Here's to you, Mr. Strike Zone Excuse Maker Whiner Guy

[Sam]

If I'm not mistaken , the original poster of these threads going was talking about consistency!! Not the strikezone. Obviously every umpire has different zones, but as long as they stay there all game. The big problem that most coaches have with the umpires is the inconsistency that happens from time to time. You need to learn your zone , and stay there for the rest of your beautiful career. Another thing , don't be afraid to ask for help to get the call correct. Too many times you guys bring your over inflated egos on the field, like you can' make a bad call. Nothing will get you embarrassed more than making a bad call, then refusing the coaches plea for help. Actually , I have more respect for the umpires that will actually listen to you, then ask for help, whether or not it gets turned around or not. At least that guy is trying to get the call right, instead of thinking about his perfect calling ego. CHECK IT AT DUGOUT DOOR!!!

There is more to "going for help" than ego.

There are specific conditions when you can go for help. In fact, if you go for help, especially at a national or other evaluated tournament when you should not be going for help, you can say good bye... especially to any thoughts of working championship day.

When to go for help and when not to go for help is trained and taught to umpires.

The condition to go for help is not a coach or parent "really really wants you too", there must be specific criteria and outlined criteria met. The criteria exist mostly for reasons involving game management.

Most of the time an umpire does not go for help, it has little to do with ego and more to do with proper game management as is taught to us in clinic after clinic.

So Wade....let me get this straight...if you are working at a national or other evaluated tournament....umpires are encouraged to guess at calls they didn't see instead of asking for help from their partner so they can get the call right??? The Fernando Lamas Technique....it is much better to look good than to feel good....very nice. You would figure that your bonehead ASA umpiring management would really look for umpires who strive to get the call right, even if they have to ask for help. Another reason that your organization looks like a bunch of idiots to those of us on the outside looking in. You know...MTR Mikey always tells me to get involved if I don't like the way SoCal ASA or ASA is run...but you guys don't do crap about how your organization is running YOU.

[wadeintothem]

So Wade....let me get this straight...if you are working at a national or other evaluated tournament....umpires are encouraged to guess at calls they didn't see instead of asking for help from their partner so they can get the call right??? The Fernando Lamas Technique....it is much better to look good than to feel good....very nice. You would figure that your bonehead ASA umpiring management would really look for umpires who strive to get the call right, even if they have to ask for help. Another reason that your organization looks like a bunch of idiots to those of us on the outside looking in. You know...MTR Mikey always tells me to get involved if I don't like the way SoCal ASA or ASA is run...but you guys don't do crap about how your organization is running YOU.

First, in 90% of the cases its not "get it right." The request by coaches/fans to "get it right" is actually code for "call it in my favor as I saw it" or another common theme is really "I would like a 2nd shot at having that call in my favor".

So you use key words like "check ego" or "get it right" to lobby to get a second chance at a call.

Not gonna work coach.

The first question a good umpire will ask himself when a coach comes out is "what part of the play did I miss?"

So, if I was 10 feet away, with good angle and good view... what did I miss? I'm not going to my partner 70-80 feet away just because you want a 2nd shot at a bang bang play.

Now, lets say I got screened. I missed it. Yeah, I might go to my partner, because I did not have all the pieces of the puzzle to make a call.

To reverse a call or to even discuss it requires reason. Why exactly would I want ASA to change that? Just so a coach can run me around on every bang bang play to try to lobby for a different call?

I think I like the way ASA does it. Much better for the game. If you want umpires to be run around by coaches, especially when your biased and emotionally vested motives are suspect, you'll have to get someone to lobby ASA to change it.. because it wont be me.

A biased and emotionally vested coach simply wanting to get a call in their favor is not enough. We need a better reason.

[Sam]

Gosh Wade, thanks for changing my entire comment.

I know when to talk to umpires....I know that I better have a reason to ask him/her for their partner's opinion....but that isn't what you said in your initial comment. It had nothing to do with zealous coaches coming out...it was regarding the ability of an umpire to work championship games relating directly to whether or not they had to ask for help.

ASA is screwed up because ASA's head umpires get to interpret things that aren't even close to being in the rule book...just change the rule....make the strike zone in the rule book look like what you call in the game...its simple....ASA is living the strike zone lie.

And don't even get me started on NFCA...