Asked to speak at a pre-season umpires meeting... any advice?

1. Consistency (Don't care if your consistently good or bad just be consistent)

2. Do not be afraid to ask for help or ask if we ask you to get another opinion.

3. Please don't nit pick about the small things and then miss the biggest call of the day.

4. Vocalize so that all parties can hear you.

5. I do not know how you can word this not to offend people off but they need to know nobody showed up to watch them.

quote:

I do not know how you can word this not to offend people off but they need to know nobody showed up to watch them.

bingo!!! the game is not about them. Umpires want respect and they deserve it but you have to earn it. but respect is a 2 way street. what I noticed during my last few years(out 10) is some of the umpires having this confrontational attitude. (How dare a coach question a call) I remember an umpire telling me to get off "his field" when I came out to question a decision. I often wondered where he got the idea it was his field.

to anybody wanting to umpire. Be fair be firm but use common sense.

quote:

5. I do not know how you can word this not to offend people off but they need to know nobody showed up to watch them.

This would go for coaches also. I think many times coaches forget this and try to make a scene so they can be seen.

Watch your responsibilities, not the game.

Don't have a hair trigger ejection thumb (once had a kid tossed for saying "wow" in a normal voice after a brutal called third.

There's only one Emmitt Ashford. The best youth/high school umpires I've seen aren't into theatrics. They just make the call.

Be consistant thru out game

Hustle to get in position to make call--even when a call is missed (or so we think) if an ump appears to be making an effert ,everyone opposed to call is less likely to argue it

Be friendly with players and coaches--it's not us agians't them--let young pitchers know (even between innings) why you called it a ball-
-we had 12 yo who shook his head after a couple of tight calls--when coach went out to talk to him (great kid-quiet and respectful) ump told catcher "everytime he shakes his head the strike zone gets smaller"--Terrible this is a 12 yo--he should have went out and talked to the kid--2 seconds of conversation would have told him this was a respectful kid not a cocky one --Point is this was 3 yrs. ago and I still remember that ump.

Anyway-God bless all you umps, I could never do your job. Just like any proffesion there are wonderfull umps who love their jobs and are loved (for the most part) and the ones who are not so good and should find another proffesion.
God Bless

Be consistent with the strike zone, give the inside pitch! Don't call a ball when the batter bails because he is on the plate.

DOn't be so stinking sensitive. Had a tournament game last weekend, fastball inside, the guys turns, catcher catches ball, and ump calls HBP. I called my catchers name and asked if it hit hi? The ump came unglued!! Told me "I'm right here coach, saw it perfect!!" I never once complained the entire game until I asked my catcher that question. Make it better, two batters later we freeze everyone, ump included, with a changeup that we never moved on, gets balled a ball. Finally get the K. They pinch hit next batter, the ump comes to the dugout to tell me the change and tells me "I missed that one! That was a good pitch!" I told him his view must not have been perfect on that one!

Be consistent in what you do, but remember you are a mediator, not a factor!!

"the ump came unglued" Why? Perhaps they are now instructed to be that way? I do not know but when I first started many years ago you could ask a question without getting told to be quiet or as one umpire told me during my latter years of coaching to "shut up and coach"

I’ve read this thread with interest since I train umpires for a number of associations and I wanted to post some thoughts and responses to your thoughts offered here. I found many of your responses helpful and insightful as well. It’s clear from the posts that there are a number of levels of baseball reflected in this thread, but since this is a HS site I will direct my responses to HS and higher baseball.

My other interest is the fact that I also do an Umpire presentation for coaches as a part of a coaching seminar. I have included my presentation points at the end for your consideration…

So, I’ve tried to sum up your thoughts into a short list... and for my training purposes I have grouped them for reference to Umpire mechanics and procedures. I fully intend to present these thoughts to my HS and college Umpire chapter meetings.

Procedural:
1. Consistency…good or bad just be consistent
2. be consistent thru out game
3. be consistent with the strike zone
4. Please don't nit pick the small things
5. Do not be afraid to ask for help
6. Ask if we ask you to get another opinion.
7. Don't have a hair trigger ejection thumb

Mechanical
8. Vocalize so that all parties can hear you.
9. Watch your responsibilities, not the game
10. Hustle to get in position to make call
11. Don’t be Theatrical.. Just make the call

Personal
12. be friendly with players and coaches
13. Let pitchers know (even between innings) why you made a call
14. Don't be so sensitive
15. Understand that nobody showed up to watch them.

So on to my thoughts and responses from an Umpire point of view…

Procedural:
Consistency- #1-#3.. No question here at all. This is what makes a good umpire. It can be elusive at times, but consistent application of the rules, a consistent strike zone and consistent personality will mark the best umpires… its good advice and a good goal for all umpires.

Don’t Nit pick the small things- This is a bit different and can be age/level specific…what is a small thing at LL is a big thing at HS. What us a small thing in one coaches mind is a big thing in another’s. A “small thing” in a big game uncalled is bad umpiring. In games where the coaches are paid for winning small things can matter..

Asking for help- There are times when it is a good thing to ask for help. If an umpire has a question, he should go to his partner without being asked. Certainly if an umpire has a Rules interpretation question or a blocked view he should ask…but asking for help on judgment calls is not one of them. (Safe/out fair/foul) If I feel I got the call right, I wont ask for help. The slippery slope for umpires is when they do ask for help and the coaches then want to question every call afterwards with a request he seek help.

Don’t have a hair trigger ejection thumb- year over year, my ejections totals have gone down. It should because of my game management skills…It is mainly because I have a known limit of what I will allow. I am not known as a quick trigger, and to that end I believe I do not eject coaches… I just confirm that they have ejected themselves by violating what is known as the 4 P’s…

Personal- That stinks is an opinion. You stink is personal…
Profane- No explanation necessary
Prolonged-Once I have explained my call and I have heard your opinion, continuing to demonstrate…
Persistent- bringing up calls and/or continuing to argue later in the game

Mechanical- all good standard advice and well taken…

Vocalize
Watch your responsibilities
Hustle to get into position
Don’t be theatrical…just make the call…

Personal:

Be friendly with coaches and players- At HS and higher it is a good idea to be cordial and approachable. Friendly is not a term we would recommend. We must maintain an unbiased attitude towards both teams. This can be done by being cordial and approachable. Chummy and friendly umpires can give the wrong impression to visiting team coaches, players and fans.

Let pitchers know why you made the call- It is not our job or place to instruct or inform. As a coach you can seek out our reasoning and pass it on to the players. Coaches seldom want us teaching rules or procedures and certainly an opposing coach does not want us to correcting issues with players while the game is on. His upcoming strategy may depend on the player knowing or not knowing the rules or methods.

Don’t be sensitive- This is an acquired talent. I know that years ago when I was young and starting out that I was much more “sensitive” than I am now. I believe as an umpire gains rule knowledge and confidence in his own ability that he becomes less sensitive to the normal give and take of a game. Now, asking an umpire to not be so sensitive does not allow the umpire to be abused.

That’s my take on this thread….hope it make sense. Thanks for let me present the umpires side..

Now here are my presentation points for your consideration




Things you shouldn’t say to an Umpire

 Last umpire we had let that go
 Nobody ever called that before
 Is that a rule? (says you don’t know the rule)
 In this league?(says you don’t know rules the league uses)
 This isn't pro ball, they are just kids
 Call it both ways ( blatant attack on an umpires ethics)
 How can you make that call?
 Let the players decide the outcome of the game.
 Doesn't he get a warning first?
 Anything that starts with the word “you”

Arguing a call
 You are allowed to argue most calls (not balls and strikes!)
 There are limits….
 Knowing what can be argued and what can not be.
 Keep yourself in the game
 Don’t make it personal
 Who argues? ( not assistants)

Blown Calls
 It happens…..
 Determine what was blown….a judgment call or a ruling…
 Rulings can be protested.
 Move on
 Don’t expect or want a “make up” call.

Coaching mistakes
 Over Coaching when at bat (head up, chin down, elbow up/down, weight back)
 Overlooking the basics (cutoffs, covers)
 Giving too many complicated signs from the coaching box
 Yelling at or being harder on your child
 Use Profanity
 Don’t mess with “MY” catcher


Advice
 Be reasonable and realistic
 Know your limitations
 Use all the tools (including the rules)
 Do no harm ( everyone remembers their best coach and unfortunately the worst one as well)
 Talent needs instruction
 Fundamentals are still #1 priority

Excellent post pia.