Partner lost his cool...literally

[Guest C E Myers]

My partner who is more experienced had the plate in the second game of a DH. 14U tournament ball, elimination game. Game going okay, he took a couple of tough shots, one off the bicep and one off the hand. It was starting to get pretty hot (around 90 at noon). We had both been drinking a lot of water. Around the 5th inning, I see his mechanics change and he is turning his head on nearly every pitch. I kept going to him between innings and he says he is fine, and that he isn't feeling that hot even though he should be.

I'm in B and I see him strike a couple of balls, and ball a couple of strikes. The parents start in on him. He yells out, "That's my strike zone, I've been calling it that way the whole game." The defensive team calls time and goes to the mound. I hear the coach tell his kids to ignore it. One of the other coaches approaches the plate ump to talk to him, as my partner has turned toward the stands. I am running in from B, when my partner says, "If you don't like it, you should go watch the game from your goddamn car!" Here we go...I back the coaches off, and tell them to calm their parents. I focus on my partner and keeping people off him. He says he's fine, but clearly upset. I get him to drink some water, and get him in the shade for a moment.

We resumed the game. I and the tournament director were with him in between every inning, and I think he was overheating, but he was refusing cooling down methods (ie, put ice on neck, sitting in shade for 5 min, etc.).

I was able to talk to both managers and apologize for his language, and re-assure them that he was okay. I encourage them to keep things calm and moving. Things stayed calm. My partner's zone was still bad. I have done several games with him, and he was clearly off, and was flinching.

The game was won by 1 run. After the game, we got past the parents, and several approached while we were heading toward the cars. We took some yells, a coach approaching, and a couple of mom's telling us how horrible we are. Since we were past everyone, I told him to go to his car, and I would keep them away. I was only about 30 feet behind my partner. I was able to quickly deflect them, as I retreated toward my partners car. And politely "thanked" the coach for his concern and comments about how in 15 years he has never heard that.

Is there anything I could have done to help him sooner? I am wondering if I should have gone to him when he made his first comment. I am also wondering about the warning signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion, in our partners. Was his comments of feeling rather cool, a symptom?

Thanks.

[Stan W.]

One of the things we dont teach umpires well is when to book off of a game.....the shortage of umpires and the fact that for 99% of us umpiring is a second job cause umpires to work when they may not should have done so.......

I was working a game with a friend and sometimes partner when I noticed much the same results as in your OP. He was missing pitches badly.....and he is a veteran umpire with years of experience....he was hearing it from both dugouts.......

At the end of the inning I came in uncalled and asked if he was ok......the words poured out of him like a waterfall.......he had a horrible week at work, they might close his job down, his wife was sick and needs maintenence medicines that he cant afford without the health insurance he was apt to lose.......he couldnt book off the game as the game fee was important to them financially..........

He was a bundle of nerves and cold not focus on the job of UIC........

There is no set rule for this, but I asked him if it would help if I would take over the plate.....of course it would but how to do it mid game.........

I called both coaches together and told thme we had a few issues and would it be ok with them if I took over the plate delaying the game a few minutes while we changed........of course they agreed.

Umpires are human, and have all the same issues all adults have.....sometimes because we are being paid, some participants and attendees at baseball games can lose sight of that fact..........

Umpiring is an avocation for most of us and not a vocation.....being clear on when the real world intrudes and interferes in your umpiring is a skill many umpires need to develop.......your partner may have been having heat issues, but I'd lean more to outside issues.....

welcome to the site.....

[Umpire in Chief]

Tough situation for you to be in. I honestly don't know what I would have done different.

We have bad days, we get hit, we get verbally abused - that comes with the territory. But it is unacceptable at any level but particularly the amateur level to cuss at a manager for any reason.

The key is to know when were are having an off day for any reason and work hard to get through it even if with pure will power.

[Stretch]

Feeling rather cool can be a sign. Not sweating, chills, "goose bumps", confusion, aggitation, or feeling like you are in a dream

are signs that the heat is getting you or has gotten you. Things not processing in your head (i.e. a pitch right down the middle

and you are not sure what to do with it.) can be a sign as well.

What I understand, once you've had a heat injury you are much more susceptible to have it happen again.

[Jocko]

Sorry to hear your incident. May I suggest next time, you take a few minutes yourself to "cool off". Put an icepack or frog towel on his neck while you both cool off. Dont ask, just put it there. Grab 2 waters and hand him 1 again without asking. Give "yourself" a moment and his cooling off is a residual effect. When "you" feel better, play ball. Tell HCs YOU need a moment. That puts attention on you, and he doesn't "lose face" or appear "weak." Iknow its not weakness, but sometimes too much machismo.

[Guest CE Myers]

Thanks for all the replies! Trout78, I think you are right on. He didn't want to show any weakness. Taking time for myself, thus forcing him to cool down, would have worked!

[boyinr]

From the Mayo Clinic

Mild to moderate dehydration is likely to cause:

• Dry, sticky mouth
  
• Sleepiness or tiredness — children are likely to be less active than usual
  
• Thirst
  
• Decreased urine output — no wet diapers for three hours for infants and eight hours or more without urination for older children and teens
  
• Few or no tears when crying
  
• Dry skin
  
• Headache
  
• Constipation
  
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
  

Severe dehydration, a medical emergency, can cause:

• Extreme thirst
  
• Extreme fussiness or sleepiness in infants and children; irritability and confusion in adults
  
• Very dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes
  
• Lack of sweating
  
• Little or no urination — any urine that is produced will be dark yellow or amber
  
• Sunken eyes
  
• Shriveled and dry skin that lacks elasticity and doesn't "bounce back" when pinched into a fold
  
• In infants, sunken fontanels — the soft spots on the top of a baby's head
  
• Low blood pressure
  
• Rapid heartbeat
  
• Rapid breathing
  
• No tears when crying
  
• Fever
  
• In the most serious cases, delirium or unconsciousness
  

Once you get dehydrated a bottle or two in 5 minutes isn't going to cure it.

[mstaylor]

I saw a PU go from looking fine to falling on his face in a half inning. He had been drinking, standing in the shade and putting cool towels on his neck all game. Heat can affect us differently on separate days. We use a mixture of ice,water and Witch Hazel for the towels we put on our necks.

[Jocko]

I saw a PU go from looking fine to falling on his face in a half inning. He had been drinking, standing in the shade and putting cool towels on his neck all game. Heat can affect us differently on separate days. We use a mixture of ice,water and Witch Hazel for the towels we put on our necks.

they call that "Florida Water" here

[mstaylor]

I started to mention that term but I think true Florida Water uses something else as the extra ingredient, perhaps ammonia. There are threads on here discussing exactly that.

[SoCal Lurker]

I started to mention that term but I think true Florida Water uses something else as the extra ingredient, perhaps ammonia. There are threads on here discussing exactly that.

Interesting. Always just used water -- what's teh benefit of witch hazel or amonia?

[mstaylor]

It has an extra cooling feel and will last for a bit after you go back out.

[Stan W.]

just dont drink it.....

[Jocko]

We add ammonia. It's like menthol for your skin. Feels super.

[UmpireSam]

Try sham wows or any artificial shammy

They hole twice the Ice water and you can pot one around your neck without getting drenched.