wmmliggett

It was a routine line drive that was going to drop in for a clean hit on a small field. The plate guy, with nobody on, is supposed to come out from behind the plate, trail the B/R to first base. Since the fence was a temporary one, there is no expectation that the ball is going to leave the playing field, or bounce over it. If the plate guy cannot see the ball roll under the RF fence after trailing the B/R up the line, then he has bigger issues. Maybe you guys in other parts of the world do things differently, but I followed the protocol of what we do in our area. It was NOT a trouble ball in the true sense of the term

Ya know, I come on here to share experiences and read other peoples war stories and try to be helpful. I have not insulted anybody or been a jerk to anybody about what they post. As I said, I don't make it a habit to respond to fans. In fact I don't remember anotehr time that I've responded to a fan during an HS game. Should I have said anything? NO. Did I make a mistake in doing so? Yes. But I don't need to be called "Stupid" by somebody who doesn't know m or anything about me beyond what I post on here. I happen to be a damn good umpire who takes the job seriously, knows the rules and works very hard to make the very best call possible on every pitch and every play. I would put mu umpiring skills up against anybody's any time. Apparently UmpJM. you consider yourself to be the God of umpires who is perfect and has never done anything on the field that you regret, whether it be a call or the way you handled asituation. Good for you! More power to you. From where I'm sitting you're an arrogant ass. This is supposed to be a fraternity and we're supposed to have each other's backs. Instead, I find myself pulling knives out of mine.

I would have rather worked alone than with this guy too because had that been the case, none of this would have happened. Just for the record, I did NOT kick the award. If a defensive player reaches for and/or touches a lodged ball, or a ball that bounds through or under a fence, the runners are entitled to all the bases they can achieve. Had F9 not gone for the ball and just continued to hold his arms up, we would have put the B/R back on second. Had my plate guy done his job, he would have seen the ball roll under the fence and he would have been able to kill it immediately and we could have stopped the runner at second. The entire mess happened because he did not do his job correctly

Had another one a coupel of years ago in a Babe Ruth game. Visting team nudges out to a 15-0 led in the top of the first inning. Has a runner on third and one out. By some miracle CF actually catches a fly ball, By another miracle on the same play, throws a perfect one-hopper to the catcher. The catcher turns to face the runner in the base path and is literally waiting on him. Runner chooses option D and trucks the catcher. Here comes the immediate MC call. Since they had no subs and could not finish with 8 players, the game was forfeited. First, coach argued he tripped over the plate (that he never reached); then he said he didn't mean to. Then he appealed to the district UIC who informed him he didn't see the play and even if he had it was strictly a judgment call and there would have been nothing he could have done any way. I have yet to meet a coach who agreed with an intereference, obstruction or malicious contact call that went against his team. Tehy all need to grow up and get with the program and stop making excuses for these kids of all ages. They're not doing them any favors. All they're doing is teaching them it's never their fault and it's always somebody else's.

Had an HS game last night. Runner slides into catcher but is tagged out. Yes, there was contact, but runner slid feet first. Some idiot parent was yelling at me to get ride of him because he has to slide. I normally do not respond to fans, bu tin this case, I couldn't help myself, I responded, "He DID slide." He and a lady next to him informed me that he, in fact, did not slide. At this point, I walked back to my position behind the plate, telling myself, "People, I don't know what game you're watching." And I left it alone. Stupid, stupid, stupid. BTW, defensive coach never said a word.

Wouldn't it be nice if some umpires would quit making up rules and know the ones that are written in black and white? If we don't know them how can we expect coaches and fans to know them?

I had this situation on the small field. Nobody on, I was in the A. Batter hits a line drive to right field for a clean single. I buttonhook in and watch the B/R hit first base and I take rhim to second. As he approaches second, I see F9 holding his ams up, indiicating the ball went throught the fence. At the the same time, I hear my plate guy telling me to go check the ball. When I look up, I see my plate guy standing at third base and I ask myself, "What the "F" are you doing here?" I proceed to follow protocol and take the B/R to third. As soon as he hit third, I turned around and was going to go check the ball. When I turned around, F( was on his hands and knees reaching through the fence to grab the ball. At this point, I think to myself, "Well, no need to go check it now. Home run." Plate guy, who had the responsibility of following the ball and keeping his ass at home, wanted to put the B/R at second and I said NO. We had a huge blowup over that one (on the field, unfortunately) to the point that the assigner separated us the rest of the tourney. He further egged it on by telling other umpires how I had screwed up. I finally got to the point that I had heard enough and asked him who's responsibility it is to take the B/R to third and he kept stumbling over his words until finally admitting that the base guy has the B/R to third and he was supposed to watch the ball. Fortunately for me, the other umpires know which of us is the competent one.

My strike zone is whatever appears to be hittable

The only thing I would add for consideration is this: I hope the ball did not become dead BEFORE the two runners tagged up. If it did, runners may not retouch during a dead ball and can be in danger of being called out on appeal.

If there's one thing I hate, it's to miss pitches. I know I'm going to, but I hate it when I do. I have learned over the years, however, that usually, the baseball gods are with you and it all works out in the end

I jpoin the consensus .... stick with the call. I had a similar situation Sunday. Coach complained, "What do we have to do to get an 'out' call at seoncd?" My response: Coach, that's enought. I'm by myself and I'm doing the best I can. From here, he looked safe." By the way, the defender tagged runner on his ass after he was passed him, which means I had the runner's foot on the bag prior to the tag. Unless it's a swipe tag, dropped ball, pulled foot, check swing or rule interpretation, don't EVER ask for help, and if you're by yourself, live with the call.

It's stories like these, regarding weather that make me glad I live in Florida and I am kept busy pretty much year-round.

My ANY age. If they're playing travel ball, they should know better by the time they're 10. My experience as a teach and an umpire has taught me one thing: Consequences work; warnings don't!

First, I enforced the balk first because it's the way it's listed in 7.07. Secondly, like I said, I've had minor league umpires tell me you can't call both. their logic being that since the catcher never made contact witht he batter, it's not actually CI. If th catcher does make contac with the batter, then it is not a balk. I agree with you and I think I called it correctly, but those are the arguments I have gotten from college and minor league umpires.

There is a rule that state that if any member of the offense does ANYTHING to impede, hinder or confuse the defense, it can be construed as interference, but the act of a runner continuing on after he has been put out does not in and of itself constitute interference. Like most others, I would have used the same argument you used: it's the defense's resposibility to know the situation, just like on a dropped third strike with less than 2 outs and first base occupied. The catcher should know not to throw to first base, regardless of what the batter does.