Umpirechick1

Yupp - that's why I posted in the Cooperstown forum. As Bill Engvall says "Here's your sign!" I hope CDP is ready! And thanks for that encouraging word Zebra Stripes! Haha Just remember who I live with- he made me crazy. The joy of teaching - summers off!

So, it looks like I'll now be there for 3 weeks... 1, 2 and 3. I certainly didn't expect it.

Yeah, but hey... the good news is that I'm still around the game, and he's not! HA! But, if that happens to you again, I hope that you don't give up a spot in a game to another umpire (who just happens to be male) for some douchebag of a coach.

@‌Disgruntled - That's crap and I know exactly how you feel. I was getting ready to do a plate meeting in an 11u travel game several years ago, and someone from the baseball board walked onto the field and told me that I needed to switch with my partner and do the field. WHAT? He said the VC didn't want to play with me on the field. He said that was impossible, and the coach finally "agreed" to play if I did the field. I immediately called my UIC and he was as pissed as I was, but there was nothing that I could do for that particular game. I changed out and my partner was feeling really awkward, but I told him to deal with it, call the game, and I'd deal with it later. I was on a roll that night, and you'd better believe that no close call went that coach's way that night. He was a total douche bag, and he wasn't worth the dirt on the bottom of my shoes, but I still called the game. Thankfully my UIC backed me up, and it didn't happen again. Now, I'm still umpiring and have moved up to HS ball, that coach got suspended after that season, and is no longer coaching. Make sure that you have a UIC who will back you up. It makes all the difference in the world!

We don't have any tournaments around here (Grand Slam, USSSA or Triple Crown) that have a run rule after 2 - only 3 innings. Whoever decided to enter that team into a tournament was obviously not thinking straight.

I also tell the kids to climb up and I tell the the fielder to throw it in. Unless he took a face full of dirt or something like that, I don't like to call time. Fielder needs to learn how to throw the ball to the pitcher. So many times, the fielder makes a bad throw, ball is live and runners may try to advance - but they can't if we call time. That's part of the game.

Come on over to the "dark side" - it's lots of fun and it's not too late.

You could always move to the South - there is a ton of baseball here in GA. I'm a little North of Atlanta and there is baseball from Feb-Nov. There is never a shortage of games, but sometimes umpires.

@‌Richvee, yes player development. I'd rather the kids be taught to play when they start to play, rather than 2 years down the road when they're 7 & 8 and only the "circle" player learned to play ball at their previous level. Like I said, they take baseball serious in our area.

Neither of us were out of position. It was a run-down between 2nd and 3rd. I heard him say "I've got 3rd" so I let him take it and he did. It didn't hurt for him to ask just because it was a close game and a close play.

Ha - Now if a 18 yr old says it, or a coach suggests it (yes, it's happened before) I would've taken it very differently. This kid might have been 13, but looks like he's 10 and is a young acting 13 yr old. Just when I think I've heard it all...

This is where all of the young rookies start - at 16. I'm telling you... coaches screaming, arguing calls, grandmas climbing the backstop fence (yeah, that was a fun game), and lots of crazy antics. My main concern was always player safety, so if I saw this kind of thing happening as described in the OP, I'd have to figure out a way to keep everyone safe.

Coming from an area that Tball is taken seriously (yes, it's true) we have several rules in place to keep this kind of thing from happening. Our kids are 5 and 6. These rules help to develop all of the players, not just the "circle" position. Some examples are: F1 position must start with both feet inside the circle. If he/she fields the ball, it must be thrown to a base for an out. There is no F2 position, so F1 can run home to make a play at the plate. Some leagues have an "imaginary line" that goes from home to 2B. The circle position player is not allowed to run across that line in order to make a play - ball must be thrown. This keeps the F1 player from chasing the kid all over the bases for an out. Other rules include: If an outfielder fields the ball, it must be thrown back into the IF. They cannot run it in. And OF are not allowed to come in and make a play on the IF (tagging a base or runners). It sounds weird, but it helps to develop the kids as fielders and not just runners. Once these rules were developed and put into place, it made a big difference. A lot of them were for safety reasons like you describe and others were to keep it from being a "one player show". And yes, we use umpires in our Tball leagues - most games get 2. They are usually very young or guys who don't want to put on gear as they get older. It sounds crazy, but the parents, coaches and grandparents are the real crazy ones.

While working a 13U tourney today, a team recognized me from calling some of their games in Cooperstown last year. One kid said "Do you remember me?" and I said "Yes - you made some great diving catches last year." Later in their 3rd game, there was a run down between 2nd and 3rd and my partner came up to cover 3rd and made a "Safe, no tag" call. Coach asked my partner if he could ask me if I saw anything different since we were both involved in the play, and after talking, I said I didn't. As I walked back to my position in B, I hear this same kid say "Hey... what happened to friends with benefits?" WHAT? Obviously, it means something totally different to him and it was totally innocent, but I couldn't even turn around to acknowledge him. I'm guessing he thought that we were "friends" (definitely not) and he just wanted the call for his team, but I was dying laughing inside.

I've seen guys with the flag patch. They're talking about the shirt that looks like the American flag (literally looks like they took a flag and made a shirt out of it). You'll find umpires wearing both charcoal and Heather gray. In fact, last year there was a guy who had pants that were so faded and light gray they almost looked white (so don't be that guy).

I get to work with my husband and it's fun. However, I dare him to chew me out. Haha

I agree. No one goes solo on the field at 14u around here, unless it's an emergency. And even then, our assigner is on the phone getting someone there ASAP.

That's funny!!

This was an 11u travel game and the coach wasn't worried about it. It would've delayed the game for at least 15 minutes - no way I'm able to wait that long. It was worse because he had to go across the street. That means getting in the car with Mom, driving over there, doing his business and then coming back. Just take the out and be done. The OHC offered it, no way am I or the DHC turning that down. Just keep 'em moving and playing ball.

Glad you got it back!! But I'm wondering how someone knew where you live in order to return it to your house??

@Mad Max and Jimurray, all of the points that you made I made with him. He had to go home and call our assigned to confirm.

Our 9th and JV are basically done with only a few make up games this week. Varsity starts play offs soon.

@Jocko, that sucks. There are always a few bad apples so to speak, but not everyone does stupid stuff like that.

Varsity game for me last week and I'm working with that guy who called "batter's interference" when the batter fouled off a pitch and his bat hit the catcher's glove. No penalty, but made the call. The HC questioned it, but wasn't sure and the guy never asked for my help. Unfortunately, when I went in to listen, he told me "I've got this." We discussed it after the game and there was no way a Varsity veteran was going to listen to me quote the rule. He said the catcher had the right to the box and a chance to make the play. CMTSU

Welcome. And I'd buy your book.