My first college game....ever.

[hckyosgood30]

IMHO, don't bring out the rule ## unless you get to a protest. It looks like a know it all. (even though its our job to know) Most coaches if your locked up with them don't want to hear it then. If they have a question on a rule let them ask it. Just say "by rule....." I wouldn't say by "by rule 6.08 article 4......" reasoning if your wrong even on the smallest smallest detail you've just put a huge target on your back. As anyone goes up the ranks confidence and simplisity is the name of the game. You don't need to be the color comentator out their. The less you say, the less ammo they'll have to try to get you on. This will be a big learning curve for you. But get a mentor and a note book and learn from every game. Success comes easy to some, but don't let the baseball pass you by because of the little things that you though were ok. To many have been left on the side because of the little things.

Just my $0.02

[umped up]

IMHO, don't bring out the rule ## unless you get to a protest. It looks like a know it all. (even though its our job to know) Most coaches if your locked up with them don't want to hear it then. If they have a question on a rule let them ask it. Just say "by rule....." I wouldn't say by "by rule 6.08 article 4......" reasoning if your wrong even on the smallest smallest detail you've just put a huge target on your back. As anyone goes up the ranks confidence and simplisity is the name of the game. You don't need to be the color comentator out their. The less you say, the less ammo they'll have to try to get you on. This will be a big learning curve for you. But get a mentor and a note book and learn from every game. Success comes easy to some, but don't let the baseball pass you by because of the little things that you though were ok. To many have been left on the side because of the little things.

Just my $0.02

I like that and Thank you. Your was well spent. It's like its the little things in a ball game that will make you win or lose. Just like a marriage, it's the little things that cause a divorce. No need to expound here :big_no

[Replacematt]

This may require a bit of pride-swallowing, but maybe you should consider asking your assignor to keep you on lower-level games. At the college level, once you start to get a reputation, it's hard to shake--if this is your first season at that level, and you are already having both partners and coaches not looking at you favorably, you may find yourself gaining a reputation that will take years to overcome, and will hinder your development in the long term.

[Welpe]

There is a saying that it is better to move up a year late than too early. The more experience I get, the more I realize how true it is.

[umped up]

This may require a bit of pride-swallowing, but maybe you should consider asking your assignor to keep you on lower-level games. At the college level, once you start to get a reputation, it's hard to shake--if this is your first season at that level, and you are already having both partners and coaches not looking at you favorably, you may find yourself gaining a reputation that will take years to overcome, and will hinder your development in the long term.

I totally respect what you are saying. First of all, I had one partner in this game which in all do respect was pretty much horseSH*# for those two games. The coaches had no problem with me whatsoever with the exception of the way I may have handled the confrontation on the mound. And that was just the visiting coach, the home team coach actually told me, "nice work". It has been an assumption to everyone else on this forum that my partner was upset with me. I have no clue of this. He never showed or said this to me, all I know is that he left the game in a hurry. I would assume because he had two HS games and wanted to get out of there. Like I said, the only thing he could have gotten peaved at me with was me infringing on his argument....that's it.

I'm leaving out a very important part here, but not sure if or how I can say it. Just not too sure..... :HS

[Replacematt]

the home team coach actually told me, "nice work".

If you believe them when they say that, you have to believe them when they tell you you're horseSH*#.

Moral of the story--no matter what a coach says is his opinion of your work, ignore it.

[umped up]

the home team coach actually told me, "nice work".

If you believe them when they say that, you have to believe them when they tell you you're horseSH*#.

Moral of the story--no matter what a coach says is his opinion of your work, ignore it.

Usually, if they tell me that I was HS, I probably knew this before they could tell me. Sometimes a coach will tell you that you are HS because you blew a call, when in fact, all game long, you have made good calls. They just can't let that one go....

[mstaylor]

I usually use rulebook language but paraphrase it. Using some of the language shows you are aware of the book but by not quoting it keeps you from looking like a know it all. Remember that the less said the better. With balks, things like, no stop, didn't gain distance or other simple phrases. Even odd calls like interference, he placed himself in front of the fielder on purpose, didn't slide at the base and other similar things. You don't have to spend forever explaining rules.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I have a veteran partner who explains rulings by staying stuff like, "He can't do that," or "That's not allowed," or "That's against the rules."

If there's a dispute, he just says, "Read the rule book, it's in there."

[mstaylor]

On more than one occasion I have told coaches my ruling was black letter. I did that this year as a volleyball official. I was unsure what the other guy called, he explained to me what he had. I explained it to the coach and told it was black letter but I would check it later. Turns out my partner kicked it bigtime and I told the coach that we were wrong the last match.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I admire you, Michael... for doing volleyball. I can't do volleyball.

Why I can't do volleyball:

[umped up]

I admire you, Michael... for doing volleyball. I can't do volleyball.

Why I can't do volleyball:

Why? I don't see why. :Cool2:

[NCAAump2]

As others have stated, it was pretty apparent what you did wrong (going out to mound to intervene, not remembering HC's name, approaching HC after game, etc.) I'm glad you've learned from it but like Matt said, I think you should get more experience in lower level games (HS and youth leagues) before attempting to work at the collegiate level. The college game is a completely different animal, and based on what happened in the game you had, I just don't feel as though you're ready for it.

Don't take this the wrong way, but you can have all the confidence, rules knowledge, and perfect mechanics in the world, but if you have poor game management skills, all those other things don't mean anything. By working those lower level games, you'll still get great experience, probably see some decent baseball every now and then, and you'll be able to have some of those "hostile" situations, just on a much smaller scale.

Whatever happens, I hope you learned from your first game and don't make the same mistakes again.

[umped up]

As others have stated, it was pretty apparent what you did wrong (going out to mound to intervene, not remembering HC's name, approaching HC after game, etc.) I'm glad you've learned from it but like Matt said, I think you should get more experience in lower level games (HS and youth leagues) before attempting to work at the collegiate level. The college game is a completely different animal, and based on what happened in the game you had, I just don't feel as though you're ready for it.

Don't take this the wrong way, but you can have all the confidence, rules knowledge, and perfect mechanics in the world, but if you have poor game management skills, all those other things don't mean anything. By working those lower level games, you'll still get great experience, probably see some decent baseball every now and then, and you'll be able to have some of those "hostile" situations, just on a much smaller scale.

Whatever happens, I hope you learned from your first game and don't make the same mistakes again.

Oh, I definitely learned. I have one more game in April at the college level (unless they schedule me with some make ups). Im working every weekend doing youth tournaments from here on out. I'll be doing older kids, Ban Johnson (college guys), and adult baseball throughout the summer. I'll be getting tons of games in this year at multiple levels.

[Kevin Finnerty]

College summer wood bat and scout ball are a great way to get comfortable, and off-season college intrasquad and scrimmage games are a great way to build skills.

[yawetag]

Why I can't do volleyball:

Work has blocked the photo. I'm going to guess it's one of female volleyball players in compromising positions. My only hope is that it's college-aged or higher.

[dumbdumb]

Why I can't do volleyball:

Work has blocked the photo. I'm going to guess it's one of female volleyball players in compromising positions. My only hope is that it's college-aged or higher.

From the pros, beach volleyball picture. To get the view you are missing (very much like the view of KFs post with the tatoo) , you want to be the umpire for the match and not the referee.

[Haid D' Salaami]

Quick question the balk, flipping the ball from one hand to the glove, is that always called at every level

Actually, that's not even a balk. If he's in the "stretch" position and not the "set" position, there was nothing wrong with this. The coach said he does this every time in the stretch position and this was the first time "ever" he's been called on it. If he's in the stretch position and he goes to adjust his cap, is that a balk? As long as there's no intent to decieve the runner (your judgement obviously) in that situation.

Well since we are talking apples and Oranges.. technically there is not "stretch" position... the "Set" is commonly known as the Stretch...

And if we were working together and you did the stuff in the OP too me, we would have a really good post game talk. guys on here are tough, but they will not talk trash to you, they are not gonna pat your back when you did something wrong ( like some clinics will do, or evaluators ) ...keep working, learn for the mistakes, and try not to make them again.

As for the coaches, they do not like umpires, you might think they do, but they dont.. maybe when there winning, but if 1 things goes wrong, they are all over you.. coaches and players are RATS.. they need us, but treat umpires like crap, and the umpires are the ones to police the games.. ( bench jockying ) same with catchers, you think the catcher likes you, but go ahead and miss one, and see if he doesnt tell his coach... Players and coaches will turn on you in a New York minute.. thats the way it has been and will be.

[Haid D' Salaami]

Game management is absolutely the thing that will make or break you as you move up. The problem with getting better on the bases is it can very routine for several games and all of a sudden, something blows up and you have to figure out what happened.

how true is this... 2 nights ago I had a JUCo game I'm BU... play up the middle, R1.. F4 gets ground ball up the middle, run and tries to kick 2nd base, misses, misses, misses..then throws to 1st.. ( I safe, at 2nd..) turn with throw to 1st.. Out.. go back to 2nd, safe, safe, "he's off the bag"... I have never had that one before... coach came out.. easy and good discussion.. then next play R2 steals 3rd, throw goes in and F5 tags R2 on the foot, but when he came up with the ball, it popped out of his glove.. " safe, Safe".. same coach ""mike?" .. " he didnt maintain control of the ball"..

I had 7 games at this school in 2 weeks, and nothing crazy.. so it shows you it can change in a minute.

[umped up]

Quick question the balk, flipping the ball from one hand to the glove, is that always called at every level

Actually, that's not even a balk. If he's in the "stretch" position and not the "set" position, there was nothing wrong with this. The coach said he does this every time in the stretch position and this was the first time "ever" he's been called on it. If he's in the stretch position and he goes to adjust his cap, is that a balk? As long as there's no intent to decieve the runner (your judgement obviously) in that situation.

Well since we are talking apples and Oranges.. technically there is not "stretch" position... the "Set" is commonly known as the Stretch...

And if we were working together and you did the stuff in the OP too me, we would have a really good post game talk. guys on here are tough, but they will not talk trash to you, they are not gonna pat your back when you did something wrong ( like some clinics will do, or evaluators ) ...keep working, learn for the mistakes, and try not to make them again.

As for the coaches, they do not like umpires, you might think they do, but they dont.. maybe when there winning, but if 1 things goes wrong, they are all over you.. coaches and players are RATS.. they need us, but treat umpires like crap, and the umpires are the ones to police the games.. ( bench jockying ) same with catchers, you think the catcher likes you, but go ahead and miss one, and see if he doesnt tell his coach... Players and coaches will turn on you in a New York minute.. thats the way it has been and will be.

Haven't heard of the stretch and set being called the same thing. It obviously makes a difference in which stance you are in given things you can and can't do in each stance. In one, I call the stretch, you can turn your shoulders to look at first, adjust your cap, etc but not the other.

I would have appreciated a post game. Thanks for the input. Good stuff.

[Haid D' Salaami]

Quick question the balk, flipping the ball from one hand to the glove, is that always called at every level

Actually, that's not even a balk. If he's in the "stretch" position and not the "set" position, there was nothing wrong with this. The coach said he does this every time in the stretch position and this was the first time "ever" he's been called on it. If he's in the stretch position and he goes to adjust his cap, is that a balk? As long as there's no intent to decieve the runner (your judgement obviously) in that situation.

Well since we are talking apples and Oranges.. technically there is not "stretch" position... the "Set" is commonly known as the Stretch...

And if we were working together and you did the stuff in the OP too me, we would have a really good post game talk. guys on here are tough, but they will not talk trash to you, they are not gonna pat your back when you did something wrong ( like some clinics will do, or evaluators ) ...keep working, learn for the mistakes, and try not to make them again.

As for the coaches, they do not like umpires, you might think they do, but they dont.. maybe when there winning, but if 1 things goes wrong, they are all over you.. coaches and players are RATS.. they need us, but treat umpires like crap, and the umpires are the ones to police the games.. ( bench jockying ) same with catchers, you think the catcher likes you, but go ahead and miss one, and see if he doesnt tell his coach... Players and coaches will turn on you in a New York minute.. thats the way it has been and will be.

Haven't heard of the stretch and set being called the same thing. It obviously makes a difference in which stance you are in given things you can and can't do in each stance. In one, I call the stretch, you can turn your shoulders to look at first, adjust your cap, etc but not the other.

I would have appreciated a post game. Thanks for the input. Good stuff.

right.. in the "strecth" you come Set...once you come set, there are only a fwe things you can do...before you come set, you can turn your shoulders, fix your hat ( excpet in FED) and move your glove to ask for the signs again...

[mstaylor]

He is correct, the stretch is an action not a position. Prior to coming set, many call it the stretch, incorrectly but commonly. I do it myself but it is not correct. If you read 8.01b it says the pitcher may use a preliminary motion known as a stretch, but it is an option.

[umped up]

"orange". . Just wanted a reason to use this moticon. Love ya taylor.

[Fittske24]

Game management can make or break an umpire looking to move up the ranks no matter what level you are inspiring to call. True, your mechanics and rule knowledge may justify you working a certain level, but it's not until the "s#!t storm" happens when you learn a true umpires worth. If you can't handle it, it will come out pretty quickly that you don't belong.....and when that happens it can get ugly real quick.

[umped up]

Game management can make or break an umpire looking to move up the ranks no matter what level you are inspiring to call. True, your mechanics and rule knowledge may justify you working a certain level, but it's not until the "s#!t storm" happens when you learn a true umpires worth. If you can't handle it, it will come out pretty quickly that you don't belong.....and when that happens it can get ugly real quick.

Keeping my fingers crossed.