48 replies to this topic

[soapbox]

Local coach throws together a 3 team round robin in preparation of LL Tournament. 12 y/o kids. I'm doing my second game and the host team is done. This is the two visiting teams playing. One of the teams played in my first game and the other team came for the 2nd. The team playing its 2nd game, well coached, and great group across the board. The new team comes in and acting too nice. Almost makes me weary like they are setting the stage. I'm working solo. This is just scrimmages to get work in. No fees for the round robin. Host provided balls and free food. Just pay the umpire.

First inning, AC for visiting team lets me know after a line out double play that R1 left early. I say coach, unless very obvious, I'm alone and watching ball out of F1 hand to F2 mitt. He let's me know thats what peripheral vision is for. Sure coach, I'll do my best. All game for 4 innings constantly asking F1 and F2 if balls are strikes. Being a friendly, I had already informed F2 that setting up well off the plate would be called a ball if the pitch hits the mitt. Coach continues to question, sometimes F2 says they're balls, other times strikes. Between innings, I let the coach know why they were called balls and he let me know that his players are doing exactly as asked and he has no issues. Sarcastic and lying, but took him at his word. Next time they are on the field, same deal, hearing it constantly until he tells F1 loudly right down the middle, it's the only way you'll get a strike. Told him that's enough coach, we'll have no further conversations about the zone. He said he can talk to his players if he wants. Coach "That's Enough", please let's not go any further. No sooner do I get into slot does he shout same to F1. That's it coach your done for the day. Got the "You are the worst ever". Fine whatever didn't say, but thought it). He disappears. Next pitch, I hear him. Hiding by dugout in chair. Stop the game and tell him we'll resume when he's no closer than the parking lot. His head coach now wants explanation. Gave him text book response, but couldn't grasp. Coach, I've heard it all game. I've ignored, acknowledged, warned, and ejected. He told me he can say what he wants to F1. True, but don't show me up. Between innings, coach wants to discuss again. No coach, I'm done explaining, but very quickly gave him the quick why and now we won't mention again or we could be down 2 coaches.

Game ends. Want to leave quickly, but not without being called a sh*t by one dad, you s**k, by dad 2, and go back to umpire school by dad 3 from about 10 feet away at top of lungs in front of boys. Did I mention ejected coach when in my face had odor of his favorite beverage of choice. I hope it's my last eject for a very long time if ever.

[ump_24]

1) Exhibition, scrimmage, hell - even an all star game - you owe nobody the right to play because of the relaxed environment. If they need to be dumped, dump them

2) Let me get this straight - when he first starts to argue with you, he chooses to bitch you out over a play where the runner he wants called out just got doubled off anyway? What a moron.

3) You can't let the dugout ask about a ball on every pitch. Otherwise, you may as well just wear a shirt that says "I'm a pushover" (no offense). There are several methods to shutting this down - how is your own choice, but be sure to not come off as too aggressive here - they will guaranteed to retort something about talking to their player and not you blah blah blah, and if you go at them too hard too fast, you'll probably have to run somebody. Likewise, you can never ever let a catcher throw you under the bus by telling the whole park he thinks you missed one. Older catchers will know better than to do that. Tell the kids, if you do that again, I will be very unhappy.

4) This clown has not earned the right to talk to you between innings about your strike zone. If you have a guy on the dugout being an angel and he has a question about a pitch the previous inning and he makes a discreet inquiry, that's an acceptable time to say something a little bit more detailed. This guy is being a tool so you should've brushed him off and walked away.

5) Missed an ejection when he first yelled at the pitcher to throw it "right down the middle, it's the only way you'll get a strike." If this comment was made on its own without the crying you've had to hear about for 4 innings, dumping him right away is too quick. But because he has already been trying to make you look bad and whining from the first inning, not to mention on the field between innings to argue, you are justified to go get him right away. He's obviously looking to go (see following events). You missed it again after you're "that's enough" when he retorted about being able to talk to his players if he wants to. That translates to "I don't care what you just told me, I'm going to keep doing it anyway." But you got him right after that so at the end of the day, what needed to happen happened.

6) Once you've dumped him and you realize he's still there, you did the right thing by waiting for him to take off, but don't speak to him. It makes you look confrontational, aggressive, and - if you're younger - like you're on a power trip. Go wait on the opposite foul line and do something passive, like some line-up card paperwork or grabbing a fresh piece of gum. Sooner or later, he will either clue in and leave, or someone will come off the bench asking what you're waiting for. But if this is yelled off the bench across the field, don't respond to it. Check out the DJ Reyburn ejection of Hillman / Mattingly. Basically, that's what I'm talking about.

7) One explanation to the manager for the ejection must suffice. It sounds like you hit on all the key aspects. I would have made sure to have sounded annoyed and reminded him you were doing the game alone but got rode like a mule nevertheless, and that you had to put up with 4 innings of his crap and it got to a point where he was out of lives. When he comes out a second time, you should have just told him, you don't have to agree with the ejection, but I have already justified it to you once and you're not about to do it again. And walk away. The only reason he came back out was to try to continue the argument. Anyone with any level of baseball IQ will know that this was an obvious ejection that needed to happen. Shame on the manager for defending his absolute rat of an assistant.

8) Don't worry about fans. Generally, they're clueless.

9) Make sure you're doing your part to make sure that what F2 said about missing some strikes isn't true.

[soapbox]

Been doing this gig for quite a few years. Love it. I've had a MC where a kid had to go and another young man that has some growing up to do. They were prior ejects over the years. This was the first one that annoyed me. The others were heat of the moment by kids who knew they were wrong and will grow from there. This was a bad group teaching 12 year olds the wrong way to act. And yes, my second visit from HC was not a lovely conversation. He wanted to to get me going and was informed if this went any further the only thing that will be going is him. I'm my own worst critic so no problem with the game or zone. Coach told kids only belt and below. Well my rule book says differently. And when some kids are as tall as me and hit spots, they better be hitting plate. These are all-stars looking to compete in there state LL. From 46' we don't have to give 2 balls off the plate so batter must flail at the ball. I've done hundreds of these and must say, don't ever hear much about zone. A missed pitch now and then, sure.

[umpcoachfather]

The guy left early? You saw that too? Awesome coach you appealed too late, go away.
Peripheral vision, I would have ran him, but the appeal part would have shut him up. Your just delaying the obvious and much needed. And if you smelled alcohol, tell him to leave or the cops will have him leave.

[grayhawk]

The guy left early? You saw that too? Awesome coach you appealed too late, go away.
Peripheral vision, I would have ran him, but the appeal part would have shut him up. Your just delaying the obvious and much needed. And if you smelled alcohol, tell him to leave or the cops will have him leave.

Sounds like he was talking about the LL rule 7.13. This is not an appeal play, but one that is called by the umpire as he sees it.

[umpcoachfather]

Missed the LL part. My answer or retort would have been; sorry coach, pay 2 umps, go away, be gone, scat, leave.

[Jocko]

Missed the LL part. My answer or retort would have been; sorry coach, pay 2 umps, go away, be gone, scat, leave.

Scram, Skeedaddle, Vamanos, Sayonara, Adios, Shoo. All appropriate.

[JaxRolo]

Missed the LL part. My answer or retort would have been; sorry coach, pay 2 umps, go away, be gone, scat, leave.

Scram, Skeedaddle, Vamanos, Sayonara, Adios, Shoo. All appropriate.

Its Vamonos!

[umpcoachfather]

miedra

[Tyennie]

"So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye"

[Jocko]

Missed the LL part. My answer or retort would have been; sorry coach, pay 2 umps, go away, be gone, scat, leave.

Scram, Skeedaddle, Vamanos, Sayonara, Adios, Shoo. All appropriate.

Its Vamonos!

ahhh..... Con su premiso, amigo. Mi espanol no bueno. Engles, tam bien. Espanol, meh

[Jocko]

Via con Dios. No mas beisbol.

[umpcoachfather]

^{you lose good day sir.!!!}

[Tyennie]

I am sure someone has consider this and posted about possible music "hooks" we should have recorded and use when a participant disqualifies himself from the game. Here are a couple already mentioned: "Vaya Con dios" "So long, Farewell" or perhaps "Hit the road jack" others?
(disclaimer - I mean this all in jest, certainly it would not be 'appropriate' or 'professional' of anyone to actually do this on the field.)

[Jocko]

Na na na na hey hey hey goodbye

[Jocko]

There was a rap song the hook was "get the f**k out my house"

[Jocko]

Happy trails - Van Halen

[Jocko]

What kinda gone are we talkin about here (don't know the name of the son or artist) - Country

[Tyennie]

Good job! Trout78. How about the old tune - "Get the Funk outta my face" (don't remember artist),

[soapbox]

I'd settle for Comfortably Numb. Can't they all just behave like the Stepford Wives?