Blew 3 calls in 2 innings!!

[Billyball]

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[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Billyball

Did a one man USSSA slowpitch event today. Had 6 games. First two were uneventful. Third game was between two men's teams and I can tell from the start they don`t like each other.

1.Anyway team had had the bases loaded top of one with two out. Batter hits a low liner and all runners are moving...left fielder dives and I think he makes a great catch..grass was long and he comes up like a catch. I call the out and the third base coach is going crazy screaming "trap" I already called out. Now the idiot left fielder says to the other team when changing sides he trapped it.

DMF and I don't mean Dumb Move Fielder

2. Now the pitcher is bitching about every ball and whatever....and I proceed to miss two other calls all in a 6-8 out span. I have done 150 games this year and this was my worst by far. I had a 20 hame streak going with little to no complaining. Now teams are bitching about everything and for the first time ever I started losing my confidence and was afraid to make another mistake. It affected my whole game and I could not wait for the game to end.

How do you recover from something like that and go on with the game? I did three more games after and two of the teams said I was the best ump they had all day....the other two team I am sure said I was horrible. I have never made 3 blatant mistakes in one game before like this and I am, home and it is still bothering me

Take a break between innings, go get a drink of water and gather your thoughts. If a team tries to hurry you, ignore them. If they keep coming at you, dump everyone who gets aggressive.

[josephrt1]

I do 3 or 4 games a week at multiple levels and I think I'm pretty decent. Last week I had a late afternoon DH. First game went pretty well. The loosing team challenged me on a couple of things were 1) I absolutely saw girl on 3rd tag up and 2) complained that I called obstruction on the SS (on a passed ball) but still called the runner out at the plate. No sweat.

Next game, the team that won the first game was loosing big and now they were unhappy with almost every call. On a caught stealing at 2nd, 3B coach came and said there was no tag; 1st base coach said there was a tag but runner's foot already on bag. This was a one man game so it is hard to make the calls at 2nd. Both catchers had weak arms lot of stealing. And I only call the out if I am sure. I was dead sure on this one and the coaches couldn't agree on what they saw.

Key is having confidence in your game, staying focused and playing through the chirping. I may have blown a close play at 1st early in the 2nd game but worked hard to put it out of my mind and focus on next pitch, next play.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by josephrt1

I only call the out if I am sure.

I wish we could all say that , some can't.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by josephrt1

I do 3 or 4 games a week at multiple levels and I think I'm pretty decent. Last week I had a late afternoon DH. First game went pretty well. The loosing team challenged me on a couple of things were 1) I absolutely saw girl on 3rd tag up and 2) complained that I called obstruction on the SS (on a passed ball) but still called the runner out at the plate. No sweat.

Next game, the team that won the first game was loosing big and now they were unhappy with almost every call. On a caught stealing at 2nd, 3B coach came and said there was no tag; 1st base coach said there was a tag but runner's foot already on bag. This was a one man game so it is hard to make the calls at 2nd. Both catchers had weak arms lot of stealing. And I only call the out if I am sure. I was dead sure on this one and the coaches couldn't agree on what they saw.

Key is having confidence in your game, staying focused and playing through the chirping. I may have blown a close play at 1st early in the 2nd game but worked hard to put it out of my mind and focus on next pitch, next play.

In a one ump game, no calls are missed and all plays at 2nd are safe.

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

In a one ump game, no calls are missed and all plays at 2nd are safe.

In this situation, I will go to my partner. Turns out he usually has no information for me to change the call.

[josephrt1]

Good advice. I'll remember these thoughts!

[jmkupka]

whenever it seems like they're all against me, I think of the guys doing MLB games. They have 40,000 there who hate their guts... I can deal with a dozen.

This weekend, I come in from "A" position, throw from F5 gets past F3, rolls to the fence (which goes just a little beyond 1B), rolls past the fence and out of play.
"dead ball... runner, take 2B please."

DC: "No way Blue! Get some help on that!

Me: "No problem. Hey partner, does she get 2nd or 3rd? 2nd? Thanks. Let's play ball."

[Billyball]

I played for over 25 years..played on a team that won a Class B World. When I starting umping I took the same attitude I had when I played. Be prepared, hustle and just try my best to get it right.

What bothered me the most about what happened is that the pitcher who was all over me is the type of player I have zero respect for as a player. The guy was around 6-3 260 who thought he was way better than he was. The guy was all mouth.. could not run, field and was a below average hitter with zero power for his size. The guys was bitching at his teammates when they made an error.

All the mistakes I made were in the first two innings and the game was tied 3-4 in the 4th. Loud mouths team ended up losing 18-7...but it was still all my fault.

Now the next game is starting and while I am talking to the managers/players at home plate he is behind the backstop chirping "Good luck guys...your ump is horrible!" So right away I feel like they already have prejudged me. Then he proceeds to stand behind the backstop for the first inning chirping about every ball or strike I call.

I wanted to stop the game and go berate him about how shitty a player he was!! I was so pissed off.

[jmkupka]

That's a simple one.

1) Make sure you have received your fee first.

2) Let both current teams know that you consider anyone present to be guests/fans/whatever of their teams, and if this clown is not removed immediately, you will leave this game and not return.

They will escort him from the field.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

That's a simple one.

1) Make sure you have received your fee first.

2) Let both current teams know that you consider anyone present to be guests/fans/whatever of their teams, and if this clown is not removed immediately, you will leave this game and not return.

They will escort him from the field.

That is pretty weak. You want to blame two teams for the acts of someone not associated with either.

[jmkupka]

nope, not blaming either. just using the tools I have available to me.
If there was blame, there'd be a forfeit somewhere.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

nope, not blaming either. just using the tools I have available to me.
If there was blame, there'd be a forfeit somewhere.

I think Mike's point is that those teams have no responsibility for the "clown" and should not have to deal with him.
If there is no coordinator or TD or whoever; call one or your assigner or even the police.

Also, you knew he was not with either team, so to "consider anyone present to be guests/fans/whatever of their teams" does not fit with officials' integrity.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

That's a simple one.

1) Make sure you have received your fee first.

2) Let both current teams know that you consider anyone present to be guests/fans/whatever of their teams, and if this clown is not removed immediately, you will leave this game and not return.

They will escort him from the field.

About the only time I get a fee in advance is when working scrimmage format games. These are pretty relaxed and informal. Coaches take opportunities for teaching moments. It's usually a 1-umpire game so anything close at second base is rarely debated.

I'm with others who say you cannot leverage the "clown" with members of the other teams. I'm fortunate to not have been in that situation, but I don't think I'd take that path. Often times, UICs and/or TDs are not immediately at hand when you need them, so you have to get by on your own.

Guys like you describe generally don't have much patience. Ignore him for a couple of outs, and he'll be anxious to get to his brewskies.

[Billyball]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

About the only time I get a fee in advance is when working scrimmage format games. These are pretty relaxed and informal. Coaches take opportunities for teaching moments. It's usually a 1-umpire game so anything close at second base is rarely debated.

I'm with others who say you cannot leverage the "clown" with members of the other teams. I'm fortunate to not have been in that situation, but I don't think I'd take that path. Often times, UICs and/or TDs are not immediately at hand when you need them, so you have to get by on your own.

Guys like you describe generally don't have much patience. Ignore him for a couple of outs, and he'll be anxious to get to his brewskies.

Yes..I have been around the game for a long time and I could tellthis guy had some anger issues. even after the game he was looking at me like he wanted to fight or something..and these plays happened in the first and second inning.