Dropped third strike

Rules vs the umpire, always a bad situation. The ump called the guy out, so in my opinion, he should be out. But, as I know the rules, he should have been able to attempt to run to first because there were two outs even with a runner on first already. I hope this was a game that didn't matter as far as ranking, status, championship, etc.

Unfortunately the PU smoked it when he sais batter's out. Still it doesn't kill it it so the BR still can go to first. It is still the players responsibility to know the game situation.
What level of kids was this in. Maybe you had an ump that works mostly 60ft and is used to calling the batter out because there is no dropped third strike. I always correct umpires at this level because it is a bad habit for when they move up.

Good story from my 12 yr. old group a couple of weekends ago. My guy strikes out on pitch in the dirt. Catcher rolls ball out to mound, entire team runs in and gets in a huddle... I saunter over to my batter and quietly tell him to jog down to first (ump sees what I'm doing and has a big smile on his face). He then jogs to 2nd, 3rd and home. Ump counts the run... explains the rule to the other team... Our kid got a homerun on a strikeout. (We lost 9=3 but hey... lots of people got educated about the 3rd strike)

This was at an American Legion game. We were in a battle with this team for a playoff spot and position. Unfortunately his bad call cost us the game as our catcher pulled up and did not throw and the first baseman walked off the field. I guess this is a lesson to the kids to just not listen to an umpire and assume they know more than he does.

That portion of my grumbling aside, the American Legion umpiring in our region this season has been terrible. There has been one that was excellent, and a couple that were pretty good. Unfortunately there have been many that were just plain bad such as this guy who blew that call and a couple of other calls during the game and other umps that were out shape and out of positon or just couldn't hold a strike zone. We even had one ump who threw a coach out of a game and the coach refused to leave and coached the rest of the game. We had one ump who got into an arguement between innings with an opposing teams fan (through the backstop screen) and I thought they were going to go out inot the parking lot to settle it. This is something AL needs to address.

quote:

by md: This is something AL needs to address.

don't be so quick to hang it on Am Legion -
the competence and assignment of officials would fall under your local umpiring assoc.

that said, good umps are often in short supply ...
in many areas A L is not a very high level of baseball for that age level, consequently they'll get more than their share of rookies, in training, or guys that would be overwhelmed in a more competive level. just make the best of it

whenever threads here in the "ask the umpire" forum turn into "bash the umpire" we umpires here fully uderstand that there are umpires out there who are not competant.

but here is my thought...instead of complaining and hoping someone else will address the problem, why not hop in here with us and help out?

agree with piaa-ump

some might also suggest that an 18U team & coach who understood the game rules
(re dropped 3rd strike) could have avoided that disappointing situation
by executing what should be a routine play for a well coached 14U team.

I am very surprised that the umpuring in NC is not good at the AL level. I know some excellent guys from that state. Has your manager spoken to the assignor of your local group. There may be a couple of reasons for it. One may be pay. What are you guys paying for AL as opposed to mens league or college wooden bat. These programs may be taking the better guys because of better pay. Also, is the quality of your AL system very good? Do you see the same guys working your HS games or they new faces? If you don't see them working your kids in HS then they are probably JV or lower gys trying to move up.
I don't like to get into bashing a group I know nothing about. If they are as bad as you say then something needs to done to improve it. Either pay, quality of play or go to another group.
All of our AL guys are either college or HS umps. You get an occasional problem but generally good games.

I apologize. I really didn't mean my last post to come off as a bashing of umpires in general, although when I re-read it I understand it did sound that way.

I guess I am just really still frustrated that this particular umpire directly impacted the outcome of the game by calling the batter out, taking off his mask and started walking off the field as the catcher was moving into position to properly execute the play, as had been done several times before in the game, until the added forceful call of the "batters out". It was the bottom of the 9th and it did impact the game. I guess I'm also frustrated at the AL in the area for not demaning a higher degree of professionalism from some of its coaches as the coaches have initiated the confrontations I mentioned previously, apparently in an attempt to intimidate the umps. This is my sons first year of AL ball and I was expecting more as the Am Legion ball in our area is pretty good with a large portion of the college bound HS seniors playing for the local teams (our AL team has 2 D1 commitments playing and 6 D2's and a D3 and a returning college freshman). As for pay, I hear it is pretty good but don't know for sure how it compares.

Again, I apologize as I have tried it myself - and wasn't very good - and understand it is a tough job. I really appreciate the guys who do it well and we have had those this year but have just ran up on a couple who didn't do so well the last couple of games.

sorry about the pooched call, but everyone is right in that the batters-out call does NOT kill the play, outs gained/lost/whatever still stand as the situation works itself out.

Just wondering, in the below hypothetical situation what would you do.

Let's say there are runners on base. Pitcher bounces a ball to hitter who drills it into the gap. The rookie Ump calls time thinking the bounced pitch was dead ball. Fielders stop running to the ball because they hear time called. Runners keep running and all score. Ump is then made aware that the bounced pitch can be played and a protest is made.

What do you ask for as a remedy as a coach. What remedy would you give as UIC/TD?

Obviously, this situation is different from the OP because time was called and that kills the play leaving what would have happened in doubt.

No matter what the umpire does, he's going to take a beating. He royally screwed up and is going to have to place runners sccording to what he thinks would have happened. No matter where he puts them on eside or the other is going to have a fit.
He will have to take a certain amount of guff for calling a play dead when it shouldn't be.