Weekend of 06-29

8AA state tourney
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Ejections=0
Should haves=0 (for me) 1 (For the partner)
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15 8AA games Coach pitch with two man (not really challenging but an opportunity to work mechanics close to ASA style)
Rained through out most of games 3-4 part of 5. Then on Sunday rained off and on through out most except the ship (championship).
Interesting things:
Had a dead to rights tag at third. Tag occurred 2 feet from the bag and the coach wanted to claim the tag did not occur.
"Out? how is he out"
"An out occurs when the ball is in possession of a defensive player and the defensive player causes contact between the ball and an offensive player"
"he was never tagged"
"No coach the runner was tagged"
"no he was not"
"yes coach he was"
"can I appeal?”
"No coach it was my call I clearly saw contact and tag"
" but..." "No coach that will be enough"
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House rules will kill you!
I was burned by house rules twice and so now in the morn I look at the house rules to be sure I have everything as right as one can with rule modifications.
'Oh Look they allow intentional walks in coach pitch'
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Blue on defense and down by many runs
Reds hitter has already hit one home run and is now hitting fouls over the fence
After about eight Blue coach says "Hey can we just walk him" the statement was made as a speed up request more than anything else
"Yes coach you may"
And I put the boy on base
Games ends in a mathematical elimination.
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Game 3
Red1 vs. white
I have the bases
Rundown on 2nd and 3rd.
Now my partner is my son and we have been working together for almost 80 games now. There is not much in the way of verbal anymore. Yes we still double call but these are easy calls and they are always the same call.
But rundowns are not a verbal "I got third or I got first" anymore it is just known. We fall into position and trace the play and let the right ump call the play.
Runner turns back to second
Makes a headfirst dive to the base. The ground is wet and he does not slide he sticks to the ground 6 inches from the base and he is tagged.
I call out and I call it with a "punch of his ticket" and "OH NO HE IS OUT!"
He gets up and heads to the dugout. The third base coach calls time and asks if I am sure?
I laugh and nod my head "No coach he was out"
"Because it looked like his hand may have gotten to base before the tag."
I laugh again and say "No coach he is out and you can not question safe and outs"
He says "I was being respectful at least you can do is be respectful back"
I stop the game with my hand, “Oh No Coach I am being respectful. I am telling you that the boy was out by a mile and that I was here and you were there and you can not argue safe and outs."
"But I..." and I start the game with a point to my partner and say "Play"
After the half is over the coach comes back to me and says that his first base coach said that it was good call.
I laugh and say "Well thank you. I glad to know that it took a first base coach from the same team to validate my judgment."
He looks at me.
I say "here is the deal that probably should have been covered in the plate meeting but I leave it out as I can not say it with out sounding like an overbearing dictator."
"Safe Out Fair Foul Ball Strike are judgment calls and not appeal able or arguable and questioning them is grounds for ejection House rules. Plain and simple.
Now you can ask for another angle and I will always let you provided I feel that a better angle could have been had. But that was not one of those calls. I was on top of it and I thought you were joking or I would have sent you to the parking lot. I do not like to do that and have only done it twice. Please let us not discuss that play ever again. Am I clear?"
"Yes sir"
"Man that was harsh"
"No it was stopping a train that is about to wreck"
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Game 5
Close call at first coach believes that my partner may have missed it.
Asks me for help.
I tell the coach that the first and second base belong to my partner and that I was watching third and the runner crossing home.
He says that I was closer and should be watching first.
I laugh at this and ask would he like me to miss the runner not touching third or home and rule safe on an appeal.
He says "No!"
And I say "The play stands. Now please stop trying to argue judgment calls they are not up for appeal and you know it"
"I was not appealing"
"Coach when you ask for help it is to appeal or it is for a clarification of a rule.
The rule is clear and I know that you know the rule. The runner must beat the ball to first base. My partner WHO was watching the play judged that the runner clearly made it to the bag before the ball the runner is safe."
"Another word and I will rule that you are impeding the progress of the game."
"Common blue that’s...”
"No sir that will be enough" "Play"
{{I peaked at the play and the play was correct the runner was safe}}
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Game 7
No real close plays but may be one or two.
My partner was spot on an all of his calls. He was taking his time to make the call. In fact he was making a point to be slow to ensure the calls were right.
After the game the first base coach came up to us on the way out and said to my partner.
You know I have also umpired and I know how hard it is to do the job right. By you really were not in position to make many of the calls. You should......"
"Coach" I say "if you were an umpire in the past then you know how foolish you are sounding to us right now at this moment."
And we exit the field
One statement made under his breath
"That was very rude."
I turned and said "No COACH that was not rude that was some free advice from one umpire to another." and I smiled very friendly/crazy and we turned.
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Saturday Night at home before bed
Oh look you must announce an intentional walk prior to the pitch
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Game 10
Red versus blue
(red is the red from yesterday that had the player walked after 8 foul balls over the fence)
At the plate meeting
My partner is going over the rules
(Knowing I am going to get fried on this)
"....Wait for time to be granted...” My partner paused
I say "Intentional walks
Three per game
A player can not be walked more than once
You must announce prior to the first pitch.
I pause I look at both coaches and I linger on the red coach.
I hand back to my partner, who asks,
"Any questions."
"No and No"
"I want positive dialog and sportsmanship.........."
We are 30 mins into the game and blue wants to walk the home-run hitter. The walk is granted.
Next inning red states an intention to walk, the walk is granted.
Blue screams "he has announce prior to the pitch"
I state "yes that is true"
Blue says that the player has been pitched to
I look at my indicator
"Yes you are correct he has been pitched to" "player go back and face the pitcher"
Red coach calls time.
"Blue what is the deal?"
"Coach this was covered at the plate meeting"
"No yesterday they walked my player after 8 foul balls"
"No coach we are not to talk about yesterday. We are here today to play a game of baseball" "I did not grant you time to talk about yesterday"
"But...." the red coach starts "the rule...."
"States" I interrupt "that the intention must be announced prior to the first pitch and this was covered in the plate meeting."
"But....."
"Coach please goes back to the coach’s box you are holding up the game"
Some loud grousing and I heard a personal remark from the dugout.
I turn sharply on my heel and loud enough to be heard over the grousing and chirping.
"That will be enough!"
They shut up
Now at the end red is up and up by allot there is a close play at third with a running coming home. My call at third.
I call the runner out. The runner slid into the glove with the ball. I ring him up with gusto. Red coach comes out "he was safe he never touch him with the ball"
No coach you did not request time you have crossed the foul line while the ball is live. You do not get to discuss this call with me, you know he was out, He knows he was out and now you will turn around and go back to the dug as that was the third out." Yes the run does count."
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Game 11
I have bases
Close game by 1 run 2 Outs
Runner heads home short throws home
Catcher receives the ball and throws out the glove toward the runner. The catcher puts the glove on the plate the runner steps on the glove. My partner pulls out the hammer and nails the runner out.
The third base coach charges my partner.
Apparently the ball bounced up on contact a little bit and came back into the glove.
My partner calls for assistance.
The conversation is something like this:
Coach says that the catcher lost possession of the ball at the time of the tag.
I did not see that.
Well the ball did pop up little.
I did not see that.
Well.
Ok did the ball touch the ground?
No.
Do you feel that the catcher was in control of the ball at the time of the tag.
Yes.
Well what you there is an out and tell him so.
We turn he signals for the out and tells the coach "That will be enough this is no longer up for discussion"
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Championship decider
Red vs. red (TF vs. KF)
Plate meeting
I covered the rules
He had bases.
Since I was dish side I had third.
Back and forth two maybe three times on the run back to 2nd the fielder hits the runner with the ball in the back. The runner drops 3 feet short of 2nd like he was shot. And the ball rolls toward the mound. The third-base coach is screaming "get up get to the bag" and then starts to take a step I glance to him as the ball is retrieved he stops the play just rolls on the ground and my partner is standing over to ensure that no-one gets to close to him or steps on him.
The fielder with the ball touches the runner I call out and motion for the coach.
Moms are screaming I can't believe he is out he was hurt. Oh you Mr. Umpire are mean.
The coach walks up to me after the boy is up and on his way to the dugout. I ask "is he OK?"
The coach said "yes he was not hit very hard"
I said "I knew that, that was why I did not stop the play."
We smiled as we both knew the boy thought he could pimp a safe call.


Ball hit to short with a runner on first and third.
I am to watch the runner advance and pick up the runner if he advancing to third.
I peek at the play at first though.
The ball is thrown
But the first baseman's timing is off and he steps off before catching the ball and throwing to third.
My partner calls out.
There is some yelling and some chewing on my partner and then some more chewing on my partner about the pulled foot. He looks to me we meet eyes and he points. Damn!
Damn!
I call him safe at first pulled foot. The defensive coach is next to me and says "Good call" I turned to him and say "I was not suppose to be looking but I peaked"
He looked away to pick up his runner to second.
When he came in I told him that he should have asked for a conference and we could have played that better and saved him some face.
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White vs. Orange
Runner from 2nd running towards third baseman fields the ball on his knees as the runner approaches. fielder places the tag and the runner jumps over the fielder. I call out. The coach charges me "he was not tagged." I say "Oh no coach he was tagged and he is out for the tag." "No he is not" "OK coach he jumped over the player he is out for that too" "but" coach pleads "he was not tagged."
"yes coach he was tagged and he is out for the tag. Now get ready to pitch."