Umpires In Masa

[jlt5580]

How does everyone feel about the umpires in our league?

None of them seems to have the same set of rules from game to game.
Only a few of them actually get out from behind the plate during the game.
It gets frustrating when each one calls balls and strikes different. I feel MASA needs to enforce the rules and get all the umpires to enforce the rules that they have!

[EAsports]

We had a game cancelled the other night due to weather. Our ump stayed through our team trying to field a ninth player, heavy rain and lightning to try to get the game in. Our ump that night did his job, above and beyond. I think his name was Pete Miller.

I know that some players give these guys bad raps, but my overall opinion is that they due a good job. It is hard to be consistent, especially when we give them such a hard to for a blown call every now and then.

I have played in Meriden and Wallingford leagues. WLFD uses 2 umps and those games can be just as bad with calls. So when that one ump has to make a tough call and be quick about it in Meriden, 95% of the time they are right! That other 5%, lets give em a break.

Unless of course they're punchin me out on a high pitch for stike 3!

[Feinmess]

I've been playing softball in central Ct in many leagues over the past 10 years and let me say Meriden has the best umps. Better than the two man crews in Wallingford, better than North Haven, and better than the umps at the Complex in North Branford. Agree, many of the umps don't get off their rear ends to make calls on the bases like they should, but most of the time, they do make the correct calls. I'd agree and say that 95% is a good number. Umps have bad games too, these guys aren't professionals. I've seen some Meriden umps make some lousy calls, but they get it right most of the time.

[jlt5580]

I have been playing in this league going on my 12th year now and I have noticed that the umpire seem to be inconsistent in things like pitch height. One umpire told me the limit is 3-12 and another one told me its 6-12 but let both pitchers throw up to at least 15 - 18 feet high. He didn't call an illegal pitch the entire game. Any umpire can make calls at first base but its the rules that need to enforced is what angers me. We had a situation last game with an infield fly. Every umpire for us has called the infield fly this year when the situation calls for it but this ump did not. His reason to me for not calling it was because he thinks its a stupid rile and so he does not call it. Why should one umpire have a different set of rules than another? We thankfully won that game but because of the inconsistency we lost a chance to score with the bases loaded. Instead of only getting 1 out they very nearly turned a triple play because the umpire does not believe in that call? This doesn't make sense to me! They all need to get on the same page and be more consistent. Our pitcher was also warned that he needed to start his motion while on the pitching rubber. The next game the ump said that he just needs to be in contact with the rubber when he releases the ball. It is these small things that seem to be easy to enforce just seem to be difficult. We are all sent rules each year but sometimes it makes me wonder if they send the rules to the umpires as well.

[EAsports]

I was at a local MASA playoff game the other night and saw 2 umpires do an outstanding job of not only calling the game but also not being swayed or intimidated by a player who also happens to be on the MASA board.

Kudos to that ump for doing everything possible to have a fair game and not be influenced by a player/board member trying to throw his power around and affect an entire season based on unfounded garbage during the middle of a playoff game.

The night before the same 2 umpires put a halt to a cheap and unallowed player substitution that the same player tried to pull off.

100% on top of the rules and great job to those 2 umpires!

Local softball does not need to be turned into a federal investigation. These 2 umps let two great teams battle it out for a couple a games. There is a game 3 this week, won't be there to see it. Hopefully the umps keep that in order like they did for those first 2 and we can see who the better of the 2 teams are!

Good luck to EVERYONE on the field!

[hockeygoddess53]

you guys should come watch a ladies game! Then you'll know what a truely BAD ump is! The ump we had all season spent most of the game looking up at the highway!!!! He NEVER EVER came out from behind the plate and said at LEAST three times a game " I don't know, I didn't see what happened" He's about 90 yrs old. Nice guy, but he NEEDS to retire!!!! Girls threw illegal pitches all season and he would call them strikes then the legal pitches he would call balls...I mean it was seriously the worst umping I've EVER seen. It's unfair that we can only get one ump to ump our games because none of the other umps in the league with sign up to ump a women's game. I mean I know some of you may think our games our boring, but we deserve a good ump just like anyone else! each ump should be required to ump at least 2 womens' games a season. That would make it fair for us and we might actually get an ump that can see!! The other umps get all into the guys games, and sure there are some poor calls, but there are going to be a few in any game. At least they have enthusiasm!

[mboard]

The MASA board will take the hit for only a few umpires doing womens games. The umpires do not get to pick their games - they are assigned the games by MASA. The board does realize the inequity of the situation and it will be remedied next year. The women are entitled to the same level of umpiring as the men.

[bnm]

I have been playing in MASA for 15+ years. In that time I have seen umps do a good job as well as bad. However I think in every case the umps are truly doing the best job they can. I have always looked at it as "bad calls" are part of the game therefore you need to adjust. If the ump is calling everything a strik, don't complain swing. Please recognize they are human and have off days. Also please recognize that because of this scrutiny the league has been unable to keep some talented umps or young umps with potential.