Baiting a Coach 2.0

[Kevin_K]

In the original discussion on this topic I mentioned a HC I had this past weekend who was a pain in the a** all day about balls and strikes and how the next time I saw him he might not last until the end of the game.

 

Well, that time has come.

 

I just received the plate assignment for the final game of the NJ Junior Legion tournament on Thursday and guess whose team is playing? I think there really are baseball gods who giggling uncontrollably right now. I know I did when I found out his team would be there. 

 

I know it is neither the time nor the place to bait a coach, but the temptation will be difficult to resist. I cannot wait to see the expression on his face when he sees me. There are may reasons that I am on this game and I know I have to just umpire without letting him or anyone else affect my game.

 

The wise ass in me, however, would find great satisfaction in seeing his sorry ass walking to the parking lot before anyone else inside the fences because he took the bait.

 

I'll keep you posted.

[Magic]

In the original discussion on this topic I mentioned a HC I had this past weekend who was a pain in the a** all day about balls and strikes and how the next time I saw him he might not last until the end of the game.

Well, that time has come.

I just received the plate assignment for the final game of the NJ Junior Legion tournament on Thursday and guess whose team is playing? I think there really are baseball gods who giggling uncontrollably right now. I know I did when I found out his team would be there.

I know it is neither the time nor the place to bait a coach, but the temptation will be difficult to resist. I cannot wait to see the expression on his face when he sees me. There are may reasons that I am on this game and I know I have to just umpire without letting him or anyone else affect my game.

The wise ass in me, however, would find great satisfaction in seeing his sorry ass walking to the parking lot before anyone else inside the fences because he took the bait.

I'll keep you posted.

As tempting as it is, don't do it. Just umpire like it is any other game. If the Rat is going to be a rat, he Is going to be a rat. And he will punch his own ticket to the parking lot.

[Umpire in Chief]

Agreed ^^^

 

As umpires we take care of business there and then. The next day is a new day and the past is the past.

 

Now this is not to say we completely forget. If we recognize a pattern of bad behavior reappearing you will probably know to give less benefit of the doubt to them. 

[BigUmpire]

Clear your head by really bearing down on your assignment in this game.

Strike zone if at the plate, positioning in the field etc. Really focus on your job and the "situation" will take care of itself.

Dont rise to any bait this RAT may throw you.

Your goal should be to rise above this burden and call the best game you have ever umpired!

 

And remember this bumper sticker:

• "If you go out looking for trouble, you will find it"-Bigumpire

 

We will all be thinking about you.

 

If all of the above fails, beat the SH*# out of him in front of his own dugout!     

[mjr_2013]

Did you ask who was playing or were you simply told?

 

I wouldn't want to know in a situation like this - I would think too much beforehand.

 

Try not to think about the previous run-in and just umpire like you know how to umpire. Good luck!

[Jocko]

Agreed ^^^

 

As umpires we take care of business there and then. The next day is a new day and the past is the past.

 

Now this is not to say we completely forget. If we recognize a pattern of bad behavior reappearing you will probably know to give less benefit of the doubt to them.

@Rulekeep :D

[BillKen]

You can do it...I did!

 

After my ejection (Baiting 1.0), I had the same two teams last night.  The devil on my left shoulder was telling me to be a reda$$ and not take any poop, while the angel over my right shoulder told me to go bust my hump and don't give them any reason to ever doubt that you are a good ump who wants to give them a fair and perfect game.  The devil is a bad guy to listen to!

 

I went to the plate meeting and both coaches were very cordial.  Nothing was mentioned about the prior incidents, we all shook hands and played ball.  We had a great game...9 innings, 2-1, 2:20 long, and no junk.  

 

The takeaway from all of this is that we don't let coaches bring up plays from the past...so we have to let our past plays go too.  We don't get the double standard...especially since we are the stewards of the game and we are given a lot of authority.  A cop has his voice, his body, handcuffs, pepper spray, a taser, and a gun.  I don't want to ever encounter the one who forgets that he has all of those other tools and just uses his gun.  We as umpires can't forget our other tools either and just use the ejection tool.

 

You are going to do fine.  If the coach feels the need to eject himself, you can be the guy for the job.  But I'm also willing to bet that you will not go for your gun first if he gets a little froggy.

Good Luck and let us know how it goes!

[noumpere]

I agree in general with the above.

 

But, if you know the coach is going to be a PITA (I forget the specifics of the original situation), then you can move to "knock it off" sooner.

[semper_fi_72]

In the original discussion on this topic I mentioned a HC I had this past weekend who was a pain in the a** all day about balls and strikes and how the next time I saw him he might not last until the end of the game.

 

Well, that time has come.

 

I just received the plate assignment for the final game of the NJ Junior Legion tournament on Thursday and guess whose team is playing? I think there really are baseball gods who giggling uncontrollably right now. I know I did when I found out his team would be there. 

 

I know it is neither the time nor the place to bait a coach, but the temptation will be difficult to resist. I cannot wait to see the expression on his face when he sees me. There are may reasons that I am on this game and I know I have to just umpire without letting him or anyone else affect my game.

 

The wise ass in me, however, would find great satisfaction in seeing his sorry ass walking to the parking lot before anyone else inside the fences because he took the bait.

 

I'll keep you posted.

This concerns me that you would even consider this.

Once a game ends you should forget about what happened in the previous game.

What if you had the same coach in the next game of a double header?

Also please consider, It is not your game, you are umpiring their baseball game.

Remember, if your getting paid to umpire, your a professional umpire umpiring non professional baseball.

You be the professional and take care of business appropriately.

Considering Baiting is not professional and doing so would not hold well against your integrity. 

[BillKen]

Speaking as someone who was reluctant to bring this whole idea up, I think it is critical that we have open and honest discussion about the human element of emotion that lives inside us all.  We can positively impact the character of one another through reasonable counsel and honest discussion.  As soon as one of us goes holy roller and admonishes someone for sharing their honest feelings, our postings here are a waste of time.  We all make mistakes in judgement, rules, and mechanics.  It takes a little bit of guts to do what we do and taking criticism is often one of our weaker points.  

 

I'd like to encourage all of us to resist the urge to denigrate or argue back and forth over things in these threads.  This is a pretty sensitive subject and the format should be positive in nature...Like a 12 Step Group Therapy session:  My name is Bill and I was power hungry today.  Prior to today, I haven't been a turd for 12 weeks etc...

 

I hope not to come back to this thread to find more backbiting.  I'd love to find this thread full of people who openly admit their mistakes so that we can all learn from that.  Is this community that kind of community?

[KenBAZ]

I try and live in harmony with my values. I'd like to show everyone respect, even PITA coaches. When I've reacted emotionally to situations that come up during games, I'm not living that value. Without regard to a coach, player or fan's actions, I have to take responsibility for how I act. That is all I can control. We should be discussing this and reinforcing correct thinking and actions among members of our profession.

[umpstu]

In the original discussion on this topic I mentioned a HC I had this past weekend who was a pain in the a** all day about balls and strikes and how the next time I saw him he might not last until the end of the game.

 

Well, that time has come.

 

I just received the plate assignment for the final game of the NJ Junior Legion tournament on Thursday and guess whose team is playing? I think there really are baseball gods who giggling uncontrollably right now. I know I did when I found out his team would be there. 

 

I know it is neither the time nor the place to bait a coach, but the temptation will be difficult to resist. I cannot wait to see the expression on his face when he sees me. There are may reasons that I am on this game and I know I have to just umpire without letting him or anyone else affect my game.

 

The wise ass in me, however, would find great satisfaction in seeing his sorry ass walking to the parking lot before anyone else inside the fences because he took the bait.

 

I'll keep you posted.

This is utter BS. It's not any umpires job to bait a coach, especially if you are bragging about it on line beforehand. I don't get this at all. Or the 12 step analogy. No power hungry or back biting about this. Just people letting him know about baiting a coach. What does admitting mistakes have to do with this guy wanting to bait a coach?

I try and live in harmony with my values. I'd like to show everyone respect, even PITA coaches. When I've reacted emotionally to situations that come up during games, I'm not living that value. Without regard to a coach, player or fan's actions, I have to take responsibility for how I act. That is all I can control. We should be discussing this and reinforcing correct thinking and actions among members of our profession.

And baiting a coach isn't one of them.

[conbo61]

I had a dicey ejection situation a few weeks ago (TOO many details to go into at this point), but I just keep reminding myself that when it comes to ejections, its not personal, its just business.

When the game is done I do not carry animosity over. You have to resist that temptation or your reputation will suffer. ESPECIALLY when it comes to assignments for big games such as the one you just received.

Don't make your assigner have to "think" when it comes to giving you games.

Just my .02.

[FleasOf1000Camels]

If a rat is truly a rat, there's no need for bait....he'll swallow the hook all by himself.

If he's NOT truly a rat, why would you want to bait him in to action he wouldn't have taken on his own?

 

Let sleeping dogs lie.

[Kevin_K]

When I first started reading posts on this site, I learned a lot. I read some things I did not agree with and some things I did. I have used many of the suggestions offered, laughed at some great uses of sarcasm, and shook my head at some interesting perspectives.

 

The great majority of you have no idea who I am nor do you have an understanding of how I approach what I do.

 

When I wrote about baiting coaches and the improbability of having the same unpleasant coach five days apart, I expressed what I thought to be honest reflections about me as well as some understanding of the situation(s) at hand.

 

I was not bragging, nor was I saying that I was going to do anything any differently than I would typically. I was simply expressing internal conflict(s). I would venture than many people encounter the same kinds of internal conflicts in their “real†jobs, communities, and even families.

 

Some might consider the OP to be shameful or embarrassing to umpiring. Others may have a greater ability than I may to quell the voices in their head that cause these internal conflicts. Others still may feel the need to denigrate the idea of someone who has these internal conflicts with phrases directed at an individual rather than the situation at hand.

 

Nowhere in my post did I say I was going to lay a trap for a coach. In fact, I wrote that I knew it was neither the time nor the place for such actions. That kind of idiocy is far behind me.

 

Those of you who know me know how seriously I take this avocation and how hard I work to not be “that guy.†Generally, most of the partners and assignors I work with find me to be a solid umpire who knows rules, mechanics, and has very good game management skills. I have reacted poorly in some situations on the field, but preplanning anything of the nature of baiting is something I would simply not do.

 

The tone of too many posts in the last few months has taken on an edge that I cannot say I like and makes me wonder if I want to continue to frequent this board. That is unfortunate, because I still have room for improvement and I think I can offer some insight.  

 

And for those of you still reading…. PITA coach asked his catcher once about a pitch called a ball and I told the catcher we were not going to do that tonight. There were no further discussions about balls and strikes from the dugout. The game was 1:30 and the post game beverages were ice-cold. Nice way to end the season!

[ALStripes17]

Is your long post in response to the posters on this thread? I ask because only 2 posts have any aggressive tone whatsoever. The others (10ish) are very constructive and provide great experiences from which to learn.

:)

[BigUmpire]

@Kevin_K crank up your SH*#head filter and stay.

It will be your loss if you leave.

If someone really offends you PM them, let a mod know and go on.

I considered leaving 3 weeks after I joined as well.

BUT the great one , Mike Taylor gave me the same advice I am giving you now.

I am a better umpire for being here.

Warren, AKA @Umpire in Chief has created a great site for all involved.

 

Just remember most all on this forum would be right beside you on a ball field defending you against the RATs, crappy fans, asshole TDs and ADs and be with you in the parking lot afer a bad game.

 

We truly are a band of brothers.

[Pete Peterson Sr]

@Kevin_K crank up your SH*#head filter and stay.

It will be your loss if you leave.

If someone really offends you PM them, let a mod know and go on.

I considered leaving 3 weeks after I joined as well.

BUT the great one , Mike Taylor gave me the same advice I am giving you now.

I am a better umpire for being here.

Warren, AKA @Umpire in Chief has created a great site for all involved.

 

Just remember most all on this forum would be right beside you on a ball field defending you against the RATs, crappy fans, asshole TDs and ADs and be with you in the parking lot afer a bad game.

 

We truly are a band of brothers.

 

This.

[Rulekeep]

@Kevin_K crank up your SH*#head filter and stay.

It will be your loss if you leave.

If someone really offends you PM them, let a mod know and go on.

I considered leaving 3 weeks after I joined as well.

BUT the great one , Mike Taylor gave me the same advice I am giving you now.

I am a better umpire for being here.

Warren, AKA @Umpire in Chief has created a great site for all involved.

Just remember most all on this forum would be right beside you on a ball field defending you against the RATs, crappy fans, asshole TDs and ADs and be with you in the parking lot afer a bad game.

We truly are a band of brothers.

[SoCal Lurker]

A late two cents on the general topic:  Not every PITA coach on day 1 is a PITA every day.  Sometimes, coach had a bad day at work.  Sometimes coach had a fight with the spouse.  Or a fender-bender on the way to the game.  Or got yelled at by Johnny's witch of a mommy about why he doesn't get to play shortstop.  We all have moments that are less than our best -- just because we caught a coach on one of those days the first go around doesn't mean that we get the coach the same way the next time. 

 

So if we as officials (I'm a ref, not an umpire, so I'm generalizing here) can be professionals, let bygones be bygones, and hope the coach does the same.  If the coach doesn't, then we play the cards he deals.

[MLW0038]

**This is directed as a generalization in regards to the concept of baiting**

 

Umpires are the only game officials on the field during play. You are there to be an unbiased party. Going in with a bias against this coach and his team will only hurt you. I would assume you were given this game because of your positive quality of umpiring and I congratulate you for that. However going in looking to eject him is only going to put you in a difficult position. Being trigger happy and going in knowing he's not going to make it to the end of the game is a terrible statement to make. 

 

I'm not saying that coaches shouldn't be ejected by any means, but baiting is a bad habit to get into and experienced evaluators who I'm sure will be in attendance will know that your baiting a coach. It will only hurt you in your future umpiring and games or lack thereof. 

 

Go in with a clean slate, your not there to screw him or his team, your there to umpire. If a problem does arise, draw a line in the sand, get your warnings in, and do what needs to be done. 

 

He may feel like your there to screw his team, and that's his opinion.

 

Happy to hear your game went well.

. 

Yours in Baseball,

 

MLW0038

[umpcoachfather]

wheres is at?  Let me know I'll show up and bait him for you.

[Dean]

There are a lot  of **RATS** on the ball field, an Umpire should not be one though. **RATS** will always do something that might get them run.

 

Just remember what 3 time, (NCAA, NFL, & MLB - only person in all three so probably knows what he is talking about), Hall of Fame member,Cal Hubbard said...

 

 

[Don]

Some years ago I tossed a pitcher in the first inning of a college age player wood bat summer league game before any outs were recorded.  The why is not important. I was BU.

 

So for second game I am PU and the HC comes to me and says he was thinking of pitching the pitcher I tossed in the 1st game.  I told him that game was over and if the pitcher could behave himself I would have no problem with him.  He pitched a great 2nd game and was on his best behavior.

[kcumper]

I actually gain respect for coaches when they can walk up to the plate mtg the day after an ejection and at least make me believe their smile and, "hey good to see you" is genuine. Since it's a trait I respect about others I try to do it myself as well.