"You haven't given my pitcher that all game"

[catsbackr]

 

 

Don't get me wrong. Maintaining control is paramount, but when I came back from umpire school, I set the hook faster than Secretary won the Kentucky Derby. I learned a valuable lesson from those days: control does not equal ejections. Control equals respect, firmness, poise, some talking, and knowing its okay to walk away, or turn the other cheek. I'm not a saying what works for you is wrong. I'm just saying that I've learned to be a little more patient. But there is a point when enough is enough.

I agree that you can't be the redass that school teaches you to be when working amateur ranks. There are many things you can do to prevent situations from spiraling out of control and resulting in an ejection. But there are also certain things that will get you gone, no questions. Counting, drawing lines, direct belittling of the official are a few. An excited utterance can get you  gone in certain circumstances.

 

What would you consider direct belittling of the official?  I run across coaches that like to make comments to me but make it sound like they are talking to their player.  I had another coach who didn't like how I waited to call foul ball until the ball game to a stop since it wasn't touched by anyone (and he didn't like the call since it was just outside the line in my judgment) so he decided to "show me how to do it" from the 3rd base coach box which made me feel like he was showing me up.  What signs, signals, or intuition do you go by that lets you know that it's time to shut these coaches up?  I know that might sound like a silly question, and normally I don't have problems with people, but I'm getting to the point where umpiring for some of these rec ball daddy coaches is pissing me off.

 

Coaches that say, "I'm talking to my catcher (etc.)", I always say, "Well, I'm talking to you!"  And this is after ignore and acknowledge.

 

Coaches that want to demonstrate get a very, very short leash.

 

A hand up usually works for me.

[Platejob29]

Almost any time I am speaking to a player or manager about a conflict I am going to call time. In this situation though if he stepped out of the box and argued I would stay behind the plate mask on without calling time and address the situation from there for a few reasons. First reason being that if I leave my mask on I'm not going to look like the aggressor when I tell him not to argue balls and strikes. Second reason is that if I leave the ball in play and don't leave my position behind the plate when I ask him to get back in the box if he does not comply I've got an offensive delay of game and can call a strike without a pitch being thrown (Good example of this rule being used in a game is the Corpus Christy Hooks game from earlier this year when Ron Teague called a strike the batter argued. Ron instructed the batter to return to the box he did not. Ron calls strike 2. Batter still does not return to the box. Strike 3). 

 

If the batter, any player, or manager says "You have had not control of this game" or any variation of that in my book he has earned an ejection.

 

A few links to the Ron Teague 1 pitch strike out

http://www.closecallsports.com/2013/08/minor-teague-ball-one-pitch-strikeout.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef3lOR8gdls

 

Side note. Ron Was awarded the California League Umpire of the year this year. He started out the year in the California League before being promoted to the Texas League.

[Texas Manny]

I would have put the runner back.

Why? Time was not called. What rule would you use to put the runner back? Why penalize the offense for taking advantage of the defenses stupidity?

[Texas Manny]

I'll probably say "That's enough"... He'll bury himself before long.

 

As far as R2 stealing, if I notice it, I will take a couple steps towards third to show I'm still into the game despite our conversation... If I don't notice him leave until he is there, I'm putting him back on 2nd.

Again, I'm only asking: why? Time was not called. What rule would you use to put him back? Why penalize the offense for the defenses stupidity?

[Mr Umpire]

Almost any time I am speaking to a player or manager about a conflict I am going to call time. In this situation though if he stepped out of the box and argued I would stay behind the plate mask on without calling time and address the situation from there for a few reasons. First reason being that if I leave my mask on I'm not going to look like the aggressor when I tell him not to argue balls and strikes. Second reason is that if I leave the ball in play and don't leave my position behind the plate when I ask him to get back in the box if he does not comply I've got an offensive delay of game and can call a strike without a pitch being thrown (Good example of this rule being used in a game is the Corpus Christy Hooks game from earlier this year when Ron Teague called a strike the batter argued. Ron instructed the batter to return to the box he did not. Ron calls strike 2. Batter still does not return to the box. Strike 3). 

 

If the batter, any player, or manager says "You have had not control of this game" or any variation of that in my book he has earned an ejection.

 

A few links to the Ron Teague 1 pitch strike out

http://www.closecallsports.com/2013/08/minor-teague-ball-one-pitch-strikeout.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef3lOR8gdls

 

Side note. Ron Was awarded the California League Umpire of the year this year. He started out the year in the California League before being promoted to the Texas League.

I guess the defensive team name was fitting for this video.

[JaxRolo]

I would have put the runner back.

Why? Time was not called. What rule would you use to put the runner back? Why penalize the offense for taking advantage of the defenses stupidity? It's not defensive stupidity it's the offense who is being stupid! I am not rewarding them because they are arguing. If I'm engaged in an argument I have automatic time.

[Texas Manny]

 

I would have put the runner back.

Why? Time was not called. What rule would you use to put the runner back? Why penalize the offense for taking advantage of the defenses stupidity? It's not defensive stupidity it's the offense who is being stupid! I am not rewarding them because they are arguing. If I'm engaged in an argument I have automatic time.

 

I respectfully disagree. During an argument, unless you specifically call "Time", there can be no automatic time. Runners may advance at their own peril. If you put the runner back, and the manager protested, you would lose because there is no rule you could infer, and you didn't call time.

 

Yes, the defense is being stupid for watching the batter argue with you, rather than watch the ball and the runners.

 

The batter arguing can be considered stupid, but that is a separate issue.

[JaxRolo]

I would have put the runner back.

Why? Time was not called. What rule would you use to put the runner back? Why penalize the offense for taking advantage of the defenses stupidity? It's not defensive stupidity it's the offense who is being stupid! I am not rewarding them because they are arguing. If I'm engaged in an argument I have automatic time. I respectfully disagree. During an argument, unless you specifically call "Time", there can be no automatic time. Runners may advance at their own peril. If you put the runner back, and the manager protested, you would lose because there is no rule you could infer, and you didn't call time. Yes, the defense is being stupid for watching the batter argue with you, rather than watch the ball and the runners. The batter arguing can be considered stupid, but that is a separate issue. Not totally disagreeing with you. Thankfully most of my games are HS rules and in Florida no protests are allowed. So I would put him back. And I would be backed up by my association.