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Post by ebunton on Jul 22, 2009 8:06:16 GMT -5
Has anyone else noticed the umps unwillingness to make a call? We had an incident last night where our 2 umps stood back and let the 2 coaches argue if there were two outs or not, instead of stepping up and making the call. It was almost as if she didn"t want to get involved. Not to mention the calling was extremely inconsistent on both sides. Since when is it a strike when the pitch hits the plate? If these young girls are going to take on the responsibility of umping play-off games, then they need to stand up & take charge, & not be intimidated by the coaches.
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Post by robbielp539 on Jul 22, 2009 10:00:25 GMT -5
I know the condition of the batters circle, which there was no circle, at Champaign last night was nothing but a hole with a home plate in the middle. They couldn't even dig their cleats in due to no dirt being around the plate. Some of the girls had to balance themselves on the downhill slope. I would like to applaud the umps that give their time to officiate these games but some do need to take charge and speak up. Most show up not even knowing any of the rules. How can you effectively ump a game and not know the rules?
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Post by ADMIN on Jul 22, 2009 12:29:42 GMT -5
I will answer that one for you.
DBA managers bear principal responsibility for making sure that the umps know the rules that are in effect before a game starts. This is covered time and again at annual manager meetings. They are repeatedly told to ALWAYS carry a copy of their DBA rules to games and to ALWAYS use the pre-game ground rules session as the time to make sure that the game umps are made aware of any all rules peculiar to the DBA division in question.
No umpire is conversant in the DBA rules for all divisions and age groups for whom he or she may be called upon to umpire. People who lack experience in how things work may suppose that there ought to be good and efficient ways to make sure that umpires are trained in the DBA rules. That, sadly, just isn't going to happen.
Umpires handle games for various age groups and divisions within the DBA, as well for games being played by unaffiliated teams or organizations outside the DBA. Unless someone makes the effort, immediately prior to the game, to bring the umpires up to speed, the umpires will "default" to the path of least resistence; i.e., the "high school" rules, or at least their understanding of those rules.
Assuming they have attended the mandatory manager meetings, anyone managing in the DBA has been been told this and reminded to take 5 minutes before the game to make sure the umpires are on the right page. It is much, much easier to take care of rule variances at that point than it is in the heat of the game when a call has been made, another manager is arguing, and the umpire has to make the game proceed.
Regarding the "how many outs" dispute, could this be a situation in which the umpire's count agreed with the official scorekeeper (the home team), the other team was challenging and the umpire stepped back to let the scorekeeping team straighten out the situation? Just asking.
And, oddly enough, yes a ball that hits the plate can be a strike. A pitch is called where it breaks the plane of the plate and not where it lands. Now, I will concede that it would take a pretty special, or odd, pitch to break the plane within the strike zone and "fall off" quickly enough to hit the plate. Aside from some hardball pitcher's with a good sinker, knuckler or forkball, it would require probably a short batter (low strike zone) and some not-so-fast pitching.
N.
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Post by homesweethome on Jul 22, 2009 19:07:43 GMT -5
There have been very few issues brought to the attention of the DBA that the DBA hierarchy hasn't responded with an explanation of how the teams or the coaches are in the wrong. Never the DBA or the umpires. This is another example. I have found many umpires unwilling to listen to rule corrections (not judgement calls). I have been told on more than one occasion to take my rule book back to the dugout. That nothing in the rule book will change their minds. Generally the DBA rules can be pointed out and corrected (not all the time) but any actual baseball/softball rules pointed to in the high school rule book or case book are usually ignored. I'm talking about basic rules, things that happen every game.
There is usually only about 15-30 seconds before the next pitch when a rule can be looked up and unless you can flip instantly to the page in the book, it is too late. Some umpires get something in their minds and will not be corrected no matter what. Even if there is time to point it out in the official rule book. Umpiring is difficult, but the umpires in most cases get paid way too well. Where else can you make $15 to $25 per hour for being unknowledgeable AND uninterested in some cases. They have to be more open minded if they are going to accept that kind of money.
And I'd like to know how many times this century a pitch in baseball or fastpitch has gone through the strike zone and immediately dipped straight down to hit the plate. It ain't gonna happen. That response was ludicrous.
And on the actual original subject of this thread: I was pretty satisfied with the umpiring of our playoff game but the umpires did lack any agressiveness in stopping the opposing team from verbally abusing me, my coaches, my players and my parents most of the game. The opposing parents and fans had the foulest mouths. At one point an opposing mother stuck her head into her own dugout and asked their girls "what the ---- are you doing" after we pulled to within one run. Their stands should have been cleared and their coaches should have been warned. Their head coach even went as far as mocking one of my batters because she took 2 consecutive called strikes.
Now, show me where I've erred in my above statements.
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Post by robbielp539 on Jul 23, 2009 7:23:04 GMT -5
We had parents from the opposing team mocking our kids in their dugout calling them bi***** and other words like that. We had another game of bad officiating last night with one high school ump in the outfield doing nothing but fondling her keys instead of looking at the plays. With her fooling around that cost us runs. I know this sport is for the kids and them to have fun but how can they if some of the umps aren't worth the dirt they are governing over?
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Post by softballforfun on Jul 23, 2009 8:25:28 GMT -5
I have to comment on the umpires we had last night for our playoff game. I thought they did a fantastic job. The plate umpire had a consistent strike zone throughout the game and she had complete control of the game while allowing the girls to play. Both umpires were on top of plays and called a good consistent game. I was impressed and pleased with the game they did. They deserve credit and thanks for a job that is not as easy as some may think.
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Post by robbielp539 on Jul 23, 2009 10:15:20 GMT -5
You are definitely full of it.
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Post by homesweethome on Jul 23, 2009 10:45:26 GMT -5
I agree. SOFTBALLFORFUN must be an umpire's mother or father. It is entirely possible to have a nicely umpired game, but that post was obviously just damage control.
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Post by robbielp539 on Jul 23, 2009 14:09:20 GMT -5
It could have been a properly officiated game but with the umps I have seen this year, I highly doubt it. I think we only had one or two good umps. Most of which didn't know any of the rules.
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Post by melissaoliver on Jun 12, 2012 13:26:54 GMT -5
Has anyone else noticed the umps unwillingness to make a call? We had an incident last night where our 2 umps stood back and let the 2 coaches argue if there were two outs or not, instead of stepping up and making the call. It was almost as if she didn"t want to get involved. Not to mention the calling was extremely inconsistent on both sides. Since when is it a strike when the pitch hits the plate? If these young girls are going to take on the responsibility of umping play-off games, then they need to stand up & take charge, & not be intimidated by the coaches. |
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Post by ADMIN on Jun 15, 2012 3:55:13 GMT -5
Has anyone else noticed the umps unwillingness to make a call? We had an incident last night where our 2 umps stood back and let the 2 coaches argue if there were two outs or not, instead of stepping up and making the call. It was almost as if she didn"t want to get involved. Not to mention the calling was extremely inconsistent on both sides. Since when is it a strike when the pitch hits the plate? If these young girls are going to take on the responsibility of umping play-off games, then they need to stand up & take charge, & not be intimidated by the coaches. What community is providing only one ump? N. |
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AP4
New Member
Posts: 2
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Post by AP4 on Jun 15, 2012 7:41:12 GMT -5
ALLEN PARK
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Post by ADMIN on Jun 15, 2012 16:30:23 GMT -5
I contacted Allen Park on this.
N.
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Post by dbagm16uhb on Jun 18, 2012 11:12:34 GMT -5
Allen Park will be providing (2) umpires for all DBA games for both softball and hardball for the remainder of the season. All cities participating in the DBA will also need to provide (2) umpires per game as well. It is in fact in the rules.
Let's enjoy the rest of the season.
Kurt Tolliver DBA President
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Post by foxfire on Jul 8, 2012 22:21:09 GMT -5
My daughter plays for Rockwood and we haven't had two umps at all this year.
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