Forfeit + Two ejections

[mjr_2013]

Just got home from probably the most eventful games I've ever umpired.

 

This is Little League Intermediate (14U)... Coming in, I'm told that this game is a 0-4 team vs. a 5-0 team and that I had the second best umpire in the league as my partner... Turns out this was changed to the 4-0 team vs. the 5-0 team, and the second worst umpire as my partner... Annoying, but whatever. I'm hoping the game will be competitive now.

 

HM puts in the by far the best pitcher in the league in the game to start. He's mowing them down, one by one. They can't even make contact. The VM puts in a pitcher who is either pitching it right down the plate or not even close. I'm sure VM would have argued had any ball been close, but they were going over the batter's head.

 

Fairly uneventful through two. HT is winning 12-0, it's getting stupid. VM comes to me between innings, and we have the following "conversation"...

 

"This is dumb. I was told by the league director he would only pitch two innings. It's not fair to the kids!"

 

I don't respond.

 

"I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to have my kids bunt the rest of the game. That way he can't get his infield any work!"

 

I say "Ok, coach." and walk away from him.

 

Top of the 3rd. Pitch is outside by a bit. HT has a really good F2 who gives a varsity level frame of the pitch. I still ball him, and he holds it there for an extra second... The VM goes "It's ok (batter's name), let the catcher and umpire handle that. He'll get mad at the catcher soon enough."

I'm thinking but don't do anything. The F2 looks over at the VM... The VM snaps at F2 "Don't look at me!!"... I call time immediately, and firmly tell the coach "Do not talk to the opposing team."... He apologizes profusely, and comes out and shakes F2's hand after the next pitch... F2 didn't want anything to do with him, but shook his hand to get rid of him.

 

The inning continues without a problem.

 

Bottom of the third... The HT is again hammering the ball or walking around the base paths... I can see the HM (coaching third) and the VM getting into a pissy argument... VT is making a pitching change, and HM walks over and loudly says to his dugout "Hey, we're done! No more stealing, I'm sick of this guy whining!"... At this point, I walk over and tell the coaches I've heard enough and to talk to their own team only.

 

VM says "We're done with this league! I'm not playing this team again!"

 

I just walk back to the plate. His players are pretty much ignoring him, and he finally says "We'll play this game out, but after this we're done!"

 

That inning ends, and we're in the top of the fourth... The HM takes out the star pitcher and it seems like things are calming down. This new pitcher isn't as good and a run scores.

 

That's when all hell breaks loose. With R1 and R3, batter hits a line drive to left center. R3 is jogging in to score, and shoves F2 who is well inside the diamond. I am a bit stunned, but know that I have an ejection for it. F2 exclaims "What the hell?!"... Normally I would say something to him about that, but I kind of agreed with the assessment.... When the play ends, I call time, and make the ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct.

 

R3 is trying to pick a fight with F2 saying, "get out of my way then!" when he finds out he is ejected, he turns on me.

 

"That's a legal play when he's in the baseline!"

"No. You're gone."

 

VM starts going ballistic. He yells out that he forfeits and pulls his team off the field and that it's "bulls***" to eject without a warning.

 

I gladly call the game (it was over anyway, they only had nine to start) and go to quickly sign the HT scorebook, record the ejection, and get out of dodge.

 

Of course it can't be that easy. VM walks over and starts whining about anything and everything he can think of.

 

VM: "Who is your director!?"

Me: "(Name of League President)"

VM: "I have that entire thing on video!"
Me: "Ok."

VM: "All he did was step on his toe! He did nothing!"

Me: "Ok." (it was hard not to laugh at this one)

VM: "So, after knowing I have it on video, and that I will be talking to your league director, you still hold to your call?"

Me: "Yes."

VM: "You guys are going to be done umping this league! Done!"

 

He didn't even finish the sentence. After I heard "you" to start the sentence, I just ejected him postgame. This of course created the outburst of "You're terrible! I already forfeited, and you eject me now??"

 

 

I record the second ejection in the scorebook and just walk away to my gear bag. He walks away too, still whining that he's never playing this league again. HM does a FANTASTIC job at corralling his bunch of middle schoolers who are PO'd beyond PO'd and are threatening to fight the other team. He preaches to be the better man, and they listen.

 

I'm putting away my gear as fast as possible. League officials and fans of the HT are around me telling me I did a textbook job, great job, they saw everything, etc. etc... I just want to leave!

 

A mom approaches me as I am taking off my shin guards. Normally, at this point I would have just ran to my car and taken my gear off at a gas station nearby, and I probably should have, but the first words she said stopped me.

 

"Did he apologize?"
"... Excuse me?"

"My son was the catcher in the baby blue uniform, did he apologize to you?"
"No, but I didn't have a problem with him...." 

"Oh no! Him slamming down his mitt" (he did that earlier in frustration with himself for a bad throw) "and acting like that is not acceptable, and neither is the way his coach behaved. You were totally in the right, and I am sorry for everything that happened. He is apologizing to that team right now!"

"Thank you."

 

At this point, I ran to my car, threw the gear in, and took off, just praying not to be stopped.

 

Some teams...    

 

I've since had calls from the league president, the umpire in chief, and I'm about to place a call to the director of baseball... I've been told I did an A+ job and that there will be repurcussions to that coach... I was also told that this team had won their house league championship two years running going undefeated. I just wonder if he refuses to play teams that kick his ass.

[basejester]

I was also told that this team had won their house league championship two years running going undefeated.

There hasn't even been an Intermediate Division for 3 years, so this statement doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It sounds they're taking some liberties with the draft rules.

[BRUMP]

Sounds like a fun day Matt!

[mjr_2013]

 

I was also told that this team had won their house league championship two years running going undefeated.

There hasn't even been an Intermediate Division for 3 years, so this statement doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It sounds they're taking some liberties with the draft rules.

 

 

The Intermediate Division is a new LL division this year... The other team was not affiliated with LL, and was just a rec team who played the LL team under LL rules because there is a shortage of teams to play in the area, both LL and otherwise. I don't know what championship was won or who they played, this is just what I was told.

Sounds like a fun day Matt!

 

Lol, you know it, Bobby!!

[mstaylor]

Fairly uneventful through two. HT is winning 12-0, it's getting stupid. VM comes to me between innings, and we have the following "conversation"...

 

"This is dumb. I was told by the league director he would only pitch two innings. It's not fair to the kids!"

 

I don't respond.

 

"I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to have my kids bunt the rest of the game. That way he can't get his infield any work!"

 

I say "Ok, coach." and walk away from him.

 

No idea where to go with that, either ignore like you did or tell him that's above your pay grade. 

 

Top of the 3rd. Pitch is outside by a bit. HT has a really good F2 who gives a varsity level frame of the pitch. I still ball him, and he holds it there for an extra second... The VM goes "It's ok (batter's name), let the catcher and umpire handle that. He'll get mad at the catcher soon enough."

I'm thinking   but don't do anything. The F2 looks over at the VM... The VM snaps at F2 "Don't look at me!!"... I call time immediately, and firmly tell the coach "Do not talk to the opposing team."... He apologizes profusely, and comes out and shakes F2's hand after the next pitch... F2 didn't want anything to do with him, but shook his hand to get rid of him.

 

When he makes his comment to the catcher, give a hard look, don't ignore. The handshake during the inning probably needs to be cut off before he gets there. Meet him partway and tell while a nice thought, just play baseball, and to leave the comments to the other team alone. 

That's when all hell breaks loose. With R1 and R3, batter hits a line drive to left center. R3 is jogging in to score, and shoves F2 who is well inside the diamond. I am a bit stunned, but know that I have an ejection for it. F2 exclaims "What the hell?!"... Normally I would say something to him about that, but I kind of agreed with the assessment.... When the play ends, I call time, and make the ejection for unsportsmanlike conduct.

 

R3 is trying to pick a fight with F2 saying, "get out of my way then!" when he finds out he is ejected, he turns on me.

 

"That's a legal play when he's in the baseline!"

"No. You're gone."

 

Step between them and eject the runner. If the runner wants to escalate then kill the ball and pull the trail runners to last touched.

 

VM starts going ballistic. He yells out that he forfeits and pulls his team off the field and that it's "bulls***" to eject without a warning. 

 

 Eject right there. Yelling obscenities in a 12/13 game is automatic. If he then asks for your director's name, tell to call the president, and he should already know the name. At that point, leave.  The mom in the parking lot, I assume she was the VT's catcher's mom. That was handled great.

You got stuck in a weird game but they happen. You did a good job but I would have tried to shut  stuff down faster. 

[semper_fi_72]

 

I was also told that this team had won their house league championship two years running going undefeated.

There hasn't even been an Intermediate Division for 3 years, so this statement doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It sounds they're taking some liberties with the draft rules.

 

The Intermediate Division or 50/70 program was started like 3 years ago as a optional division.

So this could very well be their 3rd year as a team, but not at that Level.

They also may have been together as a team and moved up together from Minors to Majors and now 50/70 together.

And yes there are a lot of liberties taken with the Draft in Little League.

How else do you explain the vast difference in playing ability and talent on teams within a League.

Every League I have ever seen has that team with all the talent and the one that has kids that have no idea what they are there for except that their parents have the coaches providing (FREE) baby sitting for them for a few hours at practice or games.

[grayhawk]

I thought Intermediate was for 11-13 year olds.  That league has 14 year olds playing on a 50/70 diamond?

[CentralOhioUmp30]

So glad I gave up rec ball/ little league this year. Not worth the hassle.

[SoCal Lurker]

And yes there are a lot of liberties taken with the Draft in Little League.

How else do you explain the vast difference in playing ability and talent on teams within a League.

 

 

Doesn't have to be liberties, can be what coaches do/don't know. 

 

I coached a team where the manager and I, who had kids a the younger age, didn't know the older players and many didn't come to tryouts.  We had the first or second pick, and based on what he knew (which was only slightly more than me -- I hadn't been planning to coach and didn't pay atttention at tryouts), picked "Bob."  Everyone in the room turned around, and basically said, "No, that's not a first round pick."  And proceeded to tutor us on the two candidates for our pick.  We were lucky to be in a league where the managers and coaches wanted to have a fair draft (yeah, everyone wanted to do the best, but they wanted it to be fair) -- otherwise we would have used our first round pick to get a 4th-5th round player becasue we didn't know any better, and likely would have done the same in the second round and ended up with only one real pitcher on the team.  (We actually did pick "Bob" later -- in the 4th or 5th round.)  I feel fortunate to be in a league that at least tries to do the right thing.

[elares]

 

And yes there are a lot of liberties taken with the Draft in Little League.

How else do you explain the vast difference in playing ability and talent on teams within a League.

 

 

 

 

I feel fortunate to be in a league that at least tries to do the right thing.

 

You are a very lucky man.  I hope you will appreciate that every day of the season.

[mjr_2013]

I thought Intermediate was for 11-13 year olds.  That league has 14 year olds playing on a 50/70 diamond?

 

I know of one, simply because he goes to the same school as me. The others I know are all between 11-13... It is possible the league stretched the age rules for this kid. The 14 year old has an 11 year old brother on the team and this is his first season playing baseball, so even though he is 14, in the game I did with them he struck out and popped out in his two at bats.

 

Not the correct thing to do, but I don't think the team is gaining any advantage anyway.

[mjr_2013]

Just received an email from the "director of baseball" for the league...

 

Matthew - first of all, let me say WOW!  I am impressed by your level of detail and recollection of the events of the evening.

 

On behalf of the board, let me be the first to congratulate you for a JOB WELL DONE. You performed 100% by the book, and did everything that we could ask of an umpire with Waterford Little League.

 

I appreciate the level of detail that you have gone to on this matter.  Rest assured, Steve and I have already taken the appropriate measures to the individuals involved.

 

Thanks again,

 

Woohoo!!

[mjr_2013]

 

 

I was also told that this team had won their house league championship two years running going undefeated.

There hasn't even been an Intermediate Division for 3 years, so this statement doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It sounds they're taking some liberties with the draft rules.

 

The Intermediate Division or 50/70 program was started like 3 years ago as a optional division.

So this could very well be their 3rd year as a team, but not at that Level.

They also may have been together as a team and moved up together from Minors to Majors and now 50/70 together.

And yes there are a lot of liberties taken with the Draft in Little League.

How else do you explain the vast difference in playing ability and talent on teams within a League.

Every League I have ever seen has that team with all the talent and the one that has kids that have no idea what they are there for except that their parents have the coaches providing (FREE) baby sitting for them for a few hours at practice or games.

 

 

I didn't know about the Intermediate division, I only learned of it this year, so I am not sure what this team was.

 

The draft in my LL is actually very fair... There are only three teams, and all three compete with each other on a daily basis... I've been doing this league for three years, and it's been pretty competitive for all three.

 

[mstaylor]

I see coaches in all forms of youth leagues either do a great job of drafting or horrible. I watched a guy pick a team and we questioned every pick he made. He picked an awful team but he was insistent that was what he wanted. 

[basejester]

I see coaches in all forms of youth leagues either do a great job of drafting or horrible. I watched a guy pick a team and we questioned every pick he made. He picked an awful team but he was insistent that was what he wanted. 

 

He might be considering the helpful dad or the best family swimming pool.  I know that was always a consideration for me.

[SoCal Lurker]

 

 

And yes there are a lot of liberties taken with the Draft in Little League.

How else do you explain the vast difference in playing ability and talent on teams within a League.

 

 

 

 

I feel fortunate to be in a league that at least tries to do the right thing.

 

You are a very lucky man.  I hope you will appreciate that every day of the season.

 

 

Absolutely!  This year, the 10 game regular season just ended:  first place team was 6-4; the last place team was 4-6.

[carolinablue]

The league I used to coach in and now umpire a lot at has a very fair method of choosing teams. If there are six teams then they make six columns on a board 1-6. Starting with team one they place the very best player in the draft as decided by all the coaches. Then they go to number 2 with the next best, ect. until all the players are on the board. After all teams are choosen, each coach draws his team out of a hat. They don't know what team they will end up with so it is in their best interest to make the teams as equal as possible. If their son ends up on another team then they do a trade with the team he is on by switcing him with the player on the same line as him. This is only done for the head coach, not any assistants. Trades are also allowed if both coaches agree but it must be line for line to keep the balance of talent equal.

[mstaylor]

I know a guy that used to draft straight up the first two rounds, maybe three, after that he drafted moms. He said they may not win many but he at least he had something to look at while he lost. 

[mjr_2013]

I got word yesterday from the League President that the coach was suspended. He didn't say how many games, I didn't ask. He also didn't mention the kid, and I didn't ask... Moms talking to opposing moms found that apparently the coach is a total ass (I could have told them that), and that he has bounced from league to league because he is constantly being booted for crap like this.

 

The team was apparently very well behaved in a rematch of the two teams played with an assistant as manager. I believe I umpire them again sometime next week.