First let me say this was two very evenly matched Teams and the game itself was great. However, the Home Plate Umpire decided this game with some atrocious umpiring throughout the game. A friend of ours from Chapin - has a Granddaughter playing for them - came up after the game and actually apologized to me for the Umpires effort behind the plate. He told me that he felt sorry for Ashton Martin - the Pitcher for Daniel - having to pitch with a Umpire behind the plate who evidently has an unknown agenda. He was sitting directly behind home plate and said he counted 36 pitches for strikes called balls thrown by Martin over a three inning span that resulted in 8 walks and 5 runs and helped Chapin get back in this game from a 4 to 0 deficit. Now keep in mind this is a 65 year old Chapin Fan with a Granddaughter on the Chapin Team who happened to Umpire for over 30 years himself. Martin - who plays for the Carolina Elite - rarely has issues with walks and this was no more than the Home Team getting the calls from the local Ump. There also was certainly too much in between inning joking and carrying on between this Umpire and the HC for Chapin which certainly made it look like the buddy system was in full play. Wished the SC HS League would take Softball serious and get what all Teams deserve and that be qualified impartial Umpires to call Playoff Games. I am not sure why Umpires don't have to earn the right to do playoff games but the Gentleman behind the plate had two varying strike zones for the Home and Visiting Team. In the end he evidently got the result he catered the game to which was a Chapin 1 run win. Let me make a suggestion. Impartial Umpires need to be brought in from other Regions to call games or this type of behavior will certainly continue to decided games instead of the play on the field.
Daniel vs Chapin and the Umpiring ......
- Thread starter roosterrizk1
- Start date
First game that umpire has called in Chapin this year. And you failed to mention that he was just as tight on the other side for a pitcher that only had 10 walks on The season coming in to this game. one other fail to mention is the call at home when he counted the phantom run for Daniel and the buddy system was in full effect when the Chapin coach argued the call with the umpire for a minute or two. Quit being a part of society's problems and blaming other people for your teams defeat. Make more plays or get another hit or two and your rant would have never been posted.
The first poster made a nice, well thought out post. Surely not a societal problem, simply stating a case which he seemed to have support with the example noted.
Chapin is a great softball town. If a Chapin fan consoled the losing team with questions about the officiating, I take that as face value. The fans in Chapin are simply top shelf.
The unbalance of talking between an umpire, and the respective coaches is also an element to be noted. If this did indeed occur, that is as much a problem as any. Good umpires are usually all business. Friendly yes, but business first, and part of that business is to make sure the fan base does not get the visual impression of favoritism by having too much friendly conversation with one side over the other.
That being said, the playoff strike zone is tight, tight. Some teams adjust more quickly than others. Not being there I am unable to render a judgement.
But if the first poster is having difficulty, at least he represented it properly on this board. And because of that it stands a much better chance of being listened to.
Chapin is a great softball town. If a Chapin fan consoled the losing team with questions about the officiating, I take that as face value. The fans in Chapin are simply top shelf.
The unbalance of talking between an umpire, and the respective coaches is also an element to be noted. If this did indeed occur, that is as much a problem as any. Good umpires are usually all business. Friendly yes, but business first, and part of that business is to make sure the fan base does not get the visual impression of favoritism by having too much friendly conversation with one side over the other.
That being said, the playoff strike zone is tight, tight. Some teams adjust more quickly than others. Not being there I am unable to render a judgement.
But if the first poster is having difficulty, at least he represented it properly on this board. And because of that it stands a much better chance of being listened to.
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The societal comment was a general statement that we are quick to blame others for things that go wrong on a personal level. That being said, the umpire was consistent with his strike zone and showed no favoritism to either team. The buddy comment wasn't well thought out. The guy actually did a great job because Daniel's catcher set up on the chalk of the left hand box and the pitcher nailed the spot. To the fans eye, it looks like a perfect pitch...only problem, the ball didn't even sniff a part of the 17 inches of that plate. The Chapin batters did an excellent job of not going fishing for it and the Daniel pitcher failed to make an adjustment. In the end, three Daniel errors were the real undoing. Not any call or buddy system from the umpire.
Jolls I understand you have to plea your side due to your the head coach for Chapin . but all I will say is that I'm the dad of Ashton Martin an I have respect for the fans of chapin ,we stayed about 15 min after the game , on our way out 2 of your fan apologized for your umpires, one of those waiting in the parking lot on her and had been sitting right behind the plate . Let me add that my daughter nor I had ever seen this man. but had to be the one rooster was talking about due to the story he told us was the same
Point well taken.
The tight playoff strike is something that must be gotten used to. Probably had more to do with the outcome. Especially if one team has a younger pitcher who is pitching to a zone she has not seen before.
Experience in the high school circle during the super high intensity of the playoffs with a tight strike zone must be learned. And is the very reason the upper class pitchers hold a definite edge during crunch time.
The tight playoff strike is something that must be gotten used to. Probably had more to do with the outcome. Especially if one team has a younger pitcher who is pitching to a zone she has not seen before.
Experience in the high school circle during the super high intensity of the playoffs with a tight strike zone must be learned. And is the very reason the upper class pitchers hold a definite edge during crunch time.
Jolls I understand you defending the Team you Coach and I do not want to come across with a problem with your Team at all. However, fans that attended this game including several of your own saw what we saw as well. As far as the Ump being competent is another story in itself. First the Umpire was in poor position to call anything on the outside corner of the plate as he always lined up on 3rd base inside so would have no clue if the ball ever hit the corner of the plate which it did a multitude of times. The fact is the Chapin Pitcher was given the low inside and outside pitch for the entire game which she did a great job of pitching too. That was smart on her part. The fact is that the Daniel Pitcher could not buy a strike in the strike zone during a critical part of the game. You say it was fair I say no way. We will agree to disagree.
Just trying to make a point. No one knew that guy so that strike zone was no favoritism to Chapin at all. Both kids threw fantastic games. Both sides could have made more plays or gotten another base hit or two. The umpire can never be the deciding factor in a game if a team executes properly. Lack of execution and people are quick to point fingers. My philosophy to our kids is to take the umpire out of the equation and learn their zone early. Some call them outside, some don't, some like them high, some like them low. Adjustments are essential if you want to compete at a high level. It makes no difference if fans apologize for an umpire. That doesn't make anyone right. They are fans. They payed to watch the game, not call it. That still goes back to making excuses. Everyone learns from it and we all have to move on.
The tight strike zone was not the problem. The consistency between opponents strike zones was the issue. Huge difference in what you are referring to.
I understand whole heartedly. Well anyway, I told coach Swords that we hope to see yall back Friday. You have a heck of a team. Good luck Monday.
Daniel is not out of it ??? They still can battle back ???
If so, and I hope they can and do, all this dialog which is monitored at the top, should insure that the concerns noted may be slightly different the next go around.
At least Daniel, which came in as a lower seed, showed they belong. And given another shot, with the lessons learned, can get after them.
Chapin is a very, very good team.
If so, and I hope they can and do, all this dialog which is monitored at the top, should insure that the concerns noted may be slightly different the next go around.
At least Daniel, which came in as a lower seed, showed they belong. And given another shot, with the lessons learned, can get after them.
Chapin is a very, very good team.
The SCHSL should care more about the quality of officials. In the playoffs the officials should be screened and only the best used, Maybe even use the lower state officials in the upper state and vice versa to discourage familiarity, But anybody who thinks that the officials cannot change the out come of a game is just fooling themselves. There are so many calls that cannot be protested that can change a game including balls and strikes. Umpires are supposed to enforce the rules of the game, not change them to suit themselves. Umpires are not supposed to have any conversation with coaches in between innings, they are supposed to be on the line waiting for the teams to change out. But if they were held accountable for bad games throughout the year, maybe this stuff would not be debated upon on this site.
Someone taking exception to Coach Jolley talking and joking with an official has no idea who Coach Jolley is. If he weren't laughing and joking with pretty much everyone, it would be like Christmas without Santa...
His softball knowledge and his unwaving, affable attitude is what makes him so endearing to Chapin fans and fans across the Midlands.
Now the strike zone question is an issue you are all free to debate and argue about. The "buddy system" is a strike out, when using that agianst Jason Jolley.
His softball knowledge and his unwaving, affable attitude is what makes him so endearing to Chapin fans and fans across the Midlands.
Now the strike zone question is an issue you are all free to debate and argue about. The "buddy system" is a strike out, when using that agianst Jason Jolley.
Hey Ya'll... the game is over and I want to thank all the folks who take their time to coach, umpire or teach these ladies.
Look forward to some more good softball.
Good luck to ALL the teams (upper and lower).
Look forward to some more good softball.
Good luck to ALL the teams (upper and lower).
I don't have a dog in the fight, but, don't think coaches don't take what umpires will give them. If the ump wants to treat him like his best buddy between innings, my guess is your coach is smart enough to use it to his advantage - there's nothing wrong with this, he's playing the "game" within the game. Most, if not all, of the best coaches use their skills to work the umpires for the next call. Again, I'm not being critical of the Chapin coach whatsoever. The umpire on the other hand should do as Anobody says above. Just do your job. You're not there to make friends or shoot the breeze with the coaches and fans. You're there to umpire the game.