Umpire-Coach Panel Discussion

[GT25Ump]

I'm going to be a moderator this weekend at a baseball clinic where there will be an Umpire-Coach Panel Discussion.  There's been a growing interest in the local high school umpiring community to want to sit down with coaches and get to know one another better and/or try to find out what they notice, or don't notice about umpires and umpiring.  Some guys in our local association have put together questions that they might like to see a panel of coaches answer/discuss.  Here's some of them, in no particular order:

Do you think umpires should ever admit they missed a call?  Would you appreciate it?  Would it make a difference if it was admission of a missed pitch or a missed out/safe call and/or when in the game it occurred?  

 

What do you tell your catchers about having a relationship with the plate umpire?  Do you suggest things to say, not say, etc..?

 

Is there ever talk in the dugout during a game about in-game conversation going on between the catcher and plate umpire?

 

Do you keep charts and/or "scouting reports" on certain umpires that you may have on a regular basis and if so, how does it affect your managing of the game?

 

What's the more important things a coach wants to notice about an umpire.....consistency?  Hustle?  Personality?  Pace of play?

 

What are negative things you notice about an umpire?  Laziness?  Inconsistent zone?  Doesn't know basic rules?  Amateurish?  Showing favoritism/overly friendly towards one team?

 

What are your thoughts on the recently new NFHS rule involving the recommendation of giving a written warning to a coach before an ejection?

 

What are your thoughts on the new NFHS Pitch Count Rule and it's relation to the umpiring?  Do you have concerns about umpires with tighter strike zones?

 

How important is an umpire's appearance/body language in determining your opinion of the qualities of an umpire?

 

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If any of you were involved in something like this, where you could ask a panel of coaches some questions, what would they be?  Or what are some questions that high school coaches should really ask umpires, or simply things they really should want to know about umpires?  Would love to see some feedback from different parts of the country, not just our local high school guys.  Anything you could add would be great.  Thanks.

  

[KenBAZ]

I'm going to be a moderator this weekend at a baseball clinic where there will be an Umpire-Coach Panel Discussion.  There's been a growing interest in the local high school umpiring community to want to sit down with coaches and get to know one another better and/or try to find out what they notice, or don't notice about umpires and umpiring.  Some guys in our local association have put together questions that they might like to see a panel of coaches answer/discuss.  Here's some of them, in no particular order:

Do you think umpires should ever admit they missed a call?  Would you appreciate it?  Would it make a difference if it was admission of a missed pitch or a missed out/safe call and/or when in the game it occurred?     What do you tell your catchers about having a relationship with the plate umpire?  Do you suggest things to say, not say, etc..?   Is there ever talk in the dugout during a game about in-game conversation going on between the catcher and plate umpire?   Do you keep charts and/or "scouting reports" on certain umpires that you may have on a regular basis and if so, how does it affect your managing of the game?   What's the more important things a coach wants to notice about an umpire.....consistency?  Hustle?  Personality?  Pace of play?   What are negative things you notice about an umpire?  Laziness?  Inconsistent zone?  Doesn't know basic rules?  Amateurish?  Showing favoritism/overly friendly towards one team?   What are your thoughts on the recently new NFHS rule involving the recommendation of giving a written warning to a coach before an ejection?   What are your thoughts on the new NFHS Pitch Count Rule and it's relation to the umpiring?  Do you have concerns about umpires with tighter strike zones?   How important is an umpire's appearance/body language in determining your opinion of the qualities of an umpire?   --------------------------------------------------------------- If any of you were involved in something like this, where you could ask a panel of coaches some questions, what would they be?  Or what are some questions that high school coaches should really ask umpires, or simply things they really should want to know about umpires?  Would love to see some feedback from different parts of the country, not just our local high school guys.  Anything you could add would be great.  Thanks.   

The catcher questions are of great interest to me as are the questions about what is important or what the coaches notice.

I wish I had more time to prepare questions for you from the umpires perspective but most of them would be around coaches learning how to approach us correctly, what can be appealed and what cannot. When we are required to get help, when we have the discretion to and when we are precluded from getting help. Also, how we can most easily communicate with them about rules they are most confused by.

It sounds like a real positive thing your doing. I'd love for us to try something like this here in AZ.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

[VolUmp]

Umpire questions to coaches:

  1a)  What things do you do to continually educate yourself on the rules of baseball?  (Specifically FED rules)

  1b)  What things do you require of your assistants to continually educate themselves on FED rules?

  1c)  Have you ever read the FED Rules Book cover to cover?

  1d)  Have you ever read the FED Case Book cover to cover?

•   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •   •  

  2)  What does it mean to you that, "The baseball field is an extension of the classroom."

  3)  Have you ever umpired a baseball game?

  4)  Have you ever lodged a complaint on an umpire after you won the game?

  5)  Have you ever called in praise for an umpire after you lost the game?

  6)  To what do you attribute the lack of young umpires wanting to get into the business of umpiring HS baseball?

  7)  When are the batter's hands considered to be part of the bat?

  8)  What is the difference (in your own words) between the strike zone and the hitting zone?

  9)  Name your favorite four umpires and why they are your favorites.

10)  When a runner has to tag up after a caught fly ball, is that considered a force play?  Why or why not?

11)  Do you make certain that any student player who crouches to warm up a pitcher is wearing a cup?

12)  Whose responsibility is it to provide game balls when the visiting team is not returning foul balls from their side that go out of play?

13)  How many points are there to the NFHS Coaches Code of Ethics?  How often do you and your assistants review it?

14)  When umpires communicate with you a day or two before a game, do you appreciate it?  Do you make note of it?

15)  What involvement will you expect from the umpires with regards to pitch counts?

[JSam21]

@GT25Ump I started umpiring at the age of 18... by 20 I was doing high school ball and by 22 I was getting college assignments... by 25 I was coaching legion baseball... and at 35 I just finished coaching my last high school season, as the school is closing, and got back into umpiring. So I can answer questions from both sides.

1) At the time it doesn't matter to me if you admit that you missed it or not. I think you missed it and in the heat of the moment that is all that matters in my head as a coach.

2) As a former catcher... that is one of the first things I tell my catchers. Work your butt off back there and make sure the umpire is safe. Block everything in the dirt and don't make him go chase baseballs.

3) If my catcher isn't in jeopardy of getting tossed, I don't care what is being talked about.

4) I have way too much stuff going on and don't see enough of the same umpires to warrant tracking the umpires tendencies.

5) Hustle and consistency

6) Poor appearance and lack of wanting to be there.

7) Way too much leash

8) Will make for longer games because more strikes are going to be thrown

9) If you don't look the part, you already have a strike against you in my book. The first thing that I looked at when I coached was shoes. If your shoes were dirty I felt like you didn't want to be there. Cleaning your shoes is the easiest and most basic thing you can do...

[beerguy55]

22 hours ago, GT25Ump said:

I'm going to be a moderator this weekend at a baseball clinic where there will be an Umpire-Coach Panel Discussion.  There's been a growing interest in the local high school umpiring community to want to sit down with coaches and get to know one another better and/or try to find out what they notice, or don't notice about umpires and umpiring.  Some guys in our local association have put together questions that they might like to see a panel of coaches answer/discuss.  Here's some of them, in no particular order:

Do you think umpires should ever admit they missed a call?  Would you appreciate it?  Would it make a difference if it was admission of a missed pitch or a missed out/safe call and/or when in the game it occurred?  

 

What do you tell your catchers about having a relationship with the plate umpire?  Do you suggest things to say, not say, etc..?

 

Is there ever talk in the dugout during a game about in-game conversation going on between the catcher and plate umpire?

 

Do you keep charts and/or "scouting reports" on certain umpires that you may have on a regular basis and if so, how does it affect your managing of the game?

 

What's the more important things a coach wants to notice about an umpire.....consistency?  Hustle?  Personality?  Pace of play?

 

What are negative things you notice about an umpire?  Laziness?  Inconsistent zone?  Doesn't know basic rules?  Amateurish?  Showing favoritism/overly friendly towards one team?

 

What are your thoughts on the recently new NFHS rule involving the recommendation of giving a written warning to a coach before an ejection?

 

What are your thoughts on the new NFHS Pitch Count Rule and it's relation to the umpiring?  Do you have concerns about umpires with tighter strike zones?

 

How important is an umpire's appearance/body language in determining your opinion of the qualities of an umpire?

 

---------------------------------------------------------------

If any of you were involved in something like this, where you could ask a panel of coaches some questions, what would they be?  Or what are some questions that high school coaches should really ask umpires, or simply things they really should want to know about umpires?  Would love to see some feedback from different parts of the country, not just our local high school guys.  Anything you could add would be great.  Thanks.

  

Answers from a coach:

1. Yes, and I've worked with many umpires that have.  It's a reminder, in the heat of the moment, that umpires are human, and, for me, I greatly appreciate an umpire who is willing to admit he made a mistake.   Most of the time, I'm talking with an umpire so it doesn't happen again, not to change the call that just occurred. 

2. For my catchers, the umpire is your best friend, and don't forget it.

3. Yes, and greatly.  Especially pitch location.  

4. Consistency.  Hustle, especially in a one man crew.  Approachability.  Don't need super friendly or super talkative, but human is nice.

5. Laziness and inconsistency.  Lack of engagement.  I find favoritism is very rare.  The worst kind of umpire, to me, is the one who's not engaged and not interested in improving.

6. Dumb

7. When I was a kid it was innings, not pitches.  I hate the pitch count rule because (unless I'm very wrong) it completely ignores the hundred (or twelve) warmup pitches the kid threw before the game.  I hate any notion of an umpire needing to count pitches.  But yes, umpires with tight strike zones increase pitch counts.  Beyond that, pitch count now becomes a tactic, and teams early in games look to go deeper in counts, with the sole purpose of getting the starting pitcher out of the game ASAP.  The pitch count rule fundamentally changes the game.  I understand its purpose.  Inning counts accomplish the same goals, are easier to manage, and don't change strategy nearly to the degree pitch counts do.  IMO the umpire's only role in pitch counts or inning counts should be enforcing rules once told about a breach by the official scorekeeper.

8. meh - unless it's extreme it doesn't affect me.   I have, in one case, mistaken an umpire for a homeless person.