Ejection for staring?

[blindumpire99]

I was the U2 in a 3 man FED playoff game earlier this year.

Close game, bottom of 5th, score tied..

Home team hits into an inning ending 5 - 4- 3 DP..The call at first was a banger and I hammered the BR out. I jogged out towards short RF for the between innings wait.

Initially, I wasn't even looking in his direction instead, glancing around at the scoreboard and the darkening clouds trying to gather off to the west.

Then I glanced towards the home team's dugout area behind 1st base sideline and saw the 1st base a/c simply staring at me with his hands on his hips. Nothing menacing, just an unsmiling blank stare. It looked like he was standing in the extreme corner of the coaches box facing RF.

He stood there for maybe 3 - 5 more seconds while I now stared back at him. He slowly turned around and walked back to his dugout, never saying a word.

After the game in the parking lot, my partners and I were postgaming when the HPU, a veteran of 20+ years experience looked at me and said, "The next time you don't throw out a coach for staring at you, I'm gonna throw you out!"

I countered with the coach was not looking angrily, maybe extremely dismayed, but had never said a word the entire time. I did add that if he had still been there when the visiting team's infield had gotten on the field or had added verbage to his conduct, that I would have told him the usual, "it's over and please leave".

The more we discused the sitch, the more adamant my partner became about tossing the a/c for staring.

HTBT sitch but has anyone else tossed a coach for staring?

[Umpire in Chief]

I'd be hard pressed to toss for staring. Now if he stayed in his box and was still there when you're starting the next half inning then we might start to have an issue. But otherwise let him admire your devilishly good looks in your uniform. The longer you ignore him the worse he looks.

[Ump Rube]

Most would consider checking your fly, that you have nothing on your shirt, on your face or in your teeth; and then asking the coach if you missed anything as inappropriate or baiting right? :hi5:

[Stan W.]

I was the U2 in a 3 man FED playoff game earlier this year.

Close game, bottom of 5th, score tied..

Home team hits into an inning ending 5 - 4- 3 DP..The call at first was a banger and I hammered the BR out. I jogged out towards short RF for the between innings wait.

Initially, I wasn't even looking in his direction instead, glancing around at the scoreboard and the darkening clouds trying to gather off to the west.

Then I glanced towards the home team's dugout area behind 1st base sideline and saw the 1st base a/c simply staring at me with his hands on his hips. Nothing menacing, just an unsmiling blank stare. It looked like he was standing in the extreme corner of the coaches box facing RF.

He stood there for maybe 3 - 5 more seconds while I now stared back at him. He slowly turned around and walked back to his dugout, never saying a word.

After the game in the parking lot, my partners and I were postgaming when the HPU, a veteran of 20+ years experience looked at me and said, "The next time you don't throw out a coach for staring at you, I'm gonna throw you out!"

I countered with the coach was not looking angrily, maybe extremely dismayed, but had never said a word the entire time. I did add that if he had still been there when the visiting team's infield had gotten on the field or had added verbage to his conduct, that I would have told him the usual, "it's over and please leave".

The more we discused the sitch, the more adamant my partner became about tossing the a/c for staring.

HTBT sitch but has anyone else tossed a coach for staring?

Never.....

And as such I disagree wth your UIC.......simply staring is not enough.........and in your words the stare was not "menacing" .....

To infer any ejectable offense in that is overstepping our bounds........He may have been upset his guy hit in the inning ending DP......I recommend not "looking for" trouble.........

[SanDiegoSteve]

Sounds like a case of one year of experience 20 times to me.

The UIC is entitled to his opinion, but it's up to the person making the call whether or not to eject someone for any reason. Staring, on it's own, is not ejectable, IMO.

Edited August 21, 2009 by SanDiegoSteve

[mstaylor]

We have an idiot HS manager that asks some of the dumbest questions. He felt the pitcher was balking and he was riding the umpire about it. He told the umpire to watch the plane, to which he imediately looked up for one. The coach wasn't happy.

After the game he came to their cars to complain of the unprofessional way he handled to request. He asked if a college or minor league coach had asked that question would he have done that. Bobby told him no college or pro coach would ask a stupid question like that.

[blindumpire99]

He felt the pitcher was balking and he was riding the umpire about it. He told the umpire to watch the plane, to which he imediately looked up for one.

I remember that game. I shot a video of it:

http://odeo.com/episodes/23103369-Fantasy-Island-Da-Plane-Da-Plane

[mstaylor]

Good Stuff

[arbiter22]

Tough situation... I wouldn't acknowledge him until his team is completely on the field at that point he has no reason to be outside of the dugout and is now "showing you up". I would warn him once to return to the dugout (if he stares at you from his hole who cares, unless it gets ridiculous) if he doesn't return, well then run him. The only people allowed out of the dugout at that point are the 9 fielders, batter, on deck batter, the 2 base coaches, and of course the umpires. Nothing wrong with staring back at him. And in my opinion that's not baiting cause he wants your attention. Give him your attention and if he says anything he's an assistant coach that has left his position to argue a judgment call. His new position is the dugout not the coaches box or wherever he was.

[blindumpire99]

After I had stared back at him, the thought ran across my noggin to toss him, BUT--he wasn't doing anything YET..he wasn't menacing. he was just PO'ed that his boy was out on the back end of the play. Heck, it wasn't my fault that his team had blew a 10 run lead..

If he had pointed or said anything untowards--I woulda called his Mommy to come get him:wave:

I just felt my UIC was wrong during the post game...

[mstaylor]

I agree.

[nolanadair]

The way u described it I would not throw the coach out. Now if a batter was just staying in the box and moving for a period of time, I might give a warning. If it continued, I would eject the offender.

I would not even say anything until the coach unless he was still there when the next half inning started.

[MCLEOD36]

Maybe he just wanted to know who was your Taylor.. LOL .... Sorry Michael for the pun...

That is silly, let them stare, we have to be level headed about this and I concur, 20 years of what 5 games a year experience and letting stuff percalate over that time. NOT GOOD

[critter]

No i don't think i really notice anything in the dugout in else some yelling or coach could or might be abusing a player. Than i will look over.

Though i was doing a Baberuth game it was a local tourment and one ote coach's was complaing about stirkes zone all day long. Not that i really cared what he "thought"

The BU umpire told me not to deal with i just brush it off and contuined the game. Of course more emotional coachs will be in the game.

[LLUmp35]

I've been accused of having a quick hook sometimes but this kind of stuff happens. Let him stare, just like I let a batter stare after a called strike he doesn't like. I have an unofficial clock running in my head as to how long is too long. If they have gone past the point of upset about the call to showing me up, I tell them it's time to return to the dugout. That allows the player/coach to make their own decision whether or not they want to remain in the game.

I don't expect any player or coach to be devoid of emotion. However, once the emotional reaction is complete, they have the conscious opportunity to decide whether or not they want to continue to participate in the game. I don't throw them out, I simply inform them that they have decided to take the rest of the game off.

[catoblue]

I use the same method as LLUmp35. the clock ticks down to where it becomes an issue.