Great game...until

[clawdad]

Modified Level HS game last night. Two really decent teams..probably the best played game I've worked yet (all Modified/JV level as a newbie). I took a pretty hard shot on my right hand between the thumb and index finger. Swelled up immediately, and was pretty sore. I have a nice set of lace marks to show as well. I iced it between innings, and didn't seem to bother me too much. Besides that, I thought it was one of my best games so far; I thought my mechanics were good, and really felt like I was in a groove....until-

In the bottom of the 6th I feel like I imploded. Runners on 2nd adn 3rd. Passed ball that the batter allegedly swung at. F2 had me screened, so I really didn't see it. R3 scores.. VT coach wants the count. I told hiim 2-1. He is saying the batter swung, and should be 1-2. Went to my partner, who apparently wasn't looking (he said he was watching the passed ball). So I say "Sorry coach, 2-1 is the count." No damage - batter struck out 2 pitches later.

TOP 7th- R1 & R2, 2 outs. Call ball 4 on the batter, who just stands in the box. F2 comes up firing to 3rd and is blocked by the batter. Instead of waiting for completion of the play, I call out interference, except R2 (soon to be R3) hasn't reached 3rd. Now I have to call time and sort it out for the coaches. I call all runners are safe, since the runners were forced to advance on the walk and the lead runner had not acquired 3rd at the time of the throw..

Next batter likes to crowd the plate. 3-2 count and the pitch hits him in the hands in the strike zone. "Time! That's a strike. batter's out. VT coach says "But it hit him!" My reply -"Yes coach it did, but his hands were in the strike zone. Therefore it's a dead ball strike. Strike 3, batters out." Game ends. (I'm not kicking myself on this call, but it just seemed to be the icing on the cake for the last part of the game)

Have any of you ever had a game where you felt you were performing great, and then go to crap at the end?

[johnnyg08]

Have any of you ever had a game where you felt you were performing great, and then go to crap at the end?

Remember, you're only as good as your next call. We've all probably been there but it can be a crew issue too. Don't worry about it, shake it off and strap the pads back on for your next game. Your partner also wasn't doing his job by not watching the swing. That is one of his key responsibilities. It sounds like you didn't do anything that bad...it's not your fault the coach doesn't know the rules.

[Mike Prince]

It's just a few calls in one game that honestly doesn't sound all that bad. The first one isn't your fault, it's your partner's miss of his responsibilities - the swing happened before the ball got by the F2. #2 sounds like a non-issue, the F2 could have sailed a throw into LF but it doesn't sound like you caught too much grief for it. #3 you got exactly right, don't let that one bother you as we're out there to make these calls when they happen.

Learn from it if you can then forget it and get ready for the next game. Trying to be a perfectionist in this vocation is not a happy place.

[boyinr]

Mine started rocky and got better. I was the BU working with a new umpire (his 4th game) on the plate. In the TOP of the first there was a dribbler that the F2 grabs, I hustled to get in a great postion to call the banger and then it happens.........my right arm comes up and "SAFE" comes out of my face! I wanted to crawl under the bag and hide. I left the kid at first base. Thankfully the game went along smoothly after that.

[Welpe]

We are our own worst critic out there. Sounds like you did just fine to me.

[dmdhiker]

As my assignor said after I blew a call, "Blow it off, learn from it, and go out and nail your next game".

[stl_ump]

Mine started rocky and got better. I was the BU working with a new umpire (his 4th game) on the plate. In the TOP of the first there was a dribbler that the F2 grabs, I hustled to get in a great postion to call the banger and then it happens.........my right arm comes up and "SAFE" comes out of my face! I wanted to crawl under the bag and hide. I left the kid at first base. Thankfully the game went along smoothly after that.

Good learning experience for the new guy. Even brain farts can happen to the experienced. You probably just did it so he could have that learning experience. :meditation:

[Umpire in Chief]

Absolutely! I've thought I've turned some good games into crap, at least in my own mind.