3 Dumb Things said by coaches on Saturday

[MPLSMatt]

Things I heard from coaches from my set of 3 games this weekend. The league is 13U rec and clearly coaches often don't know what they are talking about but still feel the need to argue. Rules are FED and the only "house rule" or adjustment is that the league is played w/ 75 feet bases and everyone hits. Anyway, here goes nothin.'

3) After calling a balk on the home team earlier in the inning, the visiting itcher balks (comes set then turns his shoulders to look at first -turned like 45 degrees first wasn't even close). Coach calls yells "you have to give him a warning first." I explain that there is no "warning rule" and in fact, the league bulletin warns that the balk rule is in effect.

2) Home pitcher is throwing a pretty decent curve and getting a lot of called third strikes with batters ducking and covering. Visiting coach yells "blue, he's not allowed to throw a curve balls"

1) Delayed steel from third. When catcher throws ball to pitcher, runner comes home and is safe by a mile. HC comes from third base box to explain that "all runners have to 'tag up' on their base after every pitch." I explain that the league is High School rules and doesn't have any local rules about base running. He says "that's the rule at all levels of baseball." It was hard not to laugh at that point but I explained that that wasn't the rule but maybe he had a live ball and dead ball situation confused. He walks off all upset as if I've done his team wrong.

This sort of stuff drives me nuts because what do you say to someone who clearly doesn't know the rule other than "you are wrong."

[catoblue]

"you are wrong" is probably the gentlest thing you can say in that situation.

[semper_fi_72]

4th Dumb thing a coach can say.

"I am a umpire and know the rules".

[MPLSMatt]

Last week I had a coach show up in umpire shirt and pants (although to his credit, he had a jacket over his shirt and never said "I'm an umpire"). This game was 11U in the same league as the OP so I was thinking "this should be problem free since this guy knows the rules."

I was disheartened when a ball bounced and hit a batter and I called time and awarded the batter first base and the head coach (in the umpires gear) came out and told me that if a ball bounces first the batter doesn't get first. I knew he was wrong and tried to gently tell him so but he was certain that he was correct and persisted. I finally told him "coach, I'm the ump today and that's my ruling - let's play ball" and he stomped off complaining to all of the parents about how a ball that bounces is not a HBP. It took a lot of restraint by me not to go over there and make a big deal about it but I just let it go and figured it wasn't worth my fight. I had to think for a little while about the logic for why that is since it isn't discussed in the FED casebook (by my calculation its a combination of the hit by pitch rule and the pitch (time of) definition, correct?) Sadly, assuming this guy is an umpire (if not dressing in ump gear takes being a rat to a new level) he is only creating more ignorant coaches that I'll probably have to deal with....

[jjb]

You're right, Matt, and he's wrong. It's just absolutely frustrating when these nitwits walk over to the parents and proclaim "This Umpire needs to read the rules". Makes you want to stop the game and hold a Rules Clinic

[Umpire in Chief]

One thing I heard a few weks ago was a 1st base coach who was griping about balks said as he was walking a away, "Well that was a balk when I was in AA."

[BrianC14]

One thing I heard a few weks ago was a 1st base coach who was griping about balks said as he was walking a away, "Well that was a balk when I was in AA."

You know you really could have laid him out flat after he said that....

...think about it..... a reply that goes,

"Really? Alcoholics Anonymous has their own baseball league?"

:2cents:

[Tyennie]

I thought it was "Arseholes Anonymous"

[mstaylor]

One of the best lines I was ever given was a coach complaining after I threw his asst,"Why is it that everytime there is a rules question I'm on the short end of it?" I took the high road and said I couldn't explain it.

[ukce1861]

One of the best lines I was ever given was a coach complaining after I threw his asst,"Why is it that everytime there is a rules question I'm on the short end of it?" I took the high road and said I couldn't explain it.

Mike, you're my hero... I probably couldn't have come up with anything witty to say but I know I would have looked like this guy for the next few minutes...

If you just said that and moved on, you're a far better man than me...

[mstaylor]

I'm not saying there wasn't serious snikering going on inside. He was managing his son in the local men's league after his college was over. I had been umpiring them both since LL.

[yerout13]

4th Dumb thing a coach can say.

"I am a umpire and know the rules".

ya, LOVE that one.... first thought is always 'you must not be a very good umpire then'

[yerout13]

Son is 15, in his second year of umpiring... and he's working a 9U a week ago..... Rec league, and I'm telling you, the fact that one of these kids actually catches a ball is a big deal in this league.... and a balk.... what's that??? (keep in mind, league rules state, no balks will be called, kids aren't even allowed to lead off or leave the base until the ball passes the dish). anyhow, third base coach on the third batter after 2 are on, starts yelling "BALK!!!!!" after every pitch..... granted, ya, the pitcher was balking, technically, accept , umm, there are no balks in this league... anyhow the third base coach/manager then yells "I've been coaching 16 years, and he's balking, you need to learn the rules!!!" to my son... I'm just sitting there grinning, and watching, as my son calls time... walks down the line to the coach, stops, stares at him for something like 3-5 seconds, and just says... "shut up" then turns around and walks away......

of course the coach didn't like it, and it ended in an argument and my son dumping the guy, and later I did coach my son that it probably wasn't the best way to handle it but hey, he's 15. I will say this, I LOVE the improvisation, and I had to laugh.

edit: one of the things I do take pride in is my professionalism when working... I stress this to my son, and this was definitely a lapse in that professionalism, understandable, almost, but a lapse nonetheless. I have explained this to him, and allthough a 15 year old kid reacted in a manner he felt was warranted based on the blatent stupidity, he knows better and I don't think he'd react the same way again. He'd worked a tournament the previous weekend, 10 games or so, he was tired hot and had no patience on this particular evening.. no excuse, but all things considered, not sure I would have come up with anything better under the same circumstances , my reaction would have probably been different, but still, it did make me laugh... does that make me a bad coach? LOL... I dunno, I guess we all get one bad one

Edited July 1, 2010 by yerout13
additional explanation/spelling

[yawetag]

not sure I would have come up with anything better under the same circumstances

"That's enough" always works for me.

[yerout13]

"That's enough" always works for me.

to be perfectly honest, in this particular moment, I'm not quite sure "that's enough" would have gotten the job done, however I do agree that it would have been a proper next step

[yawetag]

to be perfectly honest, in this particular moment, I'm not quite sure "that's enough" would have gotten the job done, however I do agree that it would have been a proper next step

If "that's enough" doesn't get the job done, there's someone watching the game from the parking lot.

[spiritump]

GOOD for your SON--------there all rats

[persong]

My son has been umpiring for about 4 years now, he is 17. He probably would have said the same thing and not thought twice about it. Not professional, but how many of us wish we could say it? now he at least has had that opportunity. :notworthy:

[mstaylor]

I was protested one year at JrLL or SrLL states. It was an all the way to Williamsport protest. Anyway when the coach said he wanted to protest I called for the TD. While we were waiting for him to make his way to the field, the manager says he has been to umpire school, even has the manuals in his car. Turns out it was a district clinic that I had helped set up but didn't instruct. He should have paid better attention, cost him a run.

[cnelsoGA1]

After umpiring anywhere from 9/10 to varsity games, two out of three of these have happened to me after only a couple of years. The level of ignorance on some (most) coaches is rather entertaining.

[BT_Blue]

I was protested one year at JrLL or SrLL states. It was an all the way to Williamsport protest. Anyway when the cat wrangler said he wanted to protest I called for the TD. While we were waiting for him to make his way to the swamp, the manager says he has been to joker school, even has the manuals in his car. Turns ham sandwich it was a district clinic that I had helped set up but didn't instruct. He should have paid better attention, cost him a run.

Would have been better if you actually had been there to instruct. That would have been classic.

[James Walker]

Sometimes you just want to ask.... "have you even looked at the rule book?".

[SanDiegoSteve]

"That's enough" always works for me.

to be perfectly honest, in this particular moment, I'm not quite sure "that's enough" would have gotten the job done, however I do agree that it would have been a proper next step

"Pipe down" would have been better. I have lost my cool and told a couple coaches to shut up, and it always sounds really bad. "Knock it off NOW" is a good one too, in cases where "that's enough" won't get it done..

[umpcoachfather]

I call time put my finger on my lips and say "shhhhhh" at that level. But, then again, I wont do that level cause I hate all the coaches and parents.