Umpire complaint

[crl]

Okay. I know being the ump is really hard and you can never please anyone. And I know they are volunteering when they ump my kid's game. (Dh is taking some of our team's umping obligation on.). And I would never in a million years criticize the ump at the game or to my kid even after the game.

But. Ds is pitching. He doesn't like pitching. He's an anxious kid and he doesn't like the pressure. He's been our team's lead off pitcher so far this season, though our coach is hoping to get some of the other kids up to speed to be able to pitch, partly because he knows my ds doesn't like to pitch and he wants to give my ds a break. Last game ds pitched what I thought was a really horrible first inning. (I'm watching from the outfield with my three year old, into the sun, so I'm not really focusing or at a good angle.) Five walks.

Turns out, according to dh, who had a good angle from the dug out and who has gone through ump training and who is the first to admit when ds blows it, the ump was calling horribly. Dh counted at least nine strikes that got called as balls. Partly because ds throws HARD for a nine year old and the batters were jumping out of the box. But they were strikes. The catcher's glove wasn't moving. The batters were just scared. This is just so unfair to ds who is already stressed out about pitching to have the added stress of not even really knowing what's going on. He's throwing strikes and the ump is calling balls.

Okay. I'll stop complaining now.

Catherine

[crl]

And he's got another game today and spent all morning worrying about whether he is going to pitch. Sigh. He had been less stressed about it after the first couple of games, but I think that ump really rattled him and he's super nervous again. I almost hope he does pitch today just to get it over with rather than having more time to get worked up over it.

I know this is incredibly minor and resilience is one of the things I hope baseball will help ds with. It's just hard to watch an incompetent ump make it even harder on him.

Catherine

[bisous]

I'm sorry. That must be stressful for a little guy. Heck, it would be stressful for me! And I'd be upset if it were unwarranted as it seems in this case! Hope you have a better ump!

[ladysoapmaker]

Poor kid. I hope the game today has a better ump.

Jen

[crl]

Sounds like today went better. I stayed home because it was dd's nap time. Ds did pitch. His team lost. But he doesn't seem so worked up about the pitching so it must have gone okay. I'll ask dh latter when ds can't hear because I'm trying not to make a big deal out of it either way in front of ds.

Thanks for the sympathy. I know it's a small problem. But it's just hard to watch ds be so nervous. Thank God he loves baseball so much he still wants to play. And thank God he's got good coaches who help him cope.

Catherine

[liz]

Poor guy, that does sound stressful. Glad to hear today's game went well.

[crl]

Ugh so the ump today actually was looking away when ds pitched and called it a ball even though he didn't see the pitch at all. The batter was already walking back to the dug out as he was sure it was the third strike. According to dh, ds was sooo discouraged. This is frustrating.

Catherine

ETA. Obviously I just need to get over this. I can't change it. Sigh. Thanks for the sympathy.

[Green22]

Sports can be so tough!

Had to post to help you feel better- because when I was a kid there was a similar issue- dads/others volunteering to umpire because no one else was there. Well my dad had to ump one game and called me out on no-swing strikes more than once. We still bring it up and while it was stressful then, it is a good story now. Hope this happens for DS - stories about terrible umps keeping him down because of his super hard throwing power. :)

[Gracemom]

It's so tough mentally to be the pitcher. I pitched softball for a while and there was a lot of pressure. When I first started, I had an awful game, throwing mostly balls. The ump could see I was getting super stressed out. We didn't really have a backup pitcher. The ump came up to me and talked me through it. I still remember him fondly - his name was Dick Rock. :D Coaches and umps have such a huge opportunity to help kids work through tough times and develop coping skills and self esteem. I'm sorry your son is having to deal with a less than helpful one. It seems like the refs at my kids' soccer games are mostly teenagers. It's hard to find a good one.