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

[Julio Caliente]

There were quite a few "ugly" things that happened this weekend, but before I can say anything about anybody else I have to point the finger at myself first. I kicked a call......badly, very badly.

- 10U game, 3rd inning, R2, R1, 1 out, and I am PU. R2 does the normal thing where they get a huge lead and "taunt" F2. F2 decides to run towards R2 with the ball and in the process covers the plate in dirt. R2 retreats back towards second. F2 throws the ball to F1 who is in the circle near the rubber. At this point the ball is in F1 hands in the circle near the rubber, R1 is back on 1st, and R2 is about 3-4 ft off the base heading back w/o pausing (not moving fast). I raise my hands and say time to clean off the plate. About the time I got to "Tim.."in my time call F1 turned and threw to F4 who was on second. However, F1's throw sails in center field and R2 come sin to score, and R1 is safe at third.

I go out to my partner (who is regarded as one of the best umpire there and a friend of mine) and tell him I had called time prior to F1 throwing to second and we need to bring the runners back. He looked at me and gave me that "Your better than that look" and asked why I called time before R2 was back on 2nd base. I told him that I kicked the call and assumed that play was over. He laughed a little and said, "In 10U ball you cant assume anything, bet you don't make that mistake again." Neither coach really put up a fuss because the score was 13-1 and the losing team hadn't had a hit yet. Needless to say I was buying the drinks that night.



Now, on to some of the things that I would say are "ugly".

-Husband/wife umpire team (wife only does plate and husband only does field) call IFF with both hands in the air that caused a game ending tag when a player thought time was called (See IFF rule thread for the actual situation). BU also wore a ball bag WITH balls in it on the bases. PU refused to wear a hat. Also, when people tried to help them on their mechanics and dress the dynamic duo said that they had been doing this for 25 years, it was the way it has always been done, and they weren't changing.


-Facility was trying a new style of base peg that did not use concrete. Instead, you dug a hole and put this sleeve in the ground that had "prongs" that came off of it. The prongs were supposed to grab the ground when the dirt was filled back in. They didn't work at all and many times field maintenance was called to come re-dig the hole and re-set the sleeve.


-Another umpire whose pants we so tight you could see the outline of the pocket against her leg. I am surprised that she could even move in them, and no it wasn't a "good" tight. She also refused to wear a hat because it would mess up her hair.


-The facilities didn't allow the umpires any free concessions. All we got was water. I can understand not giving us the "rib eye" burger, but a sack lunch or Gatorade would have been real nice.


- I was up in the scoring tower showing a mother/daughter team how to work the scoreboard and a coach ripped me into. Went like this:

Door flies open and I am wearing my umpire pants and undershirt.
Coach: "Where the hell is Dot?"
Me: "Coach, I am sorry but I do not know who Don is." (I thought he said Don).
Coach: "How can you umpire softball and not know who the hell Dot Richardson is?"
Me: "I am sorry coach, I thought you said you Don. I do not know where Dot is at this moment."
Coach: "well, I need to find her so I can figure out why the **** I cant appeal a call."
Me: "Coach, please watch your language and I am sorry but I cant help you with your situation."
Coach: "Well, I need to find Dot and ask her my the god damn umpires kicked me out for trying to appeal a ****ing call. This is bull****."

At that moment the UIC comes from around the corner and joins in...

UIC: "Sir, you are going to have to calm down."
Coach: "This is complete bull****. All I was doing was trying to appeal a call and that umpire threw me out."
UIC: "Coach, calm down and we will get everything sorted out."
Coach: "This is still bull****. I am going to find Dot.

Well, the coach heads back down to the field and refuses to leave until he talks to Dot. The umpires stop the game; notify the PFX staff that escorts him off the facilities. Turns out he was trying appeal a judgment call from the BU to the PU who was having none of it. PU said that it was the BU call and he will not honor his appeal. Apparently that set him off and he got tossed. I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, wearing the wrong stuff.



- Umpire shows up on Saturday morning, does two games and has a game break before his next two. Leaves to go get food and isn't heard from again. No phone call or anything. I hope nothing bad happened to him.


- A temporary rubber was installed on one of the fields for a 10U game. Whoever put it here must have been drunk because it sat outside the original rubber towards the first base side. That made it about 1-2ft askew.

- Runner coming home on a passed ball, clearly safe but misses home plate by about 4". I signal a "weak" safe call, and DHC asks me "Blue, did she miss home plate?" I put my mask on assume position behind the catcher. Pitcher pitches and play continues. DHC comes out in between innings and asks me why I didn't answer his question. I told him that I was unable to answer his question and if he thought that the runner missed home he should have appealed. He didn't like that answer very much, but since he was down by 10 ruins at that point and was being dominated I don't think he really cared.

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by Julio Caliente

- Runner coming home on a passed ball, clearly safe but misses home plate by about 4". I signal a "weak" safe call, and DHC asks me "Blue, did she miss home plate?" I put my mask on assume position behind the catcher. Pitcher pitches and play continues. DHC comes out in between innings and asks me why I didn't answer his question. I told him that I was unable to answer his question and if he thought that the runner missed home he should have appealed. He didn't like that answer very much, but since he was down by 10 ruins at that point and was being dominated I don't think he really cared.

"Blue, did she miss home plate?"

That's a good enough appeal for me.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

"Blue, did she miss home plate?"

That's a good enough appeal for me.

I am going to have to disagree on this one. Unless the fielder steps on home plate to make the live ball appeal the "safe" call stands. Now, if she did in fact hit home plate I would have looked at him and gave a small nod or something to let him know that indeed she did hit home plate and an appeal would be a waste of time. I do not think it would be appropriate for me to yell back "No, she missed it....."

[CelticNHBlue]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

"Blue, did she miss home plate?"

That's a good enough appeal for me.

I agree, and would add to that for future situations. Often times there is commotion when a coach is attempting to get his players to appeal, with no success, or appeals in such a manner that very few people realize an appeal has been made.

The best thing to do, IMO, when the appeal is justified for situations such as missed bases and leaving early on a caught fly ball, is to point to the coach and declare, "Coach, I heard your appeal for xxx." Follow that with affirmation of the situation and change the call.

This will draw attention to you and the fact that there is an appeal so that people aren't left wondering why some players are leaving the field. Make the call firmly and be prepared to talk to the opposing coach.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

"Blue, did she miss home plate?"

That's a good enough appeal for me.

Speaking ASA, I disagree. The coach cannot make this appeal.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Speaking ASA, I disagree. The coach cannot make this appeal.

And....a verbal only appeal must be during a dead-ball period. Otherwise, the plate or player would have to be tagged for the appeal to be valid.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Welcome to softball. Things are little different on this field. Runners and batters are designated in the order they batted. IOW, if the bases were loaded with no outs, R1 would be on 3B, R2 on 2B, R3 on 1B and B4 at the plate.

Also, any "free" food may not be the concession's issue. Those folks are basically a business and in many cases, are accountable for their inventory. Those running the tournament would be to address on this issue as to whether they made any arrangements for the umpires. Done different ways all over.

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

And....a verbal only appeal must be during a dead-ball period. Otherwise, the plate or player would have to be tagged for the appeal to be valid.

Mike, This might be worth consideration for a rule change. Allow the same verbal appeal that Fed does.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Steve M

Mike, This might be worth consideration for a rule change. Allow the same verbal appeal that Fed does.

Not from me. With all the daddy-coaches, scorekeepers and parents all screaming at the same time.

Nope, I'm quite happy waiting on a player to make the proper appeal and if she is being coached from the dugout, that's fine with me, too.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Welcome to softball. Things are little different on this field. Runners and batters are designated in the order they batted.
IOW, if the bases were loaded with no outs, R1 would be on 3B, R2 on 2B, R3 on 1B and B4 at the plate.

Or maybe still on deck.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Or maybe still on deck.

Thanks, nice catch.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Julio Caliente

Another umpire whose pants we so tight you could see the outline of the pocket against her leg. I am surprised that she could even move in them, and no it wasn't a "good" tight. She also refused to wear a hat because it would mess up her hair.

It's been my understanding that women have the option to wear a hat. Is this correct? I never paid much attention to this, as I... uhh... don't exactly have the "proper equipment," if you know what I mean.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

It's been my understanding that women have the option to wear a hat. Is this correct? I never paid much attention to this, as I... uhh... don't exactly have the "proper equipment," if you know what I mean.

At he national I was at this year (not umpiring just took place in my next of the woods) every female was wearing a hat. Even the PU that wore a Hockey style mask still took their hats down to the field. They stuck them in the fence because they wouldn't fit under there masks (I think they got marked down for that also) .

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Welcome to softball. Things are little different on this field. Runners and batters are designated in the order they batted. IOW, if the bases were loaded with no outs, R1 would be on 3B, R2 on 2B, R3 on 1B and B4 at the plate.

Thanks for the tip.....

I am still going to mess it up though.......

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

And....a verbal only appeal must be during a dead-ball period. Otherwise, the plate or player would have to be tagged for the appeal to be valid.

If the coach would have instructed F2 to step on the plate with the ball I would have rung her up, or if they had announced they were making an appeal and made a proper appeal I would have rung her up.