Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch (Post 628430)

Long hit down the 3B foul line, stays in the air. LF running like a bat out of hell towards it. I'm PU (slow-pitch, 2-umpire), and running down the 3B line to watch where the ball is contacted. The ball is clearly over foul territory when LF tries to catch it, instead it hits his glove and falls to the ground. Of course, LF is in fair territory (I know, but bear with me). I give the foul ball call. Offense goes nuts, saying that LF was in fair territory therefore the ball has to be fair. I explained to them that it all depends on the ball's location when it's contacted by LF. They don't believe me, so they went to my partner. He confirmed my ruling. Ahhhh...the joys of being right. :)

Originally Posted by CecilOne (Post 628439)

...
Of course, they also claimed I didn't make the call immediately (before the ball hit the ground). :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA (Post 628419)

Good, the will be that many more people who will be educated on the rules of softball.

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp (Post 628376)

Ugh... Caught absolute HELL tonight. 2 outs, top of 7th, visitors down by a run after coming back from a 9-1 deficit. Close play at the plate, but the runner had to slow down because F2 was in the base path before the ball got there. He gets tagged out about half a step from the plate, which he probably would've made had F2 not been in the base path. I kill it, award home, and all HELL broke loose.

Home team ended up winning anyway, but I think I felt like wade did a couple years ago.

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch (Post 628430)

Had one a couple weeks ago, similar to this. Long hit down the 3B foul line, stays in the air. LF running like a bat out of hell towards it. I'm PU (slow-pitch, 2-umpire), and running down the 3B line to watch where the ball is contacted. The ball is clearly over foul territory when LF tries to catch it, instead it hits his glove and falls to the ground. Of course, LF is in fair territory (I know, but bear with me). I give the foul ball call. Offense goes nuts, saying that LF was in fair territory therefore the ball has to be fair. I explained to them that it all depends on the ball's location when it's contacted by LF. They don't believe me, so they went to my partner. He confirmed my ruling. They didn't believe us, so they started talking to the other umpires after the game, and of course, ruling affirmed (why do I feel like it was court system night???). Finally the coach of the team said "That is the stupidest rule in softball!"

I had the same team the next week, and the coach came up and apologized, saying that he had called the softball office (which coordinates all the leagues in Omaha) and they had confirmed that my ruling was correct because that was the rule. Ahhhh...the joys of being right. :)

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve (Post 628494)

You know, I am absolutely opposed to verbalizing obstruction; in 99% of the cases, it stops play (and we know that is why they do it in baseball; if the play stops, awards are so much simpler!!).

But, this is one case that I think you should point and yell "THAT'S OBSTRUCTION!!" at the top of your lungs, as the play develops, so that you made the call before the part where everyone sees the runner apparently tagged out.

It won't change that they hate you called it, it won't change that they want to be able to block the base path in that case, it won't change that they swear it didn't happen as you called it. But, it takes away part of the venom when it is assumed you made it up after the play just to screw THAT team.

Originally Posted by Ref Ump Welsch (Post 628872)

Had an obstruction last night, in which I protected the batter-runner to 2B. Gave the DDB signal, and she saw it. When she got to 2B, and time was called (slow-pitch), she asked "I get third, right? That's automatic when you gave that signal, right?" I said "no, I only had you protected towards second because that's as far as you would have gotten in my judgement." She tried the line that it wasn't judgement based, it was an automatic award. I told her she needed to read the rules, and if she harped anymore, the night was over for her. Women playing coed ball shut up really fast when you say that. :)

Originally Posted by Andy (Post 629013)

16u FP this weekend. I am PU.

R1 at first, BR hits a shot to the right center gap. R1 rounds second, heads for third, great throw from F8 beats R1 by about two steps, but F5 can't handle the throw and the ball bounces away from her. R1 did not slide and sees the ball get away from F5. As R1 is rounding third, she brushes F5 still standing near third. The contact wasn't much, but it did cause R1 to break stride. My left arm goes out and R1 heads for home. F1 was backing up the play at third and easily retrieves the ball and throws home. F2 tags R1 about 6 feet before home.

DEAD BALL! OBS on F5, R1 back to third, BR back to second!

I start waiting and looking to see which coach is going to come out and want an explanation of the call. Nobody says a thing....players, coaches, fans...nothing.

I have a hard time believing that everybody there understands the OBS rule that well.....

Originally Posted by wadeintothem (Post 629027)

"Blue, youre not supposed to call them out for leaving early during fall ball. The whole purpose is for a college coach to time her with a stop watch."

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA (Post 629036)

What you want to say, but will not: "See if that stop watch will tell you how long it takes you to get to the parking lot".;):D