When does an umpire cross the line?

[mjdudz]

I was a parent at a game for my 14u son a few days ago. From the beginning of the game there were some bad call, which I dismissed as the usual biased view of calls. But soon these calls escalated into calls with no basis in the rules. Balks were called with the explanation of "We're the umpires, we know it's a balk, trust us." This explanation was given for many calls. It then escalated even more when the umpire began making immature comments like, "Just shut up" "Quit complaining" "Just deal with it" and "You clearly don't know the rules of baseball". Every time our coach attempted to ask a question the ump ignored him and when the coach asked to get the rulebook from his car so the ump could explain he threatened to throw the coach out of the game. Then, after the end of the game, the coach attempted to get the umpires name to talk to the league director and the umpire ignored him and walked to the parking lot. After packing everything up the coach saw the umpire standing outside his car getting ready to leave so he went up and attempted to talk to him once more. The umpire proceeded to slam the door of the car and drive away from the field. At what point does an umpire cross the line? How do you react when this happens to you?

[grayhawk]

2. I can honestly say I've NEVER made a call on a close play one way or another with ANY THOUGHT WHATSOEVER as to what coach has given me a hard time or what team the last call went against. The last thing on my mind when I'm concentrating on a bang/bang play or balls and strikes is what team I should give a benefit of the doubt or a break to. 

 

 

Agreed Rich.  I'm just not smart enough or fast enough to let any of that garbage enter my mind when making a close call.  It's hard enough as it is to ensure I am in the proper position, taking a read step (if necessary), set for the call, watching for potential obstruction, interference, MC, and use all my senses to get the call right!  The last thing on my mind is which coach has been a pain in the neck, or how I called the last close one.  Those things simply DO NOT affect how I make THIS call.

[johnnyg08]

As soon as somebody says "I do some umpiring too" 

 

They lose my attention quite quickly.  

 

Talk to me about the rules and how they're enforced and I will listen to you.  I don't care if or where you have or have not umpired.  

[FleasOf1000Camels]

Here are a few simple rules I follow and take every possible opportunity to teach:

1.  Always honor your contracts.

2.  Always arrive on time with clean clothes and gear.

3.  Be polite and respectful, but take firm control right from the pre-game conference.

4.  NEVER skip that pre-game, even if you and the coaches are familiar with each other and the field.

5.  Learn and REMEMBER the HC's names, and if/when you need to speak with one of them, call them by name.

6.  Be consistent.  The same pitch that was a "ball" in the 1st inning can't be a "strike" later on, no matter what the score.

7.  Enforce the rules, but don't go looking for trouble.

8.  Don't hold players or coaches responsible for ignorant, loud-mouthed fans.

9.  Remember your timing and mechanics.

10.  NEVER stop studying:  rule books, case books, mechanics.

11.  Don't engage in unnecessary conversation...before, during or after the game.   

12.  Ejections are NOT a form of discipline, they usually are the result of FAILED discipline.

[FleasOf1000Camels]

Another thing I like to do is to inject some humor into the process.  You've got to be careful with this, or you come off as if you don't care, but I've often used it to defuse conflict.

 

1.  2 weeks ago we had several VERY close calls to make in the first couple of innings.  By coincidence ALL these close calls went against the same team.  HC was walking past me on his way to the 3rd base box, and said "Have I done something to offend you?  You'd think sooner or later some close call would go in our favor."  I know plenty of umpires that would have taken that as an insult, or an attack on their credibility.  My response "I appreciate your high opinion of my mental capacity, but I'm not NEARLY sharp enough to keep track of who I'm trying to screw over."

 

2.  After an extremely messed up play...started with bases loaded, no outs and a routine infield pop fly.  Play included two separate run-downs, at least three errors, an obstruction call (negated when the runner obtained the base he would have been awarded), one run scored and a triple play that went 3-2-5-2-6-1-5-2-4-1-3-2...defensive team's coach walks up to me as the teams were changing sides and quietly asked (covering his face with his hat) "what the f*** just happened?"  I said "I'm still replaying the whole mess in my mind, but be sure to tell your pitcher that run is unearned."

[Stan W.]

Another thing I like to do is to inject some humor into the process.  You've got to be careful with this, or you come off as if you don't care, but I've often used it to defuse conflict.

 

1.  2 weeks ago we had several VERY close calls to make in the first couple of innings.  By coincidence ALL these close calls went against the same team.  HC was walking past me on his way to the 3rd base box, and said "Have I done something to offend you?  You'd think sooner or later some close call would go in our favor."  I know plenty of umpires that would have taken that as an insult, or an attack on their credibility.  My response "I appreciate your high opinion of my mental capacity, but I'm not NEARLY sharp enough to keep track of who I'm trying to screw over."

 

2.  After an extremely messed up play...started with bases loaded, no outs and a routine infield pop fly.  Play included two separate run-downs, at least three errors, an obstruction call (negated when the runner obtained the base he would have been awarded), one run scored and a triple play that went 3-2-5-2-6-1-5-2-4-1-3-2...defensive team's coach walks up to me as the teams were changing sides and quietly asked (covering his face with his hat) "what the f*** just happened?"  I said "I'm still replaying the whole mess in my mind, but be sure to tell your pitcher that run is unearned."

OK, JMHO, but....in:

 

1. I'm not against some deflecting humor......but I'd never recommend using the phrase you used...perception is everything.......and you told him you were trying to screw them over....I know you said it in jest, but that's not guaranteed he took it that way or will twist it any way if it suits him.....better off saying "the baseball gods are being cruel today" or some innocuous phrase......

 

2. Wasn't it an infield fly?...........(bases loaded, no outs and a routine infield pop fly.).............some umpire is getting chewed on for missing that and causing that circus to come to town....  ...

Edited May 20, 2014 by Stan W.
calrity

[FleasOf1000Camels]

@Stan W...

 

Yes, it WAS an infield fly, and we called it loud and clear.

But F3 dropped it, and the runners from 2nd and 3rd both started running...that's when the circus began.

It was a total cluster bomb.

[wingman3110]

I'm of the mind to ask for a new U-E members/posters rule. No more Coach in user names. I don't believe you can be both and it's somewhat offensive to me to see guys who claim to be umpires with Coach in their user names. Either you're an official or a coach. Can't be both in the same sport. Conflict of interest.

My .02

 

I coach basketball. I also officiate basketball. Doing both has made me a better coach and official in my opinion.

 

Never has it occurred to me that it is a conflict of interest. 

[FleasOf1000Camels]

While I don't necessarily believe there's an immediate conflict-of-interest that someone may be BOTH a coach and an official:

 

1.  NO WAY anybody can be permitted to do BOTH within the same league or organization.

 

2.  Every time I hear a coach say "I also umpire"  I have to fight back the urge to say "Yeah, and I'll bet you suck at that, too."

[TStokes97]

I'm of the mind to ask for a new U-E members/posters rule. No more Coach in user names. I don't believe you can be both and it's somewhat offensive to me to see guys who claim to be umpires with Coach in their user names. Either you're an official or a coach. Can't be both in the same sport. Conflict of interest.

My .02

I worked in a league where during playoffs coaches who didnt have games that day had to be base umps, during the season we used a "volunteer" parent from the home team, or league only paid for plate umps, thank goodness we joined a bigger league and they pay for 2 of us now, nice to have a trained partner

[Umpire in Chief]

First and foremost Coaches are welcome here and I personally applaud them for taking a greater interest in baseball and umpiring. As @wingman3110 said it can make you better at both... BUT...

 

The coach/umpire has to go into it with the right mindset, just as a person who only umpires does. But more specifically for the coach/umpire when wearing one hat you must check the other at the door. 

 

As others have said, when a coach approaches an umpire and tells them they are an umpire too, that raises the umpires defenses. Whether it was the coach's intention or not, the umpire now thinking, 'Great now I have someone who thinks they know the rules who is going to try one-up me at the first chance they get." And speaking from my personal experience, I cannot think of one time when a coach has told me they are an umpire too that I haven't had a problem.

 

On the flip side of the coin, I know several umpires in my HS association who are both players/coaches and umpires. Unless in complete jest they never bring it up. And actually one of the most intelligent arguments I ever had with a coach was a coach who umpired with me until his son got into HS and he stopped umpiring and became the JV then V coach. I made a call that didn't go his way and we literally discussed the play and what each of us saw. The conversation ended with me saying, "Larry this has been a great conversation and I appreciate your points, but I am not going to change my call and we've got to get this game moving again." We both smiled and walked away.

 

Long story short: If you are coaching there is no need to tell the umpire you are an umpire too.