UTenn @ LSU - Talking heads
 

Well, 2nd inning and LSU pitcher, Fico, has had 3 IPs called.

TH note it is for leaping, but replay seems more to support a crow hop.

BTW, just noticed U1 make a routine out call with the left hand and on next play get in the way of the BR making a turn attempt to (and successfully) advance to 2B.

A noticed a few years ago, the NCAA blues (U1) were not getting a '45 degree' position on ground balls to the infield and were much closer to the foul line (maybe 3 to 5 feet near the line) I questioned some of my D1 blue friends and they said that is the 'preferred' mechanic in order to better see a swipe tag at first.

The first point I made to them was: 'since you are trying to get into a position concerning a bad throw, doesn't that position also put the ump more in the way of a BR making a turn?' I guess at that level, it might be a preferred mechanic, but at the ASA/NFHS level (45 degrees), I see it as more of a hindrance.

Though it is not heavily taught, when I see a ball get past F3 & deeper than 1B, I have a tendency to step toward/into the diamond to 1) avoid a rerouted runner and 2) avoid ending up in a possible throwing lane for a subsequent play at 2B.

This really cannot be taught as the umpire needs to read the ball, play and runners and adjust appropriately. The one thing I know for sure is that I never just hold my position.

I asked their supervisor about the left hand call last week. Apparently the NCAA manual does not specify which hand to use in the field, only that the hand is extended in an upward fashion. She said the umpire in question is left handed and chosed to signal fiels outs with his left hand. She said that behind the plate is specified as right hand outs/strikes.

Again - NCAA only.

I watched only a few minutes of the game and the left-handed out calls jumped out at me. It's been a few years since I've read the NCAA umpire manual (since they quit offering it on-line) but remember it used to say that signalling outs with the left hand was acceptcable.

Mike,
Since the leap occurred first, that may well be what was called. I saw the first inning and the last. In between, the grandson wanted to played pokemom. I saw both feet airborn and did not notice whether there was a replant.

The replay I saw, and I think it was the 1st, it looked like she had the ball of the pivot foot stopped and planted before the arm was coming down and forward.

How about the you need glasses comment from LSU HC directly to the PU.:eek:

Just one word, it may be two, "scoreboard". The umpire did not cause the Gibson's HRs or the sloppy play of Santos early in the game.

Well, she was putting on a show for the home crowd, but apparently Girouard doesn't care for the umpire. The picture on LSU's softball page yesterday was that of Girouard in the same umpire's face as a BU, assumedly from Friday's game.

My question for the umpire (who I believe already wears glasses) is why continually walk away from the coach? All you are doing is adding to the coach's frustration and irritating him/her that much more and prolonging the confrontation. As was apparent in yesterday's game, the crew tag-teaming the coach did not help the situation.

Comment by the TH (early in game): 'These aren't just people in the seats, these fans are knowledgeable of the game, or at least think they are'. Maybe not verbatim, but it was stated as such.

For those that claim IP's aren't called based on NCAA statistics, here is the box score link. No "balks" recorded.

Box Score - LSUsports.net - The Official Web Site of LSU Tigers Athletics

I'm still trying to figure out what she was arguing about after the HR that made it 11-0. The only thing I could think of was that maybe she was PO'd about a close pitch before the HR that was called a ball that could have been strike 3 or maybe it was because earlier in the game the PU kicked a call on a hard ground ball past 3B that was called fair but was actually foul. Either way the PU took way too much guff. She should have run the HC long before she did.

An ASA National clinic I attended allowed for left handed overhand out calls.

Joel

I don't agree with the move, but she may have just been using the opportunity to put on a show since the game was basically lost at that point. By doing so, a coach often takes all the pressure and attention off the team and allows them to relax a little. Or the TH could have been right, she just wanted to get to the crawfish and beverages before her players :D

They musta had more on Sunday, cause the Assistant Coach got tossed on Sunday's game also. Is their crawfish THAT good?? :D