I (kind of) made a kid cry...

[mjr_2013]

This is a semi final playoff game... VT winning 12-4 in the top of the 6th... Pitcher throws, batter smacks the ball into the Left Center gap... He runs all around and is headed for home. There is a play at the plate but the throw is high and I call safe on a bang-bang play... I can see the catcher is upset, kind of just throwing his mask back on, and when I go to sweep the plate, I see he has tears in his eyes... When I'm back behind the plate, I ask if he is ok and he says yes.

I think it was more just the epitimey of the season and his will to win than my call. They went 5-9 during the season, and the game had been a glimmer of hope to actually win (and go to the championship), they were tied 4-4 in the 4th before the heavily favored VT pulled away.

After the game, I went up to him and told him he did a fantastic job behind the plate.

That was a first. I felt bad, but I knew I got the call right.

[bam]

what an effin' meany you are. that and i hope this is like LL minors, because anything older would make me not only NOT feel bad for the kid, but would also make me want to smack him upside the head and tell him to grow up.

[mjr_2013]

what an effin' meany you are. that and i hope this is like LL minors, because anything older would make me not only NOT feel bad for the kid, but would also make me want to smack him upside the head and tell him to grow up.

LL Majors. 11 YO.

And lol, tough love!!

[3rdGENump]

I always know that it is not going to turn out good for myself when the catcher is crying. It usually ends with me getting hit multiple times that half inning…

[JHSump]

True, true.

Ever see the batter crying? Sometimes (but not often), a young batter steps up to the plate crying --- I don't think that's my fault! I sometimes wonder if he wants to be there at all, and a parent is pushing them to play.

[OHUMP]

I made a 9 year old cry in a tournamnet this year but I blame his coach. He put the kid on the mound and he had a bright wrist band on his pitching hand. We told him he had to take it off and he started crying. We then found out his dad had died from a heart attack 3 weeks prior and they gave him the wrist band at the funeral. Other team said to leave it on. We told the coaches to make sure they let umps and coaches know of a situation like this before hand in the future.

[KLAH316]

I made a 9 year old cry in a tournamnet this year but I blame his coach. He put the kid on the mound and he had a bright wrist band on his pitching hand. We told him he had to take it off and he started crying. We then found out his dad had died from a heart attack 3 weeks prior and they gave him the wrist band at the funeral. Other team said to leave it on. We told the coaches to make sure they let umps and coaches know of a situation like this before hand in the future.

WOW!! Made my heart sink just reading this.....

[JaxRolo]

I made a 9 year old cry in a tournamnet this year but I blame his coach. He put the kid on the mound and he had a bright wrist band on his pitching hand. We told him he had to take it off and he started crying. We then found out his dad had died from a heart attack 3 weeks prior and they gave him the wrist band at the funeral. Other team said to leave it on. We told the coaches to make sure they let umps and coaches know of a situation like this before hand in the future.

WOW!!! I don't know if I could continue umpiring that game!

[OHUMP]

It was great when he was relieved after 3 innings the other coach told his coach to send him out for the fourth even though he could not pitch and then walk out to pull him. Everyone had found out about his dad and gave him a standing ovation. There was not a dry eye in the place including umpires.

Some coaches and parents have real class.

[Tyennie]

It was great when he was relieved after 3 innings the other coach told his coach to send him out for the fourth even though he could not pitch and then walk out to pull him. Everyone had found out about his dad and gave him a standing ovation. There was not a dry eye in the place including umpires.

Some coaches and parents have real class.

There is still a glimmer of humanity and civility left in the world! Great strory.

[Jocko]

meh...... Big fat hairy deal.....

Just kidding :)

[Dragon29]

It wasn't a game I was umpiring (my oldest was playing) but in the 1st post-season game in an 10-11 tournament, the manager (actually, Asst. Coach promoted to Manager because the actual Manager was on vacation in Hawaii!) left the starting pitcher on the mound after he gave up an RBI double to fall behind 2-1 late in the game. The kid was obviously shaken, but continued pitching. He proceeded to walk the bases loaded and by the time the 3rd runner reached 1st base, he was crying outright. The manager (his father!) paid him a visit at the mound and left him in! We all felt really bad for the kid, but there was nothing we could do. Well, one more crying walk later and he was finally pulled from the game.

I thought it was pretty heartless, leaving him in the way they did and I quietly told his father (a minister who works w/kids!?!) that after the game. His answer was that the Manager had provided the line-up and all changes and told him to stick to it - horses#!t response as far as I'm concerned.

[midmoump]

I got you beat.

I made a kid cry in a varsity HS game a few years back. Smaller city team played a large city team and this kid was the smaller city's starting pitcher. The kid was frustrated because he was two balls off the plate and I wasn't giving it to him. When he hit later he struck out looking at a pitch on (you guessed it) the outside corner. When he started his warm-ups he was sobbing like a little puss. I couldn't believe it!

I saw him this past spring as a pitcher for a small college team. He must have switched to Johnson's shampoo because . . .

. . . no more tears! Ha!

Pete

[ring-em-up12]

I got you beat.

I made a kid cry in a varsity HS game a few years back. Smaller city team played a large city team and this kid was the smaller city's starting pitcher. The kid was frustrated because he was two balls off the plate and I wasn't giving it to him. When he hit later he struck out looking at a pitch on (you guessed it) the outside corner. When he started his warm-ups he was sobbing like a little puss. I couldn't believe it!

I saw him this past spring as a pitcher for a small college team. He must have switched to Johnson's shampoo because . . .

. . . no more tears! Ha!

Pete

haha thats great. I hate with coaches leave kids in that cant hold it together. have they never watched League of Their Own "Are you crying? There's no crying in BASEBALL!"