Aw, you East Texas Umpires

[TexBlue]

I called a 14-U B tournament this weekend. ASA. Had a coach from Tyler who assured me she played the game, coached the game, and by the way, knew the rules better than me. According to this guru of rules knowledge:

1) She never has to inform me of a pitching change.

2) She can take as long as she wants to get her defense on the field, even if she takes 4 minutes and 20 seconds. I was BU in this game.

3) She doesn't have to put a batter in the box until she's good and ready.

4) On OBS calls, the runner can always be put out if she retreats. She's only protected if she goes forward.

5) When using the DP/Flex, she most certainly can bat all 10.

6) Her 1st baseman most assuredly can stick a leg out and touch 1st base when no play is forthcoming, tripping the runner going around 1st. ( Two girls were injured and could not finish the tournament. More were tripped. )

And, my most favorite one of all, which was approximately the next to last statement before she left my ball field,

7) " I don't take this from any umpire, they all know I know the rules better than them. They listen to me!!!"

8) Also, a coach does not have to leave the park after an ejection, if a warning wasn't issued before the ejection.

Now, the team was pretty good. The kids were a joy to be around. I had them 4 games and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of them. The parents were cool. After the coach left the field, the Asst Coach came up, asked a few questions and let me know that they weren't like that and it was a combination of 2 teams. They wouldn't be together again. Whatever.

The only disturbing thing was the tripping at 1st. It happened in my 1st game with them, no one was hurt. My partner handled it correctly, I thought. However, later in the day, they actually did injure 2 players who could not finish the tournament. It became public knowledge in the blue's dressing room to be on the lookout for it. I didn't think it was intentional, until the 1st baseman was pulled and then the substitue 1st baseman did the same thing. The light finally dawned and I realize, someone is teaching this. A not too congenial conversation took place immediately after the light turned on in my head.

The question I have is how come you East Texas blues are letting this coach get away with all this? And letting her intimidate you? Shame, shame!

Ya'll have my sympathies if you have to call a lot of their games. The team is fun, the coach was just a nuisance.

[Edited by TexBlue on May 24th, 2004 at 11:47 AM]

[Dakota]

Originally posted by TexBlue
6) Her 1st baseman most assuredly can stick a leg out and touch 1st base when no play is forthcoming, tripping the runner going around 1st. ( Two girls were injured and could not finish the tournament. More were tripped.

Two questions: Why was the player still in the game to trip more than two? Why was the coach still around beyond the second trip? (After first - warn both player and coach; second, both gone.)

Also, if the players are doing things like tripping runners, how can they be a joy to be around?

[TexBlue]

Man, you're quick! I was editing the post when your reply showed up. I didn't think the tripping was intentional or it would have been handled immediately and harshly. I didn't get to call them again until the next day, when I finally realized it very well could be intentional. This is when I advised the coach what "Rick's rules" were, and oh by the way, ASA's also. The leg extension stopped, just your normal variety obstruction from that point on. 2 batters later, the coach left the game for a totally " ridiculous call" on obstruction at 1st. That by the way was being signalled by both umpires. Once the coach was gone, the players played well, obstructed no one and truly were a bunch of nice kids who were being shone wrong things by their coach. Apparentyl the parents weren't too happy about this, as over 1/2 of them met us at the gate to tell us what a good game we called and they appreciated the whole crew of blues this weekend.

Did I mention the coach refused to start the next game until she got to talk to the TD and I was removed from the plate, if not the entire field? The reason for it was I had ejected her and would continue to hold ill will for the team because of this. The TD came on the field instead of the UIC. I told the TD there was no way I was gonna let a TD take me off the plate. If the UIC wants to do it, he needs to bring an extra blue shirt on the field, because I'm gone. The UIC simply told the TD to start the game and stop this nonsense. No coach ever told him what to do and it wasn't happening today. The play ended on a controversial call that went their way, by me.

As posted on here several times, the play happens so fast you don't think about who it benefits and who it hurts. Just make the call. I think Champaign Blue put it best. The day I start thinking about who it benefits and who it hurts, I need to retire. (Or something like that.)

[Edited by TexBlue on May 24th, 2004 at 12:04 PM]

[mcrowder]

Not sure if Dallas counts as East Texas (do you have to be east of 45 to be in East Texas?), but I'd have never let anyone get away with the crap this coach seemed to be used to getting away with.

[TexBlue]

Originally posted by mcrowder
Not sure if Dallas counts as East Texas (do you have to be east of 45 to be in East Texas?), but I'd have never let anyone get away with the crap this coach seemed to be used to getting away with.

For this story, let's say anything East of Lake Ray Hubbard. That put you in the right area to not qualify? After things settled down a little, my partner got a kick out of the comments about the umpires. We knew better.

[mcrowder]

Whew - that puts me northwest of East Texas.

Then again - not sure I want anyone to call me a West Texas ump either.

[oppool]

Did a tourny in Tyler last week so I must of done it. Actually I do know must of the umpire there and the UIC and local Director and all are a pretty good bunch overall. I believe the coach was just BSn. The only female coach that I remember from Tyler at this age 14 is the Local Director there but it doesnt sound like her. Team Sneaky Cleats Blue. I hope the coach didnt forget the one about Malious Contact only counts when an ambulance has to be called...Just kidding..

I will see must of the Tyler bunch in a couple of weeks so I will give them Hell for ya


Have a good one

Don

PS: Glen are you still sure you want me to come down that way and ump??

[Skahtboi]

I was thinking anything east of 75/35 would be East Texas myself.

[mcrowder]

75 is 45, not 35. See ... I'm EAST of 35, but WEST of 75. Now you're making me East Texas, and I don't like it!

I don't think Dem Aggies consider themselves "East" Texas - better go with 45.

[TexBlue]

Originally posted by oppool
The only female coach that I remember from Tyler at this age 14 is the Local Director there but it doesnt sound like her. Team Sneaky Cleats Blue. I hope the coach didnt forget the one about Malious Contact only counts when an ambulance has to be called...Just kidding..

Don't know about the Blue part, but the rest of it is right on. Sneaky Cleats was on the line up sheet each time I was handed one. As I said, the kids were good. I only got to talk to the pitcher and the 2 catchers very much, but they were a lot of fun. Might wanna watch that leg thing on 1st base though, for future reference.

[TexBlue]

Originally posted by Skahtboi
I was thinking anything east of 75/35 would be East Texas myself.

Yeah, but you're a little biased there. I come from the CENTER of God's Country, Ft Worth. I think truly, Texas should be divided into about 11 areas, East Texas, NE Texas, SE Texas, North TEXAS, Panhandle, West Texas, Way West Texas, Central Texas, South Texas, Way, Way South Texas and the Valley. Uh, is that 11? I'm only required to count up to 4 balls, ya know and 7 innings. If I go higher than that in a game, I just take someone's word for it, as to how many innings we go.

[Edited by TexBlue on May 24th, 2004 at 04:06 PM]

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by TexBlue
[QUOTEFor this story, let's say anything East of Lake Ray Hubbard.

What?!?! You guys in Texas have lakes with first AND last names? Hell, around here we just have things like puddles, cricks and ditches.

[TexBlue]

Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA

What?!?! You guys in Texas have lakes with first AND last names? Hell, around here we just have things like puddles, cricks and ditches.

Heck we got so many lakes, there ain't enough last names to name all of 'em. We gotta go with 1st names and some of 'em got middle names. We've even started using kithen utensils and Indian tribes now, and animals. Lake Fork, Lake Tawakoni, 'Possum Kingdom Lake. Note the spelling, us country boys named that one. Beside, your state ain't big enough for a full 85,000 acre lake is it? Not to change the subject, but we have 2 ranches in Texas that are bigger than most states on the East Coast.

Can you tell I'm Texan through and through?

[Edited by TexBlue on May 24th, 2004 at 04:56 PM]

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by TexBlue

Heck we got so many lakes, there ain't enough last names to name all of 'em. We gotta go with 1st names and some of 'em got middle names. We've even started using kithen utensils and Indian tribes now, and animals. Lake Fork, Lake Tawakoni, 'Possum Kingdom Lake. Note the spelling, us country boys named that one. Beside, your state ain't big enough for a full 85,000 acre lake is it? Not to change the subject, but we have 2 ranches in Texas that are bigger than most states on the East Coast.

Can you tell I'm Texan through and through?

[Edited by TexBlue on May 24th, 2004 at 04:56 PM]

Watch it, Rick. The Rio Grande hangs a sharp left and the you may be a Texican.

Just kidding!

[whiskers_ump]

Originally posted by oppool
Did a tourny in Tyler last week so I must of done it. Actually I do know must of the umpire there and the UIC and local Director and all are a pretty good bunch overall. I believe the coach was just BSn. The only female coach that I remember from Tyler at this age 14 is the Local Director there but it doesnt sound like her. Team Sneaky Cleats Blue. I hope the coach didnt forget the one about Malious Contact only counts when an ambulance has to be called...Just kidding..

I will see must of the Tyler bunch in a couple of weeks so I will give them Hell for ya


Have a good one

Don

PS: Glen are you still sure you want me to come down that way and ump??

As a matter of fact yes. How about the June 17-18-19-20? Have
a NFSA State tournament in Cy-Fair (Houston area). 8-18U..
Will make sure you get age group you want, and will have put us together....NFSA will house and feed us. They use
inning format. Run rules so far, have been 10-6-5 beginning
in the 2nd inning. I did 12 games this weekend and had one go
1:30, rest were shorter. There was only one long game, 2:45,
in the tournament. I blamed the umpires. PU cleaned the
plate after every other pitch. Course he was a Lake Charles,
La. guy. E-mail me if interested. Will need couple more if I
can locate them.