Plate Conference

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by tcblue13

Run Down your normal Plate Conference - No one will call you a moron or say ooo (Whatever that means) about you. This is just for comparison and education.

1. Intros coaches, captains, umpires (usually plate introduces both officials)
2.

Review line-up cards
Return and ask coaches to verify line-up

3. Ask home coach to cover ground rules
4. Any special provisions
5. Sportsmanship reminder
Flip coin, if necessary
6. Let's play

[vcblue]

I am so glad neither of you said, "coaches if you have a problem with a call. Call time and go to the umpire that made the call".

Why don't blues' that say this just say, "hey coach, my partner or I will blow at least one call today, but don't come running out to confront us until I grant you time".

I don't know who started this line, but he/she should be shot.

[Welpe]

Mike's list works for me.

Add on: Issue pre-game warning for bean balls if necessary. Oh wait, wrong diamond sport.

[wadeintothem]

I'll go with Mike's too. I dont do the sportsmanship warning though.

For coin flip, I usually pick who will call it or who is heads. I dont do the who's farther, roll a ball to the circle, rock paper scissors, flip twice stuff. Usually the person who was out there first calls it. I dont tell jokes, goof off, conduct uniform inspections or any of that stuff. Slam bam thank you maam, play ball.

[Steve M]

I'll jump on here with Mike's list, too.

For high school ball in Pa, we're required to read a sportsmanship message.

[Chess Ref]

I'm also a slam bam thank you ma'am kinda guy .

But around here at the end we ask our partners if they have anything to add. I'm thinking of seriously dropping that. Partners come up with some weird things.

Yesterdays partner gave us the lecture on how its only a game. Decent enough guy,decent enough partner, so after the game I asked about it. Its kind of a thing with him and the world taking softball so seriously..."shrug"

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by Chess Ref

I'm also a slam bam thank you ma'am kinda guy .

But around here at the end we ask our partners if they have anything to add. I'm thinking of seriously dropping that. Partners come up with some weird things.

Yesterdays partner gave us the lecture on how its only a game. Decent enough guy,decent enough partner, so after the game I asked about it. Its kind of a thing with him and the world taking softball so seriously..."shrug"

Definitely know your audience before asking "Anything to add?"

[tcblue13]

I also check the line up and let the coaches give is a final once over. I left that off my list.
Our association requires the reminder about sportmanship. One of our umpires handles it uniquely though. He says something along these lines, "I know I don't need to say anything to you about sportmanship."

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

For coin flip, I usually pick who will call it or who is heads. I dont do the who's farther, roll a ball to the circle, rock paper scissors, flip twice stuff. Usually the person who was out there first calls it. I dont tell jokes, goof off, conduct uniform inspections or any of that stuff. Slam bam thank you maam, play ball.

The "legally and properly equipped" applies only in NFHS, as does any sportsmanship reminders. I can't think of anything that gets coaches wondering about an umpire's knowledge more than attempting to apply a standard that doesn't apply before the game even starts. College coaches, as well as upper level travel teams, immediately identify you as a "high school ump"; and that isn't meant to be a compliment by most.

I give even less options than Wade on a coin flip. I assign the team to my left "heads", and the team to my right "tails", then I flip. Same every time, less chance of mixing anything up. A coin flip decision doesn't require giving anyone a choice; just a 50/50 chance. (Besides, the coach can go back saying "he" didn't lose, I did.)

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

The "legally and properly equipped" applies only in NFHS, as does any sportsmanship reminders. I can't think of anything that gets coaches wondering about an umpire's knowledge more than attempting to apply a standard that doesn't apply before the game even starts. College coaches, as well as upper level travel teams, immediately identify you as a "high school ump"; and that isn't meant to be a compliment by most.

I give even less options than Wade on a coin flip. I assign the team to my left "heads", and the team to my right "tails", then I flip. Same every time, less chance of mixing anything up. A coin flip decision doesn't require giving anyone a choice; just a 50/50 chance. (Besides, the coach can go back saying "he" didn't lose, I did.)

I do the same on the coin flip.

[wadeintothem]

Thats also my preferred method especially in championship play... sometimes though I do pick someone to pick at the showcases and whatever. In championship play, no goofin around with even that.

I agree that most upper level coaches immediately identify you as "just another goofy umpire" type if you go into all these unnecessary things in the pregame. Coaches that have been around 10-15+years - what are you really telling them when you go into your diatribe (NFHS mandated statements aside)?

[Chess Ref]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

I do the same on the coin flip.

Had a double flipper a couple of weekends ago. First time I ever had a partner who did the double flip.

[archangel]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Review line-up cards
Return and ask coaches to verify line-up

The ONLY time I return a lineup card to a coach, is if I notice something wrong (such as a players # missing, or the coach forgot to sign it), which has been rare. Otherwise, whats the point? I will verbally mention each teams DH in what spot though..
If nothing looks wrong, why the need to re-verify? He filled it out. Does anyone think the coach will look over to compare #'s to correct players? All he's going to do is glance at it and hand it back, possibly offended, thinking "whats with this guy?- theres nothing wrong on my card"...

Everyone has their own pregame, sure,..... but I put this one with the "come talk to me if you have issues" comment

[Skahtboi]

Originally Posted by archangel

The ONLY time I return a lineup card to a coach, is if I notice something wrong (such as a players # missing, or the coach forgot to sign it), which has been rare. Otherwise, whats the point? I will verbally mention each teams DH in what spot though..
If nothing looks wrong, why the need to re-verify? He filled it out. Does anyone think the coach will look over to compare #'s to correct players? All he's going to do is glance at it and hand it back, possibly offended, thinking "whats with this guy?- theres nothing wrong on my card"...

Everyone has their own pregame, sure,..... but I put this one with the "come talk to me if you have issues" comment

From the 2009 CCA Softball Umpires Manual:

"Once the plate umpire is satisfied that the lineup contains the necessary information, she should hand it back to the coach for a final look."

From the NFHS Softball Umpires Manual:

"Make certain you check each lineup card including first, last name, defensive positioning and number of each participant and hand it back to the coach for a last inspection."

In other words, you do it because it is what you are instructed to do. Once the lineup is handed back to you, it becomes official, and any problems that have been hitherto missed by the coach can now be penalized.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Skahtboi

From the 2009 CCA Softball Umpires Manual:

"Once the plate umpire is satisfied that the lineup contains the necessary information, she should hand it back to the coach for a final look."

From the NFHS Softball Umpires Manual:

"Make certain you check each lineup card including first, last name, defensive positioning and number of each participant and hand it back to the coach for a last inspection."

In other words, you do it because it is what you are instructed to do. Once the lineup is handed back to you, it becomes official, and any problems that have been hitherto missed by the coach can now be penalized.

From the 2009 ASA Umpire Manual:

D. Plate umpire receives line-up cards from each coach.
1. Inspects for proper number of players in the starting line-up
2. Inspects for proper information, by rule
3. Returns line-up card to respective coach for final check
4. Accepts as "official" when cards are returned to plate umpire