Rant

[Moriarty_45]

I continue to see things at our local tournaments that are driving me crazy. I help coach a tournament team, a rec team and also umpire in these tournaments and our local rec league. Here is what I keep experiencing.

Doing a game with supposed experienced umpire whom I dont know. I am BU and go out on a fly ball down the line, PU never moved despite covering this in pregame.

Plate cleaning too frequently, interrupting game flow.

Cleaning bases. I get the player to kick it off.

Indicator addiction. Looking at it after each pitch, conspiculously. I adjust my mask with left hand to sneak a peak at the indicator when needed.

Rarely do I hear a "Ball" called. Even on close ones, total silence. Verbalize something! Isn't that a basic mechanic? The closer I felt it was to a strike the louder I get.

In between every inning, BU strolls in to talk with the partner, now we are ready to play,but have to wait for BU to get into position.

I keep trying to get better. Seems like lately that I am seeing more of what not to do versus what to do.

My blunders for the week, accepting I am far from perfect.

Today I lost count and gave a guy 4 strikes.

I ended an elimination game on a caught stealing that think I missed.

The catcher jammed is glove in my face going for a high pitch last week, now I am flinching everytime I see a ball coming in at my head. Not because of the ball, but the catcher.

I got lazy and missed a pulled foot at 1B on Sat.

A work in progress.

[NovaScotiaBlue]

My 1st reponse to your rant is try not to let it drive you crazy and look out for number 1. If you do your job and handle your responsibilites the best you can it will be evident and you will keep yourself out of trouble and you will advance when the powers that be see that.

The supposed experienced ump sounds like the "Smitty", or "Charlie" et al who says they have 20 years experience, which means 1 year experience 20 times. They have the bad habits, that will be noticed by real experienced players, and managers and you know where that will lead, namely trouble for them (and yes you have to come and help them as you are their partner)

As for your blunders..Learn from them and move on. It's a simple as that

Do you keep a game journal?

Best way to track aspects of your game you do well and need work

Remember, that the cream rises to the top Be the cream and you will soon be the guy younger umpires come to when they want help

[willv28]

Don't get discouraged. I see all that all the time. These guys will also think it's the right way. Think their shortcuts are clever. What he thinks isn't important, it's that you're getting better every day. I don't get that much umpiring in since I only do LL right now. But I still get better all the time. Most people don't take it seriously at all, take all the shortcuts and make it up as they go along. I don't like doing things like that. But I still make mistakes, or lose focus and miss something, but it gets easier.

Speaking of cleaning the plate. I wish players would stop coming to bat to a perfectly clean plate and kick a whole bunch of dirt over it. I mean, not a little, a whole lot that I can't see the plate hardly anymore.

We were training a new guy over the weekend. Seemed to take well. We were lucky they wanted to have a pitching clinic too and we had live pitching, and running to let the guy see some pitches. Well, when he finally got to look at some pitches. He puts on the "league gear", with the shield CP. Very first pitch comes right at his face mask. He turns his head, ducks back and holds his shield up over his face like he was blocking a sword. We all laughed. He said "It's not as easy as it looks." Then we find out he only wants to do minors level games... So much effort too...

[Dragon29]

moriarty,

I echo what others have said about your 'partners'; we all have to deal with it sometimes. I (hope!) I haven't been 'that partner' since my first year.

Don't feel too badly about what you feel you messed up on - the fact that you know it and do feel bad about it means you'll improve if you keep trying.

I had a brutal game Saturday morning. Of the 6 F1s that were trotted out to the mound, only one could actually pitch - most of the others couldn't buy a strike if you lent them money. Lost a little concentration late in the game - had to take a deep breath & go back to the basics to get my focus back.

Later that day - 2nd game - I called a balk where none existed. Later in the game and between innings, the manager asked me about it and I had to fess up and tell him I jumped the gun on the call. He groused a bit - not too much but, I deserved it so I let him have his say.

Keep pluggin' - I know I do.

[JaxRolo]

I was out of Umpiring for about 7 years before I came back last fall.

Have learned that many things have changed. Even though I had about 10 years "experience" before that I am considering this my first year and trying to take everything in like new. I am reading Rule books, watching videos and listening to you guys.

I'm a bit older (50 in 2 weeks) and I worked 7 games this past weekend with a 21yo Ump. I learned a lot from him from the way he hustled and kept a consistent strike zone.

I take any criticism constructively and as a learning experience.

If you see an Ump doing something that may not be right maybe let him know. Maybe he doesn't know any better and may be waiting for someone to help him.

If you do tell him and has a bad attitude towards you then just walk away cause he won't learn.

[Big Red]

Hey Jax, FWIW, I'm in the same boat as you, just not as "seasoned" as you! Out for 7 yrs and this is my first season back.

Yeah, this website has been an absolute gold mine of good stuff, both in the variety of info and perspectives...I sure wish I had this around when I first started. I didn't have the benefit of a strong group of other umpires to guide/mentor me when I first started, especially in regards to equipment.

I realize how lucky, and how completely ignorant I was when I think back to the first 15-16 yr old baseball game I did where a couple of those kids routinely threw in the 80's and there I am wearing one of those $20 All-Star soft ribbed protectors for my CP and plain ol' regular cleats w/ shin guards that only covered my ankles!

Now that I've taken a couple of good hits off my Platinum and my plate shoes, I shudder when I think about if I had taken those same hits back then...sometimes "but for the grace of God go I!"

[Spoonerstreet]

I am with the OP. The biggest problem that I have is that local tournaments rarely, if ever, have any type of feedback system set up to make the umpires better. I worked a few games with an "experienced" ump who never made any hand signals. Just said "Out" and "Safe"...but I was the junior ump, and am still trying to feel my place out in our association, so I didn't say anything (which I should have).

I am going to work with the UIC of our association to see if we can set up some sort of feedback system to help the umpires get better, but this my frustration that I tend to deal with a lot. I know I am not perfect, but I want to get better.

[Tyennie]

Worked a tourney this past weekend: friday - sunday. As i was working with others i would keep mental notes about mechanics & rotations that they did not do, even tho we pre-gamed. Here are some things i saw:

1. BU watching balls to the outfield that were clearly not his "assignment", and then not watching as BR or other runners were coming to bases, which clearly were his "assignment" Yes kids i would glance over and see what was happening.

2. PU calling strikes on balls where F2 gloved the pitch well below his knees or pick out of dirt. Not calling foul balls, down the line when i was working inside. (Runners and i both confused on a screamer down the 3bl) Not putting (pointing or saying) the ball in play after foul balls with runners on.

3. Messed up rotations in a 3 man system, where 1 guy ( U1) was not moving at all. consequently U3 and i did a great deal of creative coverage.

After watching this, i decided to use these examples of things i did not want to emulate as i was working either field or bases with other umpires. None of these guys would take constructive criticism, so it is very difficult to raise their level of performance.