The 13... Err, 12 Plate Marathon

[mjr_2013]

I could put this in the free for all, but the main question I have is with an ejection, so I'll put it here...

Most of the regular posters here know that I agreed to do a 13-game tournament over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday... A lot of people called me nuts, and that said that I should pull out of a few of them... Well, I didn't, and all I can say is... What are you guys all worried about?

It ended up being only 12 because I took a wrong turn on M-24 and ended up about 20 miles in the opposite direction (DOH!!).

Endurance wise, I was fine... Friday (2 games) was a walk in the park... Saturday (6 games), my legs were feeling and I was cooking in the 80 degree sun, but it didn't affect my game so I played through... Sunday (4 games) I got sore a bit quicker than Saturday, but the adrenaline kicked in from the pressure of the the playoff games (all four were nail biters) pushed me through it.

The one unfortunate result I believed occured as a result of me doing the entire 10U tournament behind the plate was that I was a common denominator to coaches... They go 1-3 or 0-4 in the tourney, look at what was the same through all of their losses, and see me.

This I'm sure contributed to this ejection, which occured in the 2nd inning of this teams 3rd loss (they would end up finishing the tourney at 0-4)...

OBR, R1, outs and count don't matter... Batter laces a bullet over F4's head... R1 is very slow and had a bad jump, and F9 attempts to get the force at 2nd. The throw would have resulted in a bang bang play but it was way high, sailed over everyone's head and went out of play... I award R1 3rd base and the batter 2nd base.

3BC starts clammering that his R1 should be awarded home because he was between 2nd and 3rd when the ball went out. I say no because the award from the outfield is based on the time of release.

He goes on to say, "I am an umpire myself, and I can tell you this is a tee ball rule that you are enforcing wrong." Once I figure he has let off enough steam, I tell him we are playing ball now.

After the half inning, he approaches me and this conversation follows...

Coach: "I'm not trying to argue with you," ( ) "but that base award was the wrong call."

Me: "I am not going to discuss prior plays from the game with you."

Coach: "I am just trying to help you! It was wrong! I can show you the rule!"

Me: "Coach, you can look it up all you want on your own time, but we are going to play ball here."

Coach: "I am just trying to help you and you're bringing this pissy attitude to the game!"

--Keep in mind this is a 10U game--

Me: "This conversation is over"

--I started walking towards my partner, who is very inexpirienced, and was watching this entire ordeal from the edge of the outfield--

Coach (much louder this time): "You have had a pissy attitude all tournament, and it is bull crap!!"

At this point, I ejected him. I then went over to the backstop (the tournament HQ tent was right behind it), and informed them that "The ______ manager has been ejected." They promptly escorted him off the premises.

Following the game, I was sitting at the HQ tent explaining what occured to the TD when the manager walked up to me, shook my hand, and said "I'm sorry for whatever it was I said." in a very sarcastic and mocking tone... The TD then casually reminded him that he was to be off the premises for the remainder of the day unless he would like to receive a ban for the remainder of the tournament... He left pretty quickly.

Did I handle it well?

[scrounge]

I think you handled it just fine. You acknowledged him, you warned him, you gave him every opportunity to stay in the game and he refused.

[Jocko]

He EJed himself. You were spot on. Have you noticed how most caoches are also umpires? Lookit, dude. Just because you stood behind the mound in a scrimmage calling balls/strikes doesn't mean you're an umpire. I flew a plane once. The pilot gave me the controls and I flew. Does that make me a pilot?

[umpcoachfather]

You handled it well - All coaches who say they are umpires are immediatly wrong and should excuse them self from games. You should have bet him his car he was wrong.

[Jocko]

All coaches who say they are umpires are immediatly wrong and should excuse them self from games.

Says the Ump/Coach/Father

I digress and recant any offense. Just a humorous observation.

[cyclonehokiece]

Textbook give him enough rope and he will hang himself. Good job.

[renegadewolf]

You would think a coach (or anyone else for that matter) who actually was an umpire would know enough to not inform the actual umpire of a game they are in of that fact...... I have to go with trout on this one, and an all too easy ej in my opinion. well deserved. If there is one peeve I have it's someone (who isn't my boss or someone I've asked) telling me i am performing poorly or being incompitent, on the field, on the job, at home... anywhere

[JHSump]

Good job on the EJ, mjr.

And congrats on making it through the marathon relatively unscaved! Any dreams/nightmares involving umpiring since then? haha

[JHSump]

All coaches who say they are umpires are immediatly wrong...

Yeah, how about that?! It's almost always true! It's almost laughable.

[MPLSMatt]

Totally true. In the 10Us I was dreading this weekend, I had a coach tell me he "has been umping shince he was 16" in the 2nd inning.

In the 4th, with his team on defense and R2, batter takes ball 4. (This league has a can't leave until the crosses the plate rule) R2 either thinks he is forced or doesn't understand the rules and slowly walks to 3rd while the D and their coaches all stands around and yell about how he can't go. After R2 reaches 3rd, I call time and explain to "former ump" that the ball is still live and his team should have put R2 out. As it is, he's safe.

Then former ump drops this gem: "once the walked batter drops the bat, it's a dead ball and no one can advance." I laughed, put my mask back on and said play ball. Gotta love the "I umpire too" crowd.

[MPLSMatt]

Also, good EJ.

[Jocko]

Gotta love the "I umpire too" crowd.

Why is it these douchebags feel the need to give us their resume'? I hear every week I played MiLB, MLB, D1, I umpire. Who gives a s**t? Today you're coaching a game on my field. You're just a guy coaching kids. Funny thing is, I actually recognized a former MLBer caoching once. I musta been looking at him funny trying to place him. He smiled and asked if I was a baseball fan and watch much MLB. I said yes about the time it hit me who he was. He never said a word. Here this guy, a legit big leaguer, doesn't need to "impress" me by career stats (which are impressive), but the coach who played 3rd string JUCO acts like I'm supposed to ask for his autograph. Jackasses.

[Jocko]

Note: I see this guy semi-regularly and to this day, he hasn't brought up his career. That's the true mark of a professional.

[stl_ump]

Gotta love the "I umpire too" crowd.

Why is it these douchebags feel the need to give us their resume'? I hear every week I played MiLB, MLB, D1, I umpire. Who gives a s**t? Today you're coaching a game on my field. You're just a guy coaching kids. Funny thing is, I actually recognized a former MLBer caoching once. I musta been looking at him funny trying to place him. He smiled and asked if I was a baseball fan and watch much MLB. I said yes about the time it hit me who he was. He never said a word. Here this guy, a legit big leaguer, doesn't need to "impress" me by career stats (which are impressive), but the coach who played 3rd string JUCO acts like I'm supposed to ask for his autograph. Jackasses.

We used to have Mike Matheny here. Same type of guy. Never said a word. Would rather coach than complain. He's moved on to "other" pursuits.

BTW.. check out the letter he sent out to parents of his players.

http://www.mac-n-sei...eny-letter.html

[SoCal Lurker]

Gotta love the "I umpire too" crowd.

Why is it these douchebags feel the need to give us their resume'? I hear every week I played MiLB, MLB, D1, I umpire. Who gives a s**t? Today you're coaching a game on my field. You're just a guy coaching kids. Funny thing is, I actually recognized a former MLBer caoching once. I musta been looking at him funny trying to place him. He smiled and asked if I was a baseball fan and watch much MLB. I said yes about the time it hit me who he was. He never said a word. Here this guy, a legit big leaguer, doesn't need to "impress" me by career stats (which are impressive), but the coach who played 3rd string JUCO acts like I'm supposed to ask for his autograph. Jackasses.

My niece had a retired MLB player for a coach on a u-little baseball team. From what I'm told, he never said a word to the Us and was the quietest coach in the league in how he talked to the kids, too . .. perhaps when you've actually achieved something in the sport you don't have to be a #$@(& at a kiddie game . . .

[umpcoachfather]

I never come out of the dugout or the coaches box and say anything about being an umpire.