I'm torn

[StrikeToWin]

I had a new to me partner last night for 2 games.  First game I was PU for 13/14 rec league.  I am by no means an experienced umpire but the guy I was working with was supposedly a low collegiate level umpire.  In our local league we have an 1:45 time limit on league games no new inning with less than 5 minutes to play.  Since we both come straight from work, we didn't have a lot of time to pregame and it went something like this:

Me:  I will cover 3rd on a 1st to 3rd situation.

Partner:  No, I will take all the calls on the bases cause I hate rotating when I'm in the gear so I don't expect my partner to rotate. (HUH?)

Me:  Ok????

Partner:  Just keep me informed on the count and outs and I'll be good.

That was the start.  He knew what he was doing position wise but made a couple of questionable calls, one at 3rd and a really bad one at 2nd.  The one at 3rd was bang/bang and could've gone either way.  Situation on the one at 2nd though was a bit different.  Tie ballgame after the bottom of 5 with 8 minutes left on the clock so we have to play another inning.  Visiting team B1 strikes out, B2 is a big slow guy and HTHC decides to intentionally walk him to slow up runners on the bases.  Catcher attempts a back pick at 1st with the slow guy and puts it into RF.  Slow guy winds up at 2nd.  Next pitch passed ball and slow guy is now at 3rd.  B3 draws a walk.  We now have runners at 1st and 3rd with one out and time has expired. R1 takes off for second about the same time F1 turns to pickoff.  F3 then throws to F6 for the tag but the throw is high and wide and batter slides into the bag well before the tag comes down but as soon as the tag is applied, my partner inexplicably calls the runner out (runner is literally sitting on the base).  This was a play that was not even close in anyone's eyes.  Opposing coach is actually staring at my partner shaking his head.  VT coaches are complaining loudly and 3B coach has called time and is walking toward my partner who immediately holds his hand up and says "We have nothing to discuss coach, get back to your box".  All the coaches are looking to me and asking if they can appeal and I just look at them and shake my head no without saying anything.  This is the first time I have ever wanted to overturn a partner's call but I didn't.  We finish the game with no more runs scoring and ends in a tie.

 

Game 2  visiting team is playing a double header so they are still there and are now the home team.  Top of first goes smoothly.  We get to the bottom of the first and the new VTHC does not care for the strike zone and is commenting to his catcher to move over the middle, stick the pitch, frame it better so he gets a better look etc.  By this time I am in C with R1 and R2.  Count on the batter is 1-2 when the pitcher drops a beautiful curve that drops from the belt to the top of the knee right over the heart of the plate.  Partner balls it and kid eventually hits into an inning ending ground out.  As I walk over to get a drink of water, my partner comes up to me and says "See what I did there?  He was complaining about my strike zone and I balled a pitch right down the middle.  Maybe now he will be quiet and get the hint to leave me alone.  Then he will get the good zone back."  I didn't know what to say.  After our second game he asked me if I liked how he got us out of our first game.  I just walked away. 

 

I know I probably should have handled the post game differently, but his wife and daughter were at the game and walking out with him so I just left it alone.  Does anyone have any advice on how to handle something like this in the future?

 

 

[Mad Mike]

Don't initially agree to go along with crazy mechanics as described in Game 1.

 

Let your assigner know about this guys lack of willingness to use proper mechanics and his questionable   judgment.

[noumpere]

The game 1 mechanics are not uncommon for some summer ball.  Whether they are "allowed" in your group for those games is a different issue.

 

the FYC in game 2 is wasted at that level.

[JaxRolo]

You should not have let him get away with "his mechanics". You were the plate guy. You tell him how its going to be done.

[cyclonehokiece]

A FYC in youth baseball has no place. Report him, and tell your assigner that you do not walk to work with him anymore (and block him on Arbiter if you use that/it is allowed).

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[GreyhoundAggie]

That's pretty bad. The coach doesn't understand the FYC and everyone just thinks you are a terrible ump. Sounds like a guy who didn't want to be there in a lot of ways.

 

There is a difference between stealing a close play out, and a giant "I'm done with this game cause the time limit is up" call.

 

I wouldn't blame you a bit for not wanting to ever call again with this guy. No one ever says "That one umpire was bad but his partner was great". You both get painted with the same brush.

 

I hate partners like that.

[Forest Ump]

What this guy did was unethical. He needs to find another hobby.

[Jimurray]

Your association would not be using this guy if they had an alternate.they also would not be using this guy if they, had meetings, had clinics, had any othevWTF can you think of training help.

[Majordave]

Be careful what you share with assigner and others in your association. If he truly is a semi-big dog and connected within the higher-ups the blowback will mess up your reputation and game assignments. Its usually a pretty small fraternity and in my experience with umpiring in three different areas has shown that most guys do not care about summer ball other than the money. Most of them grew up together and have been working together for years. They value their relationship with each other way more than their reputations with summer baseball coaches and fans.

Just a word to the wise. Before you say or do anything know how your partner is connected and his reputation with the higher level umpires and assigners. Especially if you want to move up in umpiring in that area.

[AllanA]

I would have said something to him in post game. Wife and daughter there so what. That is his fault. I would have been tactful about it though.

I would say something to my assigner to cover your A$$. I guarantee the coach's will. If it gets back to him and he is a "big dog" so what. If I have

to call with cheaters like him I will hang up my pads and go fishing!

[StrikeToWin]

The bad thing is, he is not one of the regulars at our park.  I think he was just there to help out the UIC and make a little extra cash since the college season is over in our area.  The one head coach (who happens to also be a board member) came to me out at the car (not confrontational towards me at all) and said that he would be talking to the UIC and understood that I couldn't change calls whether I agreed with them or not.  He never got out of hand on the field, he just took the lumps and went on. 

 

As to my partner being a big shot, not at our park.  I will definitely let the UIC know what happened and request not to call anymore games with him if he continues to work out there.  Our UIC is really pretty good and does do a lot of training both on the field and in a classroom.

[scrounge]

so sounds like he's a bigshot in his own mind who thought he was too good for that game...no use for dudes like that.

[Minnz]

It is summer ball.  All we do is collect pay checks and not care if the calls are right.  Or do you all call summer ball like it means something.  #sarcasm

[StrikeToWin]

We are not into summer ball yet.  We still have a couple of weeks left on league and then a few more tournaments before summer league starts.  This isn't high school or school ball, it's rec league with travel ball.  I get the sarcasm, just clarifying what we are playing.