This is an easy question. The All "A" is a TOURNAMENT, your so called "big school" games are JUST regular season games and really mean nothing at this point except for bragging rights. So, should the V umps do the All "A", most certainly leaving the big school games to the JV umps. I think the head of the umpires has something against Beechwood, just a shame that all the teams they play have to suffer along w/them.

 

Sportsfan34, hello my old buddy! You and your wife are correct. He was safe. No, to the question as "did I have a good seat, I had a great seat!" The catcher did not block the plate, the Beechwood kid made a heck of a slide head first w/his hand crossing right over the plate. He was tagged up on the shoulder. The umpire, IMO, was out of position, he was up the 3rd base line instead of staying right behind the plate.

 

As for coach getting tossed, a matter of someone having RABBIT EARS. Again, I had a great seat, all he said was "that was a terrible call, you blew it." W/that he got tossed immediately. This ump just wanted to be the big shot for this game and there wasn't even any TV coverage.

 

You can think and say what you want, it was a horrible umpired game from behind the plate for BOTH teams. If I were a HC fan and had the great seat I did, I would also say "he was safe." As I said the whole game on balls and strikes, alot of balls that were strikes and alot of strikes that were balls, BOTH WAYS.

 

You would never call that play from behind the plate. If he was up the 3rd base line like you describe then he was where he was supposed to be. Trust me out there you see alot better than you do from behind a fence in the stands no matter how good of a seat you have. I don't know if the call was right or not but that is where he was supposed to be.

 

Since you sound like you really know about umpring why don't you sign up for the test and join the association and then the shortages will be at least one less. :thumb:

You would never call that play from behind the plate. If he was up the 3rd base line like you describe then he was where he was supposed to be. Trust me out there you see alot better than you do from behind a fence in the stands no matter how good of a seat you have. I don't know if the call was right or not but that is where he was supposed to be.

 

Since you sound like you really know about umpring why don't you sign up for the test and join the association and then the shortages will be at least one less. :thumb:

 

Yes one less spot to fill... but please don't show up to my games :laugh:

I was there and the ump was in the correct spot. He was to the inside of the diamond where the dirt and grass meet. He was literally on top of the call. As for the balls and strikes.........they looked questionable, but the ump was behind the plate with the best view. Sitting in the stands or in the digout has a bit of depth perception. Soooooo, you really don't know. :rolleyes:I think the ump is a HC student .

Never said they were more important simply defending the fact they should not simply take Varsity Umps assigned from other teams/games to do the ALL A because it is the ALL A. Whether you want to hear this or not the only people who care about the ALL A is the participating schools. Again, touchy issue.

 

Not sure you read all my post?!?!?

 

Now let me tell you what reality is. There is not supposed to be ANY bias as to how the games are assigned. ALL umpires are supposed to be assigned and accept games on apurely random basis with some consideration given to tournament play and maybe big rivalry or meaningful games. That is what the association claims it does. The truth is that umpires, while they may be assigned games on a random basis, have the option of "turning in" games they can't or won't do. What that really means is the smaller, lesser thought of, programs almost never get the top rated umpires because they don't want to do a "Dayton" game or a "Heritage" game (Please, no offense intended to either fine school) as if they're somehow "too good" or "too experienced" for those games. Let me tell you, that I know this to be a fact. "Big" schools don't pay any more for the assigning than the smaller schools do. Big school programs have no more right to the quality of service than a smaller school does. All teams pay the same price for umpires I have coached at both a big (4A then now 6A) and at a Class A school and I have seen it first hand.

 

Now, with that said, not all top quality umpires feel that way, but certainly enough of them do that it becomes an issue with smaller schools. The shortage clearly doesn't help circumstances either becuase less experienced umps are forced to do games they're really not prepared for.

 

But to say that bigger school games are somehow more important is the real biased thinking here.

Never said they were more important simply defending the fact they should not simply take Varsity Umps assigned from other teams/games to do the ALL A because it is the ALL A. Whether you want to hear this or not the only people who care about the ALL A is the participating schools. Again, touchy issue.

 

Not sure you read all my post?!?!?

 

 

 

No I read all of it. Might take your own advice though. Not once did I mention the All-A. This is a much bigger issue than who called one game in the All-A last night and one that all good baseball people, like yourself, should want to resolve.

I umpired for 30+ years, it is a thankless job, full of people who know everything despite not really knowing anything.

 

Truer words were never spoken. Nothing like umpiring a tense game with 100+ "umpires" in the stands who clearly know more than you and are willing to vocalize this every other pitch or so. :irked:

 

And isn't it odd that blown calls only occur against the losing teams? And that every missed call is always the deciding factor in the game? I mean, I'm sure there's no way it could be a team's fault for not hitting better, or fielding better, or pitching better, or coaching better - it somehow always comes down to one missed call.

No I read all of it. Might take your own advice though. Not once did I mention the All-A. This is a much bigger issue than who called one game in the All-A last night and one that all good baseball people, like yourself, should want to resolve.

 

Somehow I don't think the "experienced" umpires are choosing not to do Beechwood and Holy Cross because they are small schools. In fact, I'd bet that they would want to do those two teams. As far as the Dayton, Bellevue, etc. games I totally agree with you. I really don't think it has anything to do with "small school vs. big school", I think it is "good baseball teams vs. "traditionally" bad baseball teams". If Conner was terrible I don't think the experienced umpires would want to do their games.

 

Are umpires not allowed to choose not to do a certain team? How is that any different than coaches "scratching" an umpire?

 

Choosing not to do all of the so called "bad" teams is wrong. But keeping an umpire off a game where he and a coach have had problems in the past is the right thing to do. Maybe if the coach didn't have so many problems with the umpires he would get better "quality".

Truer words were never spoken. Nothing like umpiring a tense game with 100+ "umpires" in the stands who clearly know more than you and are willing to vocalize this every other pitch or so. :irked:

 

And isn't it odd that blown calls only occur against the losing teams? And that every missed call is always the deciding factor in the game? I mean, I'm sure there's no way it could be a team's fault for not hitting better, or fielding better, or pitching better, or coaching better - it somehow always comes down to one missed call.

 

Come on C-Town,you know you have won games walking away going "he blew that call ". I watched a 8 th region softball game Monday where there was more BALLS than Strikes called .There were at least 5 missed calls due to runners in the baseline to not being tagged ,nor the plate ,on a force play .It was the worst umpiring I have ever seen .You know I've been around .By the way my team won 12 -11 .

 

Maybe there is other things that could of changed the outcome .But ,facts are this is one of those things .You all know sometimes you just do not hit the way you are expected to .

Coachg13207 - Was you at the game last night? If so, what did you see? If not, how do you know it was a bad call? If you talk to the Bwood fans it was a bad call, if you talk to the HC fans it was a great call. I know you know bball. I've played with you and against you throughout the yrs. You are very bball smart. But you know bball is bball and it is a funny sport. If Pickett would have tagged on the fly ball to left most likely it would have went into extra innings and with Cody pitching.........Bwood would have the advantage and probably walked away a winner. But some Bwood fans are sore winners as well as losers and we would still be hearing all the whinning.

Come on C-Town,you know you have won games walking away going "he blew that call ". I watched a 8 th region softball game Monday where there was more BALLS than Strikes called .There were at least 5 missed calls due to runners in the baseline to not being tagged ,nor the plate ,on a force play .It was the worst umpiring I have ever seen .You know I've been around .By the way my team won 12 -11 .

 

Maybe there is other things that could of changed the outcome .But ,facts are this is one of those things .You all know sometimes you just do not hit the way you are expected to .

 

I absolutely have walked away from games griping about the umpiring , but I say this all sincerity: I have never - not one time - EVER told my team that we lost because of the umpires. I will not ever allow the kids to take that attitude. At the end of the day, there are dozens of things that a team could have done better to improve their chances/win a game. The simple undeniable fact of baseball is that the rules are administered by a man that is a human being and prone to occasional mistakes. Some go against you, some go in your favor. They all balance out in the end.

 

It sounds like it was an awesome baseball game last night! I wish I could have seen it. It just seems disappointing to me that the focus after this game is not on the players or their impressive accomplishments or the game in general, but on griping about something that is very subjective and completely out of anyone's control.

As for coach getting tossed, a matter of someone having RABBIT EARS. Again, I had a great seat, all he said was "that was a terrible call, you blew it." W/that he got tossed immediately. This ump just wanted to be the big shot for this game and there wasn't even any TV coverage.

 

I had an umpire tell me that "yell, curse, scream, kick dirt, throw your hat BUT if you use a PERSONAL PRONOUN I'll run you before it's out of your mouth!" He was minor league ump who's father was a local umpiring legend (and a "scab" pro ump, too!) :laugh:

OK, so I haven't umpired since I was a teenager doing knothole. I will take everyone's word that you believe he was in the right position. He was up the third base line in foul territory, if this is correct so be it. I would think he would be on the first base side in fair territory where his vision would not be blocked. From the first base dugout, he clearly slid under the tag. Some HC fans thought the same. As someone eluded to if the runner would have tagged on the fly to left BHS maybe would not have been in that situation. This was one of the best H.S. games I have seen, throwing out the balls and strikes called. The kids played great, the pitchers threw even better. The HC pitcher has a bright future if he is pitched smart and don't wear him out.

 

As for me umpiring, couldn't pay me enough. As for someone eluding to me not knowing anything about baseball, I won't waste my time to explain my background as to give my secret identity away.

 

cooperstown, what is it like to be such an expert about everything?

 

under the lights, if you think a regular season game at this time of yr is more important than the All A tournament, you must be new to this area and KY.

OK, so I haven't umpired since I was a teenager doing knothole. I will take everyone's word that you believe he was in the right position. He was up the third base line in foul territory, if this is correct so be it. I would think he would be on the first base side in fair territory where his vision would not be blocked. From the first base dugout, he clearly slid under the tag. Some HC fans thought the same. As someone eluded to if the runner would have tagged on the fly to left BHS maybe would not have been in that situation. This was one of the best H.S. games I have seen, throwing out the balls and strikes called. The kids played great, the pitchers threw even better. The HC pitcher has a bright future if he is pitched smart and don't wear him out.

 

As for me umpiring, couldn't pay me enough. As for someone eluding to me not knowing anything about baseball, I won't waste my time to explain my background as to give my secret identity away.

 

cooperstown, what is it like to be such an expert about everything?

 

under the lights, if you think a regular season game at this time of yr is more important than the All A tournament, you must be new to this area and KY.

 

:thumb: Very enjoyable. Thanks for noticing.

:thumb: Very enjoyable. Thanks for noticing.

 

Now this is why I enjoy posting on this website. Everyone should have fun on here!:laugh:

Now this is why I enjoy posting on this website. Everyone should have fun on here!:laugh:

 

I agree!! :laugh: No hard feelings, I hope.