Baseball's Masked Men ShowTheir Inner Hams on Strike Three and a fun graphic!
Funny video referenced in the article.
Please respond to the following question in the comment section of this post:
1. What different roles do umpires play in a game?
2. If you were a home plate ump, what style strike-three call would you go with and why? Get creative. Heck, shoot a video of yourself, link it to this post, and we'll watch it in class. You could do an interpretive dance. Shadow puppets. I'm game for all types of creativity.
Response due by Monday January 21 at midnight (because of the holiday weekend). But for Pete's sake DO NOT stay up that late.
1. Officiating is divided among several umpires, making up the umpiring crew. There is a home plate umpire, or umpire in chief, in charge of the entire game, calling balls and strikes, calls fair or foul short of third base, and who makes most calls concerning the batter or baserunners to home plate. Other umpires are called base umpires, making calls on runners near the bases or on nearby plays. In major league baseball where four umpires are used, each is named for the base he is officiating near (first base umpire etc.) Most umpiring crews rotate through the positions so each will be responsible for each role throughout the season.
ReplyDelete2. If I was the home plate ump I would make a strike three call that would make the batter know how badly he has messed up. He has let down his city, his fans, his friends, and his family, and he deserves to know it.
1. By making tough decisions in a split-second, umpires keep the game going. These decisions are often controversial, but the definitive nature allows both sides to move on and continue playing. There are four umpires working any one game, one generally at each base. The home plate umpire is the head, and calls balls and strikes. The other three umpires make calls regarding whether a runner was safe or out, a ball was fair or foul, and more. Overall though, the umpires are what make the game official by providing a neutral perspective that balances both sides.
ReplyDelete2. I would start doing the robot for an inappropriate amount of time and conclude with the strike three call right in the batters face. As the batter walks to the dugout, I would continue to do the robot in his general direction.
1. To me Umpires represent the honor and tradition of baseball. While a a lot of other sports are now turning to technology to validify the plays and actions of the player, baseball is one of the few remaining sports that still relies on the sole decisions of the umpiring staff. These officials have their eyes only to make the call and due to the speed of the game, could miss something quite easily. Umpires play the role of the rule makers and often times, game deciders when it comes to close calls/games.
ReplyDelete2. When I was little there used to be this umpire in my softball league who would barely whisper strike one and two and you always used to have to ask him what the call was but then on strike three he would go all out and get on his knees and call out strike three so loud people from the next field over would hear him. I would hate having him as a ump because it was always so shameful to get strike three but now I realize it taught me to actually be afraid of getting that third strike.
1. The primary role of any umpire is making the calls of the game while remaining unbiased. As we read in Ritter’s The Glory of Their Times, for an umpire to be successful and not completely hated at the end of the game, he must not talk with the players on either team. This is also demonstrated in the posted article: “as a player you’re emotionally invested in the game, but as an umpire you shouldn’t be.”
ReplyDeleteAnother role of an umpire is staying confident with his calls, no matter the response of the crowd. Our readings have shown the level of intensity and influence of the crowd on the game; therefore, it is the job of the umpire to make decisions based on what he sees and not what the crowd or player sees.
The umpires in a game play multiple roles (more than explained above) and have arguably the toughest job as all their actions are either celebrated or scrutinized.
2. For my strike call I would coordinate with the stadium’s soundman/woman to play the chorus of this song while I interpretive dance (most likely, dougie): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4uRZ1UYKio
1. The role umpires play in a game is making sure the game flows smoothly and the right calls are made regarding outs, and balls and strikes. Umpires are the only unemotionally charged entity in the game. Each player has a stake in the game, whereas the umpires do not. The best umpires are the ones that remain anonymous, but if an umpire makes a wrong call, they can be scrutinized. For example, during Armando Galarraga's so-called Perfect Game, the umpire, Jim Joyce, made the wrong call with 2 outs in the 9th, and the Perfect Game was no more. As a result, Joyce was heavily criticized because his missed call changed Galarraga's life.
ReplyDelete2. I would replicate my strike-three call after Brandon Spikes' weird fumble celebration shown here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXZT7M2xz20
1. For non-baseball fans watching a baseball game, the style of the call an umpire has may even be more exciting to notice than the actual game!
ReplyDeleteAnd the umpire better make that call right away or the fans and the players will get on his case. The umpire’s certainty adds to the continuous flow that baseball provides.
Further, baseball is not just about the players. The umpire shows no bias or emotion, but has the capability to change a game with an incorrect call, because what the umpire says, goes. This contrasts the fans, who display tons of support to help their players emotionally but cannot actually be part of the game in the concrete sense.
2. I would call a simple “You’re out!” and if the player tries to argue with me, I will take my shirt off and, almost for a family guy flashback inappropriate amount of time, perform Mario Balotelli’s soccer celebration: http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01538/Mario_1538178a.jpg
1) The umpire plays a significant role in the game because if they don't make the correct call it could change the end result of the game. Even if an umpire makes a good call but the fans don't agree with the call they are booed. The best kind of umpires are the ones that are almost invisible because they allow the game to be played fairly and make sure they aren't stepping in at the wrong time. The problem is when a home plate umpire has to call over 100 pitches a game they begin to become tired because of the amount of concentration and this can allow for mistakes. Umpires are the sound of reason in the game but can also cost a team a victory. Their role gives them a lot of power that they have to use with care.
ReplyDelete2) I would perform a pretty simple three strike call during the first two outs, but on the third out I would over exaggerate all of my movements and scream "You're out of here!"
1. In addition to the official duties of umpires that were examined in the above posts-- I will not relate them to you for fear of redundancy and if you are so interested you may simply scroll up-- I believe umpires serve as testaments to the history and tradition of baseball. I believe it is distinctly American for baseball players to be judged and declared victorious of defeated by equal men on the same playing field. The players and their actions fall under the scrutiny of a man who may be a vastly different person, but no matter what, the players and umpires share two commonalities: love of baseball and Nationality, and that speaks to the equality on which our nation was founded. I would even venture to say umpires represent the aspects of Baseball which make it deserving of the title of "America's Pastime." In conclusion, Umpires serve as reminders as to why Baseball is truly American.
ReplyDelete2. When calling strike three, I would somehow ensure that the whole stadium is completely and utterly silent. Everybody would just stare awkwardly at the guy who just struck out--the catcher wouldn't even throw the ball back. We would all blankly stare at the batter until he realizes what he has done. And as he shamefully trudges back to the dugout, I would mutter foul things about him just audibly enough so that he could hear me.
1. The umpire plays a very large and dominant role in baseball. In addition to making split second decisions that could change the game, they also unify the crowd. If an umpire makes a very controversial call against the home team, fans will become much more involved in the game. They can get angry, happy, and confused all at the same time. The umpire controls the mood of the stadium; he controls the atmosphere of the stadium.
ReplyDelete2. If I were a home plate ump calling strike three, I would stare directly into a camera so my face was one the jumbo-tron, and then scream, "You. Are. Outta here!"
1. An umpire is the peacemaker and mighty authority. Some might even call the usually male umpire the father of the game. He'll keep things fair, always have an eye on what's going on, and make sure the kids/teams don't start fighting. He keeps things fair and although people might not always like what he has to say, he does it for a good reason.
ReplyDelete2. My three strike call would be the part of the "Gangnam Style" dance with the imaginary lasso, yelling, "OP OP OP OP OP THIRD STRIKE, YOU'RE OUT." It makes a point, while also making things festive and appreciating other cultures.
The umpire is the official of the game, wrong or right. Although they are normally very accurate, they are human and sometimes make errors that change the result of the game. Using sensors and advanced computational systems the game could become much more accurate. The umps do add excitement to the game though.
ReplyDeleteI would employ a button that when hit broadcasts (through the stadium speakers) a randomly chosen (out of a prerecorded list) audio file that clearly and loudly states that the batter is out. Then I would probably feel kinda bad for the batter (unless they deserved it).
The umpire in baseball just like any official in any sport is the easy target for both teams and fans. Everyone just waits to snap at an umpire to make a "wrong call." The only people in the whole stadium that are on their side are the other umpires. If an umpire did not have any companions to officiate the game with, then their job were be harder than it is. To be a good umpire, you have to be cold-blooded, showing no emotion that leans to either team. They have to be tough minded, and able to make a split-second decision with feeling no regret after. Umpires cannot possibly get ever call right, but that is why having human judgement makes the game so exciting. There is no exact square box that a pitcher can throw too nor an enforced tennis-like technology that determines exactly whether the ball is fair or not. This bends the rules and also allows interpretation of some degree of skill for players. Yes, they officiate the game, but they also make the game unique based upon their own judgement.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely over exaggerate my strike three call by yelling and crossing my arms in a gorilla like action to humiliate the batter and give the pitcher some confidence. (no the coaches, fans, players etc. won't know my intentions). For the home crowd, it would add more excitement for their reactions and for the away team, it would silence the crowd and create an atmosphere surreal to the away team.
1. Being an umpire is a thankless profession. If no one remembers who umpired the game, that means he's doing a fantastic job. The only time people really notice the umpires is if they screw up a call. Their job is to be invisible and have as little impact on the game as (humanly) possible. Yet rarely do umpires make every call perfectly, they're only human. The imperfect human element of baseball is what makes baseball so unique. Nothing is certain in baseball until the final out is made, and until that happens an umpire could very well win or lose the game for one team. Umpires add that extra bit of excitement since you never know how they will affect the outcome of a game.
ReplyDelete2. When I was an umpire in Little League I was always too nervous to do a creative strike-three call. But if I were to umpire Little League now, I would yell a simple "Got Heeeem!" on strike-three.
While most professional sports have implemented some form of instant replay to supplement officiating, Major League Baseball has maintained the sanctity and foundations of the childhood game by opting out of computerization and insisting on keeping the human element an integral part of baseball. Of course there is always an argument for instant replay, being able have a perfectly officiated. But while instant replay may offer a solution to the occasional blown class of umpires, it destroys a familiar aspect of the game that we can all relate to.
ReplyDeleteMany who love the sport of baseball can think back to a time when they themselves have played baseball in an open field, where the bases are merely articles of clothing and the bottom of the ninth is when the sun has set or you lose the ball. And just like any baseball game at any level, judgments calls, about fair or foul, the strike zone, and safe or out, are an important part of the game, because they lead to impassioned arguments. Without heated debates over a blown call, baseball becomes a robotic and lifeless. If instant replay were to be used on every arguable call, baseball would loose a paramount aspect of the game. There would be no wiggle room, no Yadier Molina bumping chest with the home plate ump, no Clint Hurdle screaming and spitting at Jerry Meals after a blown call in the 19th. These are a part of the game of baseball that relates back to our own experience with baseball and, in a way, connect us with even the greatest of players.
So aside from catching a batter looking or keeping the game from getting out of control, umpires play an important role in keeping major league baseball relatable to the childhood sport we know and love.
My strike three call would be plain and simple, three raised fingers with my left hand and then as I lower my left hand, I raise a fist with my right, signifying the out. Calm yet decisive.
1. Most people already defined what I think an umpire is to the game - the person who makes the calls, is uninvested emotionally, and is mostly invisible. But I also think the umpire clarifies the game for viewers who may not be familiar with baseball. They make their calls clearly, whether they are declaring a strike, an out, or a ball. They also dictate the games' pace, and often need to make split second decisions to keep the game going.
ReplyDelete2. If I were an umpire, my third strike out motion would resemble a move I imagine Jackie Chan would make. I would lean forward and stick out my left arm, palm up, and move my right arm down in a chopping motion while yelling "OUT!"
1. The umpire is there to act as a (hopefully) objective observer and mediator of a game with no other objective mediation. Without instant replays, a clearly visible and tangible batter's box, and balls that are pitched too fast to be able to accurately analyze well, there needs to be some way to call the game. The umpire, ideally not siding with either team, acts as the law in a game where it can get hard to tell what happened exactly.
ReplyDelete2. My three strike motion would be simple, but explosive punch toward the batter's dugout while taking a long lunge in the same direction.
The main criticism of baseball from other sports is often the pace: players spend too much time in the dugout, and there is a lot of dead time between pitches. The umpire's most important role is making calls quickly and consistently (more than accurately) to keep pace of play. Watching Giants games on TV, I remember some days the umpire maintained a smaller or larger strikezone, or was more lenient high than low. What mattered was consistency, so if a pitcher threw right where he intended, he could count on it being a ball or strike.
ReplyDeleteIf the batter goes down swinging, a traditional punch down and to the left followed by yanking back, like pulling the starter rope on a motor. On a called third strike, I would stand up straight with a traditional Picard Facepalm [http://bit.ly/149FIpN].