POLL ON UMPIRING

Reality Check

It is sad when an umpire makes a call that changes the outcome of the game. The reality is, if an umpire is making bad calls, he is usually doing it both ways. I keep preaching to my TB team, if you make clean plays you take the ump out of it. Bang, bang plays happen and the ump will have to make a split second decision. If we're lucky, half of those calls will go our way. As far as Cape Fear Valley Conference most of the umpires have been good. Nobody is perfect and it is always easier to make calls behind the fence. I guess the chain link improves ones vision. Should umpires know the rules of the game? ABSOLUTELY. Does there need to be a way to "blackball" umps? Probably. Can there be a perfect umpire? Doubt it. Bottom line is, if you run rule them there is no way the umpire can change the outcome. Just play the game to the best of your ability and you are a winner no matter what the scoreboard says.

 

COMMENT CARDS?? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

As for the pay and a shortage of officials, it's because everyone wants to start there own tournament, instead of paying the money to get into the established ones. And a lot of people can't sustain being an umpire, especially in the summer, because they are not "thick-skinned" enough to tolerate the mass amounts of less than knowledgable people that attend and scream and berate officials over things they have absolutely no clue as to what they are talking about.
As for the comment cards, this only works if you have a trained observer doing the evaluations, devoid of any person involvement, just the betterment of the official and the sport.

 

nc2aump, I don't normally ask these type questions because it can open a can of worms, but I respect your opinions and I am naturally curious. I sense from your post that there will be very little one can do to correct the problems that cheeze mentioned. However, you brought up this point and I am interested in your thoughts:

"help them improve the quality of their officials, but as usual their hidden agenda wins out.:

 

Making Changes

ANY problem can be corrected if everyone involved is working towards a solution.

 

I know we are not suppose to argue strikes and balls but shouldn't there be some kind of consistency. all but one of our games the zone has been anywhere from 12'' to any where from the ankles to the chin, and all but one ump has called the pitch where the catcher catches it at not where it crosses the plate , a curve ball will be caught off the plate but if thrown correctly will catch the corner. It's like the umps think the plate is round. hope i didn't bash too bad, that is not what i'm trying to do, just please get some consitency and call it where it crosses the plate

 

Move softball to FALL , like Georgia

There are not enough appropriately qualified umpires for both baseball and softball in the same season. Remember that the best umpires in both do college (base ball and softball) in the spring, too. You get what is left for high school softball playing in the spring. Playing in the fall, you could get the best we have.

I did not vote in POLL. I vote for Fall Ball --- plus my kid misses soccer.

 

CONSISTENCY

Consistency comes with training, experience and the shear fact that the official wants to do a good job and not just be out there for that hour and a half to get the good money. People, I hear everything that you are complaining about, WE ALL KNOW THE PROBLEMS. And my comment is that everyone can see the problems, but very few people will stand up and attempt to help rectify the situations. It's always easier to complain, than to take the initiative to help institute change. I'm not fan or caoch bashing, I coach at the high school level for about 11 years, I'm just saying there are a lot of barking dogs in the yard, but very few will actually bite.

 

haha..I like that. That would make a good signature

 

This guy's for hire. He might be a little risque, but he works hard