ASA Softball?

Question

I think ASA softball has gotten worse becasue the umpires have been getting really bad and making horrible plays- What do you think?

yeah im on 14u uxbridage danger team, and we usually get the same ump since we are in a winter tournament and he is one of the worse i have ever seen he calls a strikout when the pitcher only pitched two pitches!!!!

and it is hard for a pitcher, we have a couple pitchers on our team including me and i got kind of frusterated, i think these umps just want to get the game over with and do other things!

Answer 1

it;s really hard for the umps with all the new rules and stuff. i play on the southern maine flame 14u and i know what ur talking about. my coach just tells us to let him focus on the umps and us on the game. It's really hard if ur a pitcher though--like me. every1 is going to have different strike zones, but my dad always tells me that glares and eyerolls don't make it any bigger

Answer 2

What do I think?

I think the Umpires don't make ANY plays! Any really bad and horrible plays are made by,.....well....the PLAYERS!!

There are very few rules changes in any given year, but where they become problems is when the players and coaches know the rules and game better than the Umpires. Such as;

When a batted ball hits the plate and goes to the pitcher, it is a foul ball. The batter runner can not be called out at first! (this came via a HS coach in a playoff game).

The hands are part of the bat when the batter swings! (this came via an NCAA coach, and also an ASA coach at a different time)

A runner going fro 1B to 2B is out if while the F6 is trying to tag her, she stops in the middle of the bases! (this came from an ASA coach in a National tournament)

Umpires make "bad plays".....well, see above!


ASA does more umpire training, registration and supervision than any other organization. There are some who are not very good, no do they take the game seriously, such as the one who informed me that if a batter is hit below the elbow it's nothing, above the elbow is a HBP!! She was acting as an assistant coach, nd ran onto the field screaming this information, (she was promptly removed).

The better teams and players do not try and place poor team performance, or individual performance on the Umpiring abilities. Teams looking for excuses to poor performance will attempt to use poor Umpiring as a reason. I've seen some teams actually believe they lost by 10 runs due the Umpires! That ain't possible.

How do I know these things?

I am an actve ASA, NCAA, NFHS, etc, Umpire. I attend several training clinics per year, take a minimum of 5 tests per year. I recieve evaluations on occassion, as well as train, and evaluate other umpires!

Answer 3

Kill the Umpire!!

Oops...that would be ME......Actually I haven't done ASA in several years...I last officiated NSA Softball, & I'm not familiar w recent rule changes you refer to......

I DO know however from umpiring nearly 2000 games myself, that rule changes always cause some problems.....with players, coaches, and yes umpires too!!

Remember we also play or have played the game we love, and when you've had years of umpiring under one set of rules, a change is bound to lead to some mistakes or misinterpretations.

Umpires are human...I made a few bad calls...never deliberately, & a few not even noticed by the players...but I knew.....you can't just turn & change your mind tho, even when you realize you missed one.

Cal Ripken & Tony Gwynn are both exceptional players in baseball, but they both committed a few errors.

The umpiring will improve. Your coach is absolutely correct on this. Let him deal w the ump. As I once told a player who kept harping on a perceived bad call, "Play the game, don't play the umpire!!"

Good Luck and enjoy the game.

Answer 4

omg! i totally know what ur talking about! i am a pitcher on the 14u St.Louis Esprit(pronounced eespree) and i honestly think the umpires are TERRIBLE! I mean ASA used to be like the top Nationals to go to but lately no one wants to go anymore! well itotally agree but i try not to let it bother me