Watching an 18U game last week while I was in Omaha under NFHS rules and this field umpire was driving me nuts. As little as I know I was about ready to send him home and umpire the game by myself. He was terrible and for some reason his partner didn't want to do anything to correct him. Of course he didn't bring his clicker (neither did the field ump) so they were constantly screwing up the count.
1. During play the field ump was in the first base box talking with the coach. If there was ever a check swing he was clueless.
2. When he was in B or C position he was too far away from the middle. He would literally be between the SS and 3B or 1B and 2B on the inside of the diamond. Picture a perfectly pulled ball between SS and 3B for a single - well he's now having to dodge the ball because he's in that spot.
3. He did get hit with a batted ball in this position but if I'm not mistaken since no fielder has had a chance to field the ball it's a dead ball and the batter gets first. Nobody killed the ball and play continued.
4. Between every inning he's running over to one dugout or the other for whatever reason. But we had to wait on him to get back to the coaches box in order to resume play. Not once did he go to short right field and chill out like you're supposed to.
5. Anytime there was a conference with coach and plate ump he came sprinting in to be part of it even if it had nothing to do with him or if he could even provide any input. Then we had to wait for him to get back to the coaches box.
6. For some reason he was keeping up with the lineup cards. When there would be a pitching change he would record it while the new pitcher was warming up.......while sitting down on the field next to the mound.
Now here's the part that almost pushed me over the edge.
7. So he's starting in the coaching box and on a ground ball hit to the infield for a play at first he stays there and makes the call. If there was a bad throw he was now at least 100 feet away from second.
8. Ball hit to the outfield - fly and ground - he wouldn't go into B position so he could see touch at first and possible play at second.
After seeing this a couple of times I finally lose my cool and on a easy fly ball the OF catches yelled out "so if he drops the ball who has the call at second if there is one"? Plate umpire, with his mask on, slightly turns towards me and says "that's a great question". Between innings plate umpire meets with field ump between home and first. Couldn't really tell what was being said but it looked instructional. So I got a little bit happy. Play resumes and he goes back to the coaches box. Same situation of a flyball to the OF that's caught. But this time he stays in the coaches box and the plate ump sprints out to the mound for the play at second. This time I yelled out "so you have to cover three bases while he only covers one" but nobody acknowledged me that time. I got fed up and went out to the parking lot.
So are there any new mechanics being taught that I don't know about? I have been out of coaching baseball for 4 years but I still watch it and NEVER see this type of stuff.
