So what would you REALLY do?

[wadeintothem]

So yesterday i go to a softball game that I knew was going on by where I work just to check it out.

There is an umpire there I have never seen before. It is low level Var and he is working solo (any decent 14Ua team would beat both of these squads). I had never seen him so I make a little talk and find out he is a baseball guy who does softball too. Of course his mechanics were BB mechanics, but thats not the point of the post. Anyway I find out he is a member of same association as me (never seen him at any clinics that I remember, but he could have slipped by). He was not dressed particluarly well.. a little flooding of the pants, white socks, and you could see the logos on his tshirt under his +pos blue shirt.

Other than his mechanics and appearance (which wasnt horrible just a little goofy), he wasnt doing too bad in terms of the game, his zone etc. And he was a very personable. The coaches were scorekeeping so I sat in the scorekeeper desk right behind the dugout and watched everything.

The point of my post is a few things that happened.

1) With R1@3B BR on Ball 4 advanced legally straight to 2B. So the defensive coach has a heart attack saying it isnt legal... the umpire said
"SHe didnt hesitate, as long as she doesnt hesitate the ball is live and she can advance".

The implication of that statement is a misunderstanding of LBR. Does he know it? I dont know. But that statement is not accurate.

2) With no outs and R's @ 1&2B, on D3K BR took off and gets to first. The defensive coach again has a heart attack, the offensive coach yells to the other coach "Both our runners were stealing, its legal"

The umpire says "She has a right to advance, the ball is live".

And he let it stand.. bases now loaded.

The rule is the same in baseball, so I'm not sure what the deal is on that one and why he would blow that one!

3) A pitcher, who was horrible, ALWAYS kept her hands together. Always. She never separated them until delivery (obviously). I wont ding him too hard here, I probably would have wanted every strike I could get out of this pitcher myself.

But at least mention it. I dont think he knew the rule. She stepped quite often as well.

4) He NEVER went into the infield on plays. He always went to the 3BL holding area. Always.

Anyway.. after the game, I went to where he was getting out of his gear and made some small talk, fully intending to let him know at least the rules things...

Then I decided not to make waves with this guy. I doubt he would have appreciated it. He didnt know me from adam and I am not of any level within my NFHS assoc. But he has some areas where he needs to crack a book.

So I just let it all go, came home last night, wrote an email to the the Assoc trainer, then deleted it, not sending it, not even posting about... and have just chewed on what is the right thing to do all day...

So what is really the right thing to do?

I think nothing, maybe just vent on here, maybe if I see him again, talk to him..dunno.