How to handle this?

[SRP]

Today I worked a 9AA game with my partner (first time we've worked together). AA means no balk, no leadoff, no IFF, no D3K, no advance to home on overthrow. Otherwise it's FED.

Our league umpires are for the most part 15-19 year olds (my partner today was 17) and they have the habit of walking in between innings to shoot the breeze with the PU. I don't do that - I move into shallow RF and then move to A when the batter walks up to the plate.

In the pregame my partner tells the coaches we'll extend the fence line and if the ball goes beyond "he" will call it dead and award bases. He also stresses that it is his call alone and won't be open for discussion.

Bases empty, top of 2, no outs. I'm in A, slow grounder to F5. F5 waits for the ball to get to him meaning it really won't be a close play. F5 makes the throw, short and offline - BR and F3 end up tangled up as F3 moved to stop the ball and BR was in the lane. I see the tangle and see BR starting toward 2B so I start moving also in the event there's a play. Meanwhile the ball rolls past the fence line and PU makes no call so I yell dead ball and leave BR at 2B. My partner then walks halfway to the mound and moves BR (now R1) to 3B. DM is immediately questioning the award and I go to confer with my partner. DM continues saying "first throw from the infield". I tell PU that the runner should be on 2B as first throw by infielder the award is TOP. My partner says he's giving 3B because of the obstruction at first. I tell him I've got nothing on the collision, it's a train wreck based on the fact this is 9AA baseball and R1 needs to go back to 2B. He tells me we went over this in pregame and it's his call and his award. He explains it to the DM who's not happy but says we'll play it.

Now, after the inning, I move out to short RF a DC is now at the 1BC box and says to VC/VM, "see the BU doesn't like the call anymore than we did, he won't even stand with his partner".

I ignored it but after that inning I started walking in and standing with my partner to signal we were a team in this game.

Should I have said something to the coach?

It was a clear disagreement between us but I didn't want the coaches to think we weren't working together to call the game. If my partner wouldn't accept my input on the award then I think I have to live with it - particularly because he made it "his" award.

Thanks

[mjr_2013]

You were in the right... A ball out of play is anyone who sees it call, not exclusively either umpire... The train wreck at first is your call, not his... There is a lot he did wrong and you did right. I would talk to the UIC or Director of Umps about this... There is a reason you have TWO man systems... One umpire shouldn't have a dictatorship over the game. You are PARTNERS, not one ump with an assistant.

One thing you did that I disagree with - I have no problem if you want to talk with your partner or not... I talk with him, but it isn't a necessity... But after you heard him say that, you shouldn't have changed what you were doing, because it seemingly confirmed what he said...

To him, it looks like you didn't like the call and gave him the silent treatment until you cooled off... If you had stayed in short RF the whole game, it looks like that is just your normal routine... You can still show him you are a team trough the normal communication that occurs during a game.

[yawetag]

One thing you did that I disagree with - I have no problem if you want to talk with your partner or not... I talk with him, but it isn't a necessity... But after you heard him say that, you shouldn't have changed what you were doing, because it seemingly confirmed what he said...

This. You should have continued standing in RF between innings. It's the correct mechanic, and by doing it each time afterward, you somewhat validated what the coach said.

[mstaylor]

Did you have a conversation after the game. That is where things like that are discussed. If you don't then nothing gets fixed and nothing is learned.

[semper_fi_72]

Someone needs to let those umpires know they are not to get together between innings.

If this is occurring all the time then there is a problem that needs to be corrected.

I did 4 games Sat (2 base and 2 plate).

Never talked with my partner except for between games.

Work your position.

[mstaylor]

To be honest, with Jr umpires, I don't have a big problem with the meeting between innings. It isn't correct but we are the only ones that know that and if they can support each other then I am OK with it. I know I will be strongly disagreed with and that's fine too, correct is correct.

[mjr_2013]

To be honest, with Jr umpires, I don't have a big problem with the meeting between innings. It isn't correct but we are the only ones that know that and if they can support each other then I am OK with it. I know I will be strongly disagreed with and that's fine too, correct is correct.

I don't either... It is probably because I am a Jr. ump and I meet with my partner in between innings, but I don't see a problem with it... They need to establish how to be a team, and when they're young, this is a good way to do so... I think it is ridiculous if they are doing it everytime they can (pitching change, injury, etc.), but in between innings should be fine in little league.

[Dragon29]

For Jr. Umpires, I can see meeting between innings more frequently, however . . . do not, under any circumstances, meet between innings after anything even approaching a controversial call.

Everyone in the park now knows what you're talking about. Even if you're talking about a movie you both saw last week, everyone in the park knows you're talking about 'that play.' On top of that, everyone also knows you're trying to decide if you got it right or not and if not, who screwed up. (They've already decided you didn't get it right and you're the one that screwed up) This makes the umpiring crew look confused and weak. Don't do it.

And . . . in your case, I would not have allowed the PU to overrule me as it is against the rules for him to do so. I would have moved the BR back to 2B and asked him to continue the game.

[SRP]

I did 3 games today with a 16 year old umpire - he had the plate the first 2 games. I stood in right field between innings. He asked about it as we walked to the parking between games 1 and 2. So I told him it's usually quicker and, in my opinion, looks more professional (I didn't tell him that it felt 15 degrees cooler on the grass). I took the plate for game 3 and he stood in short right field between innings.

He agreed that the time between innings was shorter - the teams seemed to move a bit quicker.

I did tell him that if we need to talk about something between innings to wave me in and we would do so. In the second game he waved me in after the top of 4 to ask about the mercy rule. I told him and moved back to right field.

Today's games went really well with good sportsmanship. Which is a direct result of 2 ejections yesterday in the same game resulting in a forfeit in the winner's bracket. I'll write that one up later.

SRP