Anybody else have bad games?

[Illinois blue]

Had a doubleheader yesterday, and nothing goes right. Anybody else have these games? Every play is a banger, a lot of the pitches were borderline, several balls hit down the lines, and the coaches from one of the teams doesn't know the difference between obs and int. Couldn't wait to get out of there. How do you adjust your attitude when this happens?

[mcrowder]

Yes. As it happens, in my area, every time I umpire a game with the league commish as coach, the most bizarre plays happen. I'm not sure my attitude changes during these games, though, other than sometimes having to actually make the conscious effort to ignore noise from the stands.

Last game it was 1 obstruction call that no one liked, one missed base appeal that no one liked, and one strange play where on a checkswing on a low pitch, pitch hits the black and bounces over the catcher and myself. Everyone except me, BU, and the runners on 2nd and 3rd thought it was a foul ball. Both runners scored as F2 lollygagged, and the fans were on me the rest of the game. Fun stuff.

[Alameda]

My 1st week felt like that. lol

There's really nothing you can do except suck it up and look foward. I learned real fast that you cannot dwell on any mistakes you think you may have made. Just learn from them and don't make them again.

Last Tuesday I finally had my 1st 3 game set with complete satisfaction that I got all my calls 100% right.

Man, felt good to finally not have 1 or 2 plays running in my head all night haunting me. But again, you just can't get hung up on it.

Live and Learn.

[Illinois blue]

Mcrowder and Alameda, thanks for the reply, not everyone will admit they have those kinds of games.

[tzme415]

I think anyone who is honest will say that they have those games. Even the best umps I've ever known have told me that a game was a tough one or they had some odd plays that they didn't feel good about. This has always made me feel better when it happens to me. All you can do is hope the next one goes better and if you are thinking you made some bad calls, learn from them and do better next time.

[kellerumps]

When struggling on the plate here is what I do.....

Setup a little earlier to insure I'm set on delivery
Watch the pitch and try to hesitate a little longer
Make the call
Step back away from the catcher and take a deep breath
Tell myself..."Okays that 1 pitch your got right"
take another deep breath
repeat

In short I break the game down into a series of pitches. I live in the moment, reward myself for that moment, and then relax and wait for the next moment.

On the bases, go thru a mental checklist of what you might need to do.

What did this batter do last time?
Do I have speed on the bases?
Is the defense playing up, normal or back?

On a play, I will work extra hard at getting set sooner...If I have to make the call a little farther away so be it.

If you develop a routine and follow that routine religiously, then your "Uncomfortable" games will occur less often.

[rhsc]

I will chime in here. My first game was full of bad/awfull calls, all mine. For some reason I just could not call an out at first. I sold an out signal and yelled safe..I could have died and it would have been better. Later, BR on first, hit to short, I moved to first without even looking at second. I was a little nervous. Yall will probably never speak to me again. I am just glad my partner and the teams were friends and knew that I was new. They were very forgiving, but they rib me to this day about that game. Yeah, there were other bad calls that game too, but I wont bore you with those now.

[Rachel]

It's the bad and questionable calls that I remember most. That way I will only make that mistake once (I hope). I would rather be wrong here than on the field.

If I struggle with my zone, I just tell myself to slow down and get set sooner. It seems to help.

If I keep on officiating I will sooner or later make all the mistakes and then be done with them :-)

[mick]

Originally posted by Illiniois blue
Had a doubleheader yesterday, and nothing goes right. Anybody else have these games? Every play is a banger, a lot of the pitches were borderline, several balls hit down the lines, and the coaches from one of the teams doesn't know the difference between obs and int. Couldn't wait to get out of there. How do you adjust your attitude when this happens?

Illiniois blue,
For the next play: Focus, focus, focus.
Do not lose your focus.
Put all those replays out of your mind.
The next pitch is coming....
Focus.
mick

---

When a games goes into the toilet bowl, all the participants feel feculent.

[wadeintothem]

I agree with mick and Rachael. I also have crappy games.. during the game I try not to dwell on them. I stay as focussed as possible - but after the game I do think about mistakes to learn from them. If you never have games like you are talking about, you aint doing your job IMO.

[Edited by wadeintothem on Apr 22nd, 2005 at 10:25 AM]

[bluezebra]

Originally posted by Illiniois blue
Had a doubleheader yesterday, and nothing goes right. Anybody else have these games? Every play is a banger, a lot of the pitches were borderline, several balls hit down the lines, and the coaches from one of the teams doesn't know the difference between obs and int. Couldn't wait to get out of there. How do you adjust your attitude when this happens?

That's why we get paid the BIG MONEY!

Bob

[shipwreck]

Just remember this. One day you will be working a game and WOW!!! everything is just clicking as far as your game goes. You will be dialed in on the strike zone and even the bangers will make you fell like you nailed them all. Remember good food always tastes better after you have eaten a crappy sandwich. Dave

[wadeintothem]

Had one tonight.. Varsity Local Rivalry

PU is good .. but apparently his son dates one of the players so he hoots it up big time with the fans and coach of the team and I feel fairly uncomfortable... but he called a good game. he's a good ump but he has an odd 3rd base mechanic.. he always take it and he wants to watch a runner at 2b. NP we covered it before the game but it throws me off when people invent their own stuff.

So I have an rec league ump who works for/with me playing on the other team .. she gets nailed at 3rd on a close extra base attempt... and I ring her up and I get the smile that i Know what she it thinking.. then she obstructs a steal to 3rd and I had had delayed signal up - she slowed the player up by a step at least .. and runner gets thrown out by a step.. I say obs - safe. I get the look again. I'll hear about those two from her father (since I could hear him yelling in that background) and probably even her at a date to be determined.


Close play at 1b.. but F3 dropped the ball and picked it up - I sell safe.. wasnt picked up in time.. anyway if you want an out on a close one at 1b .. field it clean. Whole crowd is yelling "she picked it up" .. yeah no crap.. she dropped it and the runner hit the base... and she picked it up. I'm not giving that out. Catch the ball.

Runner from team tries to steal 2nd, they nail her with F6 taking the throw.. Coach wants interference on f4... Interference... argues for it big time.. It didnt happen (OBS) and coach is wanting the wrong thing. I thought of mike rowe and almost felt like giving it to her.. but not sure what I would have done with no one on base anymore.

one of them games..

Several close plays.. I sure was happy on the few plays at 1b that were easy...

PU had a few too.. coach wanting a slapper out on a step out of box and hit the ball call.. but I couldnt tell where the batter was and PU said wastn out of box.



[Edited by wadeintothem on Apr 22nd, 2005 at 09:55 PM]

[bluezebra]

"Anybody else have bad games?"

Never, in 44 seasons. And I win the California Lottery every Wednesday and Saturday.

"Wake up, Bob. It's time to take your anti-fantasy pills".