Confidence

[Umpire in Chief]

I had a play in a Colt game Saturday that rattled my confidence a bit.

Situation: 1 out, R1, 2 strikes on the batter. R1 breaks on the pitch, and the batter takes an ugly hack at the ball for strike 3 and ends up a foot infront of home and on top of that takes a step back towards the catcher as he's throwing. We have contact and a painfully obvious case of BI (to everybody other than who I can only assume was the kids dad) Which I point and call loudly. The throw from the catcher was way off and the R1 arrives at second easily.

I called, "Time!, We have batter's interference! The batter is out on strikes and the runner is out on the interference!" For an inning ending double play. I made an authoritative, good call and I was pretty darn proud of myself.

As I walk to my position up the first base line I see my partner is giving me a nod and a thumbs up as he goes to inspect the right field grass. So right now I'm on top of the world. I had an atypical situation where I had to apply the rules accordingly, I made the right call and looked good doing it, if I do say so myself. Making me feel even better and somewhat affirming my call I have obnoxious daddy having a coronary behind the backstop hollering things like, "that's his momentum blue!"

As the offense is taking the field I have the head coach of the offending team come out to talk to me. He is approaching me calmly and even tells the parent to, "Just chill out."

I have no prior experience with this coach but I will say he is a class act. He never said a word about the interference as it was painfully obvious to everybody other than daddy behind the backstop. He asks me very politely "How do we get two outs on that play? I thought the batter would be out and you'd return the guy back to first."

Normally I'm of the mindset of giving coaches the minimum information they need, but this coach was a cut above so I gave him a full explanation. "Normally the batter would be out and the runner would return as you said, but here the batter was out on strikes and I can't get him out twice. So I have to call your runner out."

He asked a couple of other questions which were well thought out and we had a short conversation. He was still questioning getting 2 outs on the play, but left satisfied and thanked me and went back smiling.

But what he did was plant a seed of doubt in my mind. It was probably because of his approach and that he seemed pretty knowledgeable. I went from a proud, confident, SOB to questioning myself in just a matter of moments. I then started thinking about it the next half inning more than the game infront of me, thankfully I didn't have anything happen. But I went from being confident to having to tell myself I got it right. It was annoying me.

So after the game I have about an hour drive back home and am still thinking about that play and almost having to sell myself that I got it right. Almost like you do when you're trying to justify a blown call, but I knew I had it right. I consulted the OBR the second I got home and found no exact wording justifying my call so I shot a note to my go to umpire who I trust implicitly.

The next day I got a note back and he confirmed my call. In part it made me feel better, but it also made me a bit frustrated because I was right, knew I was right, and then doubted myself unnecessarily.

Moral of the story don't let a coach plant a seed of doubt in your mind. When you're right you're right.

[mstaylor]

We have all been there. You make an unusual call and you know it's right but you start second guessing yourself. All that means is that you want to do a good job, continue to improve and be confident in what you know. You did exactly what a good umpire does when he isn't sure, you went home, looked it up and double checked it with a reliable source. The next time it happens you will again meke the right call, correctly explain it but you won't have any doubt. Good Job.

[crazyaboutcoues]

Isn't it funny how sometimes we over think a call or ruling and it sometimes affects us for the duration of the game. We try to re-live the play and the ruling as the game is still going. I know i've done this a few times, I think it's because we want to call the best game possible. I've been known to be in the B position with no one on, going over a controversial call in my head.

Kudos to you for making the right call :wave:

Edited May 29, 2009 by crazyaboutcoues

[blindumpire99]

Well looks to me like you can use the retired runner rule , loosely, for the batter, who prevented a DP on the R1...I know the FED book makes a statement that "the batter becomes a runner the instant he is out", ect...

[mstaylor]

UIC's explanation was spot on. Normally the BR would be out but he can't be out twice so the runner is out.

[MCLEOD36]

heck Warren, I just think of it and expanding and then solidifying your knowledge base. In the future, that issue will come up and you can very quickly go, it is this reason and here is why. Picture the other situation, where an umpire is arrogant and goes that is just the way it is, at the end, and he is then wrong.

This is a prime example of a guy going, yes I have this rule down, talked calmly to a coach and then walks into this forum "open Kimono" and brings up a situation to have others go, in this case, you can look at it this way or that and go, and hit it from all angles... NICE JOB.

[BrianC14]

Yep, good call, and the right call too!

As to providing the "full" explanation to the coach.. hmm... I guess it's true that no good deed goes unpunished.

Being Irish, I've been accused/complimented/lamented on my usual verbosity. (Who, ME? OK, so I'm the type of guy who will answer the question 'What time is it?' with an explanation on how clocks and watches are made.... so sue me... )

There've been a few times on the field where this has gotten me into some trouble, where a few words would have sufficed. I have to work at keeping explanations to a minimum, and it has happened to me every know and then when "Coach Great Guy" approaches me just the way that coach approached you. Even with them, the fewer words used, the better. I've often wondered if Coach Great Guy was being too nice, in hopes of either getting me to perhaps sway some calls his way, or perhaps (like in your case) to mess with my mojo. You never know with some coaches.

Regardless, good call! You did do it right. :nod:

[BrianC14]

LOL - - I'm still chuckling at the Dad's comment about the batter's momentum.

I'd have been tempted to say, "Yeah, he's got the momentum of a guy who's three sheets to the wind."

:agasp_:

[therefump]

Yep, good call, and the right call too!

As to providing the "full" explanation to the coach.. hmm... I guess it's true that no good deed goes unpunished.

Being Irish, I've been accused/complimented/lamented on my usual verbosity. (Who, ME? OK, so I'm the type of guy who will answer the question 'What time is it?' with an explanation on how clocks and watches are made.... so sue me... )

Don't forget the evolution of clocks.......Ah, see that, you learn something new every day. Here, I would've never thought my Irish is the reason for the detailed explanation I want to give.

BrianC14 makes a good cynical explanation of why to keep it short. I always want to help out "Coach Good Guy" vs. the RAT. In any event, great job as we've all been there at one time or another. I just wish the RATs would appreciate the fact that we want to GET IT RIGHT vs. JUST GETTING IT.:shrug:

[treedog24]

I agree with Warren's call but does any one have the OBR and/or FED Reference handy? I don't have my rule books in front of me at the moment. Just trying to remember the rule why pouring over spreadsheets.

[mstaylor]

7.3.5

From the NFHS Casebook:

*7.3.5 SITUATION C: With R1 on first base, one out and two strikes on B3, R1

attempts to steal second base. B3 swings and misses the pitch and interferes

with F2’s attempt to throw out R1. RULING: B3 has struck out. If, in the umpire’s

judgment, F2 could have put out R1, the umpire can call him out also. If not, R1

is returned to first base.

This a slight difference between Fed and OBR. In Fed you have to judge he would made the putout.

In OBR, you just get the out.

[UmpJM]

Treedog,

The OBR rule is 7.09(e).

JM

[Umpire in Chief]

I was referred to rules 7.09e & 6.06c

[moblue]

The coaches that bother me the most are the ones who will never shout, raise their voice, or show anger towards me. One coach in particular comes to mind. He will come out and question me about things, but never gets mad at me. Normally when I see a coach coming I know what's about to happen. When he asks for time after I've kicked a call, or made a ruling that he doesn't understand, my first thought is usually along the lines of "Oh great." :clap:

[Don]

I agree with Warren's call but does any one have the OBR and/or FED Reference handy? I don't have my rule books in front of me at the moment. Just trying to remember the rule why pouring over spreadsheets.

For OBR it is 7.09e and the out on played on runner is automatic. For FED it is 7-3-5 and the out on played on runner is recorded, if the umpire believes the interference prevented an out, if not return the runner to the base left from.

[treedog24]

Thanks for the rule reference.

[LMSANS]

I agree with Warren's call but does any one have the OBR and/or FED Reference handy? I don't have my rule books in front of me at the moment. Just trying to remember the rule why pouring over spreadsheets.

I've got the 2008 BRD reference for this:Page 173, Section 273 Interference By: Batter: w/Catcher: Throw to: Base: Batter Retired {see&266}

Fed 7-3-5 Pen; 7.3.5c; 8.4.2L

NCAA 7-11f Ex 3 7-11f Pen

OBR 7.09e

I had almost the same exact play last week. The difference was my batter started walking to the dugout before I even called the 3rd strike. Right into the catchers path.

I stepped in front of the plate called the interference, called the batter out on strikes and called the runner out on the interference. The DC questioned the extra out and I explained it.:Horse:

Edited June 4, 2009 by LMSANS

[NWA_UMP]

It is a nice feeling to know that as a new umpire I am not alone in questioning my calls at times. I had two last night that I had to take the extra time to give it a run thru before I made the call.

[BT_Blue]

I just wish I had read the OP last month cause I totally would have nominated it for post of the month... to bad I cant nominate for June.

[Umpire in Chief]

I just wish I had read the OP last month cause I totally would have nominated it for post of the month... to bad I cant nominate for June.

You can always nominate any nomination from any period. SO nominate away .:BD:

[BT_Blue]

You can always nominate any nomination from any period. SO nominate away .

well oddly enough it wont let me right now. Can I only nominate one post a day?

[Umpire in Chief]

I just realized the OP was mine. I've set it up so my posts can't be nominated.