The Fix is on at the Junior Olympics

billyjoe,

Yep, I've observed the same thing. And there are some things to learn.

1. Each ump has there personal strike zone, rarely matching the rule book. Learn it, quickly.

2. You must swing at the 2 strike pitch regardless of where the pitch is located, epecially if you are the visiting team.

3. The visiting team must win by enough margin on the field to take the home umpire out of the game.

No better place to observe this activity than the junior olympics. Florida and Arizona.

It is natural for the local umps to help the local or host team stay in the tournament.



Here come the umps.

quote:

Originally posted by FormerObserver:
billyjoe,

Yep, I've observed the same thing. And there are some things to learn.

1. Each ump has there personal strike zone, rarely matching the rule book. Learn it, quickly.

2. You must swing at the 2 strike pitch regardless of where the pitch is located, epecially if you are the visiting team.

3. The visiting team must win by enough margin on the field to take the home umpire out of the game.

No better place to observe this activity than the junior olympics. Florida and Arizona.

It is natural for the local umps to help the local or host team stay in the tournament.



Here come the umps.

they should,thats a shame and speak up umps

Somehow I doubt that USA Baseball would continue to use umpires that favor one team or the other. It is amazing what people in the stands don't see.

quote:

Originally posted by FormerObserver:
billyjoe,

Yep, I've observed the same thing. And there are some things to learn.

1. Each ump has there personal strike zone, rarely matching the rule book. Learn it, quickly.

2. You must swing at the 2 strike pitch regardless of where the pitch is located, epecially if you are the visiting team.

3. The visiting team must win by enough margin on the field to take the home umpire out of the game.

No better place to observe this activity than the junior olympics. Florida and Arizona.

It is natural for the local umps to help the local or host team stay in the tournament.



Here come the umps.

You are so correct! It wasn't just the bad strike zone that favored the Bombers that did it for me. It was the obvious bad calls on the field. For instance in one case the ball was hit down the 3rd base line and landed at least 4 feet fair to the right of the line and he signaled "foul" ball. Everyone went crazy! There were several plays on the field that were like this. This is went I lost my faith in the integrity of the game. I repeat, i'm thankful my son didn't see this!

There isnt an Umpiring fee high enough for me to deliberately influence the outcome of a baseball game........I could care less who wins the game.......

Ive seen some "homers" in my day and I even had a game with one........which we as umpires, corrected mid game....

but painting us all with this broad brush is wrong.....

Apologies to the ump for the broad stroke.

But, at those Junior Olympic games, were about the best umpiring you will see in retired MLB and minor league umps. All very good and obviously enjoyed the game very much.

While teams are playing, players are being considered for the Olympic teams, so winning is important to keep your team in the tournament and the exposure that follows.

Usually 64 teams, so the game pace is very quick, lots of strikes, swing the bat. It's hot so let's stay on schedule. Umps are clearly in complete control of the game.

And the local teams get an obvious break to keep the local boys in the view for a longer time.

I don't even think its a secret.

My observation is that continues. Mainly that it is hard to win by one if you are the visitor.

The game itself favors the home team when the score is close.

What does home team advantage mean? More chearing fans?

It's hard to win away when the score is close.

Former & Billy,

If you have true concerns about certain umps you should bring them to attention of the tournament director for USA Baseball, his number is listed on the JO website.

My son played on a team from Maryland at the JO in 2003 in Jupiter and I did not see it then.

CV

quote:

...but painting us all with this broad brush is wrong.....

Not unless you are willing to help rid the game of other bad umpires. IMHO it starts with other umpires challenging bad umpires.

Which sounds like you might have done. If so, keep eliminating them.

If not, accept the brush.

Amazing.

By the way, the crowds are always small and there is no charge, so I doubt that would be a motivation.

In fact, what I see is some overactive thinking here.

The PRIMARY purpose of the junior olympics in the eyes of USA Baseball, either site, is to help select the youth national team and to help develop talent nationwide.

They do not care who wins. Neither do the umpires.

Son played Jr. Olympic tournament...... 2 years in a row....Tucson....we were a "home" team, but it didn't help us....thought the officiating was fair....both years.....

Billy Joe

Obvious to who?

Only you?

It's nice to win the tournament but you are actually there for them to notice your son. The year my son played we lost, sent 4 kids from our team for tryouts.
If it was a more important tournament, then I would go to whoever is in charge of officiating.

hAVING BEEN A COACH AND A dAD AT THE j.o., THE CONNITTEE KNOWS IN ADVANCE THE PLAYERS THEY LOOKING AT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WON'T LOOK AT CERTAIN PLAYERS BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THEY ARE LOOKING A FINITE NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND TEAMS IN ADVANCE. THERE ARE PLAYERS THAT ARE SELECTED THAT DO NOT HAVE GREAT WEEKS THERE. YOU JUST NEED TO KNOW THAT IN ADVANCE. IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF THE SELECTION PROCESS. THERE ARE OVER 1500 PLAYERS THERE AND THERE IS ONLY SO MANY PLAYERS THEY CAN REALLY WATCH

The biggest joke going around the JO this week is that everyone is wondering where the "pre-selected" team is practicing this week. ha ha. This is being done to raise money. Go figure 72 x 1700 in entry fee, gate fees, etc. Dee-Duh!!!

Gate Fees? No Gate Fees in '03. My son's team came from Maryland, found a practice field on our own as there are no pre-game warm ups. You learn to be creative by finding a place to practice on your own.

CV

Had the good fortune of having my son and his team in the 2001 and 2002 USA Baseball Junior Olympics in Tucson, AZ.

Coached them in 2002.

Great experience; great atmosphere; lots of talented players; wonderful hosts; fair umpires.

I love it when people always say the Umps are giving it to the home team.. Could it be the Ump just had a better angle than the stands? Could it be they were blinded by all the rose colored glasses in the stands so he couldn't see whether it was foul or not, maybe he just had a bad day..

Most important thing is unless you saw the umps ID that he was from the home town there is a high probability that these Umps have traveled farther than most teams to be there? The larger tournaments and showcase purposely DO NOT use local umpires for games, they bring them in from all over the county, the Jr Oly umps are usually umpires from MLB "rookie" ump league working there way up the ladder just like the players.. I know this because a local ump here in VA is on the Jr Olympic roster as an Ump and he travels all over the country for MLB doing the Jr. Olympic Games as well as many other high profile showcases.

I agree with CV, if there is a problem your teams manager should contact the Jr Olympic committe and file a protest against the umpires.

This happens at the regional championships for the BLWS, in this case: Michigan.

The host team doesn't play in the qualifiers, because they are the host, and the umpires are clearly favoring them.

Case in point: MI kid slides into 2B to break up a play (stolen base attempt) and takes out the SS. SS lands on top of the runner, runner shoves him off. Umpire warns the SS.

Next play, pick-off attempt at 2B ... runner gets tagged in the face. Runner gets up and takes a swing at the SS, SS is immediately ejected for "tagging too hard" and coach is sent to join him moments later for asking for some clarification.

Coach and SS are in street clothes for the next game, IL loses and is sent home.

Is that the reason IL lost? No, they lost because they had too many powerhitters in their lineup and couldn't play small ball.

But ... to say that this favoritism doesn't exist is also naive.

I have also seen umpires at showcases tell the kids ahead of time: hey, we have to keep the game moving. That means - swing your bat, be careful trying to steal bases, and don't hold up the game.

That is the most ridiculous thing i have heard. These umpires dont care who wins or lose and what happens when two florida teams go head to head? In 6 games so far our last game had the worst umpire crew. To get a strike called we had to throw it down the middle of the plate, they missed an interference call on a steal, and the umpire was on the phone when making another call. Is that the reason we lost the game? No, we lost because we didnt hit with bases loaded 1 out. We are a team from florida against a team from texas. And yes you have to pay to get in for the games(not players and coaches) and the only ones going to watch are the parents, relatives, and some scouts.

Attended J.O. last year in Jupiter for the second year. It was a great experience with good umpiring and lots and lots of talent. Son was one of the first players selected in the top 18 to go out to Arizona and he was a "nobody". With the high number of games played, there are bound to be a few umpires that are a little impaired, but I did not see any.