Just my imagination?

[Mountaineer]

OK, is it just my imagination or is the LL regional and softball WS umpiring worse than usual? Base mechanics seem to be sloppier, plate mechanics are just strange, and strike zones? Don't even get me started! There seems to be an abundance of very, very W I D E strike zones this year both in baseball and softball. I guess it might look worse with the small ball . . . but DANG!

And did you see the 3rd base blue wipe out the kid rounding 3rd on Tuesday night? Holy cow - where was he going? If you missed it, as the girl is approaching 3rd and being waved around - she's getting it - full speed . . . the umpire comes into view moving toward home, watching the play and he suddenly realized he's in the way and BAM! She plowed into him and they both went down. She was actually seen by a chiropractor between innings! OMG!

[Andy]

Agreed.....I watched most of the final last night and thought the PU had a HUGE strikezone! Not just wide, but high and low as well.

I know that camera angles can play tricks and not give an accurate representation, but I saw several pitches that the catchers noticeably pulled from the outside back in toward the plate that were called strikes.

I'm not familiar with 6 umpire mechanics, but I did notice some stuff from the BUs and outfield umpires that looked strange. I never once saw the BUs come inside the diamond on a base hit, is this normal? I also remember at least twice that a fly ball was hit down the third base line and the 3B umpire turned and had a fair/foul call along with the umpire down the left field line. My first thought was "what if they have conflicting calls on a ball that lands close to the line?" It seems to me that the 3B umpiore should be coming inside to pick up runners and leaving the fair/foul call to the umpire in the outfield.

Just my thoughts...correct me if I'm wrong.

[dtwsd]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

OK, is it just my imagination or is the LL regional and softball WS umpiring worse than usual? OMG!

It is not you imagination. I noticed the strange mechanics too. Like the PU in one of the semi-finals where the batter would make a full swing and the PU would point at her as if she was trying to hold up. He did that 3 or 4 times.

The PU in the final was calling strikes a foot off the plate that were framed back in and in the late innings he was calling low strikes that were clearly completely below the knee.

Also, there is no way you could get me to skip around in a circle, holding hands with another umpire and then do the chicken dance. It may be fun for the kids in the stands to watch but I think that makes us all look bad. It makes us look like we don't take the game seriously.

As for FU3 getting run over by the runner, Forest Gump said it best...well "that's all I have to say about that".

[Andy]

Originally Posted by dtwsd

Also, there is no way you could get me to skip around in a circle, holding hands with another umpire and then do the chicken dance. It may be fun for the kids in the stands to watch but I think that makes us all look bad. It makes us look like we don't take the game seriously.

Oh yeah...I forgot all about that....I just about popped a cork when I saw that!!!!

[CecilOne]

When did all of you learn to read my mind?

And what's with the red shirts in baseball?

[Mountaineer]

Well I have worked a LL Regional back in 04 and I'm waiting for my WS opportunity. I see some of this stuff and shake my head and thank the stars above that I am not there this year! As far as 6-person mechanics goes . . . on foul ball coverage the PU has it to the front edge of the bag, BU has it from the front of the bag to where they are standing and the OFU has it from the BU to the wall. I also saw double calls which was something that we got dinged for at the regional - never mirror a call or have a double call. Also, we were told that the 2BU could go into the working area but the 3BU would never go inside which really makes you wonder how the guy got tangled with the runner.

Did you also see the one (SE boys regional) where the woman was behind the dish and obviously closed her eyes on a swinging strike because she called it a ball. She also called a foul ball a foul tip and the 3BU had to kill the play.

As far as the dancing goes, in the regional finals they told us to "have fun" and dance on the songs like Y M C A . . . of course that may be why I haven't been to the WS yet. LOL

[bkbjones]

Oh...you should see it in person.

The Junior LLWS is just up the street in Kirkland, WA. An umpire I know is one of the persons on the crew. He is all smiles and says thanks to me for coming out, introduces me all around, tells everyone who I am (or used to be ...), we all exchange pleasantries.

I notice some unusual stuff for softball umpires...several are wearing patent leather shoes. Where I come from, you can wear those in two sports, baseball and basketball. Softball, no, never, ever.

Then I find out why from three different folks. Many of these guys put in for Williamsport or some other baseball WS. When they don't get selected for the baseball side, they have a kind regional commissioner who says, "Hey, ever been to the eastside of Seattle?"

I know many folks rail on the "robotics" of some softball umpires. However:

Umpire wearing beanie cap with no logo
Mask on tight as hell
Stance is feet barely shoulder width apart, directly over the top of the catcher
Knees bent about an inch (swear to God - I can get photos to prove it if necessary)

His strike call? Plop! in the glove. 1...2...3 Heeeeriiiiiiiike One with a head turn and a point with the index finger.

Strike two: same, but with two fingers spread apart.

Strike three, swinging or called, gets ya the bow and arrow. (I hate the bow and arrow, especially for kids. The paper tear I can sorta live with.)

Rotations? Ha ha ha. All these games til the finals are four-man.

No one on, no one out. Fly ball to CF. 2BU is on SS side of 2B in the grass. The ball is almost caught on a shoestring catch. Helluva play by the CF. These girls are busting their butts.

But not this space waster. He does a half turn, looks like he is looking for a stinking cow turd in a hay stack, and doesn't even give these girls, his fellow umpires or some sick pervert lurking in the bushes the benefit of a "no catch."

Then he turns back toward second, where the 3BU has come half-assed inside (actually in the baseline) and about halfway to 2B.

Fortunately, they both called the girl safe at second.

I can go on and on, and would be (unfortunately) happy to if asked. The thing is, if it's a softball world series, shouldn't they send softball umpires to do it? Qualified be damned - I've seen bad ones in some of our beloved ASA championship play. Let's just start with softball umpires first.

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

And did you see the 3rd base blue wipe out the kid rounding 3rd on Tuesday night? Holy cow - where was he going? If you missed it, as the girl is approaching 3rd and being waved around - she's getting it - full speed . . . the umpire comes into view moving toward home, watching the play and he suddenly realized he's in the way and BAM! She plowed into him and they both went down. She was actually seen by a chiropractor between innings! OMG!

The PU was Dutch Alex's friend (and now my friend) Patrick. I told him I had seen him on Tuesday night and he got real quiet. I assured him that ESPN didn't rail on him, and that he had actually been complimented by the talking heads.

"Yes, I know," he said. "But it was my plate and my crew..." I thought the poor guy was going to lose it. Damn shame the guy comes all the way over here on his own nickel and gets stuck with some doofus at 3B on an internationally televised game.

Patrick is a heckuva nice guy. My world is better for having met him.

[Mountaineer]

Unfortunately, too many baseball guys step on the softball field and have no clue what they are getting into. They aren't prepared for the quicker game and can't handle it.

I thought the thing about the beanie was strange. The patent leather shoes didn't bother me at all - mainly because I have some too. I actually have both. I like them because of the ease of cleaning - wipe them off between games and it's a like new shine.

I feel sorry for your buddy. It's a bummer to walk on the field with umpires that shouldn't be there. I had a guy on my crew at the regionals in FL that was about "5 steps too far into the deep end of the pool." I actually felt sorry for him. Even the evaluators would laugh about him! It's horrible to sit and watch a train wreck happen.

I've applied for the Junior WS - I like that age the best. Maybe I'll get to come out there and meet you as well someday.

[Dakota]

No self-respecting softball organization would assign baseball-only umpires to their softball national tournament.

The above statement includes LL softball. See if you can find it.

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by Dakota

No self-respecting softball organization would assign baseball-only umpires to their softball national tournament.

The above statement includes LL softball. See if you can find it.

I don't disagree with you. Fact are facts and it's a well-known fact that LL Baseball is the golden goose and EVERYTHING else takes a back seat. I have actually served on our district staff for the past 3 years and softball is most usually an afterthought. I've also heard LL evaluators state that "if you can work a 60' diamond you can do either sport." I said, "Mechanically, yes - rule wise? NO." That's just their way of justifying putting baseball only guys on a softball field. When I did the regionals in 04 - there were a couple of guys that did ZERO softball games that year prior to walking on the field at the regionals. One of them did a fantastic job - of course the night before he and I sat up talking softball rules as a refresher.

I think bkbjones hit the nail when he talked about taking guys that didn't get a baseball WS and sticking them on a softball field. I have also noticed that those that attend the LL training get's preferred treatment.

I still hope to get there one day - but whether I do or don't will not define my career as an umpire.

[Julio Caliente]

I noticed many of the softball ump on TV using the Gerry Davis type stance. Which I have experimented with in baseball. When I do softball though I use the approved ASA stance. To be honest, I like the GD stance better but when in Rome you do as the Romans do.....

[Andy]

Originally Posted by Dakota

No self-respecting softball organization would assign baseball-only umpires to their softball national tournament.

Just to hijjack a bit.....

This very issue came up a few years back here in AZ.

We had a state commissioner of officials who (supposedly) was a big time baseball umpire back in the day. At the time we had 5 classes of HS softball (A, AA, AAA, etc.) Each level had three umpires assigned for the SB state championship game. Of the 15 umpires assigned, 9 were baseball only guys that were buddies with the commissioner. Between all of them, they had done a combined ZERO softball games that season.

Fortunately, that commissioner didn't last much longer......

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by Julio Caliente

I noticed many of the softball ump on TV using the Gerry Davis type stance. Which I have experimented with in baseball. When I do softball though I use the approved ASA stance. To be honest, I like the GD stance better but when in Rome you do as the Romans do.....

The thing about GD in LL is that it puts your head height exacly where they want it - your chin at the top of the catcher's helmet. If I'm having back issues, I will sometimes go to it because it does eliminate lower back stress. I stay more in the slot than the GD stance wants though.

[rwest]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

The thing about GD in LL is that it puts your head height exacly where they want it - your chin at the top of the catcher's helmet. If I'm having back issues, I will sometimes go to it because it does eliminate lower back stress. I stay more in the slot than the GD stance wants though.

At our High school Camp this year one of the clinicians explained why we don't use the GD or scissor stance in softball. In baseball the batters box is a foot deeper. The catchers set up deeper in baseball than they do softball. Therefore, the umpire is farther back in baseball and can see the corners of the plate using the GD or scissor stance. Using it in softball makes it harder to see the corners because the catcher is closer to the plate. He demonstrated it. It was very convincing.

Can you see the corners when you use the GD stance?