Can I Vent

[UmpJM]

soapbox,

Apparently not......

JM

[UmpJM]

(Inadvertent double post.) JM

[sdix00]

Wow, that must have been one serious vent!

[soapbox]

Hmmm! Is it April Fools Day? Let me try one more time. Now the short version. I was called by my assignor this morning and removed from DH tomorrow night because the director of their program said I was unprofessional. I showed to the field on time last night. Was neatly dressed in clean uniform. Worked this game by myself as it was a youth girls fp game. This program has a huge black eye for how they treat their girls. I've been involved in girls fp for many years at a quality level and I have to say that the way they deal with kids is insulting to anyone involved. With that said, I inspected helmets and bats and proceeded with game. No issues other than the HT lost 3-1. The girls should all be proud of their efforts. When the game was over, I left the field by way of visitors without a word. Other than the fact that they would love me to call a zone like its NCAA Arizona vs Florida, there is nothing to mention game wise. I have no doubt the zone was good, consistent, and the same for both teams. I have never been called unprofessional or removed from as assignment. This particular assignor is bowing to this program as she has lost her huge following of leagues and umpires. I think she just lost one more.

[carolinablue]

If I'm going to get "disciplined" by my assigner based strictly on a word of a coach without an explanation or chance to give my side I'm going to have a problem. I would call her and asked her what was said. If she won't tell or if it's some BS she's buying into without even asking you about it, I would consider moving on. Somebody has to have your back or umpiring can really suck.

[Umpire in Chief]

A few years ago my association had a different assigner. My partner got into it with one of the coaches and it ended up in an ejection. The coach wrote a lengthy email to the assigner about how awful we were especially my partner. Guess where we were both assigned together for the next 2-3 weeks.

The first time back the coach didn't even acknowledge my partner at the plate meeting. But it did end up working out by the 4th game it was all back to normal.

[mstaylor]

The problem with assigners being subservient to leagues is the quality of umpiring goes down because the guys that will go out and take care of business leave because they get blackballed. The best umpires that run the training leave, the second tier become the TOP before they are ready. They start getting blackballed and they leave or quit caring. Then you have guys left that will do what they have to to get games.

Any chance of going to one of the groups that have taken some of the schools?

[dumbdumb]

Hmmm! Is it April Fools Day? Let me try one more time. Now the short version. I was called by my assignor this morning and removed from DH tomorrow night because the director of their program said I was unprofessional. I showed to the field on time last night. Was neatly dressed in clean uniform. Worked this game by myself as it was a youth girls fp game. This program has a huge black eye for how they treat their girls. I've been involved in girls fp for many years at a quality level and I have to say that the way they deal with kids is insulting to anyone involved. With that said, I inspected helmets and bats and proceeded with game. No issues other than the HT lost 3-1. The girls should all be proud of their efforts. When the game was over, I left the field by way of visitors without a word. Other than the fact that they would love me to call a zone like its NCAA Arizona vs Florida, there is nothing to mention game wise. I have no doubt the zone was good, consistent, and the same for both teams. I have never been called unprofessional or removed from as assignment. This particular assignor is bowing to this program as she has lost her huge following of leagues and umpires. I think she just lost one more.

F'em and feed em beans.

That is exactly what she has been saying to her umpires, and therefor lost a huge following of umpires and rightly so.

Unless staying is your only option and I feel sorry if you are one of many who have no other options, take her up on her f'em and feed em beans attitude towards the umpires.

Read UIC's post and see how things were handled years ago and still get handled in some places with these types of j$ckoff coaches and leagues.

Until she grows a pair of ovaries with these j$ckoffs running the league, stay clear, IMHO.

[soapbox]

Here is my follow up. First, let me state that the director of this program is the king of rats. He shows up in his muscle shirts and makes sure he looks like a gift to the world. He yells at his girls from the first pitch and badgers every umpire. I was at a tournament with a game off observing his antics. At the end of the game, I asked the umpire on why he allowed it. His response, oh it's just **name**, that's how he is. I've seen girls puking on hot days where they have 3 games asking not to come out because **name** will be mad at me. They are 10 year olds. The parents buy into it and equally lay into their children. They copy their leader and it sickens me. Now, the coaches in his program are just like him. They think they are cool and god's gift to the world. They just look and sound like asses.

So I spoke to my assigner last night and she told me that he said my body language suggested I didn't want to be there. Not true. I was early, neatly dressed and sanctioned uniform. I performed my responsibilities prior to game and call it fair regardless of how I feel about them. I am strictly by the book at their complex. I don't smile and I don't frown. I am guilty of being nice to the catchers and pitchers. I come out from behind the plate and am very mobile. I have a fondness for softball as I have 2 daughters who played. I enjoy umpiring, but at the risk of being called out, I am stoic at their complex. When they lost, I exited through the winning team area without a word. Oh, he also told my assigner that my strike zone was horrible. I called strikes over the helmets. Over their helmets? That's tough coach. At the letters, below the forward armpit, maybe. 10U glorified rec pitcher for the VT. Basically lobbing over the plate. Yes coach, that's a strike. Look it up in a rule book, you might be surprised.

Anyway, I was slated to work a tournament in early May for this assigner. I let her know that I won't be able to make it as I didn't have the support of her. I assign and work primarily for 2 other assigners. I just help her out as she is quickly fading. I no longer will be helping her out. Am I wrong?

[Umpire in Chief]

You're absolutely right. If you feel you are not getting the support from higher up, and you have other options - take them let her figure out how she is going to assign games with fewer umpires.

[scrounge]

You're not wrong in the slightest. She took a losing coach's word about your strike zone? In a 10u softball game? Come on, girl.

[sdix00]

I let her know that I won't be able to make it as I didn't have the support of her. I assign and work primarily for 2 other assigners. I just help her out as she is quickly fading. I no longer will be helping her out. Am I wrong?

Nope.

[MPLSMatt]

Wow.... All of this over 10u? In my area, even for travel ball at 10U, they are lucky to get an ump who's well dressed and has read the rule book. What an absolute joke... To go to these lengths to sh*t on an ump over a 10U game. Dude needs to get a life.

[johnnyg08]

That's what's wrong w/ youth sports today.

In my neck of the woods they're lucky to have umpires for 10U who's not a parent standing behind the pitcher.

[Vegas]

Leave - it's apparent that the assignor doesn't have your back at all.

[soapbox]

Bumped into this guy at the ballpark on saturday. This time he was with his 12U team. It was at my hometown complex. When I saw him point at me while talking to one of his disciples I couldn't resist going up to him and asking what I i did to warrant a phone call to the assigner. I was not in my uniform and I certainly wasn't confrontational. It was curiosity more than anything. He was very proud in proclaiming that my zone was pitches over the head and 2 feet off the plate. Won't tell you I haven't missed a pitch in my life, but 10U girls get the letters at this level. I think we were at different games. He also told me that I treat the girls like 10 year old players and not the same as I would treat much older players. Well, he is probably right about that. When he hit me with the line, "I've forgotten more than you will ever know", it was my cue to say have a nice day sir and go get dressed for my game. I listened from 2 fields away as he made his game about himself, screaming like a lunatic at the12 year olds. You guys can beat on me for approaching. Nothing came out of it other than confirming that he is an ass. As for my knowledge of the rules, I wouldnt dignify with a response.

[scrounge]

Bumped into this guy at the ballpark on saturday. This time he was with his 12U team. It was at my hometown complex. When I saw him point at me while talking to one of his disciples I couldn't resist going up to him and asking what I i did to warrant a phone call to the assigner. I was not in my uniform and I certainly wasn't confrontational. It was curiosity more than anything. He was very proud in proclaiming that my zone was pitches over the head and 2 feet off the plate. Won't tell you I haven't missed a pitch in my life, but 10U girls get the letters at this level. I think we were at different games. He also told me that I treat the girls like 10 year old players and not the same as I would treat much older players. Well, he is probably right about that. When he hit me with the line, "I've forgotten more than you will ever know", it was my cue to say have a nice day sir and go get dressed for my game. I listened from 2 fields away as he made his game about himself, screaming like a lunatic at the12 year olds. You guys can beat on me for approaching. Nothing came out of it other than confirming that he is an ass. As for my knowledge of the rules, I wouldnt dignify with a response.

I don't think you were wrong in the slightest for talking with him. One - he started it by pointing at you. Two - as you described it, it's not a confrontation at all. He thinks it's an insult to say you treat 10 yr old girls differently than 18 yr olds? Uh....duh.

My only criticism is that you didn't hit him with a full-fledged, Willy Wonka "Good day, sir. I SAID GOOD DAY!!!".

[mstaylor]

I have a nemesis in my area so I understand the problem you are having. Luckily my assigner feels the same as me so his complaints fall on deaf ears. He has a teaching facility so he is around parks all the time. I can be perfectly cordial, I have never tossed him and I can work with him without attitude. Nowhere does that say I have to like him. The same goes for you. The difference is the assigner deferred to the coach. The correct answer to the coach is," That's odd, his zone is usually bang on, I will talk to him and see what he says. At this point we aren't adjusting any schedules."

[yawetag]

I don't think you were wrong in the slightest for talking with him. One - he started it by pointing at you. Two - as you described it, it's not a confrontation at all. He thinks it's an insult to say you treat 10 yr old girls differently than 18 yr olds? Uh....duh.

My only criticism is that you didn't hit him with a full-fledged, Willy Wonka "Good day, sir. I SAID GOOD DAY!!!".

I do have a problem with it. What did soapbox expect to happen in the conversation, other than hear the coach's opinion of the situation? I've found it best to stay away from controversy, especially between myself and a coach.

[soapbox]

Yawetag, I have no problem with your criticism. I questioned myself what good could come from it. The reality was, if he thought I sucked, so be it. I'll live with his opinion. But when you call an assigner and tell them I'm unprofessional when that clearly was not the case, you are spreading something that could impact me in areas that could have an effect. The guy is a bad guy, and if I had spare time, I might just record his antics and post on this site. Since I work just about every night, and I'm not into throwing him under the bus, I'll take the high road and move on. And for the record, the zone was perfect, as written in our rule books, specifically for 10U Girls FP.

[Replacematt]

Yawetag, I have no problem with your criticism. I questioned myself what good could come from it. The reality was, if he thought I sucked, so be it. I'll live with his opinion. But when you call an assigner and tell them I'm unprofessional when that clearly was not the case, you are spreading something that could impact me in areas that could have an effect.

If you have an issue with a participant, only bad things can happen if you address them off the field. You already felt he was an ass. If that is the case, what would you expect an ass to do during another conversation? What would have happened if he called the assignor after your most recent meeting, saying that you confronted him about his phone call?

[soapbox]

I take a handful of games from this woman as a favor. Her time has come and past as her association has mostly left her. As I stated before, I will no longer work for someone that sold her soul for a check. She knows this guy. Suspended from his league several times as I know the past president. Ejected from field many times. I could have and should have turned a blind eye, but too many have done just that and allow his showboating to continue. I'm not the first umpire banned from his games. Maybe I'll be the last. You are right though. Should just ignore him and let him be somebody elses problem.

[Mike Prince]

Well I will take the minority and agree with what soapbox did. He was not in uniform, approached the coach in question only after he pointed at him in ridicule and had no intentions of a confrontation - he was looking for feedback and was ready to turn and walk at the first sign of a confrontation (whose chance was minimal at a crowded ballpark).

What he did was stand up for himself - a trait sorely lacking in our society today. "Taking the high road" was not ignoring this coach, that would only grow his 'legacy'. He approached him like an adult and (tried to) have an adult conversation.

If I am watching this interaction either as a participant of the previous game in question or the next game soapbox was calling, all of the points go to soapbox.

Maybe, just maybe he made the coach at least consider the error of his ways. That possibly helps the next umpire that this person has issue with. Don't just pass the guy off as someone else's problem...

[Kevin Finnerty]

I would never approach a known ass to try to have a reasonable conversation regarding anything. That does nothing but make you something of an ass.

If the ass wants to approach me, he will probably leave with at least some serious regrets, and at most a permanent limp. Coach encounters of a contentious nature away from the field are an absolute taboo, period.

Just remember the more the ass blathers, the bigger the ass becomes. Let the ass become as big as it wants to.

[ukce1861]

"Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig."