Umpire Mechanics

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by tcblue13

Dear Umpie...

Huh???

Originally Posted by tcblue13

....calls a strike as he points to his right...

While I don't like this mechanic, I am not going to hold against someone if it is his/her only flaw.

Originally Posted by tcblue13

I was not at the start of the game but he batter's box was chalked way too small... Would you have allowed the game to start on a field that was not lined properly?

No biggie. Of course I would have started the game like this. As Wade has already pointed out, it is my judgment anyway. I would have made a note of it at the pregame meeting with the coaches, though.

Originally Posted by tcblue13

But the smaller batter's box put the visiting team at a disadvantage as they had two slappers in the lineup.

No more so than if they had been playing with regulation batter's boxes marked. Again, totally my judgment as to whether or not they made contact with the ball outside of the box.

Originally Posted by tcblue13

He also held up his hand to the pitcher to allow the batter to get set, IMHO not keeping the ball live between pitches. We were told not to do that. Even if a batter holds up her hand, that is not a request for time.

What mechanic were you told to use to prevent the pitcher from pitching before you and the batter are set? The mechanic you state is the prescribed mechanic in nearly all softball codes. Sounds like, in this case, your association provided you with some incorrect information. This is not a calling of time, it is just an umpire telling a pitcher that you cannot pitch yet!

Originally Posted by tcblue13

BU has his pullover jacket untucked and it hanging to his thighs.

Pullover jackets are made to be worn untucked. Now it sounds like this guy may have been wearing one that was a little oversized, but who knows, maybe he has lost a lot of weight recently.

Originally Posted by tcblue13

He was way quick on calling balls and strikes. On one pitch that was extremely low, bounced in front of the batter, he called it a ball as it bounced. The pitch hit the batter on the foot so his called ball had to be changed to dead ball. He was calling strikes as the ball was hitting the mitt.

Common rookie mistake. This is why we are always telling each other to slow down. Heck....these many years later, I still have games where I say to myself "slow down."

Originally Posted by tcblue13

Am I overly critical of fellow umpires?

Maybe just a little.

In some cases, such as the holding of the hand to prevent the pitcher from pitching, you have been given some incorrect information from your association. Might I suggest, in addition to what you have been told there, you read the ASA Umpires manual, view their DVD, perhaps read the CCA Umpires Improvement Manual, and the NFHS Umpires manual. They will give a lot of useful information. Use it for discussion at the next association meeting where they are giving you info that doesn't agree with what you have read. A big part of umpiring sucessfully for many years is always being a student.