USSSA observance

[Mike Prince]

I had a day off yesterday and went to the last game of my 11-yo nephew's tournament (consolation game).   First inning and the HT is at bat.  Batter checks his swing but the catcher stands up right in front of the PU (he was setting up directly behind the catcher, not even remotely in the slot).  He says nor signals anything.  VT (my nephew's team) dugout immediately and loudly asks if he went - PU hesitatingly asks his partner (who was not looking at the batter, but instead R1) and he says "No" and gives the safe sign.   I was sitting right behind home plate and to me the batter did not offer, so the outcome was correct.

 

VT AC, who is sitting next to my brother in law in the dugout, starts chirping at the PU.  PU turns and says to him "Obviously I didn't see it".  AC comes back with "You haven't seen anything all weekend"  .  PU completely ignores the comment and they play on.  VT HC makes sure he goes by home plate on his way to the 3B box between innings and starts telling the PU he got it wrong - PU entertains this conversation and then goes to the mouthy AC (still in the dugout) and initiates a conversation with him that actually delays the start of the inning.  My brother in law told me after the game the PU was asking if the AC really thought he hadn't seen anything all weekend. 

 

Of course my sister in law and her in-laws (who we were sitting with) asked me what I thought about the call and try to get me to be critical of the umpires.  My only response was that the AC needed to keep his mouth shut and he was lucky he got away with what he said.  Once I made it clear that I was there to watch my nephew, not evaluate the umpires, they stopped asking me my opinion on any and every call that went "against" their team.

 

This reinforced to me what others have said here; these youth tournaments are all about money and keeping coaches coming back for the next one.  My brother in-law told me my nephew's team was warming up Saturday morning within earshot of the umpire's meeting and the TD told each crew they got 4 balls per day, for each unreturned ball they owed him $5.  Umpires were waiting on foul balls which left the field to be returned to them before they resumed the game.  Also, he said he heard the TD tell the umpires that if they had an EJ, the game would be delayed, it would be reviewed immediately and if decided it was not warranted, the EJ-ing umpire would not be needed for the remainder of the tournament.  I would have loved to know how much they were paying these umpires.

[Thunderheads]

 

VT AC, who is sitting next to my brother in law in the dugout, starts chirping at the PU.  PU turns and says to him "Obviously I didn't see it".  AC comes back with "You haven't seen anything all weekend"  .  PU completely

 

Even with my gentle trigger finger and nonchalant demeaner on the field when it comes to people disagreeing w/ calls .....^^^^THIS is an automatic EJ!  BOOOOM!

[LMSANS]

I would have ejected the TD as soon as he told me he was charging me $5 for unreturned baseballs.  Bye.

[scrounge]

Not a chance I'm working under those conditions...the TD can umpire all the games himself for all I care.

[Mike Prince]

Only thing I forgot to do is get the TD's name so I know to run far far away should he ever call me...

[BigUmpire]

Typical USSSA

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[T-Rav]

I feel very lucky to work for the TD's in USSSA around here. We as umpires are fully supported and they will back us pretty much 100%. In fact this weekend I worked a USSSA tournament and we had no issues, at all, and if we did the TD would likely tell the team to get lost if they can't behave themselves. I think what helps us is the TD is a former HS HC and tries to use mostly HS umpires so we don't get any umpires who arn't well versed with the proper mechanics and how to handle coaches as the PU in your case clearly demonstated a lack of.

[umpire_scott]

I would have ejected the TD as soon as he told me he was charging me $5 for unreturned baseballs.  Bye.

 

Or I would have done what coaches do and ejected myself.