First EJ in 2+ years

[Umpire in Chief]

Okay I had my first EJ in 2+ years Sunday. Adult wood bat league. Bottom of first. I call K3 on a batter on a breaking ball right at the knees For the 3rd out. It was a great pitch. In a friendly tone he asks where it was. I told him, "Inside corner right at the knees." Then he starts B!+ching a little as I go back to get my water bottle. I turn around after I leave the dirt just in time to see him mark in the dirt where he thought it was. I hold up my hand and yell, "No, were not having that today" I was being very generous at the time. As the coach walks back he asks what the problem was and why I was warning his player. We talk for a bit and he is understanding. Then he asks, "Is that a warning just for him or for the whole team?" That should have clued me in to what was coming, but didn't completely. I just replied, "We will not be having any more sportsmanship issues out here today." Top of the second... A pitch comes in and I call it a ball. The catcher (not the same guy as above) asks, "Where was that?" I reply, "High" He says, "Maybe in the MLB, but not out here." I ignore him. I pitch or two later the batter bunts, chops it straight into the ground about a foot in front of the plate and it bounces back up and then lands about 2 feet in front of the plate. 2 runs score. He starts yelling about it being foul and that it hit the batter. I didn't have it and my partner didn't kill it so he didn't have it either. He continues and I have to tell him, "That's enough!" Next pitch was high too but he jerked it down and then holds it there. I say, "Send it back now." The catcher fires the ball back to the pitcher really hard and the pitcher gives the catcher a look like WTF. The catcher lifts his mask and yells, " Sorry I don't mean to take out my aggression on you because these guys suck." Buh-bye. He gets in my face yelling for a moment and walks away yelling. The coach comes out and tries to plead for his player and then says, "Doesn't he get a warning?" I said, "No were not having this crap out here today." Then the player comes back on the field to have a bit more to say. My partner is playing rodeo clown, but he gets by him and starts to have more to say to me. His coach is still trying to talk to me and barely acknowledges that the player has come back on the field. I tell the coach, "He's got to leave now." The player starts yelling more and tells me to go _________ myself. Then he starts walking away again yelling and screaming the whole time. The rest of the game went incredibly smoothly afterwards.

[Stretch]

Was the World Cup on?

[KenBAZ]

UiC:

I'm interested in learning from this so I'll read others replies' as well but I want to get your expertise on this. What if anything would you do different next time?

[RichMSN]

Perhaps dumping the line drawer would've set a different tone. Hindsight is always 20/20. Shrug.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[umpstu]

Okay I had my first EJ in 2+ years Sunday. Adult wood bat league. Bottom of first. I call K3 on a batter on a breaking ball right at the knees For the 3rd out. It was a great pitch. In a friendly tone he asks where it was. I told him, "Inside corner right at the knees." Then he starts B!+ching a little as I go back to get my water bottle. I turn around after I leave the dirt just in time to see him mark in the dirt where he thought it was. I hold up my hand and yell, "No, were not having that today" I was being very generous at the time. As the coach walks back he asks what the problem was and why I was warning his player. We talk for a bit and he is understanding. Then he asks, "Is that a warning just for him or for the whole team?" That should have clued me in to what was coming, but didn't completely. I just replied, "We will not be having any more sportsmanship issues out here today." Top of the second... A pitch comes in and I call it a ball. The catcher (not the same guy as above) asks, "Where was that?" I reply, "High" He says, "Maybe in the MLB, but not out here." I ignore him. I pitch or two later the batter bunts, chops it straight into the ground about a foot in front of the plate and it bounces back up and then lands about 2 feet in front of the plate. 2 runs score. He starts yelling about it being foul and that it hit the batter. I didn't have it and my partner didn't kill it so he didn't have it either. He continues and I have to tell him, "That's enough!" Next pitch was high too but he jerked it down and then holds it there. I say, "Send it back now." The catcher fires the ball back to the pitcher really hard and the pitcher gives the catcher a look like WTF. The catcher lifts his mask and yells, " Sorry I don't mean to take out my aggression on you because these guys suck." Buh-bye. He gets in my face yelling for a moment and walks away yelling. The coach comes out and tries to plead for his player and then says, "Doesn't he get a warning?" I said, "No were not having this crap out here today." Then the player comes back on the field to have a bit more to say. My partner is playing rodeo clown, but he gets by him and starts to have more to say to me. His coach is still trying to talk to me and barely acknowledges that the player has come back on the field. I tell the coach, "He's got to leave now." The player starts yelling more and tells me to go _________ myself. Then he starts walking away again yelling and screaming the whole time. The rest of the game went incredibly smoothly afterwards.

So, did you go ________________________ yourself? ha

[grayhawk]

I thought catchers were supposed to be the smart ones.  Guess not.

[Mad Mike]

Sometimes you can do everything "right" and still have the s&%# hit the fan! 

[immaculate1976]

I thought you did it right all the way. You tried to keep players in the game but he gave you no choice. It is funny to me that he would say that and then get mad when he was dumped. 

[Magic]

And this is why I stopped doing adult league.

[LA ump]

You know they are all just waiting to get the call to MLB. Sheesh, don't you know who they are. >end sarcasim. Good EJ

[umpstu]

And this is why I stopped doing adult league.

Exactly. Plus the fact that some of the players think there might be MLB scouts at the game and that means they should barrel over an opposing player to break up a double play. Way too serious.

[HokieUmp]

Warren,

 

That wasn't the Senators, by any chance, was it?  My "favorite" NABA F2 played for them.

[Dean]

This is an Adult Wood bat league, Sometimes it pays to be a smart ass back to these guys.  The guy who drew the line, go up to the team while they are all there and tell them that was now the inside pitch so better swing.  And call it every time.

they bitch just tell them to shut up and swing, that you figured that is where the team wanted them since they drew a line there.

 

Sometimes this isn't appropriate but most adult leagues you can get away with it and after a couple of games, they just play the game.

[Replacematt]

I thought you did it right all the way. You tried to keep players in the game but he gave you no choice. It is funny to me that he would say that and then get mad when he was dumped.

 

It's not our job to keep guys in the game if they've taken themselves out. This is a prime example why. I have never let anyone draw a line and stay in the game. By letting that happen, it shows a willingness to be tested--which they exploited.

 

This is an Adult Wood bat league, Sometimes it pays to be a smart ass back to these guys.  The guy who drew the line, go up to the team while they are all there and tell them that was now the inside pitch so better swing.  And call it every time.

they bitch just tell them to shut up and swing, that you figured that is where the team wanted them since they drew a line there.

 

Sometimes this isn't appropriate but most adult leagues you can get away with it and after a couple of games, they just play the game.

Sometimes? How about always? This isn't forty years ago. Never do this. I'll be a smartass back, in very limited and very particular situations, but I'm not throwing my integrity out with a player.

[Majordave]

Arguing with a player or a coach is like wrestling with a pig. You both get dirty but the pig loves it.

[Dean]

 

I thought you did it right all the way. You tried to keep players in the game but he gave you no choice. It is funny to me that he would say that and then get mad when he was dumped.

 

It's not our job to keep guys in the game if they've taken themselves out. This is a prime example why. I have never let anyone draw a line and stay in the game. By letting that happen, it shows a willingness to be tested--which they exploited.

 

This is an Adult Wood bat league, Sometimes it pays to be a smart ass back to these guys.  The guy who drew the line, go up to the team while they are all there and tell them that was now the inside pitch so better swing.  And call it every time.

they bitch just tell them to shut up and swing, that you figured that is where the team wanted them since they drew a line there.

 

Sometimes this isn't appropriate but most adult leagues you can get away with it and after a couple of games, they just play the game.

Sometimes? How about always? This isn't forty years ago. Never do this. I'll be a smartass back, in very limited and very particular situations, but I'm not throwing my integrity out with a player.

 

 

Well you appear not have been in the army. Group punishments can be very effective in modifying unwanted behavior.

[BigUmpire]

WELLLLL A NEW BUMPER STICKER and A GOOD ONE:

 

"Arguing with a player or a coach is like wrestling with a pig. You both get dirty but the pig loves it." -Majordave

 

Thanks @Majordave

[Replacematt]

I thought you did it right all the way. You tried to keep players in the game but he gave you no choice. It is funny to me that he would say that and then get mad when he was dumped.

 

It's not our job to keep guys in the game if they've taken themselves out. This is a prime example why. I have never let anyone draw a line and stay in the game. By letting that happen, it shows a willingness to be tested--which they exploited.

 

This is an Adult Wood bat league, Sometimes it pays to be a smart ass back to these guys.  The guy who drew the line, go up to the team while they are all there and tell them that was now the inside pitch so better swing.  And call it every time.

they bitch just tell them to shut up and swing, that you figured that is where the team wanted them since they drew a line there.

 

Sometimes this isn't appropriate but most adult leagues you can get away with it and after a couple of games, they just play the game.

Sometimes? How about always? This isn't forty years ago. Never do this. I'll be a smartass back, in very limited and very particular situations, but I'm not throwing my integrity out with a player.

 

Well you appear not have been in the army. Group punishments can be very effective in modifying unwanted behavior.

Strike two. Not only have I been in the Army (still am, and please notice that it is capitalized,) I am a senior NCO and do not use group punishment as a form of behavior modification.