Lawyer

[JaxRolo]

I was BU and had a grounder to F4. Throws to F3 easy out.

Some parent behind the fence thinks F3 pulled his foot.

So here comes the coach yelling from across the field for me to get help. I denied it.

The parents starts yelling that I will his hear from his lawyer!!!

First I I heard that one!

I told him to go to the parking lot and call him right now.

There were other reasons he got ejected that was the last straw.

[Thunderheads]

I was BU and had a grounder to F4. Throws to F3 easy out.

Some parent behind the fence thinks F3 pulled his foot.

So here comes the coach yelling from across the field for me to get help. I denied it.

The parents starts yelling that I will his hear from his lawyer!!!

First I I heard that one!

I told him to go to the parking lot and call him right now.

There were other reasons he got ejected that was the last straw.

:clap: :clap:

[sdix00]

I was BU and had a grounder to F4. Throws to F3 easy out.

Some parent behind the fence thinks F3 pulled his foot.

So here comes the coach yelling from across the field for me to get help. I denied it.

The parents starts yelling that I will his hear from his lawyer!!!

First I I heard that one!

I told him to go to the parking lot and call him right now.

There were other reasons he got ejected that was the last straw.

When his lawyer reads the rule book, he will probably fall over laughing.

Probably the worst written 'legal document' he has ever read.

[carolinablue]

Jax,

I strongly advise you to not say another word about the play as it could be held against you in a court of law. I just hope for your sake you got the call right.

[JaxRolo]

Supposedly some was videoing the PU strike zone and was going to use that for a protest. lol

[JaxRolo]

I need to quit workind 10u games. I have had "zero" problems with anything over 10u over the last few seasons. But anytime I work 10u there is problematic coaches and parents.

[yawetag]

From that point on, I hope you pled the fifth on all calls that were your responsibility.

[JaxRolo]

From that point on, I hope you pled the fifth on all calls that were your responsibility.

Funny you say that because at one point we had R1 and a ground ball to F6. The throw goes to F3 I call the out. Runner going to third I turn take a few steps over get ready to make the call and I see PU running up the line calling an out. I was going to call him safe.

[grayhawk]

I was BU and had a grounder to F4. Throws to F3 easy out.

Some parent behind the fence thinks F3 pulled his foot.

So here comes the coach yelling from across the field for me to get help. I denied it.

The parents starts yelling that I will his hear from his lawyer!!!

First I I heard that one!

I told him to go to the parking lot and call him right now.

There were other reasons he got ejected that was the last straw.

Do tell...

[Umpire in Chief]

I need to quit workind 10u games. I have had "zero" problems with anything over 10u over the last few seasons. But anytime I work 10u there is problematic coaches and parents.

I have the same experience, the younger the players, the worse the parents and coaches.

[mstaylor]

I have inexperienced coaches and totally clueless parents but I have fun with it. I am ammused by the lack of knowledge but it also gives me good practice on game management. I have been told many times that I have the ability to tell people to go to hell and make them happy about it. From years of officiating and working concert security, I have learned to deal with clueless people.

I had a manager in a 9/10 league my son was playing in. I was covering the plate on our team's coverage and got a such clueless coach. I was getting a drink of water outside the gate when the manager led his leadoff batter up to the plate to talk and time pitches. I tell him he can be outside the dugout but not up at the plate. He says it's OK, I say, no it isn't. He says, no really it is ok. I tell him to take him back by the dugout now. He did but continued to complain, asking where I am getting such a ruling. My answer,"Andy Konyar, UIC of LL international." End of discussion.

[Rich Ives]

I was BU and had a grounder to F4. Throws to F3 easy out.

Some parent behind the fence thinks F3 pulled his foot.

So here comes the coach yelling from across the field for me to get help. I denied it.

The parents starts yelling that I will his hear from his lawyer!!!

First I I heard that one!

I told him to go to the parking lot and call him right now.

There were other reasons he got ejected that was the last straw.

Wait a minute. The parent yelled about the lawyer and you tossed who - the coach or the parent?

[Rich Ives]

When his lawyer reads the rule book, he will probably fall over laughing.

Probably the worst written 'legal document' he has ever read.

Exactly why it's fertile ground for a legal discussion.

[Richvee]

I need to quit workind 10u games. I have had "zero" problems with anything over 10u over the last few seasons. But anytime I work 10u there is problematic coaches and parents.

You have to remember, at this age, the parents and most of the coaches are learning along with the kids. I did a lot of he 10u little league tourney this summer and I got used to the ridiculous comments, mostly from the parents...routine calls...out by 10 feet, safe because the fielder dropped the ball...and you still hear "C'MON UMP, YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME". I've learned to smile inside and ignore.

Here's my favorite from this summer...

10u 1st round elimination game. I'm BU. Top 1st, R1, no outs. Second kid hits a nice shot to left center. I watch R1 round 2nd, my partner's coming up the line for a play on R1@3rd. I watch BR come into 2nd, as the throw from CF goes to 3rd. I take a few steps towards home. As I see the ball trickle away from F5, R1 takes off for home and I'm there well ahead of the play in good position to make the call. Out at home by a large margin. All in all, perfect rotation between me and my partner. As I'm walking back to the infield, I hear a Dad in the stands..."So that's how it's gonna be all game blue? You guys running all over the field blowing calls?? You guys better get your heads in the game"

[UMP45]

And you rotated to the plate for what reason?:wow:

[mstaylor]

Yeah, the PU has the plate on the overthrow. The BU has to take the BR to third. It sounded perfect up to that point and the parent is an idiot. Makes you want to ask if he is interested in being the U3 to save the running.

[scrounge]

Isn't that the proper mechanic? It wasn't a triple as I read it, but a double with a play on the runner at 3rd called by the PU rotating up. So the BU rotates to home if there's an overthow, doesn't he?

[ukce1861]

Yeah, the PU has the plate on the overthrow. The BU has to take the BR to third. It sounded perfect up to that point and the parent is an idiot. Makes you want to ask if he is interested in being the U3 to save the running.

In Rich's post, he's saying R1 went home, so PU was taking R1 into third, which is proper. However, PU still has to rotate home (in fair territory) with R1 when he tries for home. BU stays on the bases, because he still has BR at 2nd (possibly going to third) and the back half of a potential rundown on R1.

Now, without an R1, if you're using FED mechanics, BU would rotate home, once BR committed to 3rd and thus have the play at home. But even in FED (as screwed up as it is) with an R1, PU has to come with R1 to take the play at the plate.

[Richvee]

wow. Always opportunity to learn. So PU should come back down the line to cover home after the play at 3rd, and BU should stay with BR who's now at 2nd in case of a play on him @2nd or 3rd. I didn't know that. I'm guessing my partner didn't either, because when I broke for the plate, it didn't look like he had any intention of coming home with R1. Maybe it was wrong, but at least my partner and I were on the same wrong page.

[Richvee]

Always good to learn things, but my main point was just to site an example of , IMO, the lower the age group, the more you find the ill-informed coaches, and the louder, more ridiculous heckles from parents. Something I try to keep in mind when Im doing the 10u's.

[UmpJeff]

I need to quit workind 10u games. I have had "zero" problems with anything over 10u over the last few seasons. But anytime I work 10u there is problematic coaches and parents.

I have the same experience, the younger the players, the worse the parents and coaches.

I'll triple that. The only time I tossed parents was during a 9U game...from both teams!!

I ended up telling the manager who scheduled me to lose my number.

[mstaylor]

It's funny, after I posted the proper mechanicI was reading an old Referee magazine and evidently softball does have the U1 rotate home. So baseball has the PU come home in fair, softball has the U1 come accross the infield. The problem with softball mechanic is if the U1 comes home and the catcher throws back on the BR, it is possible the PU has a rundown between second and third and now the BU has to come back up the line and take the third base end.

[ukce1861]

Always good to learn things, but my main point was just to site an example of , IMO, the lower the age group, the more you find the ill-informed coaches, and the louder, more ridiculous heckles from parents. Something I try to keep in mind when Im doing the 10u's.

Yeah, you're exactly right. And by and large, it's quality of ball too - not just age. I do Jr and Sr LL and get all kinds of crap. I go do 16U Prospect ball and barely hear a peep.

One I get paid for, one I don't... One of them has really good, quick games, one of them has games that suck and drag on forever. Starting to figure out which one I'm going to stop doing?B)

[BretMan]

It's funny, after I posted the proper mechanicI was reading an old Referee magazine and evidently softball does have the U1 rotate home. So baseball has the PU come home in fair, softball has the U1 come accross the infield.

Lest we give out any false information, and your old copy of Referee not withstanding, no, that is not the correct softball mechanic for two-man. Were you reading an article on three-man mechanics? In the two-man system, the base umpire NEVER has responsibility for plays at the plate.

[mstaylor]

No it was for two man but Referee has been known to make mistakes. I mearly noted that I had found some evidence to the contrary to it being an incorrect mechanic. I agree it is wrong, teach my guys it's wrong but I am not a softball expert so I took it at face value. I will leave it to guys that have formal softball training to debunk the notion.