Strike Zone

[dleavitt39]

Had an "interesting" game yesterday. It was a 12u travel game. It was a scheduled practice game. The home team pitched it's 7 worst pitchers 1 inning each, while the visiting team pitched their top 3 starters. I'll admit, I was a bit more expansive with the strike zone when the home team was pitching, just so we could get an out. It was a blow-out, by then end of 3 it was 28-3. I started to expand the zone a bit more, giving 1-2 balls on each side of the plate, top of the letters +1 to bottom of knees +1. Now, take into account this is a practice game, from about the 2nd inning on, I'd been hearing chirps from VC about the zone, a few "don't worry billy, that was a good eye, the ump's just calling a bad game". I know that my opening the zone may not be right, I'll take my beatings, but even after giving the that's enough to VC, game continues I'm still hearing chirps, mainly to his batters, but I know they're meant for me to hear. I tell myself, it's just a practice game, don't dump the rat, but should I have pulled the trigger?

Thanks,

Dan

[Paperipper17]

Personally, practice game or not, after the first accusation that you were calling a bad game, he'd get the stop sign, and anything further in that vein earns a . You can't give the "that's enough," then ignore him the rest of the game..."that's enough" has to mean just that; one more and you're done. You're right, comments like that spoken to the batters are meant a. for you to hear, and b. to express to everyone within earshot that he thinks you're doing an awful job.

When the rat openly disparages you, its time to go.

Edited April 20, 2010 by Paperipper17

[Thunderheads]

Dan, doesn't matter if he was talking to the kids, ....you stated that he said " ....the umps calling a bad game" .........THAT IS DIRECTED AT YOU ......period!

I would have called time after he continued after you gave him the first "that's enough" ....and walked over to the dugout, and calmly said something like ...

"...coach, look,...you know, and I know that I'm opening up the zone a little bit because you're killing these guys. Tell your kids what's going on, and tell them to start swinging. This is a practice game for God's sake, ...now enough of the chirping, or it you'll finish the game without umpires. Now knock it off please, ..it's not necessary " ....

But HEY, ...THAT'S ME!

[PeteBooth]

It was a 12u travel game. It was a scheduled practice game. The home team pitched it's 7 worst pitchers 1 inning each, while the visiting team pitched their top 3 starters. It was a blow-out, by then end of 3 it was 28-3. I'd been hearing chirps from VC about the zone, a few "don't worry billy, that was a good eye, the ump's just calling a bad game".

First things first - I understand it's a practice game but it is a GAME and the HC is throwing ANYBODY. Why schedule umpires in the first place. The HC did not treat this practice as a game.

If he wants to DEVELOP some F1's then have his OWN practice and NOT schedule a game.

Now after inning number 3 when the score is 28-3 I would have approached the HC and said something like "Skip it's time to call it a day" or something along those line.

Now the VC is chirping about the zone. Welcome to the world of 12/U baseball where you have "Daddy" Coaches. The VC coach should KNOW the deal and tell his hitters to SWING when they come up with a score of 28-3. What he wants to score 40 runs against a team who has NO pitching.

VC about the zone, a few "don't worry billy, that was a good eye, the ump's just calling a bad game

I realize it's a practice. Call Time and talk to the VC and ask him POINT BLANK - coach do you know the score? If he doesn't get it and the score is 28-3 and it's a practice = GAME over.

FWIW: Be careful in excepting 12/U assignments because you get "Daddy coaches" and sometimes the 12/U group doesn't "get it" when we have a blow out. Also, for these divisions they should have mercy rules. Something like 20 runs after 2, 15 after 3, 10 after 4 and 8 after 5 or some combination there-of. The point is no sense continuing when a team is down by 15 -20 runs.

Also, as you found out no need to officiate a 12/U practice game when it's obvious the HC is simply trying out other F1's. As mentioned he can do that on his "own time" not mine.

Pete Booth

[D62 blue]

with a coach like this one . go over to his dugout opening stand there, tell the pitcher to pitch , then ask the coach what do u think it is ball or strike . maybe pitch another one , ask the coach ball or strike coach ? heads or tails coach ?

[kylejt]

Here's a take from a different angle.

You were employed to do a task. Balls, strikes, safe, out, etc. How 'bout just do your job?

Sometimes I get games that go 54 minutes. Sometimes they go 3:45. That's the nature of our "business". Call the game, call it the same for both sides, get paid, go home.

So what if one side wants to pitch everyone, including the batboy? There's a reason to pitch your bottom guys, and let them get shelled in a practice. It shows their parents they probably won't be pitching this season, and here's why. It was done on purpose, and at your expense.

You agreed to officiate a scrimmage game. I'd expect something like this. I'd expect a long game. I'd expect to see four different catchers, and get nailed more than usual. (I'd also expect me to say "hell no" if requested to do a scrimmage game, because I know better, and know what's coming.) This is travel ball, man, where everyone is on a mission, and it rarely has anything to do with the kids. The adults in both dugouts were there to prove a point.

Maybe you're new, and didn't know not to work a scrimmage game. That's fine. But to complain about it............. I dunno.

[dleavitt39]

FWIW: Be careful in excepting 12/U assignments because you get "Daddy coaches" and sometimes the 12/U group doesn't "get it" when we have a blow out. Also, for these divisions they should have mercy rules. Something like 20 runs after 2, 15 after 3, 10 after 4 and 8 after 5 or some combination there-of. The point is no sense continuing when a team is down by 15 -20 runs.

Pete Booth

Run rule is 15 after 4, 10 after 5. Unfortunately, 4th inning played top and bottom, meaning visiting team racked up even more. Final score of game 39-8. 2 hours 40 minutes.

with a coach like this one . go over to his dugout opening stand there, tell the pitcher to pitch , then ask the coach what do u think it is ball or strike . maybe pitch another one , ask the coach ball or strike coach ? heads or tails coach ?

I'll have to try that one some day if this happens again...Kinda like when I was working 3rd and 4th grade basketball. Coach wouldn't shut up, partner went over to him, handed him whistle and said have fun they switched roles for all of about 2 minutes. Coach goes back to bench, says he gets the point. Haven't heard a negative word out of him in 2 years now.

It was done on purpose, and at your expense.

You agreed to officiate a scrimmage game. I'd expect something like this. I'd expect a long game. I'd expect to see four different catchers, and get nailed more than usual. (I'd also expect me to say "hell no" if requested to do a scrimmage game, because I know better, and know what's coming.) This is travel ball, man, where everyone is on a mission, and it rarely has anything to do with the kids. The adults in both dugouts were there to prove a point.

Maybe you're new, and didn't know not to work a scrimmage game. That's fine. But to complain about it............. I dunno.

Going back and having read my post, I wasn't quite clear I guess. I didn't know it was a scrimmage game until I walked onto the field and the coach told me this was a practice game....To make it even worse on my part, I'm the assignor. I went through all the schedules I got from the league, my 10 schedule versions on my computer...nothing about a scrimmage game I know we all have a mission, but I also know that if I had known about it being a practice game, would have gladly opened it up for someone else to take.

Thanks again for the responses guys.

Dan

[PeteBooth]

Here's a take from a different angle.

You were employed to do a task. Balls, strikes, safe, out, etc. How 'bout just do your job?

Kyle the poster did his job.

Our JOB is to officiate what is supposed to be a baseball GAME not a practice game.

The score was 28-3 after 3 and ended up 39 to something. How is that a game?

The coach was throwing ANYBODY. That is what practice is for.

I disagree entirely with your premise. If you want to stay out there for 2.5 to 3 hours for a PRACTICE game that is your peragative not MINE. Since the poster is also the assignor - guess what? His pencil came out and this team is off HIS schedule and some other "poor sole" will get this game in the future.

AMAZING!

Pete Booth

[JaxRolo]

Kyle the poster did his job.

Our JOB is to officiate what is supposed to be a baseball GAME not a practice game.

The score was 28-3 after 3 and ended up 39 to something. How is that a game?

The coach was throwing ANYBODY. That is what practice is for.

I disagree entirely with your premise. If you want to stay out there for 2.5 to 3 hours for a PRACTICE game that is your peragative not MINE. Since the poster is also the assignor - guess what? His pencil came out and this team is off HIS schedule and some other "poor sole" will get this game in the future.

AMAZING!

Pete Booth

I agree. I would say most of us have "expanded" our strike zone a bit during blow-outs to keep a game moving. I have had several coaches ask me to expand the zone when his kids are batting. I gladly comply.

[Penguin]

I agree. I would say most of us have "expanded" our strike zone a bit during blow-outs to keep a game moving. I have had several coaches ask me to expand the zone when his kids are batting. I gladly comply.

Agree - last night 20+ run lead. HC home team walks by and says, "opening it up, right?" I nodded. (He is also a long time ump) I heard him tell kids if anyone struck out looking they were going to be running fences the next day for the entire practice.

They didn't have to run!

[moblue]

I had a game last season where we had three games to get through in one night. The first half inning of the first game, the home team ran through their entire lineup. I called a strike near the shoulders (this is 13 yr. olds, so too high) and glanced at the coach for a reaction. He told the batter to swing, and swing the team did. If it was close, they swung (and unfortunately for me, HIT!). I began to wonder if the large strike zone really helped anything after a few batters chased and hit pitches that were really balls.