Worked at the PFX tour this weekend - Part II: The Good

[UmpLarryJohnson]

Originally Posted by Julio Caliente

- Laughed when he told me that before the game they got the umps together and said "You will not call illegal's, obstruction, interference, or leaving early. You will call fair/foul, safe/out, and ball/strike.

you call this a "good"? Your kidding, yes??


is this squirt ball?

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

you call this a "good"? Your kidding, yes??


is this squirt ball?

Nope, this was the instructions given to the crews of the two "pro" games that were played over the weekend. One of my buddies happened to be on both crews. Since the two games were exhibition games I thought it was funny... hence being on the "good".

As for "squirt ball" here are some of the players:
Lisa Fernandez
Stacey Nuveman
Laura Berg
Rachel Countryman
Andrea Duran
Tairia Flowers
Jessica Mendoza
Jennie Ritter
Dana Sorensen

The whole list is at http://www.pfxtour.com/pros/players.jsp


Now for the actual tournament (NOT the two pro games), it was under ASA rules.

[bellnier]

-Laughed when he told me that before the game they got the umps together and said "You will not call illegal's, obstruction, interference, or leaving early. You will call fair/foul, safe/out, and ball/strike. Your strike zone will be big because people didn't come to watch them walk".


And the audience for this was largely 10 year old kids who are trying to learn softball?

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by bellnier

And the audience for this was largely 10 year old kids who are trying to learn softball?

No, I would say that there were more 16U, 14U, and 12U teams there than 10U. There was less 8U than 10U teams. It just so happened that my funny stories took place on the 10U games. The 12U games I did nothing really interesting happened except for a LL team not knowing ASA rules and trying to argue rules that were not ASA rules.

I thought the fact that they told the umpires this was funny, and it made for some good times during adult beverage time.....

Apparently, Lisa Fernandez pitches illegally every time. Well, at least she did these games.

[UmpLarryJohnson]

yes but the kids come away from this thinkin INTERFERANCE and OBSTRUCTION dont exist, zone is wide as a mile, etc etc

so if a runner had been kncoked flat on her azz rounding First by a fielder, the TD seriously didnt want OBSTRUCTION called? ---puzzled---

I dont think so--exhibition or not.

and sorry, the "Squirt ball" comment was to be sarcastic not serious

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

yes but the kids come away from this thinkin INTERFERANCE and OBSTRUCTION dont exist, zone is wide as a mile, etc etc

so if a runner had been kncoked flat on her azz rounding First by a fielder, the TD seriously didnt want OBSTRUCTION called? ---puzzled---

I dont think so--exhibition or not.

Well, I was not there for the meeting of the umps for the two games, only went by what an umpire who at both of them told me. I found the statement very funny, strange..... but funny. I allude it to when I played on some scout teams (officially called The Arizona High School Prospect League) in HS where the catcher called balls and strikes and there weren't any umps. You just went and played.

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

and sorry, the "Squirt ball" comment was to be sarcastic not serious

Its cool, sometimes things like sarcasm and humor are hard to express in print. I know I have sent a few emails where people have taken what I wrote in the wrong text because it is hard to convey emotions.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

yes but the kids come away from this thinkin INTERFERANCE and OBSTRUCTION dont exist, zone is wide as a mile, etc etc

so if a runner had been kncoked flat on her azz rounding First by a fielder, the TD seriously didnt want OBSTRUCTION called? ---puzzled---

I dont think so--exhibition or not.

and sorry, the "Squirt ball" comment was to be sarcastic not serious

I had a similar experience this past year. I worked the Triple Crown "World" Series in Utah. I was selected to work one of the tournament all-star games. Five innings, free substitution, everybody bats, new pitchers each inning. My crew was given essentially the same instructions - call Ball/Strike, Fair/Foul, Safe/Out. Let the players play. Now I'm sure that had we had the situation that Larry mentioned, runner knocked on her butt while rounding first base, we would have dealt with it. The point was that it did not matter who won the game....its an exhibition for the parents and teammates of the girls playing....I would loosely compare it to a Harlem Globetrotters game.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Andy

..I would loosely compare it to a Harlem Globetrotters game.

So, did they dump a bucket of confetti on the umpires?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

yes but the kids come away from this thinkin INTERFERANCE and OBSTRUCTION dont exist, zone is wide as a mile, etc etc

so if a runner had been kncoked flat on her azz rounding First by a fielder, the TD seriously didnt want OBSTRUCTION called? ---puzzled---

I dont think so--exhibition or not.

and sorry, the "Squirt ball" comment was to be sarcastic not serious

You guys are being idiots. He's clearly stated that this comment about not calling INT and OBS was specifically for the Pro EXHIBITIONS. Not for the actual tourney.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

You guys are being idiots. He's clearly stated that this comment about not calling INT and OBS was specifically for the Pro EXHIBITIONS. Not for the actual tourney.

Mike, I think you are missing their point. Everyone probably understands that these games are the Pro Exhibitions, so the players are the Pros.

But, who is the intended audience of these exhibitions? Why, the kids, seeing the umpire NOT call Lisa Fernandez's pitching illegal for leaping, coming off the pitchers plate, and (gasp) crowhopping by sliding off the front of the pitcher's plate to push off from that spot closer to home.

If you think basketball officials haven't heard a million times that "that isn't" called travelling (or palming) in the NBA, then you aren't paying attention. And, that is the point here.