rec leagues, because I've met with team captains and league officers in pre-season meetings and help critique/draft various bylaws drafts, it's more on a first name basis. Things are much less formal and only get formal when someone doesn't care for a particular call.

I prefer to nip it in the bud by not humoring coaches and their paranoia. I hire varsity officials in 9 sports for 24 schools and I never hear any stuff like this about the assignments I make.

When the tail wags the dog...

I can promise this: homer is a magic word. Unless the ball just passed over a fence in fair territory, someone is getting an early exit. It happened one time to me in a summer utrip tournament. I still work that tournament but haven't seen that coach for years. And just because the mentality may exist, does not mean I will abide it. Period.

My first name is Lou(ie) - the first several games I ever worked x number of years ago, I couldn't understand why the guys (unaffiliated Sunday league) knew my name - until a partner started laughing and pointed out they were calling me BLUE.....:p

exactly

Exactly on all counts - I've worked rec ball in our area for YEARS, and nobody knows my name. The only exception is the idea I have done ASA assigning, so I know league presidents, and they know me. I cannot see how calling adolescent girls 'ladies' is condescending....

When I worked my first Armed Forces Championships, one of the first things discussed was that if you were a veteran, you don't associate with the team from your service. When going to a national, umpires should not associate with teams who which they are familiar.

When assigning umpires, UICs should avoid assigning umpires from the same area or local association. In the international game, officials from the participating teams' countries are often excluded from availability.

There is a reason for that and it is to avoid the perception of favoritism. Just because a game isn't at that magnitude doesn't mean such sentiments do not exist locally.

Perception, not actual. Running the coach who complains about homerism does not change his perception. He just takes his perception to the parking lot, and his assistant coach keeps the same perception, but keeps his mouth shut.

In a world where coaches are viewed as rats, this might be the ideal solution to the problem.

Better to avoid the perception in the first place.