Worked at the PFX tour this weekend - Part I: The Bad

[Julio Caliente]

Well, this last weekend I had a pretty good opportunity come my way. The Pro Fast Pitch Extreme Tour was coming to Indianapolis and about 2 weeks ago I got the call to come work some of the tournament games. I was pretty nervous because I am new to softball (done mostly baseball) and have only done about 25 FP softball games in my life, but somebody somewhere had seen me umpire and I guess liked what they saw. I got called about 2 weeks before the tournament, and I can say it was a very eye opening experience. Since many things happened this weekend I will do it in more than one post.


Here is the "bigee" thing that happened. 10U team from OH (home team in 1st base dugout) has a stud pitcher. I would say she is throwing in the low to mid 50's and could easily pass for a 13 or 14 y/o. This girl was mowing down the other team like they weren't even there. The only ones that got to first were on walks. Well, the in the bottom of the 2nd inning I am standing on the first base line talking to my partner (I am the PU) when the visiting team coach approaches us and asks, "How old do you think that pitcher is?"

Just about that time the home team coach is walking by and says, "She is 14, almost 15, and will be driving soon." as he is heading towards the third base coaches box.

Well, that just set off the visiting coach who started raising hell about her not being of age, and she cant pitch and they have to forfeit, etc, etc. I tell the coach, that I believe the home team coach is being sarcastic and all players are checked at registration on Friday. Then he goes "Well, if we lose we are going to protest her being a legal player".

Me: "Coach, are you wishing to protest this game?"
Coach: "Like, I said if we lose we are"
Me: "So, is that a no your not going to play the game under protest or you are?"
Coach: "Yes, I would like to play the game under protest"
Me: "Okay, where is your scorekeeper?"

I get his book, note the game, inning, players name, the players number that they are protesting, and sign the book. I then head over to the Home team coach and explain what is going on to them and why I need to see their scorebook. Before I get to their scorekeeper though I notice both head coaches have got together and our discussing things. I take an authorative stance between the two head coaches trying to keep the peace, and I get them two separated without any problems. Home team coach is heading back to his dugout and visiting team coach is heading back toward theirs. I head back to the home team scorekeeper to make the same notes in it I did in the visiting teams book.

Well, I think all is well and I am getting ready to start the game back up when I notice the Home teams third base coach isn't walking towards the coaches box, but has a file in his hands and is heading towards the visiting teams dugout. Before I get there he whips open the file and has the girls birth certificate showing that she is of age. Visiting coach says the name on that certificate is not what the parents are calling her. Well, this sets off the Home team coach and I am sure that if there was not a chain link fence between the two there would have been some serious, serious problems. I intervene and escort the Home team coach away from the visiting team dugout.
Me: "Coach, that is enough you need to calm down."
Him: "Are they going to test her for steroids also?"
Me: "Coach, they have the right to protest if they choose to."
Him: "I just want to know if they are going to check for HGH and steroids also?"
Me: "Coach, that is enough. This game is being played under protest, and it will be finished. Continuing down the path you are going will guarantee you that will not see the end of the game. Now lets play ball".

Now, I am not hesitant to throw somebody out and both coaches were tip toeing the line but none of them actually crossed it. After the game the Home team coach apologized for his actions and said that I did a great job during the "discussion". The visiting team spent quite a bit of time with the UIC and I was sure I was going to get my but chewed over that. Turns out the visiting team coach said that I handled it professionally and from where he was he thought I did a great job also (turns out he was at the backstop watching the whole time).

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Julio Caliente

Well, this last weekend I had a pretty good opportunity come my way. The Pro Fast Pitch Extreme Tour was coming to Indianapolis and about 2 weeks ago I got the call to come work some of the tournament games. I was pretty nervous because I am new to softball (done mostly baseball) and have only done about 25 FP softball games in my life, but somebody somewhere had seen me umpire and I guess liked what they saw. I got called about 2 weeks before the tournament, and I can say it was a very eye opening experience. Since many things happened this weekend I will do it in more than one post.


Here is the "bigee" thing that happened. 10U team from OH (home team in 1st base dugout) has a stud pitcher. I would say she is throwing in the low to mid 50's and could easily pass for a 13 or 14 y/o. This girl was mowing down the other team like they weren't even there. The only ones that got to first were on walks. Well, the in the bottom of the 2nd inning I am standing on the first base line talking to my partner (I am the PU) when the visiting team coach approaches us and asks, "How old do you think that pitcher is?"

Just about that time the home team coach is walking by and says, "She is 14, almost 15, and will be driving soon." as he is heading towards the third base coaches box.

Well, that just set off the visiting coach who started raising hell about her not being of age, and she cant pitch and they have to forfeit, etc, etc. I tell the coach, that I believe the home team coach is being sarcastic and all players are checked at registration on Friday. Then he goes "Well, if we lose we are going to protest her being a legal player".

Me: "Coach, are you wishing to protest this game?"
Coach: "Like, I said if we lose we are"
Me: "So, is that a no your not going to play the game under protest or you are?"
Coach: "Yes, I would like to play the game under protest"
Me: "Okay, where is your scorekeeper?"

I get his book, note the game, inning, players name, the players number that they are protesting, and sign the book. I then head over to the Home team coach and explain what is going on to them and why I need to see their scorebook. Before I get to their scorekeeper though I notice both head coaches have got together and our discussing things. I take an authorative stance between the two head coaches trying to keep the peace, and I get them two separated without any problems. Home team coach is heading back to his dugout and visiting team coach is heading back toward theirs. I head back to the home team scorekeeper to make the same notes in it I did in the visiting teams book.

Well, I think all is well and I am getting ready to start the game back up when I notice the Home teams third base coach isn't walking towards the coaches box, but has a file in his hands and is heading towards the visiting teams dugout. Before I get there he whips open the file and has the girls birth certificate showing that she is of age. Visiting coach says the name on that certificate is not what the parents are calling her. Well, this sets off the Home team coach and I am sure that if there was not a chain link fence between the two there would have been some serious, serious problems. I intervene and escort the Home team coach away from the visiting team dugout.
Me: "Coach, that is enough you need to calm down."
Him: "Are they going to test her for steroids also?"
Me: "Coach, they have the right to protest if they choose to."
Him: "I just want to know if they are going to check for HGH and steroids also?"
Me: "Coach, that is enough. This game is being played under protest, and it will be finished. Continuing down the path you are going will guarantee you that will not see the end of the game. Now lets play ball".

Now, I am not hesitant to throw somebody out and both coaches were tip toeing the line but none of them actually crossed it. After the game the Home team coach apologized for his actions and said that I did a great job during the "discussion". The visiting team spent quite a bit of time with the UIC and I was sure I was going to get my but chewed over that. Turns out the visiting team coach said that I handled it professionally and from where he was he thought I did a great job also (turns out he was at the backstop watching the whole time).

Julio:

I hate to burst your bubble, but:

1) Why were you chatting with your partner between half innings? Unless the two of you have something very very important that relates to game management to discuss, there was absolutely no reason for the two of you to be chatting between half innings.

2) When HC-V started complaining about the age of H-Pitcher, you should have instructed him to see the Tournament Director. Player age eligiblilty is not the game UIC's problem.

3) When the two head coaches started going at each other you should separated them and got the game moving. That kind of crap between coaches cannot be tolerated.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

1) Why were you chatting with your partner between half innings? Unless the two of you have something very very important that relates to game management to discuss, there was absolutely no reason for the two of you to be chatting between half innings.

She came up to me. I don't usually "chat" with my partner. Next game different partner and didn't say a word to him after the coin toss until the end of the game.

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

2) When HC-V started complaining about the age of H-Pitcher, you should have instructed him to see the Tournament Director. Player age eligiblilty is not the game UIC's problem.

Tournament director was Dot Richardson, and all I did was mark in the scorebook that a protest had been made at the tournament UIC direction.

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

3) When the two head coaches started going at each other you should separated them and got the game moving. That kind of crap between coaches cannot be tolerated.

You are correct in the sense that even though it was civil I should not have let them talk about it. Once it crossed out of civil I moved the game along with three sentences.I still have a lot to learn and welcome all ideas and comments. This wasn't called the "bad" for no reason as I am sure there was a better way to handle this.

I just never thought Io would see that from a 10U team......

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

1) Why were you chatting with your partner between half innings? Unless the two of you have something very very important that relates to game management to discuss, there was absolutely no reason for the two of you to be chatting between half innings.

Why not? This person is your partner and most likely your only friend on the field. There is absolutely no reason for partners not to talk between half-innings.

2) When HC-V started complaining about the age of H-Pitcher, you should have instructed him to see the Tournament Director. Player age eligiblilty is not the game UIC's problem.

No, but a protest made during the game is. I think he did an excellent job of trying to wrap up the issue at hand and avoid further conversation and move the game along. Unfortunately, the coaches didn't see it that way.

3) When the two head coaches started going at each other you should separated them and got the game moving. That kind of crap between coaches cannot be tolerated.

Seperate them? No way. Eject them and tell their assistant coaches to get them off the field. As an umpire, I'm not going anywhere near a heated discussion between two "alleged" adults where physical contact is a possibility even if unintentional. If an umpire wants to be put into that position, s/he should take up officiating boxing matches.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Why not? This person is your partner and most likely your only friend on the field. There is absolutely no reason for partners not to talk between half-innings.

I appreciate the kind words Irishmafia, but in some cases he is right. I know this isn't baseball, but in HS and college BB the BU is supposed to retreat to shallow right field in between innings. This mechanic is most likely also used in HS and college FP SB, but since I just started doing softball I am not positive on it. However, I do know that my partner umpires college softball, was one of the top umpires at the Northern National this year, and is my significant other. She had some wisdom teeth pulled the day before the tournament (not by choice, but due to an insurance issue) and she was telling me how she was feeling (watching her call outs with gauze in her mouth was quite humorous). That is the reason I had 7 plates this weekend, every time it was her turn for the plate I took it instead because I didn't want her to take a ball to the face.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Julio Caliente

I appreciate the kind words Irishmafia, but in some cases he is right. I know this isn't baseball, but in HS and college BB the BU is supposed to retreat to shallow right field in between innings. This mechanic is most likely also used in HS and college FP SB, but since I just started doing softball I am not positive on it. However, I do know that my partner umpires college softball, was one of the top umpires at the Northern National this year, and is my significant other. She had some wisdom teeth pulled the day before the tournament (not by choice, but due to an insurance issue) and she was telling me how she was feeling (watching her call outs with gauze in her mouth was quite humorous). That is the reason I had 7 plates this weekend, every time it was her turn for the plate I took it instead because I didn't want her to take a ball to the face.

Same in softball and I abhor the practice. The reason offered for this was to get the umpire out of the path of defenders leaving the field to reduce possible confrontations. Bull$hit!

I would rather have the ability to talk to my partner without announcing it to the world. Things happen and occasionally change during a ball game. I may see something my partner is not and vice versa. Maybe one of you want to remind your partner of a proper mechanic or position.

Such communication is even more important if working with someone who may be relatively new to umpiring or the level or rules of the game being worked.

[tcblue13]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Same in softball and I abhor the practice. The reason offered for this was to get the umpire out of the path of defenders leaving the field to reduce possible confrontations. Bull$hit!

I would rather have the ability to talk to my partner without announcing it to the world. Things happen and occasionally change during a ball game. I may see something my partner is not and vice versa. Maybe one of you want to remind your partner of a proper mechanic or position.

Such communication is even more important if working with someone who may be relatively new to umpiring or the level or rules of the game being worked.

I totally agree. There have been time when a partner has helped me to understand rules or to get in better position through a between inning discussion. There have been times when I have helped a partner make an adjustment or understand a call I made.
Last season, our booker told us to cease the mid inning chats especially after any controversial calls. I know, that is redundant for if you cease to chat, you cease to chat in all situations. I guess his point was that coaches would think that you were unsure of a call if you discussed it between innings.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Such communication is even more important if working with someone who may be relatively new to umpiring or the level or rules of the game being worked.

This is very true. I know that when I was working with people who are "respected" in the are for umpiring I told them I was new to SB and if they could offer me any pointers or things to work on. This proved to be instrumental in my development because this is where I learned many of the SB mechanics/nuances.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by tcblue13

Last season, our booker told us to cease the mid inning chats especially after any controversial calls. I know, that is redundant for if you cease to chat, you cease to chat in all situations. I guess his point was that coaches would think that you were unsure of a call if you discussed it between innings.

If you met along the foul lines every time, there would be nothing unusual about meeting after a controversial call. In fact, just the opposite - if that is the ONLY time you don't meet, then the coaches may read something into that, too.

If it was routine to get together every time, then you could easily discuss the call without calling any attention to the fact.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

If you met along the foul lines every time, there would be nothing unusual about meeting after a controversial call. In fact, just the opposite - if that is the ONLY time you don't meet, then the coaches may read something into that, too.

If it was routine to get together every time, then you could easily discuss the call without calling any attention to the fact.

Yep, that's pretty much my point.