WTF did my partner just do to me?!

[UMP45]

After a few days I thought I would tell everyone what happened to me the other night. This might be a little lengthy but here goes.

My partner is a veteran as I am also. We have worked together in the past with no problem. We are instructed to make contact with our partners to make sure everything is cool, where we park, etc.. The night before the game I fell asleep before I could call and the next day I didn't have a chance. He didn't try to contact me also. Game time was 7:00pm. I arrived at 6:10. This is late for me. At 6:30 I still don't see him so I start calling him. No answer. Called several times. Normally I would start strapping it on but my partner ALWAYS takes the plate! At 6:45 I call our booking agent and while I'm on the phone I see him walking to the field. I get his attention, he acknowledges, and continues walking to the field. I get dressed in a hurry and get to the plate for the National Anthem. When it is over I see the coaches going to their dugouts and I asked him "did you already have the plate meeting"? He said yes and I started for my position. I dread to think what he told the coaches. He asked if I wanted my check and I said I would get it after the game.

During the game he ignored everything I tried to communicate with him. There were times I would be signaling to him and he would turn his head. Had a rundown between 2nd and 3rd and never made an attempt to come and cover 1st. Never let me know there was a catch on fly balls so I could throttle down after my pivot. Zero communication whatsoever. Never rotated. I'm just glad we didn't have something funky happen because I know he would have thrown me under the bus.

Now that is off my chest what are your thoughts and/or comments.

[johnnyg08]

So what went down after the game?

Nothing like two hours of awkwardness.

[carolinablue]

So was he pissed because you didn't call him the day before ? The last I checked, my phone does incoming and outgoing calls.

[UMP45]

Wouldn't speak to me. Handed me my check and left.

[johnnyg08]

What an a$$

[mjr_2013]

That's just weird... I'd call him and check what is going on. I have to doubt that a veteran you've worked numerous times with gets that pissed at you over something as trivial as a phone call.

He might have some personal problems going on and problems with umpiring may have just sent him over the edge.

[SanDiegoSteve]

The guy sounds like a total douchebag.

One question though...if you had a rundown between 2nd and 3rd, why would you expect the PU to go down to 1st base? He either comes up to help you if there is no R3, or stays home if there is. You always box in the lead runner on rundowns. What mechanic has him going down to first base? R1 is still the BU's responsibility during a rundown with R2.

[johnnyg08]

Usually it was my college girlfriends who got mad when I didn't call.

[UMP45]

Sorry. It was 1st and 2nd.

[24sdad]

Either his wife threw him out of the house the day prior, or someone has a little sand in the vaginal region.

[Welpe]

If this is a guy you know, I don't see a problem with calling him up and clearing the air.

[renegadewolf]

People are funny things, the car battery dies, they are late for work, traffic is a mess, they spill their coffee and who do they take it out on? The first "safe person" they come across which could have been you. My point is that despite how he was acting, it had nothing to do with you. If he felt slighted because you didn't call, he needs to deal with that (hopefully in a productive manner), perhaps someone died, he didn't get any the night before, any number of things Don't personalize it, just accept the fact he was obviously having a bad day, taking it out inappropriately and carry on, because if you work that often with someone the roles will be reversed some day. Same way a batter throws a snit fit, or a child has a temper tantrum, don't even acknowledge it, let them have their feelings and focus on your game

[umpire78]

What an a$$

I agree. Some guys don't have the right "attitude" when it comes to umpiring. I know I can work with just about anybody, but there have been some "partners" in my past where I'd have been happy to do the game by myself rather than work with them. Case in point: Slo-pitch softball. My partner is HP, I'm on the bases. Batter hits one to the gap. I break in, turn, watch him touch 1B and going on to second. I look up to see where the ball is and the RF had walked through a gap in the fence and brought the ball back in play. My partner never called "DEAD BALL!" By this time, he had touched second and was on his way to 3rd. So, I called "DEAD BALL!" and sent him back to second (ground rule double). What does my partner do? HE SENDS HIM TO 3RD. I went up to him and said: "Jack, that's a ground-rule double. You just gave him a ground-rule TRIPLE." He would not change his call. We finished the game, by man, I was torqued. We DID discuss this at our next umpire's meeting and he was "corrected."