Whats the weakest HBP call you have ever made

[ArchAngel72]

Like it barely grazed the batter type of thing

 

I have seen a couple of balls spiked and as the batters jump up to avoid it clips there shoes.

Usually 8-10U

had a 13U get pissy with my call Inside fastball at the letters ( really inside) batter twisted just got out of the way but it caught his jersey I say it hit Uniform and heard the distinct "ZZZZZZZZ"  of something rotating on fabric noise. I called time told him to take 1st. He was like WHY I said it hit your uniform I saw it and heard it.

Not only did he pitch a fit but the DTC pitched a fit too.  Catcher said zero.

next inning he comes up and says  "Good call btw on that"  I said "what?"   he says "I heard it too."

 

LOL

 

 

[Lou B]

Pitch hit the front of home plate, bounced straight up and hit the bill of the batters' helmet knocking it off his head.  

[mark38090]

Doing a 10u girls district game and we had at least a dozen hit by rolling pitches across the feet. OHC comes to me and tells me I can open up the zone, I was looking at him like how? 

[GiantEngineer]

Had one girl squared to bunt and never pulled back and hit on the top of the helmet.

FED- requires the bat to be pulled back in softball. So a dead ball strike on a head shot.

[The Man in Blue]

1 hour ago, mark38090 said:

Don't a 10u girls district game and we had at least a dozen hit by rolling pitches across the feet. OHC comes to me and tells me I can open up the zone, I was looking at him like how? 

^^That ... and ...

1 hour ago, GiantEngineer said:

Had one girl squared to bunt and never pulled back and hit on the top of the helmet.

FED- requires the bat to be pulled back in softball. So a dead ball strike on a head shot.

... ^^^ that.  When I had that, it drilled her square in the stomach.  It took a few minutes to stop the crying ... and then several more to stop the complaining that I was mean.

[The Man in Blue]

7 hours ago, ArchAngel72 said:

Like it barely grazed the batter type of thing

 

I have seen a couple of balls spiked and as the batters jump up to avoid it clips there shoes.

Usually 8-10U

had a 13U get pissy with my call Inside fastball at the letters ( really inside) batter twisted just got out of the way but it caught his jersey I say it hit Uniform and heard the distinct "ZZZZZZZZ"  of something rotating on fabric noise. I called time told him to take 1st. He was like WHY I said it hit your uniform I saw it and heard it.

Not only did he pitch a fit but the DTC pitched a fit too.  Catcher said zero.

next inning he comes up and says  "Good call btw on that"  I said "what?"   he says "I heard it too."

LOL

 

Had one similar a few weeks ago.  I clearly heard it clip something (didn't see it -- assuming it was his EvoShield), called time, and awarded the base.  The catcher says, "You saw that?  I heard it, but didn't see it."  I tell him "Not sure where, but I heard it, too."  

The defensive coach yells to the catcher "Did it get him?"  The catcher yells back, "Yeah, I don't know where, but I heard it, too!"

Good catcher.  😁

[MadMax]

“Weakest call ever made”? 

Just happened to me!
Inside fastball on a LHB, grazed his forearm / clipped his jersey sleeve just enough to redirect the speeding rock 🪨 past the catcher’s mitt to find and assail my right hand. There were not baserunners on, so pandemonium didn’t ensue, but I was not a model of calm composure. It felt like Moose had forced my hand down on a workbench, and Rocco had smacked it with the nearest hammer 🔨. I needed ice, and I needed it now. 

On the way to the medical trainer in the 1st base dugout, I paused at the LHB box, with the batter… still standing there?! … and chatting with the catcher. I muttered, through my mask, wanting to bite and chew on the pads-&-bars to help take my mind off the throbbing pain in my hand, “I’ve got that hitting you.” 
“Did it? I didn’t even feel it.”

”Oh yeah. If it doesn’t hit you, he catches it”, as the catcher just nods, sagely. 

So the BR de-armors (EvoShields aplenty!) and walks to 1B, while I have a less-than-resolute medical trainer attending to my hand, but no presenting any realistic solutions – the trainer only had ice bags the size of which you wrap shoulders in. So, we did a hasty compression wrap, and I went back behind the plate for 3 more batters and 3 more outs. Ballgame! Enjoy the fireworks everyone, I need an ice bucket! 

How was that “weakest”, you might ask? Well, I didn’t manage to say “Time!” coherently, I obviously didn’t signal it, and – according to my college colleagues, this is an important signal-mechanic to do! – I didn’t point him (BR) to 1B! Sure, I’ll remember to do that next time! 

 

… no, my hand’s not broken. Just one helluva contusion. I spent the night with my hand stuck in the hotel ice bucket 🪣. 

[umpstu]

2 hours ago, MadMax said:

“Weakest call ever made”? 

Just happened to me!
Inside fastball on a LHB, grazed his forearm / clipped his jersey sleeve just enough to redirect the speeding rock 🪨 past the catcher’s mitt to find and assail my right hand. There were not baserunners on, so pandemonium didn’t ensue, but I was not a model of calm composure. It felt like Moose had forced my hand down on a workbench, and Rocco had smacked it with the nearest hammer 🔨. I needed ice, and I needed it now. 

On the way to the medical trainer in the 1st base dugout, I paused at the LHB box, with the batter… still standing there?! … and chatting with the catcher. I muttered, through my mask, wanting to bite and chew on the pads-&-bars to help take my mind off the throbbing pain in my hand, “I’ve got that hitting you.” 
“Did it? I didn’t even feel it.”

”Oh yeah. If it doesn’t hit you, he catches it”, as the catcher just nods, sagely. 

So the BR de-armors (EvoShields aplenty!) and walks to 1B, while I have a less-than-resolute medical trainer attending to my hand, but no presenting any realistic solutions – the trainer only had ice bags the size of which you wrap shoulders in. So, we did a hasty compression wrap, and I went back behind the plate for 3 more batters and 3 more outs. Ballgame! Enjoy the fireworks everyone, I need an ice bucket! 

How was that “weakest”, you might ask? Well, I didn’t manage to say “Time!” coherently, I obviously didn’t signal it, and – according to my college colleagues, this is an important signal-mechanic to do! – I didn’t point him (BR) to 1B! Sure, I’ll remember to do that next time! 

 

… no, my hand’s not broken. Just one helluva contusion. I spent the night with my hand stuck in the hotel ice bucket 🪣. 

But did it hurt?

[ArchAngel72]

2 hours ago, MadMax said:

How was that “weakest”, you might ask? Well, I didn’t manage to say “Time!” coherently, I obviously didn’t signal it, and – according to my college colleagues, this is an important signal-mechanic to do! – I didn’t point him (BR) to 1B! Sure, I’ll remember to do that next time! 

Damn man sorry that happened hope you are ok.

I had a weak call like that a month or so ago inside spiked fastball catcher whiffed and it connected directly to cup.

I said "OOF.....   cough gasp Ball "  Took a sideways step and called "Time"

It hit good directly on the cup and the cup did its job wonderfully I must say.  It just caught me and scared the crap out of me was all. But yeah my "Ball" was not my typically low husky voiced loudly "BAAAALLLLL"

more like a mouse squeaked it out..

 

[Catch18]

I said "OOF.....   cough gasp Ball "  Took a sideways step and called "Time".
 

Unless you’ve got R3, why call time (and even then, can we?) Taking the chance from your partner to get outs on a loose ball….pun definitely intended

Strikes —> Outs
Outs —> Innings
Innings —> Game over
Game over —>……

I feel like we’ve addressed this before on this fine forum.

But seriously, hope your good to go. 12 games the next 3 days - anyone know an un-jinxing spell for me??? I feel my jocularity might doom me.

[ArchAngel72]

9 minutes ago, Catch18 said:

 

Unless you’ve got R3, why call time (and even then, can we?) Taking the chance from your partner to get outs on a loose ball….pun definitely intended

Strikes —> Outs
Outs —> Innings
Innings —> Game over
Game over —>……

I feel like we’ve addressed this before on this fine forum.

But seriously, hope your good to go. 12 games the next 3 days - anyone know an un-jinxing spell for me??? I feel my jocularity might doom me.

 

Yes, May the God of foul balls find your armor weak and your soft spots vulnerable.

 

I cannot recall but I believe there was 1st and 2nd 

I was and am fine, it was more of a mind scare than anything truthfully and it was me making sure I WAS ok more than figuring out if I needed more time to work thru the pain.

Also to note I was working alone

[TheRockawayKid]

On 7/6/2022 at 8:57 AM, MadMax said:

How was that “weakest”, you might ask? Well, I didn’t manage to say “Time!” coherently, I obviously didn’t signal it, and – according to my college colleagues, this is an important signal-mechanic to do! – I didn’t point him (BR) to 1B! Sure, I’ll remember to do that next time! 

 

This is important. Otherwise, how would he know where to go? I know you'd say, "they've been playing ball for a dozen years at least!" 

To which I'd reply, "Have you ever met a college student playing baseball in the summer?" 

[beerguy55]

On 7/6/2022 at 6:57 AM, MadMax said:

“Weakest call ever made”? 

Just happened to me!
Inside fastball on a LHB, grazed his forearm / clipped his jersey sleeve just enough to redirect the speeding rock 🪨 past the catcher’s mitt to find and assail my right hand. There were not baserunners on, so pandemonium didn’t ensue, but I was not a model of calm composure. It felt like Moose had forced my hand down on a workbench, and Rocco had smacked it with the nearest hammer 🔨. I needed ice, and I needed it now. 

How was that “weakest”, you might ask? Well, I didn’t manage to say “Time!” coherently, I obviously didn’t signal it, and – according to my college colleagues, this is an important signal-mechanic to do! – I didn’t point him (BR) to 1B! Sure, I’ll remember to do that next time! 

 

… no, my hand’s not broken. Just one helluva contusion. I spent the night with my hand stuck in the hotel ice bucket 🪣. 

I believe "Jesus F*#King Christ" is a suitable mechanic that universally means "Time!" in these scenarios...

[MadMax]

2 hours ago, TheRockawayKid said:

Otherwise, how would he know where to go?

I do concede – to colleagues and to new umpires I’m training – that within college ball ruleset(s), we should definitively point the HBP Batter to (either) 1B or “stay here” or the box or the plate. Because in the college ruleset(s), there exists the “dead ball strike”, imposed because the Batter made a move into the pitch, the PU must judge that, definitively. This isn’t a soft or slow sell. It has to be prompt and projected. 

All other amateur or professional baseball, we (PU) really don’t need to point the Batter anywhere.

[Jimurray]

21 minutes ago, MadMax said:

I do concede – to colleagues and to new umpires I’m training – that within college ball ruleset(s), we should definitively point the HBP Batter to (either) 1B or “stay here” or the box or the plate. Because in the college ruleset(s), there exists the “dead ball strike”, imposed because the Batter made a move into the pitch, the PU must judge that, definitively. This isn’t a soft or slow sell. It has to be prompt and projected. 

All other amateur or professional baseball, we (PU) really don’t need to point the Batter anywhere.

Regarding "all other amateur", while we tell new umpires not to point because the players know where 1B is and they know they get to go there on ball 4 or HBP, there is the one off where you have to point when that 8 year old looks up at you.

[ArchAngel72]

1 hour ago, Jimurray said:

Regarding "all other amateur", while we tell new umpires not to point because the players know where 1B is and they know they get to go there on ball 4 or HBP, there is the one off where you have to point when that 8 year old looks up at you.

We LL umps have been directed to use the left arm to point them to 1st.

 

[TheRockawayKid]

On 7/15/2022 at 12:25 PM, MadMax said:

I do concede – to colleagues and to new umpires I’m training – that within college ball ruleset(s), we should definitively point the HBP Batter to (either) 1B or “stay here” or the box or the plate. Because in the college ruleset(s), there exists the “dead ball strike”, imposed because the Batter made a move into the pitch, the PU must judge that, definitively. This isn’t a soft or slow sell. It has to be prompt and projected. 

All other amateur or professional baseball, we (PU) really don’t need to point the Batter anywhere.

My entire comment was completely facetious, and I think I should have put an emoji at the end. 

[MadMax]

4 hours ago, TheRockawayKid said:

My entire comment was completely facetious, and I think I should have put an emoji at the end. 

Whether you intended to or not, you uncovered a “hot topic” in collegiate baseball officiating. So, good on you for that. 

Now, when it comes to the other levels of baseball, if they don’t know where 1B is when HBP, then they either A) are brand-new to baseball, and this event is a poor demonstration of what to expect in this great game, or B) they are concussed / knocked out. Our pointing them to 1B does. Not. Matter. 

[TheRockawayKid]

8 hours ago, MadMax said:

Whether you intended to or not, you uncovered a “hot topic” in collegiate baseball officiating. So, good on you for that. 

Now, when it comes to the other levels of baseball, if they don’t know where 1B is when HBP, then they either A) are brand-new to baseball, and this event is a poor demonstration of what to expect in this great game, or B) they are concussed / knocked out. Our pointing them to 1B does. Not. Matter. 

My two cents on the matter is that even in collegiate ball I don't think it's necessary to point a batter to first base. OTOH, it's important to come up big if you have to give the dead-ball strike, so just a time mechanic would be enough to basically tell the stadium what it needs to hear. It would be like giving a "held the bag" mechanic on an obvious out at first. 

[MadMax]

16 hours ago, TheRockawayKid said:

My two cents on the matter is that even in collegiate ball I don't think it's necessary to point a batter to first base. 

I see and appreciate your two cents , but again, regardless what or how we (you and me plebeian umpires) think about it, if our college assigner / trainer / evaluator directs us to point ‘em, then there’s an expectation for (our) compliance. 

And if we’re non-compliant to expectations enough times, and it gains the notice of said assigner, we may see some none-so-gentle reminders or a lighter load of games. 

[Replacematt]

On 7/15/2022 at 8:35 AM, TheRockawayKid said:

To which I'd reply, "Have you ever met a college student playing baseball in the summer?" 

That's most of my summer schedule.

While we use OBR (functionally unchanged) for rules, we generally use CCA mechanics because it's what we all do in the spring and it's what they are used to seeing (even if they don't consciously understand umpiring, they understand when something seems different.)

I would also suggest that the point isn't a directive to the batter, but a signal that PU judged that it was a situation awarding the base.

[mac266]

College summer league.  The pitch was probably in the low-mid 90s and came in high and tight.  The batter dove backwards and fell over.  He didn't quite move fast enough, and I heard a faint "tick" as it went by his head.  From the ground, he said, "It hit me, it hit me!"  I told him, "I know" and awarded the base.  It was such a weak touch that NO ONE outside of the batter, the catcher, and me could have possibly heard it.  This went against the home team and it was the largest crowd I have ever worked (800-1000 spectators), and it also happens to be the worst "booing" I've ever received   But I heard it touch the helmet, so I know I'm right.  

[The Man in Blue]

They weren't saying "Boo!" ... they were saying "Blue!" as in "That was an amazing call, Blue!"  😉