Plate Meeting

[Thunderheads]

 

I never ask "Do you have any questions?" for fear that they do.

 

Well, why not answer them? If it takes 15 seconds or less and makes me "approachable," I'm game. I won't lead a rules clinic out there or extend my usual 30 second coaches meeting beyond 1 minute, but I want to start non-confrontational.

 

coming across as unapproachable ............ means your'e a d1ck and a reda$$ .........at least, ...that's how it comes across to the coaches ........

[ricka56]

Kyle's point wasn't to not answer questions (to be unapproachable). An umpire can provide a concise answer to a coach's unsolicited question (approachable), as would I. But opening up the discussion to every wild-ass possibility is rarely productive and possibly disruptive. I don't open the floor for random discussion, I'm there to get the game going. 

[maven]

Kyle's point wasn't to not answer questions (to be unapproachable). An umpire can provide a concise answer to a coach's unsolicited question (approachable), as would I. But opening up the discussion to every wild-ass possibility is rarely productive and possibly disruptive. I don't open the floor for random discussion, I'm there to get the game going. 

 

That sounds like your point, not Kyle's.

 

His point was that he never asks coaches if they have questions because he's afraid that they will.

 

He might have made that point without realizing that it might express (or be taken to express) an attitude that he doesn't intend to express.

 

That was my point.

[ricka56]

 

Kyle's point wasn't to not answer questions (to be unapproachable). An umpire can provide a concise answer to a coach's unsolicited question (approachable), as would I. But opening up the discussion to every wild-ass possibility is rarely productive and possibly disruptive. I don't open the floor for random discussion, I'm there to get the game going. 

 

That sounds like your point, not Kyle's.

 

His point was that he never asks coaches if they have questions because he's afraid that they will.

 

He might have made that point without realizing that it might express (or be taken to express) an attitude that he doesn't intend to express.

 

That was my point.

 

Well I am afraid of the "coach describes some play that he disagreed with, colors the sitch to his benefit, looking for ammo for the next time he sees the previous umpire" kind of question. Afraid isn't the right word, but I may seem a tad "unapproachable" when I refuse to indulge him. 

 

We're in the small-ball section. This is common daddy-coach question, that I do not want to solicit..

[UmpJeff]

I never ask "Do you have any questions?" for fear that they do.

 

If they actually have a question, they'll work it in before I say "Good luck, fellas".

I never ask if they have questions. However, if they do, and they ask, I answer.  Like Maven said, give them a brief answer.  Otherwise, you end up appearing like Jeff says, an unapproachable D1ck and a Reda$$. 

[cyclonehokiece]

While LEGS is great for remembering the topics, the other one that is important is KISS (Keep it simple & short).

[TheGeneral]

One league I've worked for had overall such bad coaches that they made us reiterate the 7 calls a coach couldn't argue: "ball, strike, fair, foul, safe, out are judgement calls and are not up for discussion. If you have a problem with a rules interpretation, calmly request time and approach the umpire that made the call. If you fail to do this properly, you may be sent home, and you can't argue any call after that for the next two games." I got could usually get that fun addition spit out in 10 seconds. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kylejt]

Easy now, fellas.

 

And yeah, my point was don't ask "Do you have any questions?" at the plate meeting. It's been my experience that you get a lot of "In my last game...." or, " the last umpires we had......." . It's just a opening for coaches to ask dopey, time wasting questions, that rarely have any relevance to the game at hand. Or worse, having them dredge up past games/umpires, or ask you about your strikezone.

 

That said, I've got zero problems answering any questions a manager might have. In fact, I think that's a mark a good manager. If he has a pre-loaded question, that's great.

[Ump29]

Keep the meeting short and simple

Introductions

Line ups (Fix the lineups if req'd)

Ground Rules

Shake hands