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TOPIC: Misc. Rants |
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| nodoubles
August 15, 2007
1:15:46 PM
Entry #: 2319183
| As my first time on this forum, I'd like to express my $.02 on the tourney that came and passed in the blink of an eye as well as some recent postings.
First: Conley...I expected more from you on the umpires. You could go 5-6 pages+ but I can see why you don't want to in spirit of gamesmenship and the fact that now that everybody knows your identity in this forum (some of which are umps who know you personally) you'd like to keep it cordial. My personal opinion is that if the umpiring doesn't improve, it will drastically take the fun out of the game in which so many of us grew up playing and loving. Why else are we still playing?! 1) Competition, 2) cause it's fun and for the comoradarie. Bad umpiring takes all the fun out of the game and quite frankly with the calls many of us have seen this year (especially from the St. Paul crew) it makes one think, why put up with it. Guys...let the players decide the outcome of the game and make the calls appropriately and without bias. Absolutely no one is there to watch you. The 9 on the field are only there for the 2 aforementioned reasons and not to show you up. And the fans are there to watch their husbands, fathers, friends, and sons play the game they likely taught them. But when calls are so blatenly blown or not called at all, the players almost feel like they need to police and/or officiate the games themselves. Pretty sad actually. NW crew...you guys did pretty well this year all things considered.
Second: It's Tonka's tourney to lose. Good luck to you guys. The one team that can beat them hands down (even when both teams are at their best) is now out of the tournament (Park). Why not hang another banner?
Hopkins is on a decent run, but with Davis leaving for school, they are likely done. Sad to say it, but I think it's true. Not to take anything away from you guys. The scraggly haired 12 year old look-alike on the mound last night agaist Park threw well. Changeup was good. Word of advice though...quit leaping over the 3rd base line like a ballerina. Note I'm not letting one bad apple represent that whole team. For the most part they played the game right and acted right.
Third: Anyone for a "Class A Fundraiser" to get the tournament back at Parade next year. What a joke the city of Minneapolis is (or whoever is in charge of facilitating those fields). You want zero $ or some $? Ok, you'll take zero $. Idiotic.
Out-
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| FellowUmpire
August 15, 2007
2:03:02 PM
Entry #: 2319286
| Replying as an umpire/player and coach on a few things:
1. Umpires don't have biases or try to blow calls. Do you really believe that an umpire has it out to get a team/player to help them lose a game? Don't kid yourself.
2. I do agree that umpiring needs to be "stepped up" in the state tournament. Not only from St. Paul Umps, but NW as well.
3. A few umpires need more training at this level. If you are squared up right behind the catcher, how can you call the low strike? There is one umpire on the St. Paul that didn't know pitches that were below the knees called for strikes compared to ones that landed above the knees that were called balls.
Do you as a crew talk about what you could improve on after the game?
4. It does help as an umpire to have played the game at a higher level. Not mandetory, but it does help greatly.
5. Not once as an umpire have I initially engaged with a player or coach. I'm sick of some of the umpires with huge egos and a hard on to pick a fight. I'm not going to name names, but I know of 3 from the St. Paul League that need to get over themselves. Read your handbook on "field conduct." If you forgot the link, it's
http://home.comcast.net/~umpires1/Handbook.htm
Check out pages 23 and 24 under "Handling Situations."
6. Finally, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT... SLP, GET OVER YOURSELVES. You were beat twice, by a great team (Wesley Homes) and by a good team (Hopkins). You guys (SLP) are a great team. The problem is there is a "BUT" in every post about the teams beating you. We lost 4-2, BUT... Wesley Homes is a really good team, BUT they made the most out of their situations. There is no BUT. You got beat.
As for the 12 year old lefty. You got beat by a 12 year old lefty. Just because he jumps over the line every inning is his routine. Leave it be. If you won the game, there wouldn't be a rant about "the leap."
Maybe focusing on the off speed and not his leap would of gave you a better chance.
...waiting for Conley's and Chris's response within the next 10 minutes since they live on the forum. As do we all.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT PEOPLE'S THOUGHTS ON THE UMPIRING ISSUE AND RULE HANDBOOK THAN THE "LEAPING ISSUE."
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| nodoubles
August 15, 2007
3:32:02 PM
Entry #: 2319484
| My bad about the bias part...that apparently was taken wrong. I was thinking more about class A/B games or class A/C games with B/C umps. Which...the bias part is ABSOLUTELY in affect.
Regarding Park using "but" after talking about their losses, I don't see it much in this forum and I sure didn't say anything when I talked about them losing to Hopkins last night. I actually said Hopkins is a good group of guys and a good team that had a good pitcher that got a good team out. Their 3 hitter (Davis) is leaving for school this week, so to me, that's a big loss. Where's the "but" execuse about Park losing in that??
I'm not going to reply regarding the line leaping pitcher. It's already boring and you must not have gotten the point of me commenting on it.
Re: umps...glad to see that one of their own (assuming by your nickname you are one) is on the same page. Looking forward to seeing improvement if there is any.
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| FellowUmpire
August 15, 2007
3:46:31 PM
Entry #: 2319520
| NoDoubles-
I appreciate the feedback that isn't defensive. When I mean "BUT," it's more the general point of the conversation. It seems to come off as "we shouldn't of lost" because of a call could've gone the other way, or they only won because they got it done and any other night they would of lost. That's all. I have a lot of respect for your team and believe you guys are a Top 5 team hands down every year.
As far as the leaping, I guess I don't get the point or didn't see one. Didn't even see why it's worth mentioning. Just because a guy jumps over a chalk line every inning isn't news worthy. Oh well.
As a fellow umpire, I would like to see improvement. I'm not perfect. I miss a pitch here and there. My point is, umps should talk after games. Ask what they can improve on. For example, that "balk" call should be talked about at the NW meeting. Should it of been called? That way, this won't come up in the future.
Also, I know for a fact that some of the umpires doing the tourney games, shouldn't be. There are some umpires that can't umpire that level.
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| Johnny
August 15, 2007
3:48:32 PM
Entry #: 2319528
| I would suggest you grab a cup and some courage and come on out and improve the level of umping here, then. I heard the same rant when I was 23, from guys I worked with who constantly complained about their umps. When I suggested they try it before they complain, they told me I should. Here it's now 24 years later.
And Billy, I'm so disappointed in you.
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| FellowUmpire
August 15, 2007
3:57:08 PM
Entry #: 2319547
| Not sure who Billy is, and for trying umpiring, I've been in it for 7 years now. I still coach and play, so I hear it and know it from all angles. Not saying I'm even close to the best on any of the 3, but I do understand.
I always talk with fellow umpires on situations, how they should be handled, and ultimately how we can improve.
Bottom line, it's little things like more hustle, communication and game management that seperates the good umpires from the great ones.
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| nodoubles
August 15, 2007
4:34:56 PM
Entry #: 2319637
| FellowUmpire,
That's the great (wait...maybe it's bad?!) thing about the state tournament...at the end of the day and when your team is knocked out, all you think about is the "what ifs". Sad but true!
Re: good umps having more hustle, better communication, and game management...I couldn't agree more.
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| strike1
August 15, 2007
9:30:16 PM
Entry #: 2320256
| WHO IS BILLY? ANYONE...Beuhler?
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| strike1
August 15, 2007
10:09:30 PM
Entry #: 2320345
| Johnny,stay gold!!!
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| Ryno
August 17, 2007
1:38:04 AM
Entry #: 2322527
| I am Ryno, nuff said. Well, I am not Strike one!
Just got back from a very wonderful complex in Shakopee. Thanks to the all with the Shakopee baseball. They are ending the tourney at a great venue. I found the seat I sat in when I was a school patrol and went out and watched the Twins, or maybe it was the seat my Dad put me in all bundled up in my snowsuit, he took me hame at half time due to the cold temps or that my but was loosing its feeling in the upper deck at the met. Maybe it was the seat I sat in to watch the Kicks beat Pele and the Cosmos? Great place to watch a game!
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