another " interference " and what is the call

devils advocate

are you offering to teach?

or have a suggestion where to go to learn the pitching stuff?

 

I STARTED A MESS HUH?

I didn't mean too.
Here is what really gripes me.
I have actually had umpires, whom I've known from my slow pitch days, (lets just say it's a long time) tell me they are taught "if it's bang, bang, get the out. Gotta get the game in."
If it's a close call, " get the out."
They are not taught to get in proper position to make a call, but they are taught to speed it up?
What's up with that.
Look, my eyesight and reaction time are slipping the older I get. That's why I quit playing myself.
So, if you're an umpire and if you can't see a strike when it crosses the outside corner of the plate, how in the world can you see a ball that was trapped on the ground in the outfield and call it a catch.
How can you call a kid out sliding into 2nd from behind the play?
Teaching proper mechanics is key but there will still be physical restrictions as well.
And,I personally don't want someone's opinion. I get enough of those in my work and from my wife. LOL
I want someone who can see what happened with a play and make the proper call. I want someone who knows and understands the rules. Obstruction, interfernece, outs, hits, ect...are not that hard to understand. And, as good as I love defense, every bang, bang play is not an out.
I better shut up!

 

now, we're on right track...

...several colleges are offering "summer camps and clinics" listed at the top of the tbr thread page. would it not be possible for the prospective umps/booking agents to attend a similar type of offering? imho very doable. at rock hill or walnut creek last summer, it was good to see some lady umps who were actually former players. it was cool to see them training some of the umps to be. i think if we could develop a model to train prospective umps and administer not only written but actual field testing, with a certification requirement, that shows that attendance and completion at a fastpitch camp/clinic was done; then a higher level of consistency could be attained. Perfection, no, there are always the judgement calls-but knowing the difference between obstruction/interference and different pitches by fastpitch pitchers should always be consistent.

 

cheeze my friend...

I've been pretty worked up over this whole thing.
I'm done spoutin off. It won't change anything anyway.

 

Umps Camps and Clinics

There r plenty of camps and clinics for college umpires, I'm going to about 6 or 7 this summer myself, so they are out there if umpires want to improve the problem is when we improve we are still met with the good ole boy network in HS officiating. No matter how hard I work or how many camps I go to with on the field training and calling weekend tournaments I still got to go sit in a classroom for about 12 - 15 hours and go over last years test and then show up for a scrimmage or 2 call a couple of outs and bam! im a HS official then as long as I make 65 or better on an open book test Im still a high school official. Wow I bust my butt all summer long running up and down the road trying to make myself better and all the while Joe Umpire who is out of shape and Older than dirt will still end up with more varsity and JV games than I will! Its the BOOKING AGENTS and they all should be replaced! Favoritism and the good ole boy network is ruining HS Officiating!

Well thats my rant, Thanks for the welcome Marlinfan1 and RM next time I'm calling your game I'll intro myself!

 

Been Watching

for a while, decided to give my two cents from the Blue side, and Thanks Cheeze Glad too be here!

 

CardCoach2

I played slow pitch with ya, but I don't remember being taught to call bangers out.

A woman at work told me what happened at the game. Tough loss.