Bye

[Daniel]

Solo U10 REC league game.

RH Batter check-swings a ball into the dirt that rolls about 2ft up the 3B line. (Fair territory) What does the batter decide to do? KICK IT (only something that would happen at this age level) into the infield! I did a double take and killed it. I called BR out and almost immediately starting hearing it from the batting teams coaches - the old "They're just learning!! How can you call the batter out??" Sigh.

OC comes out and wants an explaination, then begins aruging that the ball was in foul territory, etc. I once again explain what happened and OC retorted with "OH well thats two calls now that were wrong that went against our team". That coach was restricted to the bench. As soon as I did that, one of their other bench coaches jumps up to the dugout fence and screams "OOH BLUE, I don't think YOU get to make THOSE rules!!". "Oh yeah? Whoosh!" Then he just stands there in the dugout and yells "Come get your buddies to come get me!". I put both teams in their dugout and the other coaches got him out of there thankfully.

What a night. :TD:

[cyclonehokiece]

I believe good use of the restriction (if allowed by rule) and the ejection. Also, good to put kids in the dugout until knucklehead leaves. A tool I thankfully haven't had to use yet, but if it was a timed game, I would go to the coach whose knucklehead assistant is being an a$$ and say "clock is running, we aren't playing until he is gone."

[MPLSMatt]

****Rant coming*****

Behavior is worse at these friggin 10U rec games than in most "meaningful games" and it's a shame. I got assigned 3 of them this weekend (only my second or thrid time on a small field this season) and am dreading it becuase odds are one of them will turn into this kind of a situation. Honestly, some of these coaches/parents just don't know better and when you actually police them, they flip their sh*t and then wonder why little Timmy grows up to be a disrespectful little prick. These games are traps where you either end up as a "power hungry jerkoff" or you have to sit and listen to abuse and (even worse) ignorance for two hours.....

****Rant over****

By the way - good job on all fronts. I like the restraint in not tossing the obviously ignorant daddy coach who was counting calls. It should have ended there but you can't help stupid (OK so I guess the rant wasn't over). Meanwhile, all little Timmy is thinking about is whether he'll get spaghetti Oh's or Macaroni and cheese for dinner. He probably couldn't care less about your (correctly ruled) out call.

[bam]

So the kid ran 2 feet up the 3rd base line to kick the ball and then reversed course and went to first?

Yikes!

[Jocko]

HC comes out to argue OBS I had on his F3. No problem. explaind the call and went to "C". He's still bitching, so I give him THE LOOK. Still going on. Really working himself up. TIME! And I just stand there looking at him. He comes on the field (already EJed, he just didnt know it) and wants to keep discussing. I cross my hands behind my back and don't say a word. He's really rolling by now. When he sees me crack a smile it flips his s**t and waving his arms in the air he says,"you have a God complex!" Here's the moment I'm waiting for. I reach wwwaaayyy down, half turn as I crow hop dump his a$$ whil I say "You have a GONE complex!" Hehehe. That's one of my better EJs. I enjoy this story.

[MPLSMatt]

I'm sure that ended with the coach politely gathering his things and leaving the field, right? :-)

[Jocko]

I was so pleased with myself I let him jump around slinging snot for all of 30 seconds. "Sir, you have exactly 10 seconds to be off my field (pulling out stopwatch) or I will declare a forfeit." Tail between his legs as he pouts off to the TD. No I know how SWMBO feels :)

[umpcoachfather]

See all comments about idiotic 10 year old coaches and apply here. You probably should have allowed the play and when he was safe at first tossed the other teams coaches.

[Jocko]

So the kid ran 2 feet up the 3rd base line to kick the ball and then reversed course and went to first?

Yikes!

FINALLY!!! ****TRAVESTY**** !!!! B) :fuel: :fuel:

[mstaylor]

****Rant coming*****

Behavior is worse at these friggin 10U rec games than in most "meaningful games" and it's a shame. I got assigned 3 of them this weekend (only my second or thrid time on a small field this season) and am dreading it becuase odds are one of them will turn into this kind of a situation. Honestly, some of these coaches/parents just don't know better and when you actually police them, they flip their sh*t and then wonder why little Timmy grows up to be a disrespectful little prick. These games are traps where you either end up as a "power hungry jerkoff" or you have to sit and listen to abuse and (even worse) ignorance for two hours.....

****Rant over****

I agree that parents and coaches can be completely clueless at these levels. I don't engage problem parents so that isn't a big deal. Clueless coaches are another story. I will call the game normally, explain it to them when needed, and get rid of them if they don't listen. I rarely have problems with these levels. I approach it as I'm going to have a good time. If I have to explain something I will explain it cordially but firmly. If it is a rule I will spend a little more time but screaming coaches don't last.

I did a U12 USSSA tournament last month and I had a coach complain the other pitcher threw to first without disengaging. I told him he was correct but it was perfectly legal. Actually the first thing was he didn't set before his move to first. I told him he was correct but it was legal. Then I told him the step to first was also fine. He wanted to escalate a little but I firmly told him it was allowed, that the pitcher could do thing three things and one was step to a base. It could have gotten heated but I explained it calmly and firmly. He realized even though he disagreed, he wasn't going to get anywhere.

[Tyennie]

It isn't just at the 10U league. this last weekend tourny with AmLg, 16 - 19 was just as fun. Called a game after time limit, (No new inning after 1 hr and 50 mins, we were 1 hour and 52 mins in when the last out was made in the bttm of 5th., home team losing) had a fan tell me I needed to go learn how to be an umpire. had i been a bit quicker, i would have asked him for the tuition to do so. :)

[renegadewolf]

It isn't just at the 10U league. this last weekend tourny with AmLg, 16 - 19 was just as fun. Called a game after time limit, (No new inning after 1 hr and 50 mins, we were 1 hour and 52 mins in when the last out was made in the bttm of 5th., home team losing) had a fan tell me I needed to go learn how to be an umpire. had i been a bit quicker, i would have asked him for the tuition to do so.

Oddly enough, 9-10 and 16-19 are the two worst groups I have had experiences with as well. A coach telling me to go f**k myself infront of his bench full of 10 year olds.... that was precious. A finals game where a couple kids got hit by pitches (go figure 10 year olds with poor ball control.... who knew?) HM comes out screaming "They are pitching at my kids intentionally". I'll have none of that arguement, carry on. A few batters later another one gets hit and we hear the same song about hitting his batters again. I make the mistake of calling in my 2 partners and asking if any of us honestly believes any pitcher is intentionally throwing at a batter, which garnered me nothing but "are you serious???" looks. I turn back around both manages are infront of home plate face to face screaming and yelling, pushing each other and the league conviener is trying to get in the middle. Both managers gone right there. The 16-19 year olds semi final playoff game. Bench is screaming about time limit to me and my partner (We are in the 7th of a 7 inning game, bottom half, no drop dead time only no new inning after 2hr) after requests to knock it off they are getting very uptight and confrontational, and threatening. 4 ejections later threats made and both umps walking off the field with cell phones in hand ready to call police, That will go down as one of my most memerable games (and not in a good way). Finals game of that same division and year, A pitcher is called for a balk (he didn't disengage the rubber and didn't throw to first. After warnings about arguing pitcher takes a very large, slow, exagerated step off the rubber and as he is turning to first not only is my partner in the middle of tossing the pitcher the pitcher stumbled and landed on his face. More yelling, defence walks off the field and says they are refusing to play. It all got sorted out after a few minutes, and the game finished uneventfully This was all house league stuff, non travel going nowhere with it kids ball.

[SoCal Lurker]

It isn't just at the 10U league. this last weekend tourny with AmLg, 16 - 19 was just as fun. Called a game after time limit, (No new inning after 1 hr and 50 mins, we were 1 hour and 52 mins in when the last out was made in the bttm of 5th., home team losing) had a fan tell me I needed to go learn how to be an umpire. had i been a bit quicker, i would have asked him for the tuition to do so.

Oddly enough, 9-10 and 16-19 are the two worst groups I have had experiences with as well. . . . . This was all house league stuff, non travel going nowhere with it kids ball.

Also known as the last stop for daddy's vicarious baseball career . . . .

[mstaylor]

In a SrLL game tonight I called a runner for interference at second and banged the BR, he just flat slid way wide of the base going after the SS. I turned to the manager at third and told him the runner went after the SS. As I moved back to A, the asst coach said it was an excellent call. Between innings he explained to the manager and runner what I called. In the mean time the fans were repeatedly asked what he did? I just ignored them.