Advice from a pro

[AJtheUMP]

MLB umpire Durwood Merrill once said to me. "The worst thing an umpire can do is eject a coach... Now if the coach ejects himself, well, that's OK" (I do not remember the exact words but this was basically it)

He didn't mean it as advice, I was catching in front of him, but he made the comment after a confrontation with a coach. He is originally from my area and after he retired he called games at my HS for a few years before his heart attack. I remembered it when I started calling games and it has really helped me make sure the coach has done something and its not my emotions that get the ejection! He also bought a restaurant in a town down the road and decorated it with some cool memorabilia, the food wasn't too bad either. (just cool info)

[AJtheUMP]

Also if anyone is interested this highlights some of his achievements.

http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Umpires/Merrill.Durwood.Obit.html

[mstaylor]

It is actually very sound advice from a very good umpire. We need to make sure the coach has given you grounds to dump him. We can't use past games to influence our decisions, it can make us have a shorter leash if a manager has a tendency toward trouble. We always have to remember to never use a phrase or words that we would toss for. Good post.

[UMP45]

Part of game management is being able to keep players and coaches in the game.This dosen't mean we are to eat s%^t but know how to diffuse bad situations

[Umpire in Chief]

Jim Kirk has an interesting blog relating to this.

http://goodcallsbaseball.blogspot.com/2012/01/umpire-school-declares-being.html

I think it's part of the evolution of umpiring.

[mstaylor]

Umpires are the defenders of the integrity of the game

I like this, we are the ones out there watching with impartial eyes. We have to see the play and apply the rules accordingly.

[zm1283]

Part of game management is being able to keep players and coaches in the game.This dosen't mean we are to eat s%^t but know how to diffuse bad situations

I don't agree that it is up to us to keep them in the game. Most coaches at the high school level, and almost every coach above that level, knows what will keep them in the game and what will get them dumped. It is up to us to communicate what is acceptable and what is not, and enforce penalties if they cross the line. It is up to them to keep themselves in the game.

[UMP45]

Semantics! Communicate= Game management

[Texarkana]

MLB umpire Durwood Merrill once said to me. "The worst thing an umpire can do is eject a coach... Now if the coach ejects himself, well, that's OK" (I do not remember the exact words but this was basically it)

He didn't mean it as advice, I was catching in front of him, but he made the comment after a confrontation with a coach. He is originally from my area and after he retired he called games at my HS for a few years before his heart attack. I remembered it when I started calling games and it has really helped me make sure the coach has done something and its not my emotions that get the ejection! He also bought a restaurant in a town down the road and decorated it with some cool memorabilia, the food wasn't too bad either. (just cool info)

No disrespect, but Durwood thought he was part of the show. I am saying this in a funny way not a mean disrespectful way.