Odd Situation

[CalRipkenUmp]

Hi all,

Had an odd situation happen a few days ago and was wondering what the correct thing to do would be:

I was working a CR "minors" playoff game as the PU. Team has a player with a big swollen black eye and HC decides not put him on the field because he's liable to not see the ball fast enough on a liner and get hurt. Now the kid's loudmouth father is of course angry with the HC's decision. In between innings, instead of quietly asking to discuss things with the coach, he starts yelling at the coach from the bleachers behind the dugout. HC explains his decision to the father but the father only ended up getting louder and more animated towards the coach (loud enough for the other team's parents behind their dugout to hear). Eventually the HC tells the guy to either take his son and leave or be quiet and after one last parting shot, the guy shut up and we could get the next inning under way.

Now my question is, if the guy were to continue yelling at the coach in a manner that would be very distracting to the players , should I ask for him to be removed him from the field or is it totally the coach's problem?

[BrianC14]

Hi all,

Had an odd situation happen a few days ago and was wondering what the correct thing to do would be:

I was working a CR "minors" playoff game as the PU. Team has a player with a big swollen black eye and HC decides not put him on the field because he's liable to not see the ball fast enough on a liner and get hurt. Now the kid's loudmouth father is of course angry with the HC's decision. In between innings, instead of quietly asking to discuss things with the coach, he starts yelling at the coach from the bleachers behind the dugout. HC explains his decision to the father but the father only ended up getting louder and more animated towards the coach (loud enough for the other team's parents behind their dugout to hear). Eventually the HC tells the guy to either take his son and leave or be quiet and after one last parting shot, the guy shut up and we could get the next inning under way.

Now my question is, if the guy were to continue yelling at the coach in a manner that would be very distracting to the players , should I ask for him to be removed him from the field or is it totally the coach's problem?

Stay out of it.

None of your business at all.

[moblue]

All of this is assuming that it is either continuing to keep the game from progressing or is distracting to the players. If the game is able to continue and the coach is able to handle the situation on his own, let it be. This is just my opinion:

Asking the coach to get rid of him would, in this case, probably not work. He's already mad at the coach and most likely won't listen to him anyway. Depending on a number of things, you may have to either ask him to "be quiet or go calmly discuss it with the coach." If he refuses to comply and continues to be distracting, get a BOD member over there to assist in the matter. If the league you are in is like some that I umpire in, one may not be present, and your best course of action could be to eject the parent (Yes we know you don't really have the authority for it, but most parents think you do.)

This is one instance that I wouldn't be afraid of sticking up for a coach. He's made a call on the side of safety and should be commended for it. The kid is already hurt. Do we want him hurt worse?

[blindumpire99]

All of this is assuming that it is either continuing to keep the game from progressing or is distracting to the players. If the game is able to continue and the coach is able to handle the situation on his own, let it be. This is just my opinion:

Asking the coach to get rid of him would, in this case, probably not work. He's already mad at the coach and most likely won't listen to him anyway. Depending on a number of things, you may have to either ask him to "be quiet or go calmly discuss it with the coach." If he refuses to comply and continues to be distracting, get a BOD member over there to assist in the matter. If the league you are in is like some that I umpire in, one may not be present, and your best course of action could be to eject the parent (Yes we know you don't really have the authority for it, but most parents think you do.)

This is one instance that I wouldn't be afraid of sticking up for a coach. He's made a call on the side of safety and should be commended for it. The kid is already hurt. Do we want him hurt worse?

Concur..If it is distracting to the game itself, then you have to do something..

[Mr Umpire]

Leave it alone. You are not there to control the fans. We deal with between the fences. Do not put yourself in a situation like that. You are asking for trouble.

If you are going to do anything, get a league official to handle it. But, do not get in the middle of it in anyway. Let the coach/league handle it. Not you. Stay out of it.

You have no idea what this parent is like. If you get involved, he may redirect his anger towards you and bad things may follow. Do not say anything to the coach/father about this. Go to a league official and that is it. Nothing more.

[Umpire in Chief]

Leave it alone. You are not there to control the fans. We deal with between the fences. Do not put yourself in a situation like that. You are asking for trouble.

If you are going to do anything, get a league official to handle it. But, do not get in the middle of it in anyway. Let the coach/league handle it. Not you. Stay out of it.

You have no idea what this parent is like. If you get involved, he may redirect his anger towards you and bad things may follow. Do not say anything to the coach/father about this. Go to a league official and that is it. Nothing more.

Agreed. It is hard sometimes to be in theses situations where there is what you instinctively feel should be done and what you are sanctioned to do.

Let a board member deal with it.

[MCLEOD36]

Put it in the category.

Smells like cologne, leave it alone.

[blindumpire99]

......."Depending on a number of things, you may have to either ask him to "be quiet or go calmly discuss it with the coach."

I actually misread Moblue's response as "having the COACH asking the idiot to be quiet" but Mr Umpire is exactly correct...