Why MTD, Jr., and I do NOT umpire slow pitch softball!

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by scrounge

You couldn't pay me enough to do beer league softball.

Well, you could, but it would have a couple more decimal places than the current fee.

Not a problem. Old fee $25.00. New fee $25.000000001

There you go

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Not a problem. Old fee $25.00. New fee $25.000000001

There you go

Yes, he did mean zeros and commas.

Rita

[azbigdawg]

Umpiring a bunch of kids is easy.....



Did you go back?

[SWFLguy]

I worked a lot, and I mean a lot of "wreck" slo -pitch years ago in central NY. I even was UIC and did assigning for a few of those years. I have had my problems, but fortunately the leagues and most tournaments were operated under the auspices of the city recreation department. They had a no nonsense policy to the games which helped to weed out the bad apples. When I came down here, I began working local ASA games. The organizations here were very weak. I quit after a few weeks and sent all my ASA gear back north to my old commissioner to give to some new umpire. I only work high school games here. The FHSAA has a huge hammer to help coaches and players keep things in perspective.

[ASA/NYSSOBLUE]

Originally Posted by SWFLguy

I worked a lot, and I mean a lot of "wreck" slo -pitch years ago in central NY. I even was UIC and did assigning for a few of those years. I have had my problems, but fortunately the leagues and most tournaments were operated under the auspices of the city recreation department. They had a no nonsense policy to the games which helped to weed out the bad apples. When I came down here, I began working local ASA games. The organizations here were very weak. I quit after a few weeks and sent all my ASA gear back north to my old commissioner to give to some new umpire. I only work high school games here. The FHSAA has a huge hammer to help coaches and players keep things in perspective.

When were you in New York?

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

2) He never once gave the count during an At Bat, and I never new when he had called an illegal pitch because he never used the Delayed Dead Ball signal.

The second part of that seems commonplace with SP. In our city league, we do have a couple of umpires who are very rules-knowledgeable and signal DDB when appropriate. However, the rest of the umpires will not call or signal illegal pitches (although some will signal a flat pitch by making what looks like dribbling motions with their hand ) nor will they signal obstruction which makes one wonder if they saw it but chose not to signal it; if they didn't see it; or, if they felt there was no obstruction.

I'm very surprised he never gave the count. Here, batters would be asking the count and if they had one to waste (assuming your league allows for a courtesy foul).

[KMBReferee]

Why would you even use shin guards in a slow pitch game?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by KMBReferee

Why would you even use shin guards in a slow pitch game?

I never have, but my guess would be to protect one's shins?

[KJUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Yes, a bunch of whiny, little bitches, just like spies.

But I got news for you folks, they don't care that you don't umpire their games, they'll just beat up on the next guy and here is why it happens:

Somewhere along the way, someone told umpires is was a sign of professionalism to "keep players in the game". Well, it isn't. A sign of professionalism is umpiring the game as it is supposed to be umpired, using the prescribed rules and mechanics and manage the game and the players. When that player crosses the line, the professional thing to do is save the game and dispense the player that is causing the problem. It's like cutting out the cancer. I don't know how many times a team had been struggling and some smartass gets dumped and the team refocuses on the game instead of the smartass and their level of play increases and the often end up winning. These are ballplayers, the putz you dumped is not.

Also, somewhere along the way, an umpire figured that if I don't call the rules they don't want called, I will not get into trouble. And when trouble came, they just made it up as they went along and bullshit their way out of it. They are the player's friend, right up until the time comes when the players don't get their way. And you know what, that moron sits there and takes it because s/he is afraid of upsetting them that much more.

IOW, many umpires bring it on themselves through laziness and just not doing the job. And the worst part of that is when they experience the umpire that does the job right, s/he gets the shit and then the players don't understand why they get ejected.

We all wait for the time to come when we meet the "umpire last night" in a dark alley so we can beat him silly with a rule book.

My philosophy, not that anyone cares, is know and enforce the rules, listen to the complaint when warranted, not be afraid of a protest and tell the manager to control his players or take them home. I have found they may not like the call, but they will respect you being there to make it or miss it, not standing where you were when the play started. The players may argue, may completely disagree, but the will not try to bully you, especially if they know you will pull the trigger when appropriate.

Hits the nail right on the head.......100% on target.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by KMBReferee

Why would you even use shin guards in a slow pitch game?

Simple, teams often put the person who can "catch" the worst in the catcher's position. I have come home from slow pitch "wreck" games with bruised shins because of balls hitting me so often. Granted part of that is from rock hard fields and unpredictable bounces, but some is piss poor catchers as well.

I have used shin guards on occassion if I know the teams playing and who the catcher will be for that game. Some games I wish I was in full fast pitch gear the catchers are so bad.

This is one of the issues of umpiring in a league that doesn't allow stealing in SP.