Softball Game Intelligence: The Difference Maker in Officiating - Sample Chapter

Table of Contents INTRODUCTION

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CHAPTER 01 What Should a Pregame Meeting Include?

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CHAPTER 02 Start Your Game on the Right Foot

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CHAPTER 03 A Good Attitude Makes a Big Difference

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CHAPTER 04 Managing Lineup Cards

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CHAPTER 05 An Umpire’s Dos and Don’ts

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CHAPTER 06 Good Game Management

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CHAPTER 07 Integrity Breeds Success

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CHAPTER 08 How to Succeed as the Plate Umpire

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CHAPTER 09 DP/Flex Strategies Umpires Should Know

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CHAPTER 10 Interference or Not? Communicate Clearly

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CHAPTER 11 Stay Grounded in Dead-ball Situations

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CHAPTER 12 Pausing for Mental Replay Effective

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CHAPTER 13 Philosophy of Chasing Fly Balls

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CHAPTER 14 Keep the Game Moving Along

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CHAPTER 15 Develop a Strategy to Manage Conflict

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CHAPTER 16 18 Unwritten Rules to Follow

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CHAPTER

02 Start Your Game On the Right Foot

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Use these tips to ensure you start your games properly.

1. Be prepared for your game Do some preparatory work before your game. Some preparation can be done a day or so before the game. Make sure you are familiar with the game site and know the correct starting time.

Have your uniforms cleaned and pressed and your equipment in good condition. Clean and polish your shoes.

Don’t forget to check your shoelaces and replace them if necessary. Try to avoid the misfortune of breaking a lace just before a game.

If inclement weather is a possibility, check the local weather report, which will be helpful when making decisions about starting, suspending, calling or continuing a game.

Double check the items you should have in your equipment bag.

Confirm the game assignment with your partner. Review new rules and any new field mechanics in your pregame discussion. Talk about the special ground rule for that fire hydrant too close to the right field line. Select a precise meeting spot in the school parking lot to set up your “locker room” in a remote section of the lot, well removed from other cars.

2. Get a good start If possible, arrive at the site well before game time. Use that time judiciously. When appropriate, inform home management of your arrival. That will eliminate one of their pregame concerns and get you started on the right foot. It’s best not to wear your uniform during that mission since you will be less conspicuous in your street clothes. Use that opportunity to briefly observe the starting pitchers as they warm up. Also, if weather conditions are unfavorable, take a quick look at the field.

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Inform your partner if you can’t arrive until just before game time. That will alleviate his or her worrying about your arrival. If he or she knows in advance, he or she may volunteer to work the plate. If your partner takes the plate, make sure you reciprocate the next time you umpire together. Never connive to avoid working the dish as that will harm your reputation with your fellow officials.

3. Enter the field professionally Be businesslike and stride confidently with your partner to the field. Leave cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and beverages behind. Don’t stop to talk to spectators or players. If you are acknowledged, give a polite “Hello” and keep walking toward your destination. If you must prepare pay vouchers, go on the field about 12 minutes before game time. Otherwise eight to 10 minutes prior to the game is the right time to enter.

In ASA, the fitness of the grounds for starting the game is decided by the plate umpire. In USSSA, the home team or tournament director will decide about starting the game. Under NFHS rules, the home coach will determine if field conditions are suitable for starting the game.

After completing your duties with the home team, move to a neutral area. Never sit on a team bench or carry on lengthy conversations with a manager, coach, player or other person.

4. Have a good pregame conference About five minutes before the game, ask the head coaches or managers to meet at home plate. Team captains may participate in that meeting. The umpire-in-chief will open the meeting with greetings and introductions. Find out the name of each head coach. If a team has two coaches, ask who the “speaking coach” will be. Tip: If you don’t already know the head coach, mark his or her name on your lineup card.

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Allow the home coach to explain ground rules unique to the field but don’t permit ground rules contrary to the rulebook. For example, there cannot be a ground rule triple for a batted ball that rolls into a drainage ditch. The ruling must be a two-base hit or a home run.

Inform everyone if there are any special game provisions

Essentials of a Pregame Conference Conducting a quality pregame conference is one of the most overlooked mechanics in umpiring. The pregame conference is usually the umpires’ first true opportunity to set the tone for the game. If umpires focus only on addressing the issues they are supposed to, they can avoid making mistakes in conducting the conference.

For safety reasons, umpires should ensure that no players continue their warmups while the conference is taking place. Allowing players, particularly the pitcher and catcher, to continue their warmups poses a risk that the ball will hit people attending the conference.

A coach should always be present at the conference. The coach is required so that he or she can confirm the lineup card and the safety of their equipment.

The head coach is required to be at the pregame conference in NFHS. If a team elects to have team captains or player representatives present at the conference, the umpires should limit the number of players to just two or three. Allowing a greater number of players at the conference increases the likelihood that they will talk and interrupt the conference.

For championship games, teams often want all of their players to come out.

Keeping in mind that the game is for the players. It is helpful to ask the coach only to have two or three in the batter’s boxes and have the remaining players stand back a couple of feet.

In the two-umpire system, the plate

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umpire stands behind the plate facing center field and the base umpire stands in front of the plate facing the backstop.

In the three-umpire system, the two base umpires stand in front of each batter’s box facing the backstop — U1 in front of the box on the first-base side and U3 in front of the box on the third-base side. The plate umpire should introduce himself or herself before introducing the base umpires. How the umpires choose to introduce themselves is really the discretion of the individual umpires. Some umpires prefer to be more formal and introduce themselves as “Mr. or Mrs.” Others will give their first or first and last name.

With few exceptions, umpires ought to limit the pregame conference to the following material. The main purposes of the pregame conference are to confirm the safety of the equipment, remind the participants of sportsmanship requirements and cover items that are unique to the particular game. The pregame conference is not a clinic. While umpires should do their best not to be overly curt with coaches, they should avoid entertaining questions regarding rules. Though umpires may have to address “house rules,” the answers to most rules questions are best found in the rulebook.

The plate umpire should ask for each team’s lineup card. He or she should make sure that the players’ last name and at

which may include a time limit, run rule or curfew. Discourage other special rules that are not supported in the rulebook as most disputes occur when special rules are used.

As the plate umpire, carefully examine each lineup card.

Often you can discover and correct inadvertent errors. That will prevent more serious problems from developing after the game

least their first initial are present, as well as their numbers and starting defensive positions. In NCAA, the card should include the first and last names. He or she should also confirm the DP/Flex. Substitutes and their numbers should be listed on the bottom of the lineup card. Once the plate umpire reviews the lineup card, he or she should give the coach the opportunity to check it over one last time. Once the coach confirms the lineup card, it becomes official. The teams should be reminded that all changes should be reported to the plate umpire.

Next, the plate umpire and home team coach should establish dead-ball boundaries around the field, including gaps or holes in the fence and any obstacles on the field (e.g. overhanging branches).

Umpires should not instruct players to raise their hands if the ball goes out of play.

Players should continue to play the ball until the umpires call “dead ball.” It is the umpires’ responsibility to go out and check on the status of the ball and make a ruling.

When covering the ground rules, the plate umpire should continue facing forward and simply point to the area of the field to which he or she is referring.

The plate umpire must also establish who the head coach is for each team. That is extremely important because the umpires should only address and be addressed by the head coach. Discussing plays with only the head coach, with few exceptions, is part of good game management.

Remind the teams that good sportsmanship is required. Remember, the rulebooks require good sportsmanship toward the umpires, between the two teams and even among players on the same team.

If the home team is to be established by way of a coin flip, the plate umpire should simply designate one team “heads,” the other team “tails” and flip the coin. “Double flips” and trying to find out “Who drove farther?” prolongs the conference and invites unnecessary conversation.

Establish where the official scorekeeper will be located. Typically, the official scorer will be the home team’s scorer. However, umpires ought to consider the competency of the scorers on each team. For example, if the visiting team’s scorer is an adult who conducts herself in a professional manner and the home team’s scorer is 10 years old, the umpires should give at least equal weight to the visitor’s book.

The plate umpire could ask his or her partner if he or she has anything (relevant) to add. The base umpire should only offer additional commentary if the plate umpire mistakenly omitted something significant.

The plate umpire may ask the coaches if they have any questions regarding the ground rules only.

Lastly, if the game is timed, the umpire will notify the official scorer of when the clock starts. Umpires must remember that codes vary as to when the clock starts.

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has started. A coin toss may be needed to determine home and visiting teams. Flip at the end of the meeting and use your own flipping coin so you don’t have to ask a coach for a coin to toss.

5. Know what to do after the pregame meeting After the pregame meeting at home plate, the plate umpire should move to the side of the plate. If the national anthem will be played, the base umpire should remain with the plate umpire, standing at attention during the anthem without conversation.

Otherwise, the base umpire should hustle down the first base line and move to the neutral zone behind the second baseman in short right field.

The plate umpire should set up behind the catcher to view some pitches while the pitcher is warming up. The base umpire should observe the warmups and prepare for the first pitch.

6. Keep your game moving Start the game as close to the official starting time as possible.

Attempt to keep the game moving but don’t become a playground director. Avoid shouting, “Balls in” or “Bring ’em out,” and similar unprofessional verbiage.

Use more subtle methods to manage the game. As the plate umpire, take your brush out and move alongside the catcher during warmup pitches. That encourages the catcher to call, “Coming down,” after the next toss. Occasionally, some polite coaxing like, “Whenever you’re ready,” will entice the catcher to throw to second.

Good plate umpire management makes the base umpire’s job easier. Occasionally, the base umpire may remind the substitute playing catch with the outfielders, “OK, we’re ready.” More often than not the substitute will call, “Balls in.” When possible, let the players do the yelling.

When working the plate, carry an extra ball or two in your

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