StrikeToWin

I agree with it being a misapplication of a rule since all criteria of IFF were not met, how could we "fix it" especially at the level of ball that I mainly do? I'm just throwing this out there but could we rule verbal umpire interference (I know there is no such thing but you can have verbal interference from coaches and players)? I know I'm stretching, but I'm just trying to figure out how I can lessen the damage of an umpire making such an awful mistake? Hopefully I never have to make a ruling like this in a game. Also the fact that I work with a lot of umpires that are even less experienced than I am doesn't help.

So wouldn't an umpire making an incorrect IFF call be the same thing? They are both a misapplication of the rule by an umpire. IFF should not have been called if it was bunted but was and CI should not have been killed immediately but was. In both situations, the actions of the umpire directly affected the actions of the defense. This isn't like a missed OBS by the BU that PU sees and calls or a pulled foot that BU goes to the PU for help on. What if the IFF is called on the bunt and the batter doesn't even attempt to make 1B because he thinks he is out already and goes straight to the dugout? I know I'm asking a lot of questions, but due to my lack of experience, I really am trying to figure this out.

​I thought that if a batter put the ball in play, even with CI that it was delayed dead ball and then a manager could take the result of the play or have the CI enforced. My partner ruled the CI but should have let it play out rather than calling time and automatically enforcing it.

I understand the whole "fix it" and get the call right, but at most of the levels that I work, making an incorrect IFF call would be putting one team or the other at a severe disadvantage. Is it right to get together with our partner and call it correctly and then have to eject coaches because of our error? If the kids have been coached to return to their base if IFF has been declared and we incorrectly make that call, you can be that I'm not going to correct it in the manner stated. That might be wrong but so was my partner (or me cause I'm not perfect) and it shouldn't penalize the offensive team who is only reacting to the umpires call. If I'm calling older kids or high level ball rather than rec, I would be more inclined to fix it and make the correct call. I had a similar situation the other night where my partner made a catcher's interference call and immediately killed the play with a runner on first and the batter hit a sharp grounder to F4 who sends the ball sailing over F3. My partner comes up yelling "Time, Time, that's interference". Both R1 and BR had advanced to 3B and 2B respectively but since he killed the play and the defense quit rushing to get the ball, we enforced the CI and put runner at 1B and 2B. Was it the right call? No but we had no complaints from either side. If we had let the play stand, we would have been EJ'ing the DC since his kids had stopped playing.

Even though you can't have IFF on a bunt, if my partner has called IFF, I'm treating it that way. I think it puts the offense at a disadvantage for the umpire to declare IFF so they play it like that is the situation. I would have B9 out on the IFF call and R2 out on the tag. May not be right and I will be talking to my partner after the game about it, but if the umpire makes a call that puts the offense or defense at a disadvantage, I think you have to go with the call. That might be wrong so any input would be welcome. Also, I do a lot of 11U/12U and "wreck" ball so they haven't even figured out what IFF is.

They're paying that much for tourneys and only get one "quality" umpire? Tourneys around here are are 150-250 depending on the age of the players (big diamond vs small diamond). They get a 3 game guarantee and 2 umpires on the field for all games even on the small diamond. Coach pitch is the only one that still gets one umpire. They do however charge a $5 gate fee as well.

We have a rule in our park that if you have to toss a fan (foul language, abuse, belligerance etc.) then the head coach of the offending team has to go as well. It really helps to get the coaches involved with shutting fans down.

​Would it have mattered if BR hadn't slowed down? I'm asking because I don't know. Since the PU called time, wouldn't it have trumped everything. I felt like the PU called time because he had a player laying on the ground and players rushing in so trying to gain control quickly before it escalated.

This did not happen to me last night but was relayed to me by the umpire that it happened to. I have worked with him several times and he's a solid umpire for the level that we work. He had a 3B coach that caused a balk and then wanted the balk enforced. They argued for a bit and then played some more. Pitch or 2 later, 3B coach said something else and was tossed. He got in the BU's face and he told him to leave the premises. Before he did, he literally spit on the umpire. Just crazy what daddy coaches will do.

Wouldn't OBS be nullified with the PU calling time?

Looked to me as though the HP umpire had already called time so the BR coming around the way he did was definitely MC. Maybe I didn't see something right though.

I did however have a manager last night decide to sit an inning out in the stands right behind homeplate and start coaching his players. He wasn't necessarily hounding my strike zone, but he was out there to coach. I did turn around and "talk to the fence" and told him either he was a spectator, or a manager and he wouldn't like the view if he chose to be a spectator. He got the point and returned to the dugout.

I worked with an umpire that after 4 pitches called time and walked over to the HC and told him that either he tell his catcher to start catching the ball or find a new catcher. These were 12 year old competitive teams. He told the catcher that he wasn't a backstop and the coach asked him what he suggested and his words were "Either you find somebody who can catch the ball or you can watch the game from the parking lot." Not saying this was the right way to handle it, but it did get his point across and the catcher started making a better effort. In those 4 pitches he was hit 3 times and the catcher didn't even move to catch the ball inside.

I guess I should have clarified a bit more, this partner and I had worked together previously and I called an IFF in that game and so he made sure in our pregame and at the time that I first called the IFF that it was the PU's call and that I should not make that call. I didn't agree with him then but as an older, more experienced umpire, he was going to get that call not me. I know it doesn't have to be verbalized, but I generally verbalize it loud and clear so there is no mistaking the ruling on the field. It was just a situation that I was not going to step on his toes and he had to take the sammich that came to him from both dugouts because he told them that it was his call.

I was once told by a partner on an IFF situation that he would make the call and that it is not my call (I was BU). It came up around the third inning and I just watched the ensuing circus as my partner could not find the ball and make a determination of whether or not an infielder had a legitimate shot at catching the ball (he did but failed to make the catch). I at least had a hand in the air showing it so we were able to correct everything that happened (BR out, R2 safe at 3B since there was no tag and the force was off) but both coaches were hot that no one made a verbal indication of IFF.

Can't you get verbal interference on a base coach that loudly yells "Balk" and subsequently an out?

Yes.

We always do a 20 at any time rule in tournaments and open league play as well as 12 after 3 and 8 after 4 for 6 inning games and 15, 12 and 8 after 5 for 7 inning game.

I'm just curious, what happened after that? Was the catcher tossed? It looked to me like it was intentional but I've never seen the catcher's normal throwing motion. A catcher at that level, making that throw like he did.... wow. If it was 10U "wreck" ball I could see that happening, but c'mon.

I just finished a stretch of 16 in 4 days. I'm tired today sitting here at work, but I love it! I think since the end of February I have called approximately 100 games give or take a few and have a full slate for the rest of May.

I have found that when I am umpiring games that involve kids or coaches that I know outside of the baseball world, I am tougher on that team so as not to appear as though I am showing favortism. I have had my senior pastor's grandson several times in games and he always acknowledges me from outside the fence and is always pleasant. It's sometimes tough to call but be objective and remember that it's just a game. I worked a game one time with a partner that his son was actually playing and like me, he was tougher on his son than he was on the rest of the players.

Our league requires that the ondeck batter warm up behind the batter so most teams rush to try and get the 3B dugout since most of their hitters are RH. The really tough thing is getting them to stay on their own side once they move up to the big fields. Just doesn't look right when a 15 year old goes running behind to warm up behind the batter.

I am 40 and this is my third full season of calling ball. Nobody says you have to be 16 to start umpiring. Just have a willingness to learn and realize that what you thought were the rules all those years, may not be.

Unfortunately for me, most of the umpires I work with aren't sure of which ruleset, time limits, run rules, and many other things so they defer to me whether I'm on the bases or plate. When I am BU, I try to keep my mouth shut until such time as the PU has forgotten to ask "All players properly and legally equipped?" or they ask me if they are forgetting anything.

Well, not really, I just wanted to get some games. We have had a ton of rainouts this year early in league play (USSSA) and the assigner asked me if I would be willing to do .... Coach pitch. I agreed and get to see how it goes tonight. I will say that I'm OK with the 60 minute time limit and $25 per game (2 games) but now I have to learn yet another rule set by tonight. It should be fun though. This weekend I get to move back up to the big fields and do 13U Majors tourney.