What would you do?

[asek35]

I worked a HS JV Game the other day in the SE MI region and my partner was totally incompetent and was TEXTING during the game.  How do I go about this situation?  He never walked off the field with me and gave a me a nod goodbye in the parking lot.  I felt alone out there and both coaches gave me good praise for the job i did and told me that my partner had no clue what he was doing.

 

My assignor tends to deploy "Bodies" over quality people.

[BigUmpire]

I worked a HS JV Game the other day in the SE MI region and my partner was totally incompetent and was TEXTING during the game.  How do I go about this situation?  He never walked off the field with me and gave a me a nod goodbye in the parking lot.  I felt alone out there and both coaches gave me good praise for the job i did and told me that my partner had no clue what he was doing.

 

My assignor tends to deploy "Bodies" over quality people.

Stop calling with Jeff.

You were warned!

@Thunderheads

 

Seriously- block this person in arbiter or call to your assigner BUT be prepared to get less games.

[Jayumpref19]

When you see something like this on the field just approach the umpire and explain to him that we might be getting watched today so be careful about texting and by the way my name is?

[Umpire in Chief]

LOL @BigUmpire you beat me to the punch...

 

Back to the question. I would definitely report it to whoever I needed to. 

 

Yes, many groups are so short on umpires using warm bodies are all they can do. 

 

But, I guarantee you were not the only one to notice his texting. It reflects bad on all of us and the issue needs to be addressed. This lowers the bar for umpires as a whole, and coaches/parents/players react to umpires as a whole. 

 

If you do work with him again, in the pregame tell him to leave his phone in the car. 

[maven]

Work your butt off to get better so that you get to a level where they use umpires.

[TStokes97]

Always be 100% that they were in fact texting, i found out that there is an app that an ump can use if they forgot an indicator, which could be an easy mistake not likley here but keep that in mind.

[treydawgmt]

I don't care if he is texting, using some app for balls and strikes, or talking to the pope. If it's that important he needs to be on the phone, he needs to be OFF the field

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[UMP45]

Always be 100% that they were in fact texting, i found out that there is an app that an ump can use if they forgot an indicator, which could be an easy mistake not likley here but keep that in mind.

Not even in a parallel universe!

[Thunderheads]

asek, who's your assignor?  tell him, yes?

[RingEmUp]

I've seen a couple of other guys using the indicator app.  I almost had to download it but was bailed out by a fellow umpire that had an extra indicator. 

[asek35]

@Thunderheads Bob Czech (He will give me a response saying thats the best I got)

[Thunderheads]

@Thunderheads Bob Czech (He will give me a response saying thats the best I got)

Don't assume.  Report that idiot

[asek35]

How do i go about it just write an email?

[Thunderheads]

How do i go about it just write an email?

yes, .... send Bob an email and tell him what happened and who the guy was (he'll know anyhow)

 

guys like that give ALL OF US a bad name!  Not cooL!

[umpire_scott]

I've seen a couple of other guys using the indicator app.  I almost had to download it but was bailed out by a fellow umpire that had an extra indicator. 

 

I would go without an indicator before I used my phone.  That is absurd to think you would look at your phone after every pitch. And have it in your hand the whole time?  That lack of professionalism would far outweigh missing a few counts. 

[RingEmUp]

 

I've seen a couple of other guys using the indicator app.  I almost had to download it but was bailed out by a fellow umpire that had an extra indicator. 

 

I would go without an indicator before I used my phone.  That is absurd to think you would look at your phone after every pitch. And have it in your hand the whole time?  That lack of professionalism would far outweigh missing a few counts. 

 

 

While I agree with you, I also suffer from some memory loss problems (Thanks Iraq!!) so for me I would need to have something and if its a phone than so be it.  

[noumpere]

God (or whoever if you so chose) gave most of us a couple of digital indicators right at the end of our arms -- and most of us still have them.  Use them as opposed to a phone in an emergency.

[umpire_scott]

 

 

I've seen a couple of other guys using the indicator app.  I almost had to download it but was bailed out by a fellow umpire that had an extra indicator. 

 

I would go without an indicator before I used my phone.  That is absurd to think you would look at your phone after every pitch. And have it in your hand the whole time?  That lack of professionalism would far outweigh missing a few counts. 

 

 

While I agree with you, I also suffer from some memory loss problems (Thanks Iraq!!) so for me I would need to have something and if its a phone than so be it.  

 

 

It would just seem very tedious and unproductive to have the phone in my hand the whole time. I've forgotten/lost my indicator before and I just kept balls on my left hand and strikes on my right by putting my fingers over my thumb.  Each finger equaled one ball or one strike.  Of course that would not keep track of outs so maybe you would still need the app.  

 

Sorry for the memory issues you suffer and thank you for your service.

[TStokes97]

I never used the app, i dont even own a phone but Im just giving the OP's partner some benefit of the doubt saying its "possible" although incredibly unlikely he was using it. @RingEmUp yes as @umpire_scott said thanks for your service

[umpcoachfather]

Is their a rule that says you can eject your partner?  Is that Rule 9?

[bluejerred]

Tell him to call the game with no indicator like the veterans on here do!!  As for me, I have 3 indicators so I can lose 2 of them and still be okay.

[treydawgmt]

This is kind of like a former part time guy on my fire department.  I reported him once for texting while driving an ambulance to a call with lights and sirens!!!!  He claimed he wasn't "texting."  I don't care WHAT you were doing, looking at your phone period in some situations is a NO GO.  He found himself off the department for a different situation involving our brothers in blue...