EJ 1 & 2 of the season

[dleavitt39]

Had my first 2 ej's of the season. First one: Friday, 10u travel, VC hasn't liked my calls all day. Top of the first, pickoff to 1st base, close play, I call him out, they don't like it, I hear a little bit of chirping, w/e, I let it go. Bottom 1st, runner trying to steal third, throw gets there in time, but f5 has a brain fart, and doesn't tag r2 until he's already on the base I call him safe, VC starts up, the throw beat him!!! I say, "yes it did, but the runner beat the tag" Top 3rd, one of VC's batters goes down looking, it just caught the corner, I ring him up, VC up again, telling me my strike zone is all over...I shut him down, and tell him enough. Bottom 3rd, r1, 2 outs, line drive to f3, very low to the ground, I see it go straight into his glove, f3 then steps on 1st, I call out, double play, inning over. All of a sudden, I hear VC say, Jimmy, what are you doing, go back to 2nd base!!! I look over and say, coach, that was a catch. He looks at me, says, "are you serious? it clearly hit the ground(while pointing and smacking the ground), you're strike zone is a mess, and you don't know safe from out!!! At this point I give him the wave . He tries to come up to me and argue some more, I say no, and just walk away. After the inning, VC assistant comes up to me, says, he deserved it, but just so you know, it's his birthday. I knew one of the parents on the Home Team, went and talked w/ them later that night(after we left the facility), he had video of the game, we looked at the "trap" and we couldn't even tell, with video, slowed down, whether it was a catch or not, so I don't feel too bad about the call I made(I wasn't 100% sure when I made the call).

#2. Today(Sunday, 11:00 AM), 11u, From the top of the 1st, VC hasn't liked my strike zone, coincidentally, his team was getting wallop'd, I finally shut him down in the 3rd after hearing enough about the zone. Top 5 his runner tries to steal home, real close play, I call the out...He comes running out screaming "he dropped the ball!!!", this coach has been known to be an "issue" in the league, he gets out to me, argues, says(while pointing) "he dropped the f***ing ball!!!", I give him the wave he continues on his tirade, I now have about 2 inches of dirt caked on me after his tirade....

Well, now off to do 2 more games, I already feel trouble in this next one, the partner I'm working with (my only "partnered" game this season, the rest, including the above are solo ) has ejected the Visiting team rat 3 times already this season, so I'm expecting a whole bunch of belly-aching, and probably #4

DL

Edited May 17, 2010 by dleavitt39

[dleavitt39]

And now add #3 (sunday, 5:00 PM)...and almost the cops

Top of 1. fed rules with a few changes, 2nd batter of the inning throws his bat on the swing, directly into the catchers stomach. I issue the team warning as is dictated by 3-3-1c penalty. 2 batters later, batter lets the bat go, hits me in the mask, wraps around, and continues to the backstop 20 feet away!!!

I let the play finish, our league rules stipulate it's also an out, so I then call the runner out (not sure if I kill the play immediately, like it would be interference or not, will get clarification), and eject the player, now I did it in a nice way, I take the coach aside, tell him that the player is done, explain it, he's fine with it, sends him to the dugout. Enter 3rd base coach. He comes sprinting across the field, "why is my kid going to the dugout!!, what the hell are YOU doing!!!" I then tell the coach he's done. That just infuriates him more, he comes up to me, starts swearing at me, you're a f***ing joke!!!, this is BS, what the hell are you thinking, we need some real umps, etc.....

Then comes the best part, the "rational" coach comes between us, talks down their coach, then ej'd coach comes back to me and says "did you eject me? you f***ing ejected me!?!?!?" I responded yes, he then comes within a few inches of my face, plants his finger square in the middle of my CP, and says YOU are a F***ING JOKE!!! At this point, on of the other teams coaches yells out, someone call the police....I turn, say that's not necessary, turn back to the coaches, say we're done here, now lets play some baseball. We play, end of the half inning, "rational" coach comes up to me, says "thanks for dumping him, I hate him, can't stand him, and he always gets us in trouble, the league forced me to take him as my assistant coach."

Rest of the game went well, had a few laughs, great baseball game for 11u, final score 15-13.

DL

[Umpire in Chief]

They drop the F bomb they're punching their own ticket. Then arguing balls and strikes is an auto buh-bye as well. Good job. :wave:

[jnazz]

WOW! Sounds like you've got some serious idiots in your area. Physical Contact in a 11 under game is rediculous. Doesn't your league back its umpires in situations like this? If crap like that happened in our area, this idiot wouldn't be coaching anymore. Sure, stuff like this happens from time to time in Legion, HS, and Men's, but 11u?

[dleavitt39]

WOW! Sounds like you've got some serious idiots in your area. Physical Contact in a 11 under game is rediculous. Doesn't your league back its umpires in situations like this? If crap like that happened in our area, this idiot wouldn't be coaching anymore. Sure, stuff like this happens from time to time in Legion, HS, and Men's, but 11u?

You'd think they would, and in a way they do, we still have a job afterall, but the league's stance, is it's up to the individual towns to discipline their coaches, since this is "travel" 11u ball, with teams from the surrounding 2 hours away.

DL

[jnazz]

Crazy. What a great role model.

[maninblack69]

Good job. 3 ej's in 3 days.. not bad!

[dleavitt39]

Good job. 3 ej's in 3 days.. not bad!

hell, I'm on a roll...3 games, 3 days(games on 2 of them), 3 ej's...I'll try not to make it a habit...or let it get to my head :HD:

[stl_ump]

The coach had multiple ejections in one season?

We have travel teams playing in our league and on the second ej in one season coach receives a multi game suspension. 3rd time and you are gone for the season.

I love our league. They really back up the umps. ANY touching whether it's intentional or not and the perp is gone for the season.

[dleavitt39]

You'd think they would [have our back], and in a way they do, we still have a job afterall.......

DL

I am temporarily retracting this quote...got a call from one of the league directors telling me to give the coach's a bit more leash, we don't need coaches getting ej'd.

We'll see where this goes from here.....

DL

[moblue]

I am temporarily retracting this quote...got a call from one of the league directors telling me to give the coach's a bit more leash, we don't need coaches getting ej'd. :tantrum:

We'll see where this goes from here.....

DL

Uh oh, someone's not letting coaches run all over them. I guess that makes you the bad guy. I can relate. I've had to learn to laugh, and enjoy the games where those teams are the visitors. Don't think about it, just laugh inside knowing they're over on the bench worrying about if you are going to hold that last ej against them.

[dleavitt39]

Uh oh, someone's not letting coaches run all over them. I guess that makes you the bad guy. I can relate. I've had to learn to laugh, and enjoy the games where those teams are the visitors. Don't think about it, just laugh inside knowing they're over on the bench worrying about if you are going to hold that last ej against them.

Sadly, I (probably) won't be seeing these teams again, they were the visitors of our travel league....that being said, I am the assignor, and "perhaps" I may find them on the schedule when they come to visit That being said, I would NEVER hold anything against a team...each game is its own game, but it would be fun to see the reaction on the coach's face.

DL

[mstaylor]

Did you ask the director if he had read the game report? If not tell him to read and then come talk. If he has ask what amount of crap are you supposed to take. Two of them drop loud F bombs on a youth field, one got personal with you. Just exactly did he think you did wrong.

[BrianC14]

I am temporarily retracting this quote...got a call from one of the league directors telling me to give the coach's a bit more leash, we don't need coaches getting ej'd.

We'll see where this goes from here.....

DL

YGTBSM.

Did you provide a written ejection report? (And if so, did that report quote what the AC said to you?)

[mstaylor]

I've said this beforebut this is why I like our local men's wooden bat league, the entire BOD is umpires. When a complaint goes to the board the report carries a ton of weight.

[dleavitt39]

Did you ask the director if he had read the game report? If not tell him to read and then come talk. If he has ask what amount of crap are you supposed to take. Two of them drop loud F bombs on a youth field, one got personal with you. Just exactly did he think you did wrong.

League director does not get reports:crazy:...only reason I'm hearing about this one is b/c a coach protested one of his games, stating that I mis-applied a rule, and ejected him wrongly, therefore affecting the outcome of the game:big_no(this would be game #3). So NOW the director has a report, proverbial ball is in his court now.

YGTBSM.

Did you provide a written ejection report? (And if so, did that report quote what the AC said to you?)

I could only wish I was, and report provided now...

I've said this beforebut this is why I like our local men's wooden bat league, the entire BOD is umpires. When a complaint goes to the board the report carries a ton of weight.

This seems like a really great thing. Maybe I'll talk with the director about this for next year, perhaps having an umpire's liaison or something of the like...but either way, we'll see what comes of this first.....

Thanks for the support guys, glad to hear it from other guys that I did the right thing.

DL

[moblue]

I wasn't suggesting that you hold anything against the coach. It's just fun to watch their reaction to the entire game, especially when you go out of your way to be nice to them. For example, there was a coach locally that did not like me for several years after a call I made in one of his games. I made it a point from then on whenever I called his games to at least go up and say hello to him (thus requiring a reply of "hello") or shake his hand if I passed close enough to him. I knew he probably couldn't stand it, but coaches never want to make the umpire mad before the game even starts so he had to respond.

[Thunderheads]

Ok, ... here's the first thing that comes to mind ....

You've got a bunch of nut-bags in your area for sure!! 10 and 11 yr old travel ball, ....top of the first inning and you have coaches all over you for your zone?! WOW, that's crazy!:smachhead:

[dleavitt39]

I wasn't suggesting that you hold anything against the coach. It's just fun to watch their reaction to the entire game, especially when you go out of your way to be nice to them. For example, there was a coach locally that did not like me for several years after a call I made in one of his games. I made it a point from then on whenever I called his games to at least go up and say hello to him (thus requiring a reply of "hello") or shake his hand if I passed close enough to him. I knew he probably couldn't stand it, but coaches never want to make the umpire mad before the game even starts so he had to respond.

I knew what you meant :smachhead:

[dleavitt39]

Ok, ... here's the first thing that comes to mind ....

You've got a bunch of nut-bags in your area for sure!! 10 and 11 yr old travel ball, ....top of the first inning and you have coaches all over you for your zone?! WOW, that's crazy!

That's for damn sure :banghead:

[DirtyDawg]

I'd still think about writing something down. Even if it doesn't get seen by anyone else, at least you still have a paper trail.

[dleavitt39]

I'd still think about writing something down. Even if it doesn't get seen by anyone else, at least you still have a paper trail.

Always do, I like my paper trails

DL

[MSPChris]

I am temporarily retracting this quote...got a call from one of the league directors telling me to give the coach's a bit more leash, we don't need coaches getting ej'd.

We'll see where this goes from here.....

DL

So you got this call after the EJ'd assistant poked you in the chest? You should have never called off those people who wanted to call the cops.

You're doing a game in an 11U league, and some assistant coach goes Billy Martin on me? he better hope he has bail money.

Had this discussion on another forum, but sometimes you gotta call the cops. The league can't ignore it when his name shows up in the local paper's police report.

<rant>

Fewer and fewer of these "travel leagues" stand up for the umpires. These "travel leagues" are profit centers for so-called "youth sports associations". There are a couple of them where I live. They are thinly disguised companies that sell insurance to leagues and "just happen" to run travel leagues where teams pay big bucks to play.

If a coach gets tossed and he has juice in a local association, they call the travel league and hint that their 10 teams just might find another travel league next season. Does the travel league tell the association to dump the jackass coach? Or, do the tell the umpires to STFU and quit tossing coaches. So dleavitt, tell us now what you think happens?

</rant>

[Mr Umpire]

So you got this call after the EJ'd assistant poked you in the chest? You should have never called off those people who wanted to call the cops.

You're doing a game in an 11U league, and some assistant coach goes Billy Martin on me? he better hope he has bail money.

Had this discussion on another forum, but sometimes you gotta call the cops. The league can't ignore it when his name shows up in the local paper's police report.

Fewer and fewer of these "travel leagues" stand up for the umpires. These "travel leagues" are profit centers for so-called "youth sports associations". There are a couple of them where I live. They are thinly disguised companies that sell insurance to leagues and "just happen" to run travel leagues where teams pay big bucks to play.

If a coach gets tossed and he has juice in a local association, they call the travel league and hint that their 10 teams just might find another travel league next season. Does the travel league tell the association to dump the jackass coach? Or, do the tell the umpires to STFU and quit tossing coaches. So dleavitt, tell us now what you think happens?

There are "rant" images for you to use and make your rants stand out a little more. :wave:

[dleavitt39]

So you got this call after the EJ'd assistant poked you in the chest? You should have never called off those people who wanted to call the cops.

You're doing a game in an 11U league, and some assistant coach goes Billy Martin on me? he better hope he has bail money.

Had this discussion on another forum, but sometimes you gotta call the cops. The league can't ignore it when his name shows up in the local paper's police report.

<rant>

Fewer and fewer of these "travel leagues" stand up for the umpires. These "travel leagues" are profit centers for so-called "youth sports associations". There are a couple of them where I live. They are thinly disguised companies that sell insurance to leagues and "just happen" to run travel leagues where teams pay big bucks to play.

If a coach gets tossed and he has juice in a local association, they call the travel league and hint that their 10 teams just might find another travel league next season. Does the travel league tell the association to dump the jackass coach? Or, do the tell the umpires to STFU and quit tossing coaches. So dleavitt, tell us now what you think happens?

</rant>

Well, for me personally, I'm in quite the odd situation here, I'm also the assignor for the teams from my town's league...It's a really weird set up. We have our own "league" in our town, of 14 teams, spread through 5 different ages, these teams never play each other, it's just an "organization" to get blocks of field times a lot easier, as well as get discounts, rather than having 14 individual teams try to get fields. All of these teams are part of the area's travel league. I'm on the board of my town's league, and I KNOW they have my back, the heat that's coming is from the "area" league director, who put heat on our "local" league president, who passed it down to me, so I don't really think there's going to be any "pulling out" in our area, but it will be interesting to see just how far the "area" league wants to push this issue, because I can guarantee, they will run into problems if they try to come after me(as an ump, not an assignor).

I don't know how to make this situation clear, and I know it's a mess, let me know if you have any questions about the set-up, and I'll do my best to answer them.

I'll keep you guys informed.

DL