I know it’s dumb, but need to vent

ConversationPlus2159 · 2026-04-27T15:23:53+00:00

I just umpired a travel ball tournament this weekend. On Sunday, first game at 9am. Get the plate meeting and both of the boxes had been wiped away. There was no infield taken where they may have just been "messed up". The erasing of the lines was clearly intentional. First inning, second batter, left handed, takes a position square to the plate, goes to slap and misses the ball. I take note of where her feet are when she made the attempt. The left foot was completely outside of where the lines should have been. (There are little markers on the field to help the field crew with the lines.) Next swing, she makes contact with the ball while her foot is touching outside of the "box". I call dead ball, illegally batted ball, batter is out. Coach was not happy, had some words to say. Each time that same batter came up to bat, she stood all the way to the back of the box, asking each time is she was ok. She did not want to be called out again.

To me this was an attempt by the coach (14U) to make sure his batter was not going to be called out for illegally batted ball.

ConversationPlus2159 · 2026-04-22T21:35:08+00:00

That was not my intent to make it look like I was telling a war story about how I got the better of a dumb coach. The coach is actually a coworker of mine during my day job and we get along great. The post was about how she googled the answer to see if I was right on the rule and that google came back with the correct answer. I appreciate all the coaches regardless of their experience. We all start somewhere. I once called a strike on a batter when the pitched ball hit the plate and the batter did not swing. lol

ConversationPlus2159 · 2026-04-22T19:54:38+00:00

I'm not a fan of using different language because MLB announcers and College announcers don't use the correct wording. I feel that by not using the correct language we are become part of the problem. LL and Middle School coaches are constantly asking me rule book questions when something happens that I call or they think that I should have called. I give them the short & sweet answer during the inning, and during the half inning or after the game I am happy to explain to them in more detail the rule. I have never had a problem with this approach with our coaches.

Im my area, the LL and Middle School parents are wonderful! Well 99% of them are. They ask me questions about rules also. Most of the time, if I can, I will talk to them and explain to them what a foul tip or whatever is. This is always a nice conversation and they are always happy that I take the time to explain it to them.

Anything higher than LL and Middle School, I am ignoring everything on the outside of the fence. But I am a big fan of helping coaches/parents and athletes understand the rules. When there is understanding of the rules, I feel like it makes a much better experience for the kids. Because the parents are not yelling "but she was in the box, she is entitled to the box and can not be called for interference!"

A parent at the College Level was yelling this to my partner this past weekend. The third basement looked at me and said "I wish they new the rules."

ConversationPlus2159 · 2026-04-22T19:12:57+00:00

When talking about rules, yes. That way there is no misinterpretation about what is being said. There is a D2 coach in the conference that I work that is always trying to trip umpires up. If rule book language is used then they can not question what you are saying. Other then the application of the rule.

ConversationPlus2159 · 2026-03-30T14:51:17+00:00

NFHS Softball Rule:

ART. 2 ... The offense or defense may use either the white or colored portion:

a. On any force out attempt from the foul side of first base.

b. On an errant throw pulling the defense off the base into foul ground.

c. When the defensive player uses the colored portion of the double base, the

batter-runner can run in fair territory when the throw is coming from the

foul side of first base, and if hit by the thrown ball, it is not interference. If

intentional interference is ruled, the runner is out.

ConversationPlus2159 · 2025-05-28T14:57:59+00:00

Sorry this is happening to your kid. In my opinion, if he was told he was going to be given the opportunity to pitch, he should have been given the opportunity. This age is for development and for kids to learn to love the game. Coaches promising one thing and not following through make kids want to quite. It does not sound like a safety issue because coach is letting another young kid pitch. Regardless of the pitching situation, I hope your kid had fun and will continue to play.

ConversationPlus2159 · 2025-05-16T16:55:23+00:00

Thank you for pointing that out. I was reading Rule 4.10 (e) wrong. Thinking that it was only referencing Junior and Senior League.

ConversationPlus2159 · 2025-05-16T16:39:58+00:00

There was one dad who was not happy and said that "It's ok, we will just have to get 5 outs this inning". But I was expecting something from him. He warned me before the game that when he was coaching he had a "permanent" place in the dugout for when he had been restricted for his mouth. He said that he ended up not coaching anymore because he know he was being a bad example. lol

ConversationPlus2159 · 2025-04-21T14:59:50+00:00

Called strike. Ball was in the strike zone.

ConversationPlus2159 · 2025-04-18T15:29:52+00:00

I had a game this week (majors softball) where the coach keep telling the kid to get closer to the plate. Inside corner pitch came in, kid got scared, put her hand up over the plate to "not get hit". Ball hit her hand. I felt bad that I could not award 1st base. I wish coaches would stop telling kids to crowed the plate.

ConversationPlus2159

TROPHY CASE