GPblue

Ok....you need to add to the situation, because it seems like there is a little loss in translation(since Matt said you were telling the site director what to do). Did ANYONE else(Coaches, players, parents, scorekeepers, other umpires) at the game see what you saw? And if they did, what was their reaction of him? If this was a Perfect Game organized event, did you speak with their national coordinators about the situation? It may for future events create a protocol for such circumstances. And to Matt. If we as umpires see a player in the same situation, and a coach refuses to take his player out, wouldn't the language be very similar as an umpire to the site director?

Where in the heck is common sense here?!?! SO, worse case scenario this umpire dies, who's liable? seems to me that a certain site director would be in this case. I had a similar situation with a partner who had just worked a double shift in a steel mill. He was behind the plate because we had a double header. At one point he literally didn't say anything on a pitch down the middle until the catcher looked back and said "was that a ball or strike?" The head coach for the one team was a former major leaguer(made a slide in '92 that broke every Pittsburgh Pirates fans hearts), and was smart enough to allow me to stop the game and get a cold towel on his neck, let him sit down for a minute and get water in him to get his body temp down. After that he was fine and we made it through the game. That is sick that a tournament would allow an official that is visually ill to remain on the field. What was their justification?

If they are playing by FED rules based on the OP, regardless of the PU calling "coach" or "HEY BOB" the HC is to report to the plate conference and that is where it is to be declared. You can say it all day long it being a summer tournament and most coaches in summer ball don't manage high school games, but if I am paying money for my kid to play for a coach in a tournament, he better have SOME sense of what the tournament rules are.

This is a great topic. I am glad it has mostly stayed on the course of the logistics of how to do the evaluations, rather than blasting the concept of coach's eval. To that, Bigumpire, the local rec group that is asking for coaches evaluations, to what end are they doing this? Do some teams feel they are getting slighted by the umpires they get, or is it a power trip to use as more fodder to bash umpires? If there is an end game to the evaluations that they are working with the umpire group to improve the umpires(and hopefully the guys working respect their critique and don't let it go in one ear and out the other, like some guys I have worked with) Then I am all for it as long as they are communicating with the UIC of the group and determine the evaluations need to be discussed with the umpire/partners. Of course, the ones that say "you're zone sucks, my pitcher got a postage stamp zone" those need to be trashed.

Ump29 if the official wasn't trying to manhandle a 6'6" 320 beast, do you think this situation would even be talked about? watch every other official what they are doing......

My hometown has a group that does the game live as audio on the radio and online, and then the replay is on video. If you listen to the live broadcast at times they will say "if you see it here on the replay" uhhh, no I can't.

I am not sure football referee protocol, but the official that was punched sure has his hands on that player quite a bit and pushing him away from the situation. What happened to "if a fight breaks out, start writing down numbers"

Punching his helmet? unless his head is 2 feet off his body and on his chest.............must be a magician

I use this in my pregame at all levels. Of course it still doesn't stop them from going the wrong place, but puts a precedent in place for when you have to say "coach, you need to go to the official who made the call" and he doesn't think you are being a red a$$

that's the mechanic I use, and most college guys I work with around here as well. I also have a summer guy I worked a high level tournament with this past weekend that shouted "I'll be at third partner" with runner on 2nd in the field. Needless to say both catchers in the game looked at me as in "What's this guy's deal" because he was over umpiring all game. First guy I ever worked with that shouted signals to me.

When was the last time Joe Buck was on the radio???? I think the television audience can SEE how the foul ball happened.

I never understood why announcers, especially local MLB broadcasters, where 9 times out of 10 this is their only sport, don't use the proper terminology and rules during a game. Most color guys have one job, and that is to be the "Expert". They have a copy of OBR in their booth, OPEN IT! As someone who worked in radio and did play by play for multiple sports, I felt like a moron if I used incorrect terminology on a play/ruling. If I was corrected, I made sure on my next broadcast it wouldn't happen again. The only thing I can think of is that the producers feel that certain situations a lay fan would either say or think in the same way. So they want the audience to be on the same level as the announcers? Another great example of a great thing that producers nixed.....the Pirates local broadcast had an MLB umpire(don't remember who it was) come in and do pre-recorded segments about certain "common misconceptions about the game" and to discuss rules and things that everyone sees in a game to better explain it to the fan. The first and ONLY segment I saw was the rule interpretation of a "Check swing" He went over the rule and explained about "judgement of making an attempt at the pitch" Of course, that flew right in the face of all the replays of where the bat went and how far across the plate it went for the color commentators to second guess the umpires.

A new one my President of my summer chapter has been giving(not sure where he got it, and seems unnecessary), while in the field, he will give the "Hang Ten" behind his head with runner on second less than two outs moving it from 2nd base to 3rd letting me know he has that runner to third. Makes no sense to me why he does it when I am telling him I am staying home and he has the rest of the bases.

If Brian Kenny responded to this article, he would probably say that 60 signals are too many for even Barry Bonds and Joey Votto!

one out time play, 2 out time play, reverse rotation, fan interference are ones I haven't seen yet. Let's not also forget the point letting player/coach they have made the choice to no longer be in the game.

I just started a new job as a sales associate for a small manufacturer. The owner seems very flexible and was excited to hear about my prospects of doing college ball. This will be my first spring with a college schedule, so I guess time will tell.

I like the mechanic. Any thought to going first base extended in clearing the catcher for the swipe tag/running lane interference?

I know most of you will say apples and oranges, but don't you feel calling balls and strikes would be on par with a football referee's penalty or a basketball referee foul call? Would they want to take the human element out of those calls too?

what rules are being used? OBR? FED? LL?

I get the angle that he is trying to get here where nothing is blocking him out, but it seems like a mechanic that isn't necessary. And from the video could have gotten him in trouble had the ball bounced a different direction.

is there a step off?

Western PA HS Varsity pays between 65-75 depending on the school. Summer ball is between 50-60 for 18u, Legion, Tournaments, adult league.

I think everyone on here has made valid points to this discussion. I guess me opening this can of worms has brought out some emotions, and educated opinions. I think my two concerns stem from training and commentators. We as officials know that when a problem on the field occurs, the umpire will get the first blame. I have worked with several umpires who have gone to the LL run clinics in Williamsport, and honestly feel they have come back with sloppy mechanics and poor game management skills. So problem one is they are having the "experts" be volunteers who probably don't have high level umpire experience, or their high level experience is considered working LL regionals or WS. Problem two is commentating. As long as I can remember watching the tournament on ESPN, at least ONCE a game the play by play or color guy will at some point have to justify a call or play with "The volunteer umpires........" If you have to justify a situation, why put yourself in that position? One last point(I know I said 2). When I work a tournament game where a kid's parent has paid x amount of dollars to be on that team, they know what they are receiving for that fee. I know if I were a parent, if I was spending money for my child to be in a tournament, they are going to have an understanding of what they are being provided. One of the services is trained qualified umpires who are EARNING(and I'm sorry smiles and thank you's aren't earning) while providing their service to the game. I truly think even 45 bucks a game to the LLWS umpires won't break the bank.

and what does that 7.5 million a year pay for?

Has anyone ever found what the TV contract is to LL from ESPN to broadcast their "volunteer" tournament. I highly doubt ESPN donates their personal, equipment, satellite feed, etc. to have Karl Ravich and Kruck criticize the umpires.