Worked a 14U A tournament this weekend, and saw some pretty good ballplaying. Lots of hustle and good defense. All in all I had a great time. Even learned a thing or two from the coaches. For example:

Did you know that if the BR runs outside the running lane, you have to call her out, even though no play is being made on her?

Did you know that when the batter squares to bunt, but fails to offer at the ball and the pitch is well out of the strike zone, you should call a strike? (This one was pointed out to me by the offensive coach.)

Did you know that if the batter bunts down on the ball, and it sits there spinning on homeplate, you should rule it a foul instead of a fair ball?

I feel so much better now that I have had the expertise of coaches, and all the years of training that go with that job, to assist me in my umpiring duties!

Scott

br must also feel and admit to be struck by at batted ball for it to be an out.

Gotta love those coaches.

Had a D1 coach this weekend claim that the hands were part of the bat. "No coach the hands are part of the hands. When a player drops the bat, where do the hands go?".

They quit arguing at the point.

Heard a lot of No, hands are not part of the bat answers
but never the one you laid on us. Like it....Will probably
borrow it....cause I am sure that sometime again this year,
I will hear, Blue, "the hands are part of the bat"

Good one Kellers.

glen

Got another one for you. When a coach questions a call just say "Coach....I was all over that play like a Rat on a Cheetoh". They will walk away from that as well :)

I learned last night that you should not enforce 'obscure' rules like interference when a wild pitch is kicked into left field by the batter when she's 5 steps up the baseline.

Instead of 'deciding the game for them', you should just 'let them play'.

Sounds good to me. Since they don't need me there, I'll just give them my address so they can mail me my check!

After all, everyone knows that if an umpire is going to insist on "deciding the game for them", we would just flip a coin in the beginning, award the win to the team who called the toss correctly and go get a beer!

If she can kick a ball into left field from the 1st base line, I hope she plays soccer, too.

Forget soccer, have her try out for the Redskins; they haven't had a good kicker in years. :D

SamC

I didn't specify the baseline. I thought that it would be self-evident. Another gross underestimation by me.

It was the 3rd base line, she had stepped out of the batters box and was walking a bit up the line to better hear the 3rd base coach.

Umping the plate last week, and learned how to cover bunts from 1st base coach. No runners, batter squared to bunt, missed, strike one. He calls time. Tells me that the base ump's vision, who is an exellent ump with great mechanics, is blocked by F3 when the batter bunts and that I will have to take the play. I look at him and said "huh?". He repeats what he just said. I told him "thanks, I'll take the play at 1st." The batter ended up striking out. I was curious as to what he was going to say if she did get a bunt down. 12U rec ball.

SamC wrote:

<b>"Forget soccer, have her try out for the Redskins; they haven't had a good kicker in years."</b>

And for the life of me I cannot remember his name and he came
from Livingston, Texas, 31 miles from where I went to school.
He married a gal from here and play slow pitch in money raising
tourneys.

glen

Even better, AlaBlue, if she can kick a ball into left field while "walking a bit up the line". she must have one powerful set of legs. <img src=http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/sprite10.gif></img>

SamC

Grrr, the ball had plenty of momentum when it hit her foot, she merely deflected it, maybe adding a slight bit more oomph.

Seriously ??
 

Seriously ?? Ok, so it was just a strike for leaving the box. Or is that just a yankee rule? ;)