Game is a BLOW-OUT

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

Unless it's an extremely casual league, I think you open yourself up to a can of worms if you start changing things disproportionately or ridiculously (i.e. the strike that bounced in front of the plate). If you have to widen it a ballwidth for one team, widen it for both. And, it can also be perceived as an insult to the losing team - LESS sportsmanlike rather than what you're trying to accomplish here (Blue thinks we suck so bad he's giving us strikes when they bounce in there ... what an @$$).

Extremely Wreck league? Yeah - perhaps. But be careful doing this at anything resembling a competitive situation, and if you do ANYTHING, do it both ways.

Mike's right. Last time I played (about 4 years ago), our team was horrible. We went 1-13, and the one win was due to forfeit. Same case as the team I mentioned above - half rec, half competitive. Someone found out that I was an umpire, so I was made captain. *groan*

I had to miss one game (no, I wasn't tossed!), but heard the reports later that the umpire had made those aforementioned adjustments. When he called a strike on the opposing team that was an obvious ball, the batter gave him a confused look. The ump had the audacity to say, "well, under these conditions, it's a strike."

My next phone call was to the league organizer, and he got the proper chewing out.

[IamMatt]

This coach's opinion is don't do it--I don't think it is part of the job description.

If the winning coach wants to let up, that is up to him.

[bigsig]

Originally Posted by IamMatt

This coach's opinion is don't do it--I don't think it is part of the job description.

If the winning coach wants to let up, that is up to him.

Acting as a professional. Acting as a role model. Teaching and practicing good sportsmanship. That is part of everyone’s “ job description”.
I’ve umpired JV to REC games that were 32-0 after 2 hours and still in the 3rd inning. I’ve seen coaches winning by 25 runs and still pulling double steals. In every one of these games I‘ve seen the losing coaches, players, and parents getting more and more frustrated as the other coach keeps “pouring it on”. I believe that good preventive umpiring requires me to have a private discussion with the coach between innings before tempers get out of hand. In every case, to the coaches credit they did change their tactics. I’ve had discussions with coaches about expanding the strike zone, and with their permission have done so. I also remind every batter that if a pitch is close it will be a strike, again without a single complaint. (I don’t call balls over their head or in the dirt strikes).
I have never in 5 years had a complaint about this. The key is to ask their permission, remind each batter, and only call it a strike if they have a chance to hit it.

[IamMatt]

Originally Posted by bigsig

The key is to ask their permission...

That's different. What do you do when you ask, and the winning coach declines your suggestion, saying, "I don't want my players to pick up lazy playing habits" or something similar?

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by IamMatt

That's different. What do you do when you ask, and the winning coach declines your suggestion, saying, "I don't want my players to pick up lazy playing habits" or something similar?

Well, then there you have it. You can't use two strike zones for two different teams playing the same game. Consistency is a must.

[bigsig]

Originally Posted by IamMatt

That's different. What do you do when you ask, and the winning coach declines your suggestion, saying, "I don't want my players to pick up lazy playing habits" or something similar?

In 5 years it's never happened. (If he/she did say that my response would be, "You're right Coach, what we all want is for them to develop good sportsmanship"). I ask when the game is out of hand. The coaches don't want 10 walks an inning either. And when they do agree there are two different strike zones. The team that's way ahead knows to swing at any pitch thats close (I remind each batter as they step into the box). The team that's behind continues to see the same strike zone they've seen all game.

Just a suggestion but it's worked well for me.

[Dakota]

Not a critique; just a comment about me. I would never use a "sham" strike zone or 2 different strike zones in any game where I was actually in uniform. After all, if the coach wants his players to get strikes on pitches in the dirt, he can always have them offer on a bunt attempt or something harmless.

I did once "umpire" a friendly pickup game with a bunch of friends where I did some of that stuff - just to pick and poke, etc.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I did once "umpire" a friendly pickup game with a bunch of friends where I did some of that stuff - just to pick and poke, etc.

I know we often get blamed for "taking the bat out of the batter's hands," but in a game where a stacked team (mix of national champ players with other ringers) was playing a very weak team, it literally happened. The umpire, as the pitcher was getting ready to pitch, reached forward and took the bat out of the batter's hands and called the pitch a strike!