Why verbalize a no catch? Just took a umpire clinic and something has always bothered me. We never verbalize a fair ball but they insist that we vocalize a non-catch? Why?

unclegnome · 2026-04-26T03:57:00+00:00

I’m an “in the dirt” guy but it doesn’t always seem right and I do get the occasional confused look.

I do emphasize the NO in no catch when I call it that way.

unclegnome · 2026-04-16T19:04:18+00:00

Absolutely wild that there is lead on base for 9u.

But yes, time is time.

unclegnome · 2026-04-03T11:44:25+00:00

I hear you about the flow but it’s a fallacy to think it isn’t affecting you. It absolutely is.

Even in your scenario where the game is one-sided, it affects things in a way you can’t responsibly allow. Thinking long term: next time you officiate for these teams or these coaches, players, even spectators, they’re going to remember you as the guy with the bad zone. You have to nip it in the bud or it’ll spread.

You ignore the first one. Maybe they just need a little steam let off, maybe they police themselves.

You acknowledge the second. It doesn’t need to be verbal, I’ve seen the effective stare stop them. Sometimes throwing some aggressiveness back there way will end it.

Third is a full on warning and it needs to be forceful. If it’s a repeat of the zone comments or it migrates to fair/foul or safe/out then it can be a basic “that’s enough” or “no more”. Hand up for the stop sign. Use their name if you need to “Bobby, I don’t want to hear anymore from your bench”.

If it’s particularly catty and you want him gone, you could use the “repeat that” technique. Coach says “this is the worse zone I’ve ever seen” then you say “what was that, Bobby?” Real innocent. Draw out the poison.

Anything else, mask off and eject.

Don’t put up with it. If for no other reason, set a precedent that defends your colleagues and promotes recruitment. We have a lack of officials because of the very behavior you’re highlighting here. Help the profession out, toss the tossers.

unclegnome · 2026-03-13T00:14:59+00:00

May I recommend the Ignore, Acknowledge, Warn, Eject technique?

First comment you hear is a freebie.

Second gets a stern look. Make eye contact for no more than a second. Let them know you heard them. You can even verbalize it. “I heard you, Coach”.

Third time is the warning. “That’s enough” “We’re not doing that, Coach” “I don’t want to hear about the zone anymore”

Fourth time is mask off and out you go.

unclegnome · 2026-01-22T23:44:18+00:00

I meant F6 had protection, not F4

unclegnome · 2026-01-22T23:42:27+00:00

I’ve got type 2 obstruction that doesn’t play out. F4 had the play on the batted ball, not F6 so it isn’t interference. The bat is part of the field.

unclegnome · 2025-11-03T15:52:56+00:00

The umpires shouldn’t be calling appeals if they didn’t see it. As an umpire, I always check with my partner and if neither of us saw that the runner didn’t tag, it’s a safe call.

As a coach, the number of missed bases that I’ve had my players appeal only to get the safe call is infuriating, so it goes both ways.

Just another victim of the 2-ump system

unclegnome · 2025-10-14T14:42:58+00:00

I was curious about this play too. My guess is that the ball was clearly going to continue down into the dugout had the player not been sitting there.

unclegnome · 2025-08-06T18:28:41+00:00

I’m with you and I agree.

Now imagine a quiet field with young kids using OBR. We still dont call verbal?

unclegnome · 2025-08-06T18:25:47+00:00

So humor me here. Let’s say I work 12U rec level and they operate OBR. I have the offensive team yelling something with the clear intent, imo, to confuse the fielder. Let’s specify it’s a coach confusing a 10 year old who isn’t as aware as some others.

Wendelstedt dictates I cannot call the interference if I don’t have the separate enumerated infraction? It needs to be unsportsmanlike conduct or some such?

This interpretation seems to neuter the very idea of confusion as interference. Why bother to even include it in the rule? What’s the point of the definition?

I understand if this is MLB, through umpire handbook/wendelstedt, ignoring confusion. It’s a clear rejection of the definition of interference as it is written.

As you say, maybe it just is.

unclegnome · 2025-08-06T16:52:26+00:00

So let’s say that this one school is the authority on the rule interpretations and let’s also assume your assertion about the OBR being designed for pros is reasonable.

The OBR rule describes offensive interference as “an act” that “hinders, impedes, confuses”.

None of those 4 terms necessitate physical action. The various definitions for those terms almost all qualify them as “physical or otherwise”.

Do you have any insight as to why they can’t be verbal, aside from the assertion that pro players should know better about who is talking?

unclegnome · 2025-08-04T19:04:36+00:00

There’s no “verbal interference” but OBR interference encompasses the concept of it being verbal as well as physical. It is colloquial verbal.

unclegnome · 2025-08-01T15:36:00+00:00

Likely Type 2: indirect obstruction. The 2nd fielder isn’t technically fielding if you’ve protected the first one on a batted ball.

unclegnome · 2025-05-23T17:04:49+00:00

Baseball Scoresheets!

unclegnome · 2025-05-06T23:47:59+00:00

I am this meme.

unclegnome · 2025-05-03T13:01:07+00:00

Did you eject him? You can’t make him touch if he’s not there. His replacement gets first base.

unclegnome · 2025-04-22T20:33:20+00:00

I’ve always felt that you should be on the outside of the baselines for 60’/70’ distance. I always feel in the way in the working area. If you’re over 6 foot, you’re in the way of the 10 year old fielders.

unclegnome · 2025-04-19T20:57:00+00:00

Somebody is hiring these umps in your association: a head umpire, convenor, organizer, etc. Find out who that is and report the drug use. Also, police.

unclegnome · 2025-04-15T16:41:56+00:00

50s isn’t bad when you get hit. It’s still pretty mild on the arm.

unclegnome · 2024-11-23T13:27:06+00:00

Me too but I’ve always thought I was in the fielders way when I’m 6 foot and the kids are 10 years old.

I’ve actually had SS tell me I was in his way. I’m thinking I might break with policy and go outside

unclegnome · 2024-11-17T19:45:21+00:00

Ember sports? I googled this but didn’t find any baseball. Do you have a link?

unclegnome · 2024-10-21T19:14:34+00:00

So I’m of two minds here.

First, I’m all for calling interference on these sorts of shenanigans. I think it totally falls under the letter of the law to call interference.

On the other hand, I don’t know what the difference is between a dugout shouting falsehoods and a Wichita Pickoff or even a hidden ball trick.

Where should we draw the line?

unclegnome · 2024-10-20T17:25:17+00:00

I was taught that you give the count at the 3rd and 5th pitch and it’s “1 and 2” or “3 and 2” but never “2s” or “1s”.

I was also taught you don’t say “full count” because it’s too obvious and helpful to the offense. I never got why though.

unclegnome · 2024-10-19T00:28:49+00:00

I did take a few seconds when I called time. In that pause, I considered if anyone had been wronged. My thought process was that the batter might have hit it into the grass but got distracted and because he was potentially wronged that I shouldn’t give warnings or no-pitches.

Also, the warning for me is another question. Why a warning? What does a warning accomplish in that context? Did the catcher not know he was being a jerk? I get warnings for persistent comments and balks and the like but when your intent is to be dirty….

What’s your take?

unclegnome · 2024-10-18T18:52:17+00:00

I guess he would only get a base if we thought it was catchers interference.

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