Partner Troubles

[yawetag]

I've held off posting this for almost a week, just to cool down and evaluate myself. Let me preface the story by stating the league I umpired this game in is substandard. Training is minimal, and it's obvious. I became one of the "best" after only two or three games at the park.

I've never had a situation like this, and I hope to never have one again. I feel I did the best I could, but would love to hear thoughts -- both positive and negative -- on the situation and how I handled it.

Games at the park have the following rule: "No inning shall start after the stated 1 hour 45 minute time limit. At the end of the 1 hour 45 minute time limit, the inning in progress shall be completed and the game shall be counted as a legal game regardless of innings played or regardless if the game is tied." The game is a blowout for the home team, winning 20-something to 0 in the third. HC asks me how much time is left. I check and it's 12 minutes.

With R2, 2 outs, and 1-0 count on batter, timer goes off. I decide that since the game is a blow-out and the VT has no chance to bat, I'd end the game after the current batter. Next pitch is a wild pitch, which eventually brings R2 home by a wild throw to 3B.

This is when it gets fun. BU comes up to me and the following conversation takes place:

BU: End the game.

Me: I'm letting this batter hit, then we'll end the game.

BU: It's 27-0. No one's having any fun. End the game.

Me: I will after this next batter.

BU: The timer went off. The game is over.

Me: No, the game is not over. Technically, we have to get the last out. However, I'm ending it after this batter.

The BU continues to argue with me.

Me: I'm not arguing with you. Go back to your position.

BU: End the game. It's 27-0. We're risking the kids' safety. That runner almost got hit in the face with the throw.

Me: If you don't like it, walk off the field. I'll make sure to tell [uIC] what you did.

I then walked toward the plate. He continued to stand there.

BU: Blue. Blue. Blue. End the game.

I have no choice but to go back to him.

Me: If you want the game to end here, end it. After you do, I'll make sure [uIC] knows what you did.

He finally goes back to A. I go to the HC and DC and explain we're ending the game after the next batter. After two more balls, the game is over.

Needless to say, I was steaming. I changed and left. Luckily, BU never approached me after the game or I would have ripped him a new one.

With that said, I understand that I could have ended the game. Everything that happened was immaterial to the score. However, the score should have no bearing when a rule is established. Would we have done the same if the score was 3-2? 3-3? Of course not. In fact, I would have finished the inning.

Let me have it. Please tell me how you would handle a partner that, in effect, refused to continue the game.

[Mike Prince]

I would have gone to the BU after the game to "educate" him. The time is your responsibility and it's your decision (within the rules) on when to end the game. Tell him that you would never call him out like this on the field if positions were reversed. Then ask your assignor to not pair you with this guy anymore.

On the field I don't see anything different that you could have/should have done.

[semper_fi_72]

I agree with bikerider.

Should have talked to him after the game to educate him on responsibilities.

With that said:

Team at bat is winning team and time runs out, game is over as soon as time is up. Unless the other team has to bat to complete the inning.

Always end a game as soon as possible within the rules.

I assume you did everything you could to expand your strike zone and steal every out possible once it became a blow out.

You did not mention what level of play this was or the type of organization besides being kids?

Was your partner a Volunteer or a Paid Umpire?

[Stan W.]

IWith that said:

Team at bat is winning team and time runs out, game is over as soon as time is up. Unless the other team has to bat to complete the inning.

Always end a game as soon as possible within the rules.

Semper fi gave you "THE" answer......end the game as soon as the rules permit.....

however........you were the UIC for that game, and my training as partner would make me go with your decision and if I had any problem with it to discuss it with you in the post game......

[JaxRolo]

+1 I agree with ending the game immediately when the timer goes off. What if that ball had hit the batter in the face? Your responsible for that.

However the BU was wrong in arguing about it. It was your decision. As a BU I have to go with PU decisions.

[Guest]

I'll give you another scenario:

What if the pitcher decides, because the game is out of reach, to throw at the batter? What if the batter then charges the mound, and the benches subsequently empty?

End the game at the earliest moment you can.

[Mr Umpire]

Where is all the "It's for the kids" group?

I have no issue with waiting until the end of an at bat. Let the final batter have closure on his at bat is fine with me. It is accepted to do things this way here so I have no issue with it.

If the pitcher is going to throw at a batter, he is going to do it before the timer goes off. He won't wait that long.

Now, as for the BU, there are only 2 ways to handle it. First is to let him know his place. He is not UIC so he just keeps his mouth shut until there is a chance to discuss it. Such as, DC comes out to talk to his pitcher. Talk to him after the game. By not doing that, he is now a problem for someone else to deal with.

Second, is to not tell him. Just leave but make sure you are not paired up with him again. If you do this and get paired with him again, then you will have to deal with it this time. I think I would go with the first choice and end it there. At least, he will know where you stand if it happens again and he won't waste his time coming in to talk to you about it.

[Mr Umpire]

Team at bat is winning team and time runs out, game is over as soon as time is up. Unless the other team has to bat to complete the inning.

Always end a game as soon as possible within the rules.

I assume you did everything you could to expand your strike zone and steal every out possible once it became a blow out.

Interesting. Tell him to do it by the rules in one breath. But, not to in the same breath. This looks like a post of "I want to go home as soon as possible with no regards to what rules I break". Make them abide by the rules but let the umpires make up their own "judgment".

This is for another thread but is "Situational umpiring". I don't like it b/c it ruins credibility.

[noumpere]

Would we have done the same if the score was 3-2? 3-3? Of course not. In fact, I would have finished the inning.

I would end the game if it was 3-2 (with home team leading and batting). Visitors have no legal chance to win the game. It's no different from Home leading 3-2 going into the bottom of the last scheduled inning -- you don't play that half inning.

[buddywilshire]

BU: End the game.

Me: I'm letting this batter hit, then we'll end the game.

BU: It's 27-0. No one's having any fun. End the game.

Me: I will after this next batter.

BU: The timer went off. The game is over.

Me: No, the game is not over. Technically, we have to get the last out. However, I'm ending it after this batter.

This exchange confuses me here. You say the game isn't over until technically you have the last out, but you just said before the game is over if the home team is up and the buzzer goes off, so which is it? Seems to me you let the punk BU give you a hard time and you got into a peeing contest with him and you didn't want to back done. My point, he was probably right about ending the game, but he was 100% wrong about making a big deal about it on the field with you during the game. The count was already 2-0 and the home team was up a ton, nothing good can happen for the team in the field. The only team that is going to be happy about the last batter is the home team, whom is already up by 20 or so. End the game as soon as you can.

[semper_fi_72]

Interesting. Tell him to do it by the rules in one breath. But, not to in the same breath. This looks like a post of "I want to go home as soon as possible with no regards to what rules I break". Make them abide by the rules but let the umpires make up their own "judgment".

This is for another thread but is "Situational umpiring". I don't like it b/c it ruins credibility.

I have no idea how you came up with one breath but not in the same idea.

I said nothing about breaking rules.

I said always end a game as soon as possible within the rules.

If you allow a game to continue after it should have ended you open yourself to liability issues.

Oh yes I always break the rules to go home early.

That is why I have worked 172 games to date in 2010, in Adult, High School, USSSA, Little League and PONY. I accept and work those games so I can turn around and go home as quick as possible, especially when it is the first game of the day and there are two or even three more to follow. :)

[Mr Umpire]

I have no idea how you came up with one breath but not in the same idea.

I said nothing about breaking rules.

I said always end a game as soon as possible within the rules.

If you allow a game to continue after it should have ended you open yourself to liability issues.

Oh yes I always break the rules to go home early.

That is why I have worked 172 games to date in 2010, in Adult, High School, USSSA, Little League and PONY. I accept and work those games so I can turn around and go home as quick as possible, especially when it is the first game of the day and there are two or even three more to follow.

I didn't say any of what you said above except the part I bolded. Yes, you said to end the game within the rules. I'm fine with that. But, you also said this.

I assume you did everything you could to expand your strike zone and steal every out possible once it became a blow out.

Expanding the zone and "stealing" outs when they should be safe is breaking the rules. Which hurts credibility of the umpire. Most of it is perception and close ones can go either way. But, to suggest calling outs when they are not is wrong. Doing that DOES have the perception of wanting to go home early even if it is the first game of the day.

You said it, not me.

[semper_fi_72]

I didn't say any of what you said above except the part I bolded. Yes, you said to end the game within the rules. I'm fine with that. But, you also said this.

Expanding the zone and "stealing" outs when they should be safe is breaking the rules. Which hurts credibility of the umpire. Most of it is perception and close ones can go either way. But, to suggest calling outs when they are not is wrong. Doing that DOES have the perception of wanting to go home early even if it is the first game of the day.

You said it, not me.

So you don't expand your strike zone on the winning team when you have a blow out?

Stealing every out possible is a figure of speech.

I don't seem to have a perception or creditability problem in this area or any other area since I have built what I believe is a solid reputation and when I show up to work a game, everyone is very happy.

Edited June 30, 2010 by semper_fi_72

[Mr Umpire]

So you don't expand your strike zone on the winning team when you have a blow out?

Stealing every out possible is a figure of speech.

I don't seem to have a perception or creditability problem in this area or any other area since I have built what I believe is a solid reputation and when I show up to work a game, everyone is very happy.

OK. Different worlds and what is tolerated. And, no I don't. I uphold my standards even if the teams can't do theirs. The losing coach has to want it as well so both get an expanded zone.

What are you going to do if the losing team comes back? Shrink it back down again? That will be consistent.

[yawetag]

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. It appears the consensus here is to end the game when the timer hits (provided it's a game-ending situation). I'll keep that in mind next time.

Not that it matters, but it was a local league with 15U teams.

[Umpire in Chief]

Around here the common practice is when you get immediately close to the drop dead time limit we announce last batter, he gets to complete his AB.

[buddywilshire]

Around here the common practice is when you get immediately close to the drop dead time limit we announce last batter, he gets to complete his AB.

If it the OP is talking about the league I think he is talking about, I'm pretty sure there is a buzzer.

[yawetag]

If it the OP is talking about the league I think he is talking about, I'm pretty sure there is a buzzer.

We bring a timer on the field and start it at the end of ground rules.