I read the entire chain of posts, and it wasn't until Pete's last post, that the comment that I was thinking all along came up. I umpire fastpitch softball, and at any level, the umpire making the call is supposed to raise his right arm in the air with fist clenched. As a partner, it doesn't matter what I hear, if I don't see that signal, I will assume that the "Infield Fly" comment came from somewhere irrelevant. If my partner did indeed call it and not signal, the ball is still live, we wait for any play to end, and then deal with the "mess". Regardless of whether you have fourty years of experience, or are calling your first game ever, and whether you are the PU, or the only or one of the BU, if you heard your partner make the verbal call, you should be throwing that arm up, and hollering as loud as possible. Just because you wouldn't call it, doesn't mean it is negated. Back your partners up. When I hear a coach assuming an umpires duty, my usual resonse is to call time, walk over with lineup card in hand, so it looks to anyone watching that we have a lineup issue. My words to him would be something like, if he wishes to "help" us umpire, the best way to accomplish that would be to contact us after the game, and we would be happy to hook him up with a clinic, so he could swell the ranks of a grossly understaffed crew. Most often they will remain quiet for the balance of the game, and if they voice objection, remind them that they are there to coach, and if they insist on being both umpire and coach, that the opportunity to do either for the rest of the afternoon, may only be an option if it takes place in the clubhouse or parking lot. We then return to position, with "lineup issue resolved" and continue play. It helps to pretent to be writing something on the lineup as you head back.
