Umpires

I know umpires aren't perfect, but sometimes they are just terrible.

I've had the opportunity to coach freshman baseball this spring and it's been an absolute blast.  Naturally, when working with freshmen it comes with its own set of issues.  Immaturity, silliness, and not quite getting what you want them to get are all just part of the gig.  But for the most part, they are a lot of fun.

As of this publication our team is 4-6.  We've played some close games, we've lost some bad games, and we've won some great games.  Today was no exception.  Today was an epic disappointment is what it was.  Let me set the scene.  The score is 2-1 going into the bottom of the 7th inning (we only play 7 innings in high school), two outs, man on 3rd, we are losing.

*Flashback to 3rd inning*  One of our guys hits a ground ball, close play at first.  Bang, bang, we beat the play.  "Out!", calls the umpire in the field.

*Fast forward to the 4th inning*  Same thing, hard ground ball, third baseman can't handle the ball, bang, bang play.  We beat the throw by a step.  "Out!", calls the umpire.

"What!?  NO!  He was safe!  Sir, this is two plays now where we have beaten the play."

*Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth* Let me remind you there are two outs, we have a runner on third.  Our guy steps into the batter's box.  Ball one.  Next pitch is fouled off.  The next pitch is hit hard to the shortstop.  He bobbles the hard ground ball.  He bobbles it again!  The throw to first....our batter steps on first, takes a step after the bag THEN the ball comes into the glove of the first basemen.  I at this point am holding my arms out indicating "safe" and clapping my hands in excitement.

In that split second I look at the umpire.  He looks back at me.  Raises his fist.  "Out!"

Game over.

I immediately run over to him.  "You've got to be kidding me!  There hasn't been a more obvious call all day!  Our guy should be standing on first in a tie ballgame right now and you know it!

The umpire looks at me and says in a quiet, I-told-you-so, attitude, "out".  "What!?!?", I respond.  "Maybe if you haven't been yelling at me all afternoon", he replies.

At this point in time my head coach has run from the third base line and has begun to intercede, pushing me away.  I don't know what they said to each other.  It doesn't matter.

I need to clarify that I was in the umpire's ear in the 3rd and 4th inning.  I was not yelling, I didn't speak in a condescending tone, I only spoke loud enough for him to hear me. For him to use that against our batter in a close game, where he just hit the game-tying RBI, is sickening.  I was so mad at this umpire for deciding a close game based on his resentment towards me.  I was merely trying to defend my players because we told them never to argue with an official.

Judge me how you will, but as a coach, I'm going to defend my players.  I'm not the kind of coach who argues with an umpire for the sake of arguing.  If it's a close call but I think he made the right call, so be it, I'll keep my mouth shut.  But in today's game something had to be said because this umpire was giving the other team free outs.  So for him to do that at the end of the game set me off.  That's wrong.

If I run into this umpire again I will of course shake his hand and apologize.  It's probably the right thing to do.  I just don't want him to continue ruining games for us if he thinks I have a grudge.

I know umpires aren't perfect, but umpires or any official should never use their feelings toward a coach and have that affect the result of the game.  It's not fair to the athletes, it's not fair to the parents.

Thanks for letting me vent.