PonyUmpire

1.) Your partner is an idiot. 2.) You still shouldn't have gotten help. Don't try to rationalize it. 3.) It doesn't matter if nobody can hear it. If the coach threatens you, he's done. The second situation is tough, and I can't say I would have handled it better. Something to think about, however, is that if the pitcher really is staring the kid down, tell the AC that you will handle the situation instead. Going after a coach who is defending his player is only going to inflame the situation.

Sounds like a tough day. First things first, you shouldn't have gone for help on the play at the plate. It's your call all the way, and it creates a really bad aesthetic when you go to your partner who's across the field. When he tells you "throw me out so I don't have to cuss you out", he's threatening you. Run him immediately (he was asking to go anyway). As for the other 2 ejections, do you think you could describe the situation in more detail? What did the AC say to the pitcher? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Someone once said on these forums: "use the rules to solve problems, not create them". The rules are a toolbox, and some "tools" are only appropriate for certain levels and certain contexts. Applying the rules in a way that makes the game fair and fun is part of what makes a great umpire.

If there's a questionable check swing on a D3K, you need to come up right away and come up big. Don't wait for someone to ask. The batter immediately started running to first, so maybe he thought he went. This suggests that maybe you could have gotten it yourself (which is always preferable in these situations). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think it's sexy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I use this approach a lot. coach - "Come on Chris, he never even tagged him!!" me - "ok" coach - "That is so bad. That is just, ... , so bad!!!" me - "ok" (coupled with a "that's really something to think about" nod) It communicates that I hear them, but I'm not fazed by what they're saying. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm agreeing with ElkOil here. You were unnecessarily confrontational here, especially in a situation where the coach had a good reason to be confused. You shouldn't be yelling from a distance. Calmly suggest that he come over to discuss it, i.e. "Okay, let's figure this out" while motioning for him to come over. Then explain in a conversational tone that the first pitch was indeed a strike. This is also an example of why to always give the count loudly after a steal. Maybe say something like "that was a strike, 0-1", especially when it might not be clear to people. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Although it seemed to work, I'm not a big fan of "one more step and you're gone". Maybe "coach, you need to slow down!", coupled with a stop sign. Ultimatums are never a good idea. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is an example of one mistake leading to more mistakes. One of the hardest things in umpiring is bouncing back from a royal screwup and putting your game back on the rails. When one screwup become two screwups, it's easy for things to go downhill quickly. You go into defense mode, and all you can think about is how badly you want the game to just be over. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@lawump The game went went well. I nailed most of my rotations. It was an exhibition game at Petco, so I'm glad I didn't f*** it up Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@Matt, look at my signature, and then imagine yourself as Earl Weaver Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You're reasoning is wrong. It was the bottom of the sixth, the home team was winning, and time expired. I'm not sure where the conceptual hurdle is here. What issue do you have with her opinions on the coach? It sounds like the coach was being a douche-nozzle. B*tching about not getting extra minutes because the umpire broke her toe, in *preseason* game, when you're losing by 6 runs. That's putting the "rat" in "rat". From the other posts I've read from the OP, she manages the game well and doesn't go looking for confrontation, as you seem to be worried about. Still can't figure out if you're trolling or not.. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@Matt I think you're the only one who's seeing that chip on her shoulder. Sounds like time had expired and the game was correctly ended. Unless you think adding stoppage time for the injury, and then forcing the plate umpire to officiate another full inning with a broken toe should have been the correct course of action. In that case, feel free to do that when it happens to you. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@lawump Thanks so much! #lifesaver Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So I'm working a 4 man game tomorrow, and I realized I left my CCA manual at home when I went on spring break .Can anyone provide a quick crash course on CCA 4 man, namely fly-ball coverage and rotations for U3 (that's my position). My main question is whether an umpire goes out on every fly ball, or just when it's trouble. We're going to have a long pregame, but I'd rather not look like an idiot during it.

Yes, in all codes (as long as a runner is actually there). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Arms slightly raised from his side, palms turned up. The classic "are you kidding me" gesture. I actually tried to change the title, but couldn't figure out how to do it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He wasn't trying to get run at all, and sincerely thought that neither him nor his player should have been run. He just didn't have a clue. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agreed. I'm not satisfied at all with how I handled it. The second ejection was 100% avoidable. The whole thing was just bleh Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

@maven, @lawump. Good points. I wasn't aware of the fact that he hadn't left until much later. At that point, I didn't really see a utility in addressing it, and figured that CIF would issue an appropriate suspension (maybe that was a mistake). As for why the argument lasted so long.. it's difficult to describe, but it's like the coach was on an entirely different wavelength, and my partner and I were kind of stunned by it. It was like dealing with a stubborn child, who while not throwing a tantrum, refused to admit that he had done anything wrong. He tried to frame a lot of the argument as a "discussion", where he simply wasn't content with our explanations. "I'm not arguing, I'm just trying to understand how he can be ejected without saying anything" ... "I'm just trying to understand what's going on" ... "Look, you guys just got to let me coach, aight" etc., but never raised his voice. He didn't understand that restriction meant: that I was giving him one last chance to be quiet. He didn't even understand what restriction was, or that I had the authority to do it. After he was ejected, he was trying to get my partner to un-eject him, insisting that he had done nothing wrong (of course my partner was having none of it). Ugghh.. I don't know.. it felt like a Little League Minors coach had sneaked onto a high school field and we had no idea what to do.

I really hope it's not some kind of "grandfathered in" thing.

Yeah, I tried the whole "edit my profile" thing, but that doesn't have it.

A terrible terrible "Varsity" game.. With 2 outs, in the top of the 5th, #3 from ___________ was thrown out at the plate for the third out. After making a gesture indicating disagreement, #3 remained at the plate, staring at the home plate umpire. After being given several warnings by the plate umpire, and given ample time to start walking back to the dugout, #3 was ejected by the home plate umpire. Bob, who had been coaching 3rd base, insisted that the home plate umpire "appeal" the call at the plate to the base umpire. When the home plate umpire refused to ask for help, he started arguing the ejection, insisting that you can't eject a player if he doesn't say anything. Not content with the plate umpire's explanation, Bob returned to the dugout, commenting that he was "this close". A minute passed and ___________ still hadn't taken the field. The plate umpire instructed the team to go to their defensive positions. Bob became argumentative, saying that the plate umpire should do his job and let him coach. The base umpire, coming in from his position, tried to get the game moving as well. Bob started arguing with both umpires. After a prolonged argument, with Bob continuing to dispute the earlier ejection, the plate umpire restricted Bob to the dugout and issued a formal warning. Bob immediately disputed the restriction, saying that the umpire couldn't do that. The plate umpire told him "that's enough". Bob continued to argue, saying that the umpire needed to "do his job". He was subsequently ejected by the plate umpire. After being ejected, Bob continued to argue for several minutes, despite being advised that he had been ejected and had to leave. His tone remained conversational, but he insisted that he shouldn't have been ejected. After leaving the field, Bob remained on site and continued to talk with players and coaching staff through the dugout fence. The base umpire informed an assistant coach to tell him to leave. Although he stopped interacting with game participants after this point, Bob still failed to leave the game site. The kid was their pitcher too. He was literally their only kid who could throw a strike. This resulted in a 3 hour game. Coach really knew the game. Shame he had to go as well.