Where did the fun go in baseball??? Championship game for not.

[AJtheUMP]

The coach was not where he was supposed to be, that is why there was contact. The insurance company sued everybody it could in trying to recover some of it's costs.

I agree the coach was not in the correct position, I simply meant that he did not intentionally step out in front of the official. Also the law suit was completely unfounded against the officials when it was the coach who caused the accident. ("needing someone to blame")

[umped up]

I'm in the "A" slot and I hear a parent on the 3rd base side say, " hey watch your language there's kids present ". I took notice but thought nothing of it thinking it was just a player using bad language telling a story or what have you. Then all the sudden I hear, " F U Mother FR, I'll kick your ass "! There was this person in the dugout talking to a fan on their side.

Here's where things went wrong. When you hear this, and see that's it coming from inside the dugout - he's gone. He should've been ejected before you even got to the dugout; when you get there, you're just shutting down the discussion and telling him to leave immediately. Then your partner never has an opportunity to let him stay.

If I could only do it over again.......

[Kevin Finnerty]

It required more than an ejection. He was a threat. A simple ejection is a cop-out. He had to leave the property and the man he threatened had to be protected from him. It was bigger than a baseball matter. Threatening another human being with bodily harm made it a criminal matter. Police assist him in leaving.

[mstaylor]

Has anyone here ever been sued for their actions - or lack thereof - as an umpire on the baseball field? Does anyone know someone

personally

who has been sued for their actions - or lack thereof - as an umpire on the baseball field?

I have never been sued but I have been threatened to be arrested twice, once in soccer and once in baseball. Both involved fights.

Baseball is a game of steps and development for all involved, and it's a game of wisdom handed down and lessons taught via lessons learned. But what makes it seem that a lot of officiating issues happen with youth and travel teams? Don't throw bricks a me, but I think a part of the problem is that when some umpires get better from working youth ball (that is, if they ever did) their desire to move up (and/or make more money) overrides their desire to help the youth players, coaches, and especially new umpires get better... while at the same time ultra fine-tuning their own skills. I would love for a clinician or senior umpire to volunteer for one day in our, or any city program to work with our younger guys, or even just come by and observe a few games and toss in some feedback... giving back to the game just a little. Do the younger and inexperienced guys have to want to get better? Of course! But should a lot of older, trained, clinicized, schooled, and experienced umpires simply choose to abandon youth baseball? While I'm saddened by the situation in the

OP

, I'm not that surprised.

I do it all the time. I visit LLs, I work younger games, I work middle school and JV games with new guys to bring them along and help or run with clinics.

[mstaylor]

I agree that you could have stepped in over your partner. If you know your partner is a waffler, as soon as you know it from the dugout, dump him, then figure out what is going on. I am a little less inclined to step into his mess as far as the dugout chirping, he made that on his own. I hope you told your assigner that background and let him know you care not to work with him again.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I generally red line partners who cause peoples' asses to get kicked.