tag-team EJ

[yerout13]

only one I've been involved in over the last two seasons was just two weeks ago. My self and the PU work together quite a lot, and seems this one rat from one of the local travel teams has forgotten the part in the "good coaches handbook" about coaching entitled "your attitude rubs off on your players". He whines about balls and strikes, constantly, not so much having a loud fit, but moreso sniping and to our credit, both this particular partner and I have a good bit of patience.... to a point.

Anyways, this team has 3 pitchers who are what I'd call "whiners". When they miss, it absolutely is never their fault. They never have control issues, and the umpire's are all out to squeeze them and screw up their game. Mommy and Daddy have spent the better part of the last 17 years banging into them that they are perfect, never make mistakes, and are destined to be the next Cy Young award winner, that is as soon as they are drafted out of high school in the first round and start for their soon to be Major league Club two weeks after the draft.

One inparticular, a lefty, throws hard (82-87) and has really good movement on his 12-6. Problem is, it's ALWAYS up (and I mean VERY rarely is it a strike) , breaks late, and sorry, a curveball that crosses the plate as a "neckball" is not a strike. In any case, here we were, a scenario that's played through over and over, time and again, he's up with the curve, and he is being mistreated by myself, and tonight, my partner who has the dish. Now mind you, I'm the nice one, my partner is an even tempered fellow, but ain't going to put up with it, simply put.

Inning one he starts looking in, just for a second after the ball call, just a brief glance, but it's begins to get irritating and I can see my partner with that look in his eye, like 'I'm not putting up with this for too long'. Second inning rolls along, and it starts, the rolling of the eyes, the gestures, the shrugs, the arms go up and my partner, trying to be even keel about it tells the catcher to go out and square his pitcher away, which in my opinion is probably more than I would have done after our dealing with this particular kid. Thought it was a rather nice gesture on my partners part actually..... so he give's the catcher time, and he goes out and has a brief conversation with his pitcher. Now the catcher is a good kid, we've watched him play from T-ball all the way up, he knows both of us well so he's on the same page with my partner and I about this kid. Between innings the Manager (the kid's dad by the way, forgot that part) comes out to the plate on his way to third base, while my partner and I are standing there and asks him what his problem is, and why he told the catcher to talk to the pitcher. my partner calmly explained that he wasn't going to be shown up by a 17 year old kid, and that the guys son needs to pitch and give the theatrics a rest. Seems like a fair enough request to me. The guy whines a little bit during the conversation about the strike zone, but no more than we've become accustomed to from him, so suffice it to say, we generally have gotten to the point where we blow it off mostly.

Next inning little Strasburg gets himself into a little trouble, walks the first two hitters and gives up an infield single on a sacrifice bunt attempt that went in the hitters favor, because the pitcher fielded the ball and got the throw to first off late as the second baseman was late getting over..., so no one out, bases packed. Strasburg goes 3-2 on the next hitter and ends up getting ball four on... you guessed it, a high curve ball.... This is a tournament game, and Daddy doesn't wan t to see this 2-0 lead evaporate... so he goes to the pen....... as he walks away from the mound during the next pitchers warm up tosses, under his breath loud enough for my partner and I to hear it, (we happened to have come together to discuss the situation, and talk about what we were doing after the game briefly along the first base line) he says "just a position change, let me know if this pitcher offends you" in a real smartass tone.....

just like it had been scripted and blocked, my partner and I motion to dump him, simoultaniously, not that either of us planned it, but it struck us both at the same time and we obviously reacted in concert, not planning to, but that's just how it worked out......

anyways, that was my first EJ in a little over 2 years, and I'm not even sure if it was my EJ or not LOL

I feel like it was justified, even from me as the BU, partner agreed

Edited July 1, 2010 by yerout13
spelling

[yawetag]

my partner, trying to be even keel about it tells the catcher to go out and square his pitcher away, which in my opinion is probably more than I would have done after our dealing with this particular kid.

My only comment is based on this.

Don't ever let the past shorten the leash. If you dump him too quickly, it looks like you were out to get him dumped. Give him the same treatment you would to a pitcher you've never seen.

[yerout13]

My only comment is based on this.

Don't ever let the past shorten the leash. If you dump him too quickly, it looks like you were out to get him dumped. Give him the same treatment you would to a pitcher you've never seen.

As I do agree with you, I think we were more than patient with both the pitcher and the Manager in this instance. Both did enough during the game to warrant getting dumped I believe, but your point is well recieved.

[JaxRolo]

Good Double Toss :)

[Thunderheads]

Ok, I get it, whiney coach, always complains .....but ....under his breath so only you guys can hear "Let me know if this pitcher offends you" ...and you toss him? Hmmmmmmm:shrug:

I would have done everything I could to KEEP him in the game, and watch him get more and more upset because he's going to lose. Sometimes that's better.

BUT ...the double -toss scene is priceless! :)

[yawetag]

Both did enough during the game to warrant getting dumped I believe, but your point is well recieved.

I'm not arguing they didn't in this case. However, you implied that you would have ejected him before the actual ejection occurred.

[ukce1861]

I've heard on here multiple times about the four-step process.

1. Ignore

2. Acknowledge

3. Warn

4. Eject

This seems to get the job done for me - most of the time before I get to step 3. I'm not saying it would've worked in this situation, but I would recommend you try it. This works pretty well when you've got coaches or players that aren't doing any single action that's ejectionable, but taken in sum, they are. You ignored, but probably for longer than you should have. You acknowledged, by sending the catcher out. You never warned. A perfect time would've been when he was whining about the strike zone after the 1st inning. Instead of blowing it off, warn him. This will either make him realize you're not going to listen to him argue the strike zone or make your ejection fully justified. Just my thoughts.

[jjb]

....and, for the record, you're only credited with 1/2 an EJ (just like football)...

[jnazz]

Which one of you wrote it up??

[Stan W.]

sounds like a good ej to me...........as long as I only have to write half the report.....the one with all the swear words of course.....

[yerout13]

Which one of you wrote it up??

yup I wrote the paper, partner was Senior

Edited July 1, 2010 by yerout13