What a mess

[JaxRolo]

Don't do..... always seems to be the answer when someone recalls a horror story from a particular bracket that they experienced. Don't do 7 year olds, don't do 10U, don"t do rec leagues, blah blah blah. Some of us just love baseball, and we just want to call games for people who feel the same way, no matter what their skill level. Not everyone who umpires will get a chance to do Rep, college/university semi-pro, pro or any other elite level of ball, no matter how skilled they are as an umpire. Do what makes you happy, and realize because this is a passionate sport played by passionate people and watched by those who are living vicariously through those on the field, there are going to be some ugly spots along the road. Baseball requires umpires and everyone who plays baseball deserves a good umpire. I'm not above calling a game for kids, though I do prefer to call the highest level of ball I am capable of. I think I'm a good umpire, not a better than someone deserves umpire though

A couple of years ago I worked a T-Ball tournament and when i mentioned it on here a bunch of people gave me a hard time about it.

Even-though I now work mostly higher level. HS, Travel, Junior College Summer and other I will still work any game I don't care what it is. Even softball.

One of my pet peeves is one someone says something like: "I did my assignor a favor and worked a 10U game." or " A buddy asked me to fill in on a Pitching machine game."

Another is when they say "I did a competitive 12U game" What does that mean? Aren't all games competitive?

I will admit I rather work work the older ages but I do not mind working any other game. I don't asked to be put anywhere. Just tell me where to go and I will be there an hour before game time!

Sorry for my rant!

[mstaylor]

Don't do..... always seems to be the answer when someone recalls a horror story from a particular bracket that they experienced. Don't do 7 year olds, don't do 10U, don"t do rec leagues, blah blah blah. Some of us just love baseball, and we just want to call games for people who feel the same way, no matter what their skill level. Not everyone who umpires will get a chance to do Rep, college/university semi-pro, pro or any other elite level of ball, no matter how skilled they are as an umpire. Do what makes you happy, and realize because this is a passionate sport played by passionate people and watched by those who are living vicariously through those on the field, there are going to be some ugly spots along the road. Baseball requires umpires and everyone who plays baseball deserves a good umpire. I'm not above calling a game for kids, though I do prefer to call the highest level of ball I am capable of. I think I'm a good umpire, not a better than someone deserves umpire though

A couple of years ago I worked a T-Ball tournament and when i mentioned it on here a bunch of people gave me a hard time about it.

Even-though I now work mostly higher level. HS, Travel, Junior College Summer and other I will still work any game I don't care what it is. Even softball.

One of my pet peeves is one someone says something like: "I did my assignor a favor and worked a 10U game." or " A buddy asked me to fill in on a Pitching machine game."

Another is when they say "I did a competitive 12U game" What does that mean? Aren't all games competitive?

I will admit I rather work work the older ages but I do not mind working any other game. I don't asked to be put anywhere. Just tell me where to go and I will be there an hour before game time!

Sorry for my rant!

I agree Rolo. I did an absolutely horrible 11 yr old allstar game Saturday, 31-0. I still had fun working with the kids and seeing old friends. The winning manager I umpired when he was in that age group. The other manager I have known since I was 10. Yesterday I did an adult wooden bat league game. Tonight I'm doing BLLL. Some guys don't have the temperment to work young guys, that's fine, don't do it. What I don't like is guys thinking they are too good to work lower levels. I have worked D1 and MiLB, I certainly don't think I am too good to work the little guys. The difference is you have to work with a different mind set. The losing team from Saturday had fans yakking about my zone. It's 31-0, there's nothing I did that was going to change the outcome.

[Umpire in Chief]

It can be rewarding calling younger kid games. There is actually one league I love calling their machine pitch games. Best players, fans and most of all Administration. The league has put down a clearly understood mandate that bad behavior will not be tolerated. But I doubt they've ever had to do any enforcement. In all honesty this league doesn't need umpires, but apparently they do it for the kids and they should get the best umps available.

In the 7 y/o coach pitch tournament I had Saturday the Right Fielder made a great diving catch, which was a great catch at any level. The 3rd base coach ran out and gave him a high 5 after the catch which got his guy out.

Now that's the good stuff.

I do find that overall the parents and coaches are more obnoxious the younger the players. It makes me irritated very quickly. I've written about my struggle to maintain my professionalism at these younger level games. And honestly it can be a struggle for me. But you just need a few of the more rewarding games to get you through the tough times.

[mstaylor]

I have written about this many times. The younger leagues parents and coaches are very uneducated, so as umpires we need a different mindset. We need to explain rulings calmly but firmly. We need to explain to kids when they have done something odd, obstruction, interference or some odd base running thing. I have used my hand up stop sign on fans. I don't "eject" fans but by holding my hand up they know they need to quit. I also make explanations loud enough that the fans hear what I am saying.

[dumbdumb]

I have written about this many times. The younger leagues parents and coaches are very uneducated, so as umpires we need a different mindset. We need to explain rulings calmly but firmly. We need to explain to kids when they have done something odd, obstruction, interference or some odd base running thing. I have used my hand up stop sign on fans. I don't "eject" fans but by holding my hand up they know they need to quit. I also make explanations loud enough that the fans hear what I am saying.

But you also need people running the programs who have a zero tolerance for any type of poor sportsmanship from anyone involved in their programs and will quickly initiate suspensions and bans and call for police protection if needed in a heartbeat. Then, that reputation of what is expected continues on forever, and anyone even thinking about stepping out of line knows the consequences.

If parents want leagues where people running the programs only support hoolaganism and unsportsmanlike conduct everywhere, then let them seek out those leagues to play, coach, etc, etc. And if umpires want to work those leagues for assignors who support those leagues and both need the money, then it should be a well known buyer beware when they show up for those leagues from the time they drive up to the time they escape at the end, and you will get absolutely no support as an umpire from the league nor your assignor nor TD for anything that happens on or off the field.

[UmpJM]

...

If parents want leagues where people running the programs only support hoolaganism and unsportsmanlike conduct everywhere, then let them seek out those leagues to play, coach, etc, etc. And if umpires want to work those leagues for assignors who support those leagues and both need the money, then it should be a well known buyer beware when they show up for those leagues from the time they drive up to the time they escape at the end, and you will get absolutely no support as an umpire from the league nor your assignor nor TD for anything that happens on or off the field.

dumbdumb,

Well said!

Mike Prince,

When I suggested that I had hoped you had learned your lesson and would not take any more of these games, I was NOT suggesting you not work "little kids games" - heck, I take a handful of them every year.

I was suggesting you not take games from leagues that tolerate fan (or coach) behavior such as you described in your OP.

"Snobbish" isn't part of the equation.

JM

[mstaylor]

Dumbdumb, I prefer not to use the phrase zero tolerance. I agree leagues need to squash problems and back administrators or umpires but ZT denotes not thinking. I agree with what you are saying though.

[Dannytheman]

I have written about this many times. The younger leagues parents and coaches are very uneducated, so as umpires we need a different mindset. We need to explain rulings calmly but firmly. We need to explain to kids when they have done something odd, obstruction, interference or some odd base running thing. I have used my hand up stop sign on fans. I don't "eject" fans but by holding my hand up they know they need to quit. I also make explanations loud enough that the fans hear what I am saying.

Agreed 150%. Education is key here.

[HokieUmp]

Shocking story deleted for brevity.

Holy. Cra. Rap. Just.... wow.

Mike, my sympathies. I grew up in Maryland, went to Va. Tech, and have lived in the Maryland/Virginia area most of my life. I have a lot of friends that live in NC, and one of my favorite places ever is the Outer Banks. Having said all of that, I can't say that it was a shining moment for the Tar Heel State. And I'm not TOO surprised.

But still. I haven't heard too many horror stories for games that actually MEAN something - but, a 7U machine pitch? WTH? Or better, WTF???

And as a lifer Oriole fan (can't be helped), I love Cal Ripken to death. He should be governor of Maryland. But he really ought to step in, since the bloody organization has his name on it, and say "You people [not just NC, but in general] need to get a grip on yourselves. Any state/organization that has tournaments for coach pitch age players after this year will be hereby banned from this national organization. Stop trying to validate your, and your child's, lives by being a 'State champion' at six years old."

...and then say "Peace Out, B----es" and slam the mic to the ground, as he exits stage right.

[HokieUmp]

I have 1 that got drafted in 3rd rouund, but decided to go to college. Maybe next year he will go sooner and take the $.

Personally, I would hope he finishes college with a degree - something other than 'sports administration,' or other PE-related subject, hopefully - and THEN see if there's still some money there.

For every Bryce Harper, there's about a bajillion (stop me if I get too technical with my math!) other kids that got a signing bonus, spent it, and never saw the inside of a MLB stadium without a ticket. And maybe never got past A or AA. Being the athlete is great in American society, until you're 28, washed out of any organization, and have no discernable skills other than 1) a sport, and 2) getting laid because you were good at a sport. (And #2 goes away when you leave the game.)

And as I said in my other post - it's just horrifying that people take this SH*# that seriously at that age. They're barely out of embryo stage. Sure, there are kids that will be good at that age, and may be good for their age as they get older. But what about the kids that decide there's no upside? Some of those kids would probably be good, too, but what about the ones that were average/ordinary? Why should they leave the game early, and maybe actively dislike the game from then on, because alleged adults effed it all up for them?

I try not to work that age, if I can help it. But out here, I might not have a choice, if I want to work. And in my old group, there was more than one PONY group that had umpires for coach pitch. Sometimes, I really enjoyed those games in Virginia; I, like all our guys, would rock up, looking sharp, and we'd give out best. And when the coaches hardly spoke in my direction, and the parents just worried about what happened on the field, it was actually a lot of fun.

But if I had ANYthing like the experience Mike had, that would be my last game for that group, "state tournament" chances be damned.

[HokieUmp]

It can be rewarding calling younger kid games. There is actually one league I love calling their machine pitch games. Best players, fans and most of all Administration. The league has put down a clearly understood mandate that bad behavior will not be tolerated. But I doubt they've ever had to do any enforcement. In all honesty this league doesn't need umpires, but apparently they do it for the kids and they should get the best umps available.

In the 7 y/o coach pitch tournament I had Saturday the Right Fielder made a great diving catch, which was a great catch at any level. The 3rd base coach ran out and gave him a high 5 after the catch which got his guy out.

Now that's the good stuff.

Warren: Western Branch PONY?