BigRedSoftball
Addicted to Softballfans
Thanks man. Umpire baseball and fastpitch, but very rarely any slow pitch. I guess I am playing too much for that.
Head scratching call horror stories
- Thread starter AreJay
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Thanks man. Umpire baseball and fastpitch, but very rarely any slow pitch. I guess I am playing too much for that.
jsam21238
Addicted to Softballfans
If you are saying that this is when it is called, you're wrong. If this is a bad call post then you should explain a little more..
We had a guy get doubled up on a pop out to right because he left when the right fielder first touched the ball. Well the right fielder bobbled it a few times then caught it and threw the ball to second. The ump called our guy out saying that he left before the fielder had control, so he left to early.
HlyRomanEmperor
Addicted to Softballfans
Worst I've seen - guy hits long fly ball to center field. CF races back (facing away from infield) and makes a nice "Willie Mays" style over the shoulder catch, spins and fires the ball back to the infield. As the batter starts heading to the dugout, ump tells him to go to first base....."NO CATCH" and he is safe. His reasoning was that since the fielder has his back to the infield, the ump couldn't "see" the catch, so it didn't happen. We argued that it was quite obviously a catch, and pointed out that the CF somehow retreived the ball and threw it back in without ever having to bend over (i.e. never had to pick it up off the ground). No luck - batter was called safe.
speedygonz
White Lightning
In our league championship it was the 7th inning no outs though. Our guy hits a single while I was on first, I turn second and head for 3rd (the ball wasn't even thrown in yet) the SS takes a step backwards into my path and knocks me down. It took me a while to get up since he knocked the wind out me, and then the 2nd baseman walks over and tags me. I was called out. We lost by one run. He said he didn't see me collide with the SS since he was watching the ball and that I must have tripped on my own.
andy-rockstar
Living for the Cit-ay
No more explanation is needed. Ump called IFF under that scenario, and was clearly in the wrong.
goldglover79
Nc Vinci player rep
Me either I just laugh at them
71bama17
Addicted to Softballfans
Tournament final, Prize is qualification for Provincials, +2 HR rule and we are maxed out, Board Bro Nickelnutz hits a line drive off the foul pole and out, Should be our 3rd out and inning over, Ump calls fair ball, We go on to win the game, Ump admits to blowing the call after the game.
satanwannabe
Addicted to Softballfans
A few weeks ago, our left fielder (and captain) caught a fly ball down the line on the run just over the line in foul territory. His momentum carried him another 10-15 feet into foul territory, past where the fence would be had it gone that far down the field. The umpire called it out of play- no catch. Left fielder loses his mind for 30 seconds and the calms down still steaming before throwing the ball back in.
Umpire says (and I'm paraphrasing here) "it's out of play because had the fence been down there, you would have run into it.". The fence on the sideline stops maybe 20 feet past third base.
Left fielder is beside himself and utterly confused (as we all are) at this point- he says "but if the fence was there, I just would have stopped."
Umpire - "its a safety issue, if the fence was there you would have hit it. No catch"
Next pitch, the batter hits one almost the same place, maybe 2-4 feet foul but LF stops when he catches it almost immediately, and yells in to ask "is he out now!?"
Umpire yells back (not angry per say, very matter of factly) "NOW, he's out, that's out of play, it's strike three"
That was the third out- on the way back in to the bench, the ump and LF talked for a sec- apparently the ump thinks all foul balls are out of play and thus dead.
Couldn't make it up if I tried.
-nick
Umpire says (and I'm paraphrasing here) "it's out of play because had the fence been down there, you would have run into it.". The fence on the sideline stops maybe 20 feet past third base.
Left fielder is beside himself and utterly confused (as we all are) at this point- he says "but if the fence was there, I just would have stopped."
Umpire - "its a safety issue, if the fence was there you would have hit it. No catch"
Next pitch, the batter hits one almost the same place, maybe 2-4 feet foul but LF stops when he catches it almost immediately, and yells in to ask "is he out now!?"
Umpire yells back (not angry per say, very matter of factly) "NOW, he's out, that's out of play, it's strike three"
That was the third out- on the way back in to the bench, the ump and LF talked for a sec- apparently the ump thinks all foul balls are out of play and thus dead.
Couldn't make it up if I tried.
-nick
You are correct but once infield fly is called it cant be uncalled if the ball is dropped. Right? The runners were out bc they didnt advance which is why they froze when the ump yelled infield fly.
jsam21238
Addicted to Softballfans
Its only on a fair ball... So if it lands and rolls foul before the bases then it is a foul ball
Chris_R
I Thought I Reacted Well
Like someone said earlier, I've been playing this game long enough that I stopped getting mad at bad calls a long time ago. Especially in league ball.
I posted this story in another thread after it happened, but this is where it really belongs.
In a nutshell back in March in an NSA tourney, the ump tried to take the bat and ball after a dude hit a bloop mis**** to RC that our 2B dove for but missed. The ump thought the ball had hit our 2B in the head when he dove for it and said "rules say in the event a fielder is struck in the head by a batted ball the bat and ball are to be taken for testing" The other team was losing their minds, until our 2B told him the ball didnt hit him in the head. (he had actally been kicked in the head by the RF jumping over him trying to avoid collision)
Same game, same ump called a guy out on a force at 3rd when I was further off the bag than Todd Helton on that play last week. I had come a good 5-6 feet off the bag to catch the throw from LF.
I posted this story in another thread after it happened, but this is where it really belongs.
In a nutshell back in March in an NSA tourney, the ump tried to take the bat and ball after a dude hit a bloop mis**** to RC that our 2B dove for but missed. The ump thought the ball had hit our 2B in the head when he dove for it and said "rules say in the event a fielder is struck in the head by a batted ball the bat and ball are to be taken for testing" The other team was losing their minds, until our 2B told him the ball didnt hit him in the head. (he had actally been kicked in the head by the RF jumping over him trying to avoid collision)
Same game, same ump called a guy out on a force at 3rd when I was further off the bag than Todd Helton on that play last week. I had come a good 5-6 feet off the bag to catch the throw from LF.
Chris_R
I Thought I Reacted Well
Here's a question...
Is it good or bad to correct an umpire when he makes an outlandish call that goes in your teams favor? For instance, someone posted about the ump calling a balk and the runners advancing. I'm not sure I could take that handout as the team on offense. I think I would just stay and tell the ump he was wrong.
Is it good or bad to correct an umpire when he makes an outlandish call that goes in your teams favor? For instance, someone posted about the ump calling a balk and the runners advancing. I'm not sure I could take that handout as the team on offense. I think I would just stay and tell the ump he was wrong.
EAJuggalo
Addicted to Softballfans
This is the one that forced me to become an umpire: Runners on first and second with one out. High pop up about 15 feet behind the shortstop, I mean we're talking high enough that the shortstop could read the paper and have a cup of coffee while he's camped under this thing. Ump calls Infield Fly but the runner on second thinks there are two outs so he takes off. Obviously the runner comes across the plate, the SS makes the catch and flips to 2B to get the double play and end the inning. The umpire denies the appeal saying that because he called IFF the runner is free to advance at his own risk. I don't know how no one on the defense got ejected since everyone in the park knew he was wrong.
CPhoenixM
Extra Hitter
In the semi-final game of my league last year I was the game tying run, and on a hit I ran to 2nd. Before the guy got the ball he stuck his leg out just as I was getting to the bag and tripped me so that I stumbled over and off the bag before catching my balance. He then tagged me, and the ump called me out saying that I'm not allowed to overrun 2nd.
We ended up losing the game by 1 after the next batter hit a double.
We ended up losing the game by 1 after the next batter hit a double.
Jpwolfpack
Part Time Player
A ball can be in the outfield grass and still be an infield fly (by rule) if a routine play can be made on it.
The Crimedog
Best ASA Baterator
Got rung up once on a ball that was no less than 8" outside and landed paralell with the plate. It wasn't ever close to being a strike. The pitcher just looked at me like Jordan in game 6 against the Suns.
I think the ump was mad because I had take so many pitches throughout the game. I had a single, a DBO, a walk, a legit backward K and then the "K" in that order.
I think the ump was mad because I had take so many pitches throughout the game. I had a single, a DBO, a walk, a legit backward K and then the "K" in that order.
The Crimedog
Best ASA Baterator
That must be it. Otherwise if the double play was called it was the right call.
Gallops
Addicted to Softballfans
I have a couple.
Was a Spring Training game so the league was using umpires in training. It was some kid who looked like they never stepped foot on any kind of field in his life. His strikezone was beyond erratic. He was calling pitches that landed in front of the plate a strike, calling ball/strike before the pitch was close to the plate, and missed several big calls. The biggest being a call at the end of the game. We were down 1 run and a runner was coming in on a double. There was a play at the plate that the catcher never even had control of (It hit off his glove and straight into the dirt). The kid called him out and ran off.
Had one umpire come to the field either drugged up, drunk, or both. One minute he would be out of it, the next he'd be making loud calls (Usually on foul balls). An outfielder dropped a fly ball and he called it an out.
Was a Spring Training game so the league was using umpires in training. It was some kid who looked like they never stepped foot on any kind of field in his life. His strikezone was beyond erratic. He was calling pitches that landed in front of the plate a strike, calling ball/strike before the pitch was close to the plate, and missed several big calls. The biggest being a call at the end of the game. We were down 1 run and a runner was coming in on a double. There was a play at the plate that the catcher never even had control of (It hit off his glove and straight into the dirt). The kid called him out and ran off.
Had one umpire come to the field either drugged up, drunk, or both. One minute he would be out of it, the next he'd be making loud calls (Usually on foul balls). An outfielder dropped a fly ball and he called it an out.
jsam21238
Addicted to Softballfans
What I've come to find is that arguing with an umpire is like arguing with a cop. You aren't going to win the argument in the field/streets so if it isn't a judgement call then to protest the game and fight it in court/LDs office
Will B
DeMarini Nation
Here's one: Line drive down the RF line, hits the foul pole and bounds into foul territory on the other side of the OF fence. Ump calls it foul, I was in RF and just thought wow!! When I got up to bat, I said to the ump, "you know, you blew that call", after a second of explaining it to him, he was like ooops!! Lol.
EAJuggalo
Addicted to Softballfans
correct, I guess I didn't state that in the original post.
Chris_R
I Thought I Reacted Well
The only thing I hate about umps calling bad strikes is that it forces me to swing at pitches I normally wouldn't in fear that I might get wrung up looking.
Had an "ump" (just a local kid filling in for league) tell us at the coin toss once, that anything that hits the back half of the plate would be a strike. His words were "anything past the front rectangle is a strike, even if hits the plate itself"
Had an "ump" (just a local kid filling in for league) tell us at the coin toss once, that anything that hits the back half of the plate would be a strike. His words were "anything past the front rectangle is a strike, even if hits the plate itself"
Gallops
Addicted to Softballfans
Unless you were playing with the plate/mat there's a chance it could have gotten a piece of the plate.... Remember it's where it crosses not where it lands.
