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Post by sports209 on May 4, 2007 13:43:30 GMT -8
Is there anyone else in the league that is paying attention to the way the umpires are calling the games? Seems to me that anything that is thrown near the plate is called a strike. Was at a game last night and the umpire was calling balls and strikes all over the place. Balls that were damn near bouncing off the plate were being called strikes and balls that were being thrown right over the plate were being called balls. I know what ever the umpire says goes but how are the kids suppose to know the difference between a ball and a strike when the umpire is not being consistent on his calls. Maybe it is just me but i have seen alot of this going on and i think it need to be looked at. BUT that is just my opinion
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Post by Chris on May 4, 2007 14:23:55 GMT -8
Welcome to the forum. Just curious but how many games have you umpired this year?
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Post by Greenie on May 4, 2007 14:26:55 GMT -8
That was a minor league game where the umps are learning. We had one for the Dodgers, Giants game that was a total IDIOT!! He had no clue what a strike zone is. When our manager finally questioned a call he tell him to tell your batters to swing the bat. Why we allow this to umpire is beyond me and I'm on the board. He likes to talk about people behind their back and then take it out on the kids. Do we really need people like LYLE ZIMMER umpiring our games?
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Post by sports209 on May 4, 2007 14:38:40 GMT -8
I have not umpired a game i am just a coach that has seen about half of the games that have been played by my kids, have been called real poor.
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Post by tmurphy on May 4, 2007 14:39:41 GMT -8
Greenie, How do you really feel? I will be more than happy to umpire the City Tournament if needed just give me a call you guys have my number.
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Post by Greenie on May 4, 2007 14:41:28 GMT -8
Because of you he umped the game. NO THANKS
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Post by Greenie on May 4, 2007 14:46:52 GMT -8
We do need to address this issue. If it wasn't for the big 5 1/2 (I added Bubba) we would really be in big trouble. Is the solution to pay these guys?(Murph do you need a job?) We are having a tough time getting decent umpires for the majors ,I can't imagine what the minors are like.
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Post by sports209 on May 4, 2007 15:01:48 GMT -8
Dont even try to imagine what the minors are like because you can imagine something that terrible. Dont know if you realize but the miniors league umpires are real bad. The Bad thing is the minor leaguers pay the same amount as the major leaguers and they get umpires that are learning and how does that help them when ultimataly they are trying to reach the majors. For example when a coach tries to teach a kid a to bat and where the strike zone is and where balls are and then they go to a game and there is a umpire that call strikes that are nowhere near being strikes and balls that should be strikes and the kids end up swinging at things that they should not be swinging at because they know if they dont they will be called out.
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Post by tmurphy on May 4, 2007 15:08:16 GMT -8
Greenie no pay I will give it back to the league, but if you guys really need the help seriously I will suit up and come out.
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Post by Greenie on May 4, 2007 15:17:19 GMT -8
Hey Sport, Maybe you can come down and help out and give some pointers to the guys out there trying?
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Post by bubba on May 4, 2007 15:38:59 GMT -8
Part of the problem is we force managers to umpire. Some of these managers have no experience and do not attend the clinics put on by the league. Some make no effort to learn the rules or get the experience to become a good umpire. Some don't care. The bottom line is the kids pay for it. Teams work hard and then show up and get a bad umpire. What do you tell the kids? We try to teach them to respect the umpires and their decisions but when its bad what do you say?
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Post by bubba on May 4, 2007 15:41:47 GMT -8
Greenie did I get the 1/2 because I'm only 1/2 as tall as the other 5 or is because I only get 1/2 the calls right (according to you)
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Post by kathy on May 4, 2007 17:13:27 GMT -8
Part of the problem in calling a minor league game is the velocity of the ball crossing the plate, many pitches just make it past the plate and then drop. Often strikes are not caught by the catcher, which makes spectators think that it was ball and a missed call. The official Little League strike zone is two balls outside and one ball inside, knees to armpit, which is absolutely necessary in minors if you don't want to watch a walk-a-thon.
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Post by bubba on May 4, 2007 17:23:36 GMT -8
I agree the minors are much harder to call. Then add in the fact that some batters will not swing no matter where the ball is and some coaches telling their players not to swing. I've called both and the minors need good umpiring to teach them to be good hitters. I think too many people blow off the minors but I still believe they are the foundation of the league. If players are not having a good experience in the minors they often quit before reaching the majors. I still say until you have put on the blue you have no idea what you're complaining about. It's a different view from behind the plate.
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Post by sports209 on May 4, 2007 18:54:39 GMT -8
I am not trying to give pointers (Greenie) i can understand what the umpires have to go through because i have been one of those coaches that is very verbal at times to the umpire when a call is missed or bad. But maybe if i get a chance i will attend a umpire clinic and try to get out there and feel what they are going through.
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