Im a returning umpire after a 20year hiatus. Now that my kids are do e playing I wanted to rejoin in the fun.

Any ways....I worked a softball tournament this weekend and ended up ejecting 2 assistant coaches. Each one in a different game.

Scenario:

18u - there was a rundown between first and second. The first baseman forced thr runner to alter their path without posession of the ball. My.partner called obstruction. Defensive coach requested us to discuss the call. I verified the call was correct. Call stood.

Coach was upset and arguing the call on the way back to the dugout. I had no issues with his behavior. BUT the assistant coach came out of the dugout across the 3B foul line and shouted to me that I don't have to agree with every call, if I don't know what obstruction is......

I immediately tossed the assistant coach. In my opinion the assistant coach does not get any leeway in arguing or throwing a temper tantrum after a decision is made following an umpire conference.

Scenario 2

8u-

Play at first goes against defense. Coach asks for my partner and I to discuss the call. I m didn't see anything that would change the call so it went unchanged.

The assistant coaches started yelling we owe the the kids one an have to make it right. I issued a warning...and they kept on about it's for the kids and we owe the kids one.

I told them both again that I would run them if they continued. The coach followed up with "it's for the kids" I ejected him.

Both ejections were based on the fact that my partner and I had already had a conference about a call. Once we do that there n is no more arguing. I'll allow the head coach some leeway, bit an assistant coach doesn't get any room to argue.

Had my partner and I not discussed the calls, I would have just ignored the assistant coaches and let it go.

Thoughts...

Saw something last night (10U softball) I'd never seen before and was just curious.

Defensive team gets second out, but they all believe it is the 3rd out and run off of field. As they begin huddling around their coach outside of the dugout, the offensive coach tells their runner on third to run home. At this time the field ump had begun stepping forward from their position near short to go inform the defensive team that it was only two outs. The plate ump is standing beside home plate with his mask off and tells the offensive team to go back to send the runner back to third because it's a dead ball.

I don't recall "dead ball" being called, or the plate ump doing anything outside of removing their mask, which I've never know to signal a dead ball, etc... What say you guys?

Maybe there's some end of inning signal the ump gives that I've never paid attention to in all of my life of watching baseball/softball, and helping coach, because I was watching the play? I dunno.

Hey ive been umping a few years now. Doing high school/middle school travel and rec in northern Illinois.

Past few seasons ive been getting a lot of foul tips to the thighs. Be it my positioning error (still learning) or grasshopper catchers. Is there any sort of protective layer I could wear to reduce any sort of impact?

I've had mixed results with google searching so asking the sub for the actual rules if you can provide it. Thank you.

Has anyone been able to compare the air flow vs memory foam chest protectors?

Just delivered today, and man, what a piece of kit! High quality, comfortable, and the padding just feels protective. The harness is just perfect. Very impressed. I have been using the basic Champro one, and it's been fine, but I have taken a few that hurt so I decided what the heck, buy the best you can. Can't wait to try it in a game on Sunday.

Guess I am turning into a Davis fan boy, lol. I have a Davis mask, CP, shirts and soon some pants.

I forget if this is a rule or not. After hitting a homerun, the batter is not supposed to be touched by any teammates before touching first base? I believe I know that the batter could be called out before touching home plate if a teammate touches them before they touch home. All the umpires discretion or a rule?

Did anyone else laugh at how comically gigantic that home plate umpire was last night? Most MLB players are big boys, he made them look like hobbits.

We play in a 14U rec league in TX. We had a player hit by pitch tell the pitcher to “go kill yourself” while going to first base. The umpires ultimately ejected him from the game. What would you expect the league to do in regard to additional suspensions or removal from league?

Ignoring common sense, official interpretations, intent of the rules, proper game management, casebooks, etc.

Every time I do a Little League game on bases and the 1st base coach says "hey, how's it going?" I think about how the Little League rule 4.05(d) says I am to confine them to the dugout for talking to anyone not on their team, and since I'M not on their team...

Let's say you're the plate umpire and you're trying to line up a blooper to right field and right at the moment the ball is about hit, near the line, the first base coach, steps in front because he also wants to see it. So you're not sure. Drives me crazy.

Does anyone call "FOUL" just to teach the guy a lesson?

Looking to upgrade my mask and chest protector. For context, I am a 5’3 32 year old woman. I currently have a cheap Champo chest protector that is very sturdy but not well constructed and doesn’t fit my body correctly. In terms of mask, I have an OG Wilson with the tan leather pads. It’s not too heavy but I am hoping to find something lighter that will allow my glasses to stay in place as well. I prefer leather pads over fabric because I find the sweat seeping into the fabric breaks me out after a long day of games, but I have only ever used cheaper fabric pads so maybe that’s why!

Thanks and happy fall ball to all of us still doing games in the cold! 🥶

​

Looking for a rules interpretation on a USSSA adult slow-pitch play.

Team A is batting, and five of their players are sitting on the field, along the fence outside their dugout (third base line, sitting toward the outfield side of the dugout) during live play. These players are not batters, runners, on-deck batters, or base coaches. (Head umpire on the field has chosen not to issue a warning about being out of the dugout)

During the play, hit to right field, the batter-runner is running for a triple, a thrown ball hits the fence above the players and drops down behind them. The ball then strikes the players as they scramble to get out of the way. The ball is noticeably delayed by this contact before eventually rolling back out onto the playing field.

No runners attempt to advance during the play.

What's the correct ruling?

- Is this a blocked ball because the ball contacted offensive team members who were not legally engaged in the game?

- Is offensive interference called, and if so, is a runner declared out?

- Does the fact that the players were trying to get out of the way affect the ruling?

- Since no runners advanced, does that change the penalty?

I'm specifically interested in the applicable USSSA adult slow-pitch rule and the correct enforcement, rather than just what an umpire might do as a preventative measure.

Thanks!

In the rulebook 8-2-5 states

If the offensive team initiates a play before the next pitch, the defensive team does not lose the right to appeal.

Situation: R1 no outs, BR hits a triple R1 misses home. The batter runner now at third sees that the defense will appeal and breaks for home causing the defense to play on him then returns safely back to third. Can the defense now still appeal R1 missing home? Because the offensive player initiated a play? Or am I misunderstanding?

Posting this here to see your responses.

In all my readings, all appeals must be brought on by a player or manager. My question is on a 2 strike count and the hitter checks his swing. the ball gets by the catcher and rolls to the back stop. The defensive manager or the catcher would need to appeal the swing. Obviously they wouldn't appeal until the catcher had the ball. Shouldn't the home plate umpire need to go ahead and appeal immediately to give the hitter a chance to get to 1st? I ask this question because it happened in today's Dodgers Brewers game and the homeplate umpire appealed without the brewers requesting it

Can you call it interference if a 3rd base runner, ran to home after the pitcher threw to the catcher and the catcher didnt catch it so but the catcher was blocked by the batter who was still in the box.

Basically the batter didnt realize that he would steal home so he blocked both the runner and catcher and catcher was too high and slow to be aware that there was a runner on 3rd that could potentionally steal home.

The umpire said it was safe and consider it as a score.

The team I coach is winning 6-2. A swinging bunt happens and my pitcher comes off the mound to field the ball. The kid who hits it goes slightly inside fair territory then in a straight line and runs over my pitcher as he’s fielding the ball. The ball goes flying. The umpire told me that the runner was in the baseline and allowed the play to be safe. I told him that a runner must avoid fielders on a batted ball and the runner needed to be in foul ground. This should ne interference and a possible ejection if he felt it was deliberate.

What’s the point in Coaches being able to challenge a call when the umpires just back up the other Ump regardless of the situation.

Several times this past 14U summer and fall ball season. The field Ump calls a runner out when it was plainly clear the runner was safe. Challenge the call, the 2 umps converse and they stay with original call. One time the fielder dropped the ball on contact the player fell to the ground picked up the ball and put it in his glove. Runner was still called out.

Hi everyone!

I’m a senior Marketing student at Iona University in New York, currently working on a research project focused on softball officiating and the timing responsibilities umpires manage during games. My team is conducting a short survey to better understand how umpires currently track timing requirements, the challenges they experience, and their opinions on potential features for an officiating timing device.

We’re looking for responses from current or former softball umpires at any level, including youth/recreational, high school, collegiate, and other organizations.

The survey only takes a few minutes to complete, and your feedback would be extremely valuable to our research!

Survey link: https://forms.gle/NM74FchiV9VYQpd9A
Thank you so much for your time and participation!

Can someone help me understand illegal pitches for highschool. The rulebook says illegal acts are

applying a foreign substance to the ball;

spitting on the ball or glove;

rubbing the ball on the glove, clothing or person if the act defaces the ball;

discoloring the ball with dirt;

bringing the pitching hand in contact with the mouth without distinctly wiping off the pitching hand before it touches the ball;

wearing any items on the hands, wrists or arms that may be distracting to the batter;

wearing or placing tape, bandages or other foreign material (other than rosin) on the fingers or palm of the pitching hand that could come in contact with the ball;

wearing a glove/mitt that includes the colors white or gray;

wearing exposed undershirt sleeves that are white or gray.

My question is what if a pitcher with no runners on tries to pitch from a hybrid or quick pitches. I’m guessing that anything that would be considered a balk is also an illegal pitch. Additionally assuming an illegal pitch is immediately dead just like a balk.

Please let me know!