Umpires that need to move to Freshman/JV

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Man, oh man...these are all basic rules. Where are they finding these umpires? And how are they getting assigned to playoff level games?

 

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As a matter of good game management, an umpire should NEVER go into any detailed descriptions about how he's going to call the strike zone, or lay out instructions about "his" strike zone. It can only lead to confusion, complaints or confrontation for the coaches and players.

The pre-game plate conference with coaches should consist of:

1) Brief introductions.
2) Taking the lineups from the coaches.
3) Going over the ground rules.
4) (Optional, depending on league or association). Have coaches confirm if teams are properly equipped (Mandatory for high school ball).

And that is it. Circumstances might dictate a coin flip to determine home team, or confirming any time limits or special rules for a league or tournament. This entire meeting should take about two minutes, tops.

The pre-game conference is not a rules clinic and time should not be spent with unecessary explanations of standard playing rules (unless a coach asks a quick question about a specific rule) or having an umpire go into detailed explanations about "his" strike zone or "his" particular philosophy about how he's going to call the game or interpret any standard playing rules.

The essence of good game mangement is for the umpires to keep control of the game. Going off on goofy tangents at the pre-game conference can start the umpires down the slippery slope of losing control of the game- before the game even starts!

As usual you nailed it on the head Bretman. I am hoping that Mr. Wharton and Mr. Caulley assign you to my tournament next weekend (5-30). I do want to use an UIC and am hoping you would be free.

Let me know.

 

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So do I, Mike! I'm looking forward to it.

I did get an email from Barry Wegman a few weeks ago about your tournament and sent a reply, but didn't hear anything back from him.

I've already told Jim Warton that I'm available that weekend.

Hope to see you out there!

 

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So do I, Mike! I'm looking forward to it.

I did get an email from Barry Wegman a few weeks ago about your tournament and sent a reply, but didn't hear anything back from him.

I've already told Jim Warton that I'm available that weekend.

Hope to see you out there!

Barry has done my assigning of the tournament for close to 7 years now. With the switch of it to ASA, Barry has gotten pushed out of it. I am not pleased with it, but have to go along to get along.

Jim is a little tough to deal with for me. I am not used to being in the middle of a power struggle between the state and local offices. As such, I am getting mixed signals as to whether Jim even wants me running events for the local ASA.

We will talk more next weekend.

 

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Here is a good one. Sectional game. Ball hits the foul pole in left field. Home Plate umpire calls it a foul ball and admits it hits the pole. We cannot get him to overturn the ruling during our conference. Pole is shaking so everyone call see it hit the pole. Plus local TV was filiming so everyone call see it later.HR , not called. We lose the game. It would have been 4-3 with us having one out, so we might still have lost. Off course all the know it all parents are riping us the next day for not protesting the call. ttp://www.ohsaa.org/sports/sb/girls/mailings/Manual09.pdf NFHS 4-4-1. Ohio didn't adopt.
Page 19 and OHSAA bylaw 8-3-1. So you cannot protest the call in a high school game.

Plus what I don't like about the new rules for 2009, if we had got thrown out, the new penality for coaches is not worth it.

Seriously that was a TERRIBLE CALL! and common sense should have told the him like wise. There is a lot about OHSAA I don't agree with, I have yet to eject a player or a coach throughout the years of umpiring, I believe that a common ground can be reached if both the Blues and the Coaches will communicate to each other in a respectful manner. If a coach is ejected, OHSAA fines the coach $100.00 plus pay $30.00 and must pass the online OHSAA Coaches Test.

FASTPITCH! Anything else, And you're playing to SLOW!