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injunchief2
76 Posts |
 Posted - 06/16/2014 : 13:36:25
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After years of having run the gamut of great to miserable umpires, we need to do something about this.
The umpires believe they are paid by their association .. but the association is paid by the tournament director ... who get's his money from us !
How hard would it be for the major organizers (Triple Crown, Perfect Game & USSSA) to put together a system where coaches grade the performance of the umpires in their game, not real hard if they are worried about the product they are selling us !
This way Associations (NUA & Umpnation)could get a grip on who's doing their job and who isn't ...
Isn't it time the folks taking our money give us some say in what we get ? |
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2014 : 15:20:21
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Interesting idea. My number one complaint about umpires isn't that they made the wrong call and the kid was safe, my #1 complaint is lack of a CONSISTENT strike zone.
I'm never too happy when our kids have to play golf to get at a pitch because that is where the ump likes it....but if he calls that placement a strike for their team it had better be a strike for our team. I may not agree with the strike zone but I don't think it's too much to ask for it to be the same for both sides. |
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Spartan4
913 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2014 : 15:48:55
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| It will never happen but I agree 1000%.....the same human element that gets kids benched or cut is an excuse for umpires to do a poor job. We can all handle a bad call or two but the umps who don't even know the rules of baseball are pathetic. Tournament costs are going up and the quality is going down....no doubt about that |
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jacjacatk
154 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2014 : 19:43:22
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I'll probably get jumped for this, but...
While I'm sure everyone can tell a terrible call/umpire story, there just aren't as many terrible umpires as the amount of complaining about umpiring would lead you to believe. In my experience, umps with strike zones that favor one team are about as common as fans who are actually consistent about what they believe is a strike for both teams, and if you think umpires have a monopoly on not knowing the rules, you're really not listening to the coaches/players/fans enough.
Anyone who thinks working 4-6 games in a row in the summer here while being ridiculed by both sides is really worth what the umps are getting paid should volunteer to suit up for a game. And, no, I'm not an ump. |
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gpawwarrior
74 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2014 : 19:46:02
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| Rules change from age to age, park to park, PG to Tc and USAAA. I can see problems with that at times but a Director should be available to solve the Problem. Balls and strikes should never change. Some High and low strikes Have been called , I usually sit behind umpire and see the low and highs just cant see inside and outside. U can tell by how many calls are being changed by replay and they supposed to be the best.( not balls/strikes) |
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Peanutsr
171 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2014 : 20:04:08
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Would have to have a better system than the coaches judging them.
Every game you would have one coach who thought the umps were great(the winner) and one coach who thought the umps were horrible (the loser).
I exaggerate a little, just a little.
You are going to ask a coach, whose son plays every inning of every game, no matter how many errors he makes, and who still thinks his son is the best player on the team, to give a fair evaluation of an umpire? |
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Spartan4
913 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2014 : 02:07:36
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quote:
Originally posted by Peanutsr
Would have to have a better system than the coaches judging them.
Every game you would have one coach who thought the umps were great(the winner) and one coach who thought the umps were horrible (the loser).
I exaggerate a little, just a little.
You are going to ask a coach, whose son plays every inning of every game, no matter how many errors he makes, and who still thinks his son is the best player on the team, to give a fair evaluation of an umpire?
And that's why it will never happen.....
Again judgement calls get blown from time to time. Having an umpire not know balk rules or the infield fly rule is ridiculous and inexcusable IMO. There are a lot of good umpires but there are a few that are total garbage and they still have a job deciding games we pay a ton of money for. That's a problem. |
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luvbaseball49
18 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2014 : 23:32:48
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As a former Coach who has turned to umpiring, I agree, let the coaches rate the umpires, and then let the umpires rate the coaches!!
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CaCO3Girl
1989 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2014 : 11:21:02
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quote:
Originally posted by luvbaseball49
As a former Coach who has turned to umpiring, I agree, let the coaches rate the umpires, and then let the umpires rate the coaches!!
I know it was likely said as a joke but I wouldn't mind having the umpires rate the coaches. Did the coaching staff scream at children and call them dumb mid inning? Did the team look well organized going out onto the field, or was there a yelling match of "where am I playing now, no where am I playing now?", were the children allowed to throw their helmets down after a strikeout without reprimand, was a child in an outburst sat or allowed to remain on the filed with his/her bad attitude, was the coach telling the kids realistic constructive things or just screaming at them to do better...see any unsportsmanlike conduct that was encouraged by the coaches?
I wouldn't mind having a coaches section on this discussion board with those kinds of ratings from umpires since team parents tend to wear rose colored glasses based on how and where their kid plays. |
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Ump Nation Georgia
33 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2014 : 12:45:51
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| Believe it our not, Ump Nation Georgia is as concerned with the level of umpiring in the state of Georgia as any parent, coach or tournament director. We constantly rate and evaluate our umpires and try to make them better both on and off the field. We offer both paid camps as well as, free camps that are taught by MLB and MiLB umpires and instructors. These umpires take time out of their weekends to get better at their craft. Some buy into the system and some do not. We would love to have the umpires in the stands and coaches come to some of these training sessions and maybe even become umpires. There is a shortage of umpires within the state and with Lake Point opening, we are going to need more. Ex coaches, players and fans are all welcome. If you are interested in becoming an umpire please contact Clay Proctor at cproctor1015@gmail.com. |
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hshuler
1074 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2014 : 13:26:08
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I think we all agree that nobody's perfect. My biggest gripe is the unhittable pitch in the other batter's box. I actually had an umpire tell us at the pregame meeting - "I am giving two baseballs off the plate." My question - "why do we have a plate?"
Any adult, be it coach, parent or umpire who makes it about them and not the kids, is the issue.
One of my parents heard one ump - who's had several of our games over the past two years - tell another ump after a game that we (meaning my team) win too much and need to be humbled and taught a lesson. How sad is it that his sole goal at youth games is to show us coaches who's in charge. |
Edited by - hshuler on 06/18/2014 14:57:12 |
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gpawwarrior
74 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2014 : 13:27:32
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| What would you do with all these ratings????????????? |
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turntwo
955 Posts |
Posted - 06/18/2014 : 13:42:55
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quote:
Originally posted by CaCO3Girl
quote:
Originally posted by luvbaseball49
As a former Coach who has turned to umpiring, I agree, let the coaches rate the umpires, and then let the umpires rate the coaches!!
I know it was likely said as a joke but I wouldn't mind having the umpires rate the coaches. Did the coaching staff scream at children and call them dumb mid inning? Did the team look well organized going out onto the field, or was there a yelling match of "where am I playing now, no where am I playing now?", were the children allowed to throw their helmets down after a strikeout without reprimand, was a child in an outburst sat or allowed to remain on the filed with his/her bad attitude, was the coach telling the kids realistic constructive things or just screaming at them to do better...see any unsportsmanlike conduct that was encouraged by the coaches?
I wouldn't mind having a coaches section on this discussion board with those kinds of ratings from umpires since team parents tend to wear rose colored glasses based on how and where their kid plays.
^^^^ Now THAT is a brilliant idea. I'd say you just won the internet with that comment! |
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funnyhop
74 Posts |
Posted - 06/19/2014 : 19:44:20
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Great idea "Luv". After all, when your team(s) stink, you blame the umpiring. How convenient. How about a little introspection on coaching too while we are at it? In fact, how about a little introspection on parents and players too?
The umpires are doing the absolute best jobs they can do as volunteers for young kids to play baseball. How about making adjustments and quit coming up with ideas to "improve umpiring". They are good enough for the travel baseball level. OR, pay them MORE and I bet the cream would rise to the top. Kinda like teaching in our wonderful school system. |
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Spartan4
913 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2014 : 00:37:12
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quote:
Originally posted by funnyhop
Great idea "Luv". After all, when your team(s) stink, you blame the umpiring. How convenient. How about a little introspection on coaching too while we are at it? In fact, how about a little introspection on parents and players too?
The umpires are doing the absolute best jobs they can do as volunteers for young kids to play baseball. How about making adjustments and quit coming up with ideas to "improve umpiring". They are good enough for the travel baseball level. OR, pay them MORE and I bet the cream would rise to the top. Kinda like teaching in our wonderful school system.
So after paying 500-700$ to enter a tournament it's acceptable for an umpire to not know the infield fly rule?? Or correct interpretation of an interference call??
I'd say that while many of these umpires are pretty good it's undeniable that there are more than a few that are flat out garbage. |
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mikepayne
173 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2014 : 11:32:41
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| There are more "garbage" coaches than umpires, by far. They are easy to spot they usually worry way too much about the umpires. The umps are not volunteers however, they are paid. Maybe one out of twelve tournaments had sub par umps this season for us, sorry Acworth. Fowler Park had consistent crews last weekend for Triple Crown, they were very good. |
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Spartan4
913 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2014 : 21:38:20
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| A vast majority of the coaches aren't being paid for their services. And I agree most of the umpires are pretty fair, but over the years there have been a few crucial instances where the umpires have given a team the shaft(we have lost and won on poor calls) and decided the game. And that's just not what they are there for... |
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Umpire Ratings
