First EJ Ever, followed by another, kinda

[ump54]

Calling an 11U travel team game; HT is up by a few and continues to belt ropes to the OF.  With R3 and 2O, another shot is put into RF.  R3 crosses the plate, edge of the plate, as VT C is camped on top without the ball, it's still in RF. Ball comes in to the P and VT coach yells to throw to the C.  VT coach is appealing R3 touched home.  I signal safe and coach looks at me in disbelief and starts to spouting.  With that I put my left hand up to shut him down and say "Coach, I have the run scoring, runner touched the plate".  We approach each other and from a short distance I tell the coach I saw the play and indicated a run scored with a subtle point to the plate (habit, good or bad, for no other reason than my own accounting of whats transpired).  A few words are exchanged and the crowd starts in, "didn't touch the plate, blah blah blah....".  With the crowd now supporting him, the coach starts getting louder and says "no way you saw the play; I've got 10 to 12 parents that said you didn't". With that, I dumped him...

 

Huffy Puffy approaches and gives me a 30 second lecture on how my poor umpiring skills, turns, heads to dugout to retrieve his belongings and leaves.  At the top of the next inning, following the first pitch, who do I see in the 3B box?  Huffy!  At which point I send him packing again.  For some reason he was surprised to find out my original EJ was intentional.  As it turns out, on his short sabbatical from the field, he'd found a caring ear, the tournament director, who has now found his way to the backstop fence.  VT coach now spouts back, "go talk to the guy paying you".  This guy is a real gem.  I signal one last time that he's gone.

 

I head over to the TD to let him know about my displeasure with this coach and his returning to the field, if for no other reason than one-upsmanship.  TD gives me a story about how he's a good coach, but wants to hear my side.  I can't believe I'm doing this, having to explain why I ejected a loud mouth who nearly incited a riot.  After my explanation, I could see the TD wasn't happy with the coach, but I'm sure he had $$$ on the brain as he indicated I should limit the EJ to confinement of no less than 4 innings to the dugout... WHAT?!?  Felt like asking, should I cut the sentence in half for good behavior?!?

Looking back, I've thought that perhaps I should have indicated obstruction at home, with the catcher covering the plate; I can only imagine what folly would have followed.

 

[grayhawk]

Calling an 11U travel team game

 

There's your problem right there...  

[grayhawk]

Now for my real response.

 

1.  Don't point at bases when they are touched - even subtly.  If you want to do something, you can look down at the touch/no touch and make a head movement that shows you were looking (such as that the brim of your cap bobs down), but do it whether the runner touched or not.  You are merely showing that you were observing as the runner passed the base.  Makes it easier to sell when questioned.

 

2.  When explaining that you saw the touch, be specific.  "Skip, the runner touched the right edge of the plate with the heel of his left foot."  How can he possibly refute that with any credibility?

 

3.  The EJ was appropriate.  The rest is for you and that ridiculous TD to iron out.

[bluejerred]

These stories make me think twice about travel ball.  Question for you, were you calling solo or did you have a base umpire with you?

[ump54]

I had a BU with me. 

[blue23ll]

I suppose you could have EJ'd the TD, and kissed off the honor of doing 11U travel ball for him anymore. Help me with the downside of that, please.

[bam]

If I've already been paid, I'm walking off the field. If not, I'm asking TD for my pay! And then walking off the field.

[cyclonehokiece]

I'm with @bam, I am seriously thinking about walking off (pay or no pay) and never returning.  Also matters who the TD is and who he knows, if he can have me blackballed everywhere, I would finish game, but never work for him again.  If he knows no one, bye bye, have fun calling this game yourself.

[umpcoachfather]

Dear TD,

The umps are soley responsible during the game, go count the money at the concession stand.  If you continue to undercut our decisions we will have to ask that you station yourself near the field to help us rule on every pitch, play and award, discussion that occurs.  Please keep in mind that we will rule using your advice and that will most likey end up playing some games under protest, upon hearing said protest and the fact that an unqualified tourney director was ruling on the field no one will return to your huge money making venture. Not to metion you will have no good umpires, EVER.   

 

PS,

Your kid stinks

[renegadewolf]

This whole for profit setup for tournaments you folks in the states have going on is quite the interesting racket that really seems to encourage the kind of disrespect towards umpires authority mentioned here (and in many other posts) in the interest of the almighty dollar and keeping the customers "happy".

[James Walker]

Calling an 11U travel team game

 

There's your problem right there...  

There is some truth in this. Not the 11u part, but travel team. Of the two guys I work travel ball for, one is a HS Athletic Director and the other is the president of an Umpire association. Before I worked a tournament for either they both stated if a coach has to go send him. They have my back and I know there will be no problems if I eject some one. I make it a point to, if asked to fill in on a tournament, how that particular director wants coaches handled. I've been told keep them in the game, they spend a lot of money etc.... These get turned down.

At the end of the day, it's your choice.

[Majordave]

Had this happen to me last year, I think I wrote about it.   I warn a coach and he goes and cries to TD.  450lb TD comes to backstop, stops game to ask me what happened and warns me that he will reinstate the coach immediately if I dump him as he could and these guys paid a lot of money to play here.  He tells me; "You need to be nicer."  The only reason I warned the coach is that he was arguing with me that I could not keep his batters in box between pitches and hurry them up like I was doing.  When he did not stop, I put my hand up, told him we were done discussing and if I heard another word I would have to eject for prolonged arguing.  (I subscribe to the 3 P's of ejections-Personal, Profane, Prolonged)

 

I am resisting doing any travel ball on 60' bases this year. Economics may dictate it at some point but so far I have avoided the dreaded Daddy-Coach drudgery of youth travel ball with clueless TDs, coaches, fans and umpiring partners.  

 

In the past some of my partners doubled as rodeo clowns I think.  Unmatched shirts, untucked shirts and jackets, orange T-shirts under umpire shirts, long sleeves showing under short sleeves (sleeve and shirt colors did not match either), blue jeans and khaki pants and SWEATPANTS! as umpiring pants, white tennis shoes, white hats, hats that need an oil change, etc.

 

GOD please save from trying to work that level again, ever!

 

They cannot be helped. Everyone is only in it for the money.  It is such a racket and is an embarrassment to the great game of baseball.

 

My .02............ 

[treydawgmt]

I only do tournaments where the TD and/or UIC for the event have my back.  100%.  IF I was ever in a situation where a TD came and talked to me during the game and told me to - not eject someone, un-eject someone, or restrict someone for 4 innings, or any of that crap, I would immediately walk off the field no questions asked.  Let the TD finish umpiring the game himself.

[Jocko]

I guess I'm very fortunate to work for/with the travel group I do. My UIC trusts me completely and will ALWAYS back my decisions. Our CEO played pro ball and knows very little of umpiring 101. But he also trusts my judgement. Partly because they know Im not a hardass. Partly because they know Im a man of dignity with great respect for the game. They have both advised all of us to restrict whenever possible, but EJ if we must. We are a small, tight-knit group with some of the best umpires/men/friends I've ever had the pleasure of knowing and working with.

As far as discussing situations DURING the game, this simply isn't done. Unless the game is being protested, the TD should be shaking hands and kissing babies.

[Pete Peterson Sr]

I guess I'm very fortunate to work for/with the travel group I do. My UIC trusts me completely and will ALWAYS back my decisions. Our CEO played pro ball and knows very little of umpiring 101. But he also trusts my judgement. Partly because they know Im not a hardass. Partly because they know Im a man of dignity with great respect for the game. They have both advised all of us to restrict whenever possible, but EJ if we must. We are a small, tight-knit group with some of the best umpires/men/friends I've ever had the pleasure of knowing and working with.

As far as discussing situations DURING the game, this simply isn't done. Unless the game is being protested, the TD should be shaking hands and kissing babies.

 

 And  to a point, I have to disagree with this. This same TD has: 1) Told me NOT to work the plate during a particular team's games the following day. and B: Told Pet Jr and I "Not to toss any of the <insert city name> coaches during this game. Junior kindly explained that neither of us had ever ejected anyone who didn't prove, by their actions, that they wanted to leave the game, and that if an EJ was necessary, it would be issued, whether he liked it or not. And I'm pretty sure you know what happened when situation 1 arose, as you were standing there when that discussion happened.

[jjb]

My TD has our backs here.

 

I got to TD a WS a few years ago. At the Umpires Meeting, I told them "look, if it looks like a coach is getting close to going, give me a shout and I'll slide over to your game. If I have to, I'll go myself to the coach and tell him "look, the umpire is getting ready to launch you. If he does, he'll have my complete and unequivocal support, and you'll be done for the tournament. So, I strongly suggest you zip it and sit down".

 

I had to do it a couple times. Never had an EJ....

[Jocko]

I guess I'm very fortunate to work for/with the travel group I do. My UIC trusts me completely and will ALWAYS back my decisions. Our CEO played pro ball and knows very little of umpiring 101. But he also trusts my judgement. Partly because they know Im not a hardass. Partly because they know Im a man of dignity with great respect for the game. They have both advised all of us to restrict whenever possible, but EJ if we must. We are a small, tight-knit group with some of the best umpires/men/friends I've ever had the pleasure of knowing and working with.

As far as discussing situations DURING the game, this simply isn't done. Unless the game is being protested, the TD should be shaking hands and kissing babies.

And to a point, I have to disagree with this. This same TD has: 1) Told me NOT to work the plate during a particular team's games the following day. and B: Told Pet Jr and I "Not to toss any of the <insert city name> coaches during this game. Junior kindly explained that neither of us had ever ejected anyone who didn't prove, by their actions, that they wanted to leave the game, and that if an EJ was necessary, it would be issued, whether he liked it or not. And I'm pretty sure you know what happened when situation 1 arose, as you were standing there when that discussion happened.Pete, I said "ME"

Just kidding. I believe he's seen the error of his ways and has turned over officiating to the officials.