Tell us about the partner(s) you never want to work with again.

[Umpire in Chief]

No names will be necessary for this thread. Just tells about a partner you never want to see on your schedule again.

For me it was a partner I had my second year. We were working a tournament together. The environment was set for something awful from the word go 2 A-hole coaches and a partner I would soon find out was a gem himself.

I was in the "B" position and we had a check swing situation. Well the batter went 3/4 of the way around there was no question about it, the crowd is getting really loud. I can't hear crap but see the catcher pointing to me for an appeal. I do nothing because my partner hasn't come to me. Then I hear my partner say something as he's pointing in my general direction with his left hand. While I didn't hear him I could only assume he's going to me on the appeal and come up with a big hammering strike mechanic.

The first base coach was yelling for the batter either to swing or not to swing, so he's basically agreeing with me. My partner takes off his mask and stares at me. I give him a puzzled look, then he (without calling time) comes up to me in my "B" position and yells, "What the hell are you doing?"

All I could say is, "What?"

He yells, "you shoved that up my ass!" he then shook his head at me and walked away. He never acknowledged my existence the rest of the game no communication, signals, nothing.

He leaves the field without me at the end of the game and I chased him down in the umpire lounge they had set up.

I asked what was up with him, and he blew up at me yelling in front of other umpires that I shoved the call up his ass, that he never went to me for an appeal and then brought up something I may have done wrong earlier in the day. (In the game before I had a close one at first and it was a real coin flip for me, but I called the runner out diving back on a pick off. After that game I confided in my partner that it was such a close play and it could have gone either way one of my deciding factors was that the 1st base coach had been an ass to me all game long so if he was going to be an ass to me he wasn't going to get the benefit of my calls on a play like that) We'll he's telling everybody this in an exaggerated way making it seem like I intentionally blew the call and about how bad an umpire I am ranting and raving.

I interrupted him and rebutted, "How could you not be appealing to me, you were pointing to me with your left hand?"

He said he was just putting the ball back in play.

I called BS on him by reminding him the ball was not ever dead and that he pointed with his left hand. And he must be a worse umpire than me if he's putting the ball back in play with his left hand.

He denied this and continued to rant.

We had an hour break b/t games when we were to go to another field for the next set where I would be behind the plate.

For better or worse a storm popped up quickly at the end of the 3rd game and we never got the 4th one in.

When the Tourny Dir said we were done for the day, my partner was gone and out of the parking lot in about 1 minute.

He emailed our former commissioner to let the commissioner know how awful I am.

I haven't worked with him since and hope I don't have to either.

[BrianC14]

This could also be placed in the thread about umpires who can't run the game correctly due to their age or physical impairments.

There's a guy in our association that's been around for 45+ years; he's in his 70s now, and is a real stick in the mud when it comes to changes in the rules.

He's a nice guy, but of course, that and $2.50 will get you a short latté at Starbucks. As for umpiring, well, he just can't get around the field anymore.

I've had a couple of double headers scheduled with him - and interestingly, on both occasions, the 2nd game wasn't played. Of course, on both occasions, he insisted on taking the stick. That's fine, he's senior and all that, so I defer. To him, I'm just a "kid". A 50 year old "kid".

In the first game, the guy RARELY made his way up to 3B on a rotation. At one point, I've got a call at 2nd on a B/R double, I'm in position near the cutout, but the SS cuts off the throw and tries to get R1 into third.

I turn with the ball, and "Old Charley" is STILL making his way up the line - just a tad over 1/2 way, maybe 2/3 of the way up the line, and is nowhere near in position to make the call. Luckily, F6 threw the ball up high to F5, and R1 slides in underneath a late tag. Of course, my partner gives me this angry look as though I'm supposed to have been there to make that call. Thank goodness the game was a blowout. We only went 5 innings, and the second game was canceled due to twilight setting in, and they pushed the game to the next day (Weekend tournament).

In the next outing, my "pal" wants the stick again. Fine. Defer. It's FREEZING cold out - this is mid April. We start the game, and as usual, nothing of an agricultural nature stands a chance with him behind the plate.

By the start of the 2nd inning, a few snowflakes start to fall. By the end of the 3rd, it's a freakin' BLIZZARD. I'm looking in from the B, as B1 slashes a hard 2-hopper - right at me - but I can't see this thing coming until - WHOA! I've got no other way to move except - UP. And I am severely challenged when it comes to moving vertically. Lucky me, the ball stays down low on the hop; had it bounced up at all, I'd have been singin' in the Vienna Boys Choir, or I'd have taken in right in the chops.

So the game goes on, still a blizzard, and mercifully, the top half of the 4th comes to an end. I jog in, "Hey, 'Old Charley'", I inquire, "What do you think, should we wait until we can see the ball? I'm hearing complaints from the infielders about visibility; I'd hate to see the third baseman or pitcher get clocked because of this snow."

His response was incredible: "Oh, I don't know, I think we can get another 1/2 inning in, let's keep going."

Midway through the last 1/2 of the fourth, it's a white out - no exaggeration at all on that. The snowflakes are HUGE - and wet. I'm covered from head to toe - but only only my backside - with snow. Worse yet, the wind is blowing so hard that the snow is going SIDEWAYS - and you guessed it - right in toward home plate. Even in the B or C, I can't even see the ball leave the pitcher's hand, let alone see the ball come off the bat. Batter, catcher and UIC are just some shadowy figures, even though they're only 100 feet away. Every "ping" from bat meeting the ball was cause for my arms to come up in front of my face, just in case.

Finally - common sense enters the picture, when both coaches come out and basically TELL HIM that they want to stop and wait.

Thank goodness (again) - the snow kept falling so hard it was now accumulating on the field. We waited maybe 1/2 hour to 40 minutes, and there was easily 1" to 2" of snow on the field, and the game was called, as was the second game.

This guy, nice guy that he is, is simply too old to get around the field anymore, and his lack of concern for the safety of the players has made me definite about not working with him again.

Edited September 17, 2008 by BrianC14

[mstaylor]

I had a partner years ago that was one of the worse umpires I have ever worked with. First he was the only one in our group using a raft. Then he was a self proclaimed rules expert which couldn't be further from the truth. His favorite saying was," I hate baseball but I love to umpire." This translates into I'm a jerk and I like to prove it every chance I get. I was working a SrLL game with him. Of course, he was a plate slut so I was on the bases. The third base coach yelled to his batter to come up the line to talk. He never asked for time and my partner wasn't smart enough to just say time. Instead he calls for the batter to get in the box. The kid did what his coach said and went to see him. The PU called for a directed strike which was strike three and the third out. This led to a discussion but to no avail. Later the manager asked me if he could do that. I told him that was the rule and the enforcement for not taking his place in the box when so ordered. I would never have called it but I didn't tell him that.

I saw him call a runner out for not sliding at second base. The problem was he was on the plate and there wasn't a play being made there.

He bragged at a clinic one time he had called a runner out for slapping hands with his coach on a HR. The instructor told him was wrong and an idiot.

[littleleagueump]

I have been the UIC for 12 years for Senoia Area Little League and Griffin Little League for two years now. I recruit and train along with schedule for these leagues and Big League as well. I like to pick out my partners, it aint right but I don't like to work with umpires that are hard headed and don't listen to what I have instructed as a Little League Instructor.

I have those who are more experienced, some just too damn old, that I do try to watch to see if they can change their mechanics and those that I have taken under my wing to shape into a mold that I like to see and then watch then become on ofthe better umpires in the district.

I have one, he is one of the just too damn old ones that is an embarassment to see him on the field, or just know that he is making bad calls while I am on a different field or at a different park. Finally, after he umpired for 20 years at Senoia, last year I just quit calling him. He wasn't happy either but I and the league were. Don't get me wrong, he was reliable. His name is Richard.

He came to the state umpie clinic and I was happy to see him there. He said he couldn't stay the entire clinic. I told him to stay here long enough to learn something. He approached my DA and told her that he just came to get his certification. He was told if he wanted to get certified, he would have to attend the clinic. He left. That is one of several reasons why I quit calling him.

Another reason is the league and I were tired of all the bad calls and I was tired of him chasing me around the park yelling, "WHERE'S MY MONEY!" Money was the most important issue for him at the park, not the kids. He couldn't get around well either. I worked with him on game and the runner on first was attepting to steal second. Richard was sliding over into position to watch for the throw from the catcher. He got in too tight and was hit in the back of the leg by the thrown ball. Coaches were furious. He was in the line of fire and made no attempt to avoid the throw down.

I was non-the-less, "PISSED!" I let him know about it after the game and he told me that is why he hates calling with me, I try to correct him all the time. Well, DUH!!!!

Others think that because of a play like at the plate, the coaches or maybe parents thought the call was a bad call, the plate umpire feels the need to talk to the parents or coaches during each half inning to explain why he made such a call. If the runner is out, so be it. If the parents are just mythed and disturbed at the decision of the umpire, we can't make everyone happy.

I called the state big league tournament in West Point Georgia in mid July 2008, and we were to start with 3 teams. The Saturday when we was to start the games, one team never showed. It was then between district 4 and district 7, best of three. I am a district 4 umpire. District 7 lost the Saturday game 20-6. I was not there for that game. Sunday's game was rained out so we had to plat Monday. I could only get myself and one of my other district 4 umpires to call the game. After the 4th inning, in between innings, I saw two district 7 coaches looking at the rule book at their dugout. I approached then just to be helpful and asked what was they looking for that I might be able to help. They said "nothing."

Then on of them came to me and asked me if I was a district 4 umpire. "Yes I am but in this case, I am a Little League umpire. The cause for me being an umpire in district 4 should have no judgemnet on the outcome of the game." I called to my DA and informed her of it so that there would be no problems with this game. This team was trying to pass over the thought that I was trying to call the game for the district 4 team.

"IT IS 19-0!" (NINETEEN TO NOTHING!!!!!) O M G !!!!!!!!

The game ended with a score of 21-6. You talk about being pissed. My DA had to calm me down after the game. I had five people, in the score box directly behind me, their eyes are maybe 10' off the ground and then they are 35' behind me. That is a very good angle to see balls and strikes. They said that my strike zone was the best they had seen. It wasn't until the 5th inning before I called strike three on any batter in the game.

On top of it all, after the coaches started to assume that I was trying to cheat them, they had a kid in the stands take his camera and try to get an angle with his camera to film my strike zone. What a joke!

Can any of you beat this story?

I have one umpire that is an air marshall. He rides commercial airliners all around the world with his gun. He is a cop in the ski. In 2007. I took a group of five, that includes me, 800+ miles to St. Petersburg Florida to the regional umpire clinic. Well, sure enough, he brought his gun. I told him he had better leave it in the van when we arrive. Little League will not tolerate a gun on the property. Sure enough, he had the gun hanging on the bed post. He loves his gun. He talks of his gun. If anyone gets out of line no matter where it is, he brags that he will get his gun and shoot em. GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

He won't tell anyone directly that he will shoot them but he will tell who he is with about someone else.

He is a dependable umpire but he is not the best decision caller. His judgements are not all that good and his mechanics are very unfamiliar.

Another umpire I have is a school teacher. He is a great umpire, I mean good. Almost as ggod as I am. We tick together like a Timex watch. His mouth is the problem. If a coach comes out to ask about a call or a rule, he wants to get defensive and it appears he looks to try to toss someone. He likes to go to the winning teams dugout and inform them that if the get blah, blah, blah outs or something that they will win the game.

WHO CARES! SHUT UP!

Well, it is fall ball time and I have yet to call a game. Side work and hunting has kept me from it. I love it. I hope that any of you have a story as overwhelming as this one. Try to beat it or just share one of our own.

Good luck and have a clean safe, fun ball game yall.

[Stan W.]

I dont have one guy who I wont work with but lets say there are some I would rather not work with and it mostly goes back to some traits that they have.

Umpires who insist on telling you and anyone who will listen how good they are... usually arent...and if you are a veteran, you know who the good umpires are...

Umpires who refuse to accept that rules and mechanics knowledge is always in need of upgrading.... they have done something one way for 20 years and despite being told different, hold to those old outdated interps.

Umpires who refuse to call the game by the rule set the game is governed by....if you dont like NFHS rules then dont take NFHS games...Now get me here, I do understand this....back in the day, umpires were to call out runners who missed bases without appeal....I hated that, I felt we should not assist the defense...but I called it anyway...thankfully that has changed...

[Bigdog]

Hey all,

I agree with you, Stan. I work with one guy who insists on using his softball required mechanics during baseball games, i.e. brushing off the bases and the pitching rubber with a plate brush. He won't respond to anyone's situational signals with the same signal, he will make up his own on the fly.

I also work with one guy who feels it necessary to situations to the point where I believe it is turning into coaching. He will announce situations like "We have a possible IFF.":wow:

Bigdog:cool: