Umpire Pet Peeves (edited old misspelling was driving me crazy)

[UmpIowa]

I was watching a youth game tonight with "Professional" Umpires and saw a lot of my pet peaves.  What are things that you see umpires do or don't do that drive you crazy.  The umpire list of sins so to speak.

1.  Dropping/Throwing the mask.

2.  Cleaning the plate with your foot.

3.  Wearing your hat backwards under the mask.

 

Any others?

[BigUmpire]

These were NOT pros.

[basejester]

Not putting the ball in play.  Rules ignorance.  Lack of attention.

 

[Tksjewelry]

Not signaling on a not close play

Zero verbalization, especially from a PU

Navy and Powder

[umpstu]

If I'm at a game where the plate area is a sandbox and a runner slides in and leaves several inches of sand on top of the plate, guess what?  I'm going to use my shoe brush to kick that dirt off the plate.  I'm not much on umpires watching a game and talking about umpires to parents or the coaches during the game.  Or the umpire on the field who doesn't have his partners back.  Or the umpires who feel they should be getting the big games and talk badly about their fellow umpires in their association thinking it will get them better games.  NO!  It just makes you look bad, not the other umpires.

[HuskerUmp22]

1) Showing up late for games (I don't care if it's kid ball, you should be there at least 20 minutes before, not 5-10 min). 

2) No communication before game. 

3) Dressing like they don't care. 

4) Always asking if you can take the plate. (I don't like excuses).

5) Not putting the ball in play.

[ElkOil]

1.  Lazy or sloppy mechanics.

2.  Quiet or little verbalization.

3.  Getting easily confused for anything but routine plays.

4.  Getting a call wrong and not asking for help.

[clasonater]

wrinkled/faded clothes

zero mechanics signals and partner communication.  I hate, hate, hate, hate this, especially with partners I have never worked with. 

not making at attempt to get into a good position for the second throw to third with a runner on second at TOP

umpires that dont have the huevos to tell a coach that it is not their call

[CricketChapman]

When a coach asks your partner to get help and your partner, rather than waving you to him, yells across the diamond,

"DID HE PULL HIS FOOT?" or "DID IT HIT HIM?" etc;


No.  Just no.

[jkumpire]

I'm of two minds on this thread.

1. Are these people umpires, or just volunteers making sure the kids can play?

2. How are they treated by the adult participants in the league they are in?

3. What does the league require of their umpires? Are they treated well by fans, players and league management, and are they paid enough to afford some kind of decent equipment?

In many places these days when you put on the gear and look 'professional' it makes you a target for parents and others who don't care about the game or really their kids. They only want their kids to win and couldn't care less how an umpire dresses, what his mechanics are, how hard they work and hustle, and maybe the fact that because their team or kid didn't get the call, they are being cheated and lied to by some ogre. Look at how umpires are treated by popular media, when have you ever seen an umpire in proper dress, properly making a call? 

Yes, there are people who should know better who are a sorry excuse for umpires, but many times are they people who have been trained or shown how to become real umpires? A volunteer who goes out and does things for kids should have some respect and tolerance shown them.

 

I will never forget when I was a kid, I was 16 or 17 at the time, and I went to see my brother umpire a game. He was 14 years old, using catcher's gear, wearing shorts, having his hat turned backwards, and being paid all of $5 per game, umpiring 9 or 10 year-olds by himself in some city-run recreation league. He never umpired before, he was a kid helping out kids, and he was cussed at, threatened, and yelled at all game long by one or two dads. There was almost a fight after the game and I drove him home instead of letting him ride his bike home because I didn't know if he would be safe.

After that, I try real real hard not to look down on people who are umpiring because kids need an umpire. And these days I am growing less tolerant of parents and so-called volunteer 'coaches' who yell, rant, rave, and look like an NCAA D1 hoops coach in a TV game, doing everything but physically abusing people who are to help kids.   

 

 

Edited May 9, 2015 by jkumpire

[Blueump]

1.  U1 not covering 3rd base in two-man mechanics leaving U2 hanging high and dry!

2.  Not verbalizing or signaling the count - so the coaches and players are always asking "what's the count".

3.  Not cleaning the plate (yes, even with his shoe!)

3.  Worse than anything is a partner who "thinks they are too good" to conduct a pre or post game, leaves the field after the game without waiting for you to even get off the field and has NO communication (verbal or signals) during the game.  I won't mention names!

[maven]

Misspelling 'peeve'.

[kylehutson]

Not having their own gear.

(and all the above)

...but like @jkumpire said, it depends a lot on the level of play.

[Richvee]

Many have been mentioned, I'll add a few I haven't seen yet.

1.a. Yelling "catch" at the top of their lungs on cans of corn to the OF or caught pop ups. b. Yelling FOUL at the top of their lungs on balls fouled straight back or otherwise clearly out of play. 

2. BU flashing me the count when I haven't asked. 

3. Partners who's biggest concern is how fast can we get this game done. 

[UmpIowa]

I'm of two minds on this thread.

1. Are these people umpires, or just volunteers making sure the kids can play?

2. How are they treated by the adult participants in the league they are in?

3. What does the league require of their umpires? Are they treated well by fans, players and league management, and are they paid enough to afford some kind of decent equipment?

In many places these days when you put on the gear and look 'professional' it makes you a target for parents and others who don't care about the game or really their kids. They only want their kids to win and couldn't care less how an umpire dresses, what his mechanics are, how hard they work and hustle, and maybe the fact that because their team or kid didn't get the call, they are being cheated and lied to by some ogre. Look at how umpires are treated by popular media, when have you ever seen an umpire in proper dress, properly making a call?

Yes, there are people who should know better who are a sorry excuse for umpires, but many times are they people who have been trained or shown how to become real umpires? A volunteer who goes out and does things for kids should have some respect and tolerance shown them.

 

I will never forget when I was a kid, I was 16 or 17 at the time, and I went to see my brother umpire a game. He was 14 years old, using catcher's gear, wearing shorts, having his hat turned backwards, and being paid all of $5 per game, umpiring 9 or 10 year-olds by himself in some city-run recreation league. He never umpired before, he was a kid helping out kids, and he was cussed at, threatened, and yelled at all game long by one or two dads. There was almost a fight after the game and I drove him home instead of letting him ride his bike home because I didn't know if he would be safe.

After that, I try real real hard not to look down on people who are umpiring because kids need an umpire. And these days I am growing less tolerant of parents and so-called volunteer 'coaches' who yell, rant, rave, and look like an NCAA D1 hoops coach in a TV game, doing everything but physically abusing people who are to help kids. 

 

 

​These are umpires who are trained by the league.  This year I think they took 3 classes and had a practice game before the season started.  They are paid $40 for a 90 minute game.  In this particular game both umpires had the High School Patches on that would indicate that they umpire HS games, though I think anyone can buy them on the net.

What I was looking for on this thread was not so much to bash these umpires but rather to get a sort of list of things from good umpires that they see people do/ don't do that drive them crazy in an effort to ensure that I do not commit the same mistakes.

[bluejerred]

- Sloppy/excessively wrinkled uniform - especially if it is the first game of the day

- Umpires that make the game about them (i.e., lots of joking around, being loud and obnoxious, bringing undue attention to themselves, stupid strike three mechanics, etc.)

- Plate umpires that drag a pre-game meeting along (LEGS people!!!!)

- Plate umpires that camp out at the dish when they should be moving

- Partners that are afraid to ask questions

- Partners that check their cell phones in between innings

- Partners who don't care

- Umpires who like to play God

- Umpires that do not study the rule book

- Umpires that do not study mechanics

- Umpires that have too many pet peeves....wait a minute. 

 

 

[Richvee]

 

- Plate umpires that drag a pre-game meeting along (LEGS people!!!!)

 

 

 

​Had one of these the other day. Tried to turn the plate meeting into a comedy routine...and bombed miserably. 

[BuckeyeMike]

This whole "umpires that drag a pre-game meeting" spans across sports.   One of my BIGGEST issues is with the R conducting a rules clinic at basketball pre-game coaches/captains meetings.     Keep it short and sweet.....hit the necessary items and let's go.

[hepler]

From a coaches perspective, 

This has happened with me 3 different times. 

I have had different Umpires with a huge strike zone on an 9-12U teams. Overall it is fine as long as it is consistent, we teach our hitters to adjust to the umpires strike zone, they are all different, and hit and pitch accordingly. I have after the game asked or commented (very nicely I might add) that I thought the zone was especially large but overall we were fine with it. Three different umpires over the last year have said they like to make the younger teams "hitters" and they don't like to see too many walks. I commented that wasn't really their job and all have said they were just helping them swing the bat.

 

Personally I have a lot of problems with that approach from umpires. One it makes two assumptions that are offensive; 1) it assumes that a team is full of non hitters, most umpires have never seen the team and really don't know if they are hitters or not, and 2) it assumes that the coach is incapable of teaching them how to be hitters and it is left up to umpires fill that void. If umpires want to make hitters out of grade schoolers they should coach a team and not umpire. In my opinion it is an umpires job to establish a consistent strike zone and call that zone throughout the game. Hitting and pitching should be irrelevant to how that zone is called. It is up to my players and coaches to adjust to that zone and the pitchers to pitch to that zone and the hitters to swing at pitches in that zone.

 

I am curious if this is discussed or is prevalent in other areas. Maybe I have had the only three umpires with this thought that they are helping a team hit by not allowing too many walks with young pitchers who are having a hard time finding the plate. 

[noumpere]

While a zone can be "too big", the general consensus among coaches and parents is that "larger than the book zone is better."

[hepler]

I agree with the thought of larger than the book zone is fine. One ball off the plate is a good rule of thumb in my opinion, knees to the elbows is pretty standard for LL. But this zone was chalk to chalk and neck to knees, that is a bit hard to deal with but it isn't the first time obviously. But it is the mind set of the umpire that in my mind is the problem in that they believe they are "helping" a team hit, by forcing them to swing at pitches and reducing walks, that is the problem for me.

[maven]

From a coaches perspective, 

This has happened with me 3 different times. 

I have had different Umpires with a huge strike zone on an 9-12U teams. Overall it is fine as long as it is consistent, we teach our hitters to adjust to the umpires strike zone, they are all different, and hit and pitch accordingly. I have after the game asked or commented (very nicely I might add) that I thought the zone was especially large but overall we were fine with it. Three different umpires over the last year have said they like to make the younger teams "hitters" and they don't like to see too many walks. I commented that wasn't really their job and all have said they were just helping them swing the bat.

 

Personally I have a lot of problems with that approach from umpires. One it makes two assumptions that are offensive; 1) it assumes that a team is full of non hitters, most umpires have never seen the team and really don't know if they are hitters or not, and 2) it assumes that the coach is incapable of teaching them how to be hitters and it is left up to umpires fill that void. If umpires want to make hitters out of grade schoolers they should coach a team and not umpire. In my opinion it is an umpires job to establish a consistent strike zone and call that zone throughout the game. Hitting and pitching should be irrelevant to how that zone is called. It is up to my players and coaches to adjust to that zone and the pitchers to pitch to that zone and the hitters to swing at pitches in that zone.

 

I am curious if this is discussed or is prevalent in other areas. Maybe I have had the only three umpires with this thought that they are helping a team hit by not allowing too many walks with young pitchers who are having a hard time finding the plate. 

​As an umpire who might have what you would consider a "huge" strike zone (though I do not work the level you mention), allow me to respond.

I do not endorse any of your assumptions. My rationale for calling a big zone has nothing to do with what a team's players or coaches are like. It's not about you, coach. It has everything to do with the nature of the game.

Baseball, unlike football or basketball, is a game of defense. It is the only game where the defense controls the ball. It is the only game where you score if the ball leaves the playing area. Defensive baseball is better baseball: it keeps fielders' — especially pitchers' — heads in the game, and keeps things moving.

Baseball hell is the 3:45 19–17 walkfest. Baseball heaven is a 5–3 in 7 innings with 3 lead changes in 1:50.

As for "helping pitchers": if umpires prioritize this over consistency, that's unfair. But if they're consistent, I think it's great: as a coach, you know how hard pitching is. Pitchers thrive on getting strikes, especially called strikes. If they have a secondary pitch, I try to find a strike with it early on: if F1 thinks he can throw that pitch for a strike, then he'll throw it more. The more he throws it, the better it gets. The better it gets, the more off-balance hitters are, which promotes defensive baseball, which is better baseball.

[UmpJeff]

1) When a batter is HBP...PU says, "Dead Ball!"

2) Kicking dirt off the plate with the foot instead of using a plate brush

3) Not knowing how to conduct a pre-game plate meeting with the managers

4) Not putting the ball into/back into play.

[kstrunk]

1) When a batter is HBP...PU says, "Dead Ball!"

I hear this all the time. Is there ever a reason for an umpire to shout this during a game? It's a pet peeve of mine too, because I've been taught there's no reason to 'call this'. The word is 'TIME', isn't it? When should we ever say 'Dead Ball'? Asking objectively. 

​

[UmpJeff]

​

​There is never a time when an umpire needs to say "Dead Ball".  That's simply the status of the baseball.  He/she may have to tell players/coaches the ball is dead if they're trying to make a play when the ball is, in fact, dead.  But, other than that, there is no reason to ever say "Dead Ball".  At least IMHO...

The correct word is, indeed, "TIME" when a batter is HBP.  

Edited May 22, 2015 by UmpJeff