Un-professional Umpire

Yesterday in Rockhill during a game I was totally blown away by something. The behind the plate ump (older gentlemen) was really in-consistant, calling extremely low strikes (below the ankles of our girls) but balls against our pitcher, in the same spot. Not taking anything away from either pitcher, one of our moms said "come on blue, they're not golfing", and probably ten minutes or so later I said "come on blue be consistent, call it both ways". Honestly those were the ONLY two comments made. He turned around and pointed to me and said "you shut-up", my mouth dropped open and I said "don't tell me to shut-up". He goes "I'll tell you anything I want to tell you". Our coach, hearing this asked for time and told the ump that that was out of line and he told him to go sit down and not to say another word and that if I did, he would eject me. Then he told our catcher that "after that, he wasn't giving our pitcher anything", and by golly he didn't either. Unless a girl swung for a strike, he called it a ball. The longer I sat there the madder I got and went and found the director and told him what he said to me (I didn't find out about what he told our catcher until after the game), he said he would talk to the ump's supervisor, but I am sure that is as far as it got. My husband is the assistant coach and after the game he called the ump over and was going to tell him that he must have heard the other mom and thought both comments came from me when they didn't. He proceded to yell at my husband that he didn't want to hear anything else about it and he didn't care who it was and if he didn't like it he would see him in the parking lot. That sounds like a threat to me. I am not and never will be one to yell and fuss and argue with an ump or a coach or whatever, and this may sound really silly to alot of the readers, but I am still furious over this. Am I wrong for thinking he was out of line? Has this happened to anyone else and what did you do?

 

Wow...I have seen and heard some arrogant things said, but the part about " meeting in the parking lot" is especially unsettling. There is a strong penalty in the law that pertains to striking umpires. The fact that he was instigating this makes it even worse.

I agree with cheeze...those type umpires give their brothers a bad rep!

 

well I am honestly hesitant to respond but I saw (did not hear all of what was alleged).

I saw a pitch by the your pitcher that was letter high and called a ball. She turned around disgusted at the call (obviously from a feeling that she had been being squeezed up till that point in the game) and the next thing I know there appeared to be some exchange between the ump and the head coach. I didn't see or hear anything between the ump and a parent. I also did not hear a warning like: "one more word". It was a pretty short leash he gave your coach but again I was not close enough to hear everything. The ump did tell him to leave the park which he did not do.

The real reason I wanted to respond was what I observed over the next several innings. One of your parents rode the ump unmercifully from up around the table area. Every ball that was close that did not go your teams way he questioned it... referring to the ump as "rabbit ears".... this happened many times over the next few innings. The ump not once turned and looked at him, warned him etc. What this parent needs to realize is this was a showcase event and no college scout is going to sit and listen to that silliness. They are going to take their satchel and move to the next field. This was a disservice to every girl on your team as well as on your opponent's. I think all involved needed to understand this.. its not worth questioning the umpiring over one showcase game... the damage that can be done in the eyes of a college scout outweighs that games significance. Regardless of what the ump did or did not do or say, nothing should have been said... state championship at 14 or 12 maybe a different story but this was a showcase game.

I cannot comment about the ump's behavior. I did not hear nor see any of what you allege. If he did those things then he should be addressed on it.

 

fyi.. I guess I should add a qualifier after reading your post again.. if your head caoch wasn't ejected then we are talking about a different game.

 

Agree......BUT,

I agree with everything that was said, and I truly believe that the umpire was way out of line, especially if the story that we were told was accurate. Not trying to imply that the facts weren't correct, but there are two sides to every story.

Now, let's look at it a different way....how about from the view of the umpire.
I can honestly say that I am embarrassed, at times, to watch things that coaches, parents and the players do to the umpires. I have seen many blown calls in my day, but also know that umpires are human and make mistakes. It is part of the game...not a good part, but it happens.

If I were an umpire, I might be a little on edge, too. They get yelled at, cussed at, and treated with disrespect.....and that's by the GIRLS a lot of the time!

I know that they are paid....and I know that they should do a good job...but I also know that the pay that they get CAN'T be enough to deal with some of the players/coaches/parents that I've seen.

Instead of going head-hunting on that umpire, why don't we chalk it up to a bad day and hope that the next tournament is called better? You never know what happened to him the game before. He might have been cussed out by somebody for something stupid. Happens all the time....

Not trying to defend the umpires, but they do have a VERY difficult job...
For years, I wanted to be an umpire. I can honestly say that I won't ever be one. Too many people try to make themselves feel better at your expense!
Razzing umps is part of the game....but it goes WAY too far, way too often nowadays.

Any Takers?

 

umps

I don't know where they got the majority of their umps from this past weekend, but they need to make a note not to contact them again. Maybe 1 out of 6 or 7 umps that rotated through our field had a decent and consistent strike zone (though it is really hard to remember which one might have had it right now). But we had several awful calls in the field and did have 1 coach in our pools ejected in the first inning of their first game. Our coach was even warned that if the ump heard 1 more word about the play that he totally missed the call on, he would be ejected. Our coach was doing nothing more than talking to the other coaches in the dugout and not doing it in a fashion that was either disrespectful or nasty.

Too bad it was such a great weekend for softball and we had to spend it playing a showcase with bad umps and next to no scouts (only 5 signed in the entire weekend).

 

I respect the majority of umpires at all levels. Most of them hustle and try to make the right call..and that is all one can really ask for. They really don't get paid to be abused and some umpires handle those type things very well.

I don't believe anyone should speak to an umpire right after the game...no matter how well intentioned. There can still be a lot of emotions, just as there is for a coach. You don't want to approach a coach right after a game and you shouldn't approach an umpire, either.

But...the point about "meeting at the parking lot", although it will never be proved, should get that umpire out of the business.

 

Not the same game at all.

 

I Totally agree with you and thought of those same things. One thing I can say for our team and our girls, is that we do our best not question the umps and always show respect for them and the coaches, which is why his attitude and outburst was so shocking. He disrespected me and if I had tried to explain to him that I only spoke that once, he would have ejected me. You're right though, he may have just been having a bad day but don't take it out on the girls.