Easy weekend...NOT.

[Daniel]

Scheduled for a few 14u softball games this weekend.  I thought it would be pretty relaxing, considering I was on the field last weekend for 10+ games.

 

Well, as it would turn out, I was assigned a field where all the local teams were playing each other.  Many of the local teams are generally not that great, due to sub-par coaches.  My day consisted of:

 

1.  I'm BU.  R1 steals second and is safe on a not-even-close play.   DM comes out of the dugout and wants me to check with my PU, because he believed the runner's knee slid into the fielder's tag and should be called out.

 

2.  I'm PU.  Batter takes a stab at an outside pitch.   I took it all the way and called the strike on the attempt.  HC (coaching 3B) and his AC at first both start yapping that the batter did not swing, and that they want me to "appeal" to my partner on the check swing.  I spent several minutes trying to explain to them that they cannot "appeal" the strike call.  This was greeted by the HC with "This ain't my first year doing this you know!".    I was approached by their AC between innings stating that they ALWAYS ask for help in Major Leagues when they call it a strike... 

 

3.  BU again (different game, but same AC in #2).   R1 steals second, and there was a tangle up between F6 and R1 at 2B.  I waited to see that F6 still had possession of the ball, then called the out.   On my way back to first, AC says "Can I ask you a question?"  OK... "I'm from the old school, and I was just wondering why you guys wait before making those calls...I mean don't you guys see the tag?" I just left it at "It's called proper timing." and he nodded.

 

Funny enough, I was working with our one UIC a few weeks ago, who only had one thing for me after the game..."You wouldn't want to go any slower on your timing.  The one team was complaing to me between innings that you make your calls slower than they're used to seeing."    I was the PU that game, and their catcher insisted on framing the pitch when their was a runner stealing, until I made a call.   I thought to myself...you're doing it wrong.

 

4.  Last game of the day, HT losing in last inning.   2 outs, R1 & R3.  R1 attempts to steal on the pitch and the ball is immediately returned to the circle.  R1 for what ever reason stops about 10 feet short of the base. Takes a step toward 2nd, then retreats to 1B!  I pause for a moment thinking    and called the out on the LBR violation.  On the way out, we were yelled by everyone from that team saying how much we sucked, and that she wasn't out, etc etc.

 

    

 

How was everyone else's weekend?

[BuckeyeMike]

Am I a sick individual?   I love hearing about other umps and their controversial calls and people chirping at them.......it makes me feel better inside....it's almost therapeutic.   LOL.

 

I did a JV tourney championship game the other night and it was a good one.  (I'll get to my personal controversy soon enough)

 

Visiting team comes roaring back in the 7th.

1 run down, 2 out, R3. 

Batter fouls one, then looks at a beauty right down the middle, and so we end up at a 3-2 count.

( ! 3-2, 2 outs, tying run on 3rd, and this is IT man ! )

 

Batter looks at the next pitch, belt-high, a full ball-width outside.....................AND I RING HIM UP!!     That ended the game.

Game over: I'm now a horrible ump and blind and shouldn't be doing this as an avocation and I actually GET PAID to do this and i suck and "YOU CAN'T END A GAME LIKE THIS, THAT WAY!".

 

For what it's worth, immediately after the bell tolled, the batter complained that the pitch was a full ball-width outside.  LMAO.  I said something to the effect of, "if you knew that, you shoulda been swinging!"   

 

It sure made me think (for a few days now).  That last statement got me the worst (in essence: you can't end a game with this kind of energy like that!!).  I ended the game on a called 3rd strike that was a full ball width outside.

 

To my defense, I feel like i called that the whole game (i'm biased though. lol). 

On top of that, how you gonna look at a pitch that close with 2 out and a 3-2 count with the tying run on 3rd during your team's last at bat?! 

 

Sorry Daniel, didn't mean to hijack your thread. 

[KLAH316]

Batter looks at the next pitch, belt-high, a full ball-width outside.....................AND I RING HIM UP!!     That ended the game.

JV Game, 1 Ball Outside..... Strike Every Time!!!!

[JaxRolo]

 

Batter looks at the next pitch, belt-high, a full ball-width outside.....................AND I RING HIM UP!!     That ended the game.

JV Game, 1 Ball Outside..... Strike Every Time!!!!

 

If you been calling it all day they should have known better and swung.

 

If you havent and you called that then its a different story.