7-8 hole hitters

Freddy;

I agree.

When I coached College and Legion baseball. Then umpires were familiar

with my "antics" and when I mentioned that the opposing coach was a "hot head", the umpire said "he will be gone by the 2nd inning". Sure enough in the 2nd inning the coach was in his car in the parking lot.

When I ask the coach "what happened", he related that he did not know.

I said, maybe you look at the umpire with a "bad expression".

* This is true in the USA and in Japan, Australia, China and Korea.

Bob Williams

USA/International

freddy77,

The guys who post on umpire boards are no different than guys who post on coach’s boards. Of course they’ll be biased to some degree for their “profession”, but that doesn’t mean what they have to say is worthless, any more than what coaches like you say on boards like this one is worthless. And to tell the truth, I see a lot less of that on umpire boards from umpires than I do on boards where coaches post a lot.  

If the umpires you “hang” with are spouting that kind of mentality, my guess is they’re trying to impress someone.

You’re analogy is pretty bad. There’s a heck of a lot of difference between those two situations. You’re trying to put forth the thought that there are a lot of players who show blatant disrespect for the game and the officials, and in my experience, its not only rare, when you see it, its usually because the coach allows or encourages it.

Think about what you’re saying. It’s the middle of the game and the middle of an at bat. A pitcher throws a pitch that’s boarder line, and you say the umpire consciously makes the determination that the kid batting is some kind of punk, so he calls the pitch a strike rather than a ball. Talk about needing to get real.

Consultant,

If a college or HS coach was getting tossed like that on any kind of regular basis, how long do you think he’d have a job? I think what you believe is true and what actually happen, don’t enjoy a close relationship.

The umpires have been my friends for 30 years. They regular umpire NCAA games and travel with our teams to Japan, Korea, Australia and China.

The opposing coaches are friends and when our teams are visitors, I expect the same.

We are having "fun" in this game.

To play or coach successfully you have to stay "loose"!

One time in Brisbane, Australia, the American [now an Aussie], who umpired the game journeyed over to our bench before the game and said "the strike zone will be large today". I said OK and instructed our boys to "Swing away". We won the game.

"Baseball is a game of adjustment".

Bob

Does because they’re your friends and because they travel with your teams, mean they’re less likely to “embellish” stories they tell? In my experience, its quite the opposite. And that doesn’t mean I’m calling them liars or anything like it. Its just what happens when guys swap stories.

You seem to assume you’re the only people having “fun” and staying “loose”, but I assure you, you aren’t alone. Its just that not everyone believes umpires call games based on their perception of players.