Some coaches will argue about anything

[umpire_scott]

I had a real tool over the weekend in a 13U fall ball tournament.

Situation #1 - The first situation was brought on by me. I was sort of in a bitter mood because I asked to be scheduled lightly for the weekend and instead was given 7 games on Saturday and 6 on Sunday. So my attitude was a little gruff in the morning on Saturday. The ball comes in right at the knees inside corner and I punch the batter out. I come out of my crouch, bring my first up, and for some unknown reason the word "ball" comes out of my mouth. The batter had started back to the dugout and then looks at me. I immediately change the verbal to "strike". The 3rd base coach comes over to me and says "you called it a ball you can't change your mind". I explain that I simply misspoke, but my mechanic indicated that I was calling him out. He then walks over to the BU after the players had cleared the field, I could not hear what they were saying, but my partner told me later that he was asking him what the rule on that was, and trying to get him to overrule my strike call.

Situation #2 - The catcher for that same team was a very personable kid. He introduced himself to me and was making small talk throughout the game. No big deal. He also knew a few of the kids from the other team and would talk to them when they came to bat. Also no big deal. Well on one occasion in about the 4th inning he was talking to the batter and asking him questions about who he was going to be playing with in the Spring, as the ball was pitched. The kid answered and then swung, flying our to RF. So I made a point to mention to the catcher to try and not talk to the batters just prior to the pitch. When the catcher comes out for the next inning I say this to him. I was really nice about it and said I just didn't want the other team to possibly complain about it. I told him I didn't think he was doing to try and distract them. The coach had been warming the pitcher up and was walking back to the dugout and hears me. He stops and come back to me and says "Why are you telling him that is there a rule against it?". I say coach the rule is called sportsmanship.

Why would anyone argue that?

[Jocko]

#1 - oops

#2 - I personally wouldn't say anything about it. YMmustV

[BRUMP]

#1 - oops

#2 - I personally wouldn't say anything about it. YMmustV

1) it happens

2) if no one complains about it dont make an issue. if hes not saying anything bad/insulting let it go IMO

[spiritump]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

[Jocko]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

wow. Lighten up, Francis! While I agree with what you said, did it have to be so harsh?

[BRUMP]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

wow. Lighten up, Francis! While I agree with what you said, did it have to be so harsh?

agreed trout

[umpire_scott]

I get what everyone is saying, I guess it's one of those where depending on past experiences sometimes shape how you deal with things. I had a catcher a few years ago that was constantly talking to the batters. In my opinion he was trying to distract them. I said nothing and then kids went back and said something to their coach and it became an issue. So I figured this time I would stop it before one of the kids complained to their coach. I told the catcher I had no problem with him talking to them, just try to not do it while the pitch is coming in. I was very low key about it.

spiritump - I never told the kid who he could talk to I asked him to watch WHEN he talked to them. It was a request not a demand.

[umpire_scott]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

Wow I'd hate to see interference, obstruction, or balks occur during one of your games.

[mstaylor]

The first is what happens when your head is not in the game, as you said originally. As noted, it happens. I don't have a big problem with saying something to the catcher, if you do, simply a ,"Watch your timing on your conversation." As to the manager, he's an idiot. It's like the coach that has a snitfit the other night for me telling his captain to take an earring out in a HS VB match. She had a band aid over it and I simply said make sure you take it out before you warm up. This was the JV captain, the varsity coach comes over and asked why I told her to remove it. I told him because she can't wear it in HS sports. He says it was already covered so I can't ask. He said she needs to coached better so she answers my question better. I told him if I think there is a safety violation I will make sure it is taken care of. That placing a band aid or tape over an ear ring does not mitigate the danger so I would not allow it. He then claimed it was now bleeding so she wouldn't be able to play. I told him she certainly could put a band aid back on, just without the ear ring. WTH would you teach a player to circumvent a safety rule?

Some coaches are just idiots or flat clueless.

[BRUMP]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

Wow I'd hate to see interference, obstruction, or balks occur during one of your games.

+1

[Pete Peterson Sr]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

Way over the top, sir.

[mjr_2013]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

LOL. This reminds me of a game I was doing yesterday... There are two fields at this park, both with games going on, and between innings, I hear what was obviously a disputed 3rd out from the other field... Lots of ooooohing and "Come on!!", but nothing huge.

They are going to the dugout, and I heard a mom tell her son quite loudly (loud enough for me to hear clearly from the other field), "Tyler, put it behind you! The umpires are the God's of the baseball diamond, what they say goes, that's all! Let it be!"

I would give her parent of the year award, but later that game she did her best at instigating a fight between parents watching my game and parents watching the other game. Yikes!

[BRUMP]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

LOL. This reminds me of a game I was doing yesterday... There are two fields at this park, both with games going on, and between innings, I hear what was obviously a disputed 3rd out from the other field... Lots of ooooohing and "Come on!!", but nothing huge.

They are going to the dugout, and I heard a mom tell her son quite loudly (loud enough for me to hear clearly from the other field), "Tyler, put it behind you! The umpires are the God's of the baseball diamond, what they say goes, that's all! Let it be!"

I would give her parent of the year award, but later that game she did her best at instigating a fight between parents watching my game and parents watching the other game. Yikes!

Moms are worse than Dads

[mjr_2013]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

LOL. This reminds me of a game I was doing yesterday... There are two fields at this park, both with games going on, and between innings, I hear what was obviously a disputed 3rd out from the other field... Lots of ooooohing and "Come on!!", but nothing huge.

They are going to the dugout, and I heard a mom tell her son quite loudly (loud enough for me to hear clearly from the other field), "Tyler, put it behind you! The umpires are the God's of the baseball diamond, what they say goes, that's all! Let it be!"

I would give her parent of the year award, but later that game she did her best at instigating a fight between parents watching my game and parents watching the other game. Yikes!

Moms are worse than Dads

It's funny you say this because it is sooooo true in baseball, yet I've noticed it to be polar opposite since I've started football...

My theory? In baseball, the moms think they know what is going on whether they do or not.... They hear coach, "Come on Johnny!!", the moms think and say "Come on Johnny!", the dads just watch.

In football, same age level, same kid, they hear coach: "6-2 D!! 6-2 D!! CHANGE THE PLAY! WILLIAMS!! WILLIAMS!! GET YOUR ASS ON THAT LINE!! Why is John in the backfield?!? God dammit! Timeout!!"... The moms think "Holy crap", put their face back in their book, and say nothing. The dads don't think and just yell "THAT'S ILLEGAL! THAT'S ILLEGAL!! FLAG THEM! FLAG THEM!!!"

[BRUMP]

You are the umpire not GOD--worry about 6 things 1-safe 2-out 3-fair 4-foul 5-ball 6-strike. who are you to tell someone who to talk to.

LOL. This reminds me of a game I was doing yesterday... There are two fields at this park, both with games going on, and between innings, I hear what was obviously a disputed 3rd out from the other field... Lots of ooooohing and "Come on!!", but nothing huge.

They are going to the dugout, and I heard a mom tell her son quite loudly (loud enough for me to hear clearly from the other field), "Tyler, put it behind you! The umpires are the God's of the baseball diamond, what they say goes, that's all! Let it be!"

I would give her parent of the year award, but later that game she did her best at instigating a fight between parents watching my game and parents watching the other game. Yikes!

Moms are worse than Dads

It's funny you say this because it is sooooo true in baseball, yet I've noticed it to be polar opposite since I've started football...

My theory? In baseball, the moms think they know what is going on whether they do or not.... They hear coach, "Come on Johnny!!", the moms think and say "Come on Johnny!", the dads just watch.

In football, same age level, same kid, they hear coach: "6-2 D!! 6-2 D!! CHANGE THE PLAY! WILLIAMS!! WILLIAMS!! GET YOUR ASS ON THAT LINE!! Why is John in the backfield?!? God dammit! Timeout!!"... The moms think "Holy crap", put their face back in their book, and say nothing. The dads don't think and just yell "THAT'S ILLEGAL! THAT'S ILLEGAL!! FLAG THEM! FLAG THEM!!!"

I think the proximity to the field is also a factor in the crowd chirping in general (moms and dads) . In football they are mostly behind the sidelines. At the majority of the fields I work at, the parents are practically up your ass.

[carolinablue]

Back to the OP. I had a LL majors game about a month ago. The F2 for one team was carrying on a conversation with himself in two cartoon voices the entire game. Even cracked me up a few times. Not loud, just enough you could barely hear it, and he did it the entire at bat on every at bat. It only bothered one kid and I told him it wasn't illegal and that was that. If he had done something like got louder just as the pitch was coming or something I would have put a stop to it but he never did.

[umpire_scott]

Back to the OP. I had a LL majors game about a month ago. The F2 for one team was carrying on a conversation with himself in two cartoon voices the entire game. Even cracked me up a few times. Not loud, just enough you could barely hear it, and he did it the entire at bat on every at bat. It only bothered one kid and I told him it wasn't illegal and that was that. If he had done something like got louder just as the pitch was coming or something I would have put a stop to it but he never did.

Back to the OP. I had a LL majors game about a month ago. The F2 for one team was carrying on a conversation with himself in two cartoon voices the entire game. Even cracked me up a few times. Not loud, just enough you could barely hear it, and he did it the entire at bat on every at bat. It only bothered one kid and I told him it wasn't illegal and that was that. If he had done something like got louder just as the pitch was coming or something I would have put a stop to it but he never did.

I understand that it's not illegal in and of itself. There is no rule that states that you cannot talk to the batter. But to me if a player indicates that it bothers him then the catcher should stop. Batters have to look at their coach and take signs, sometimes their coach might be talking to them directly. A catcher talking to them or to himself can hinder the batters ability to focus on the game. If the talking is doing nothing to enhance the game, and it could bother the batter, I'm going to politely ask him to stop. If the stupid coach had not stuck his nose into my situation it would have been handled cleanly with no issues. The catcher and I had good rapport and he would not have had any issue with what I was asking him to not do.

I guess I am a little surprised that so many umpires on here indicate they would not say anything. To me I try to promote a good sporting atmosphere at all times. Like I said I simply pointed it out and requested that he watched his timing in talking to the batters. I never threatened him with a consequence. I didn't even tell him "don't do it anymore". I just made him aware that the last batter he was asking him a question about who he was playing for in the Spring as the pitcher was pitching, and that I didn't want the players to possibly complain about him to their coach.

[LMSANS]

If the batter can't focus with F2 babbling, then he loses. It is part of the game.

[noumpere]

I agree with Scott on this issue and its part of game management and dealing with a small issue before it blows up into a bigger issue

[NCAAump2]

If this was a HS or college game, would you say anything to the catcher at that level?

[Jocko]

Ok, so Fed has the VI rule. Would you constitute a conversation as VI? A crafty F2 [would that they all were!] could time his innocent questions just so, and possibly...... I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

[noumpere]

If this was a HS or college game, would you say anything to the catcher at that level?

i would and I have done so.

[Jocko]

Never felt the need. Hope I never do.