Pony Umpires

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These umpires do not know the rules therfore should have to take a class on the big book before umping. to many mistakes and calls have been wrong with these guys :'(
 
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What tourney are you talking? Most of the umpires that I've run into at the PONY Qualifiers have been reasonably good. Always one or two that I'd rather not have, but as a general rule I haven't had a problem....
 
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The umpires at the Virginia Pony nationals were really good compared to the umpires at other tournements. they made sure there were atleast 2 umpires on each feild. There weren't hardly any bad calls.
 
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At Pony Nationals in Sterling, I can only recall several bad calls over the past 3 years attending during our games. They were most always very precise and in total control of the game.

At several Qualifiers this year, I can attest that the umpiring has been very questionable. The directors from these tournaments have already made previous statements on existing posts on how to better the situation. At our Classics tournament, I felt overall, the umpiring was very good. Probably better this year then in 2004. I have been the site coordinator for the 10U and 12U age groups at the Classics tournament the past 2 years. I have always encouraged every team at my site to please let me know of any concerns 1st before making it an issue directly with the umpire. I know sometimes this is hard to do but if a consistent situation can be confirmed by a site director, they can usually either approach the umpire or contact the head umpire to make the situation correct.

Thanks
 
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That's a pretty general blanket statement to say, "these umpires do not know the rules...".

Can you offer specific examples of what rules these guys don't know?

It has been my experience that when calls don't go the way you want- even if those calls are right- that it's easy to blame the umpires.

In many cases, the player or coach is sure that the umpire applied a rule incorrectly when, in fact, the player or coach had the rule completely wrong to begin with.

I had this very thing happen to me in a recent tournament. I made a few calls that had the coaches complaining like crazy. They were sure that I had it wrong, but in my training and experience as an umpire I was 100% certain that I has it right.

Even after explaining the proper rule to these coaches, they seemed unconvinced. I'm sure that if you asked them about the game, they would say, "that guy does not know the rules".

They would be wrong.

So, how about it. What rules did your umpires "blow"? You might be surprised to learn that they had it right after all!
 
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I can atest to the inadequacy of the umpires at the Eastlake Qualifier. Some were very good, but on a whole they were very confused.
I would hate to call it favortism because I like to believe that most officials are above that, but calls especially relating to Infield Fly, Dropped Third, and varying strike zone sizes have to make you wonder. The general game progression rules were well covered, it was the finer points that needed some work.
 
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bretman said:
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I had this very thing happen to me in a recent tournament. I made a few calls that had the coaches complaining like crazy. They were sure that I had it wrong, but in my training and experience as an umpire I was 100% certain that I has it right....
Nothing like an umpire who knows he's right. ;D ....It's almost as bad as a coach who knows he's always right. ;D
 
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classics10u coach - It is good to hear that Pony in Ohio is making strides to address the Umpiring questions. Being very familiar with the Classics Organizers I knew they would fix the problems at their event. I remember the first year the Classics switched from ASA to Pony. There was a real umpire shortage for the event and Pony had to literally bring them in from Philly and other east coast cities. Most, yes I said most, of the ones they brought were doing their FIRST fastpitch tourney. It was ugly.

bretman - I know you have been around a while. There is no doubt that the differences between the associations rules causes confusion at times. Since Pony is not as established in the area it is safe to say that not all the umpires being used know that particular associations finer points. It is not a slam against all umpires - just stating a fact. It will get better as more umpires like you start crossing association lines and take the art of memorization seriously.

BTW - same can be said for coaches and TD's!!!
 
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OhioRays,

I'd like to correct one of your statements. As the former State Director, and the guy that found those umpires at the Classic's first pony event - I'd like to give you the story.

2 weeks prior to the event, the local ASA assignor under the direction of the ASA Region Director, pulled the umpires assigned to the event, telling them that if they called a pony tournament, they would not be assigned ASA events - even though pony was an ASA allied member and their was a written directive from the ASA president to cooperate. We had to scramble.

There were SOME newer umpires - some that I really had a problem with, but the vast majority was brought in from established pony areas. There were 7 states represented including 2 state UICs.

"Most" might be a little strong.

Dave
 
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Good one, The BearMay! ;D

Actually, the rhubarb was over some very simple base awards on balls thrown out of play.

First play: Ball was thrown out of play following a walk. Coach seemed to think that the ball was dead following a walk, so no bases could be awarded on this throw. Wrong!

That's strike one, coach....

The next play involved a runner going to first on an infield batted ball. Throw to first went out of play before batter reached first. The correct base award was second (batter had not reached first at the time of the throw- that's two bases).

Coach thought that I had awarded one base and thought his runner should be on third. After all, the runners got two bases on that other play, after a walk, he says.

That's strike two, Coach...

The final play was on a pitch that bounced out of play. I awarded his base runners one base.

Coach wants to know why his runners only got one base, when the other team got two when a ball went out of play. Ummm, Coach? Do you understand the difference between a THROWN ball and a PITCHED ball going out of play?

Coach...That's strike three!

These were all very simple base awards, yet in each case the coach was sure that I had it wrong (I didn't). I'm sure that he left the field convinced that the sorry umpire "didn't know the rules" and had "cost his team the game".

Which, if my suspicions are correct, might be the same case as with the original post in this thread.
 
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Dave - I remember talking to you at the event actually. ?I did know the whole story because Dave and I spoke about it the week before the event. "Most" might be strong. ?Maybe our teams just got to see them ALL. ?My daughters team had the 20 year old kid that it was his first tourney...ever. ?And we had him 3 games!!! ?I did speak with some of the umpires and even though they were experienced they had not done girls fastpitch before. ?I specifically remember talking to a group of 4 that came from Philly together when they were out by the portables at the main complex under their tent. ?It was their first time doing girls.

My real intent was to compliment the Classics for working hard to address the issues. ?Having been very close to the program over the years it was always one we wished well for.
 
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I remember, and had a couple of them myself. So much for being "connected". :)

The Classics have always put on a class event. I had to miss it this year with the changed date, but hope to get back in the future. Dave appeared to age a good bit in the week before that event. :)
 
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Bretman,

We had a similar situation in one of our games in the Memorial Day Blast. A well known coach made the umpire get the UIC because "he knew for a fact" that a pitched ball going out of play was 2 bases. UIC backed up the umpire. We knew that a pitched ball was only 1 base.

Next inning he comes back out and said he just saw it in the ASA book and the umpire blew the call. So not only did he not know the rule...... he couldn't read either.

My experience with umpires is that they are 98% + right on rule questions..... about twice the average coach. But as a coach they have never been right on the judgement calls going against our team... LOL
 
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