Nightmare

[JaxRolo]

Partner was pretty bad.

 

Starts off the plate meetings with "I'm in charge. Balls and strikes are mine alone. Bla bla bla" not setting a good tone.

 

He doesn't know where to be to make a call. Bad positioning. Never rotates even though he signals that he will. Just stands behind the plate.

 

He called 2 balks that were not balks. Then he spends 5 minutes explaining to the pitcher what he did wrong.

 

Curve balls always catch him by surprise. Every curve ball was called a ball. Pitcher had to quit calling breaking balls.

 

Rings up batters on swinging 3rd strikes.

 

One time coach came up to talk to him and partner gave him a bad attitude. Coach never raised his voice. Very polite. Not approachable at all. Answers coaches with smart ass remarks.

 

One time the pitcher was in the middle of his windup and partner stood up and started running to dugout to yell at a coach.

 

Strike zone was horrible. Between innings heard a pitcher tell his coach that he just didn't know where to pitch. Very inconsistent.

 

I can go on and on.

 

Had to work 2 weekends with this guy.

 

I was offered a game for tonight but turned down because I am mentally exhausted!

[grayhawk]

We've all been there. Let me guess, he didn't think a pregame with you was necessary because he's "been umpiring for xx years."

[JaxRolo]

We've all been there. Let me guess, he didn't think a pregame with you was necessary because he's "been umpiring for xx years."

Yeah He already knew how to do everything.

I tried to talk to him between games. Like talking to a blank wall.

Before the last game of the weekend I completely chewed his butt. Just for my own satisfaction.

[JonnyCat]

Oh come on. I wasn't that bad!

[PonyUmpire]

There's nothing worse than a partner who A) won't take any advice whatsoever, and B) who creates game management situations for you to deal with.

[Pete Peterson Sr]

There's nothing worse than a partner who A) won't take any advice whatsoever, and B) who creates game management situations for you to deal with.

I'll take "a" over "b" any day...

[basejester]

Deleted

[Thunderheads]

Boy, Rolando, ...you have a lot of stories about YOUR partners!  I wonder what THEIR stories are like ?!?!?  :

[JaxRolo]

Boy, Rolando, ...you have a lot of stories about YOUR partners!  I wonder what THEIR stories are like ?!?!?   :

If everyone could be as good as me it wouldn't be a problem at all!

 

[JaxRolo]

The sad thing is that he has a son that attends this new private school that just started up a new college baseball team and this uy is going to be their main Umpire.

 

At least for the first couple games till they see him umpire.

[FleasOf1000Camels]

BPA tournament 3-4 years ago.  I don't know how many of you may be familiar with BPA, but they have their own complete rule book.  It MOSTLY follows OBR, but has some quirks, one of them has to do with courtesy runners.  Under their rules; if the team at bat inserts the wrong guy to courtesy run, and the defense catches it before there is a pitch or play, he's OUT.

 

I'm BU.  In the bottom of the 5th inning we had a 45 minute delay because of lightening.  With 2 out and the game tied, home team's catcher draws a walk to load the bases.  They ask for 'time' to insert CR.  The kid they send out had already been used to CR for the pitcher earlier in the same inning.  I recognized him, and was running through my mind "didn't he run for F1 earlier in the inning?  YES, I'm sure he did."  I say nothing, but make eye contact with my partner, and give him a subtle nod and glance toward that runner.  I thought my partner understood.

 

As soon as my partner announced PLAY, DC asks for TIME and approaches PU. 

DC:  Excuse me, sir.  But I believe they're using an illegal courtesy runner.

PU:  What makes you believe he's illegal?

DC:  That same kid ran for the pitcher earlier in the inning...you know, before the weather delay.

PU:  Are you sure that was this inning...it seems like a long time ago.

DC:  Yes, I'm quite certain.

PU:  (to OC, who is approaching from 3B box) Did that kid already CR this inning?

OC:  Now that I think of it, yes, I believe he did.

PU:  OK, this is easy to fix.  Just get me a proper CR.

DC:  Excuse me, sir.  I believe that BPA rules say that an improper CR is OUT if discovered by defense before a pitch.

PU:  I've never heard of that.  That penalty sounds a bit harsh for an honest mistake.

Up to this point, I've stayed out of it.  But now I'm quietly trying to get his attention...I've got info he needs to know.

DC turns to his bench and asks asst coach to grab the BPA rulebook from his bag.

PU: (suddenly angry) You can leave the rulebook right where it is...

Me: (to both coaches)  Guys, step back and give us a moment.  (both comply, but as we're huddling, DC is hurriedly thumbing through the rulebook.

 

Me: (whispering through my hat) Jim, he's right.  That's exactly what the BPA book says.

PU: Are you sure?

Me: 100%

We go back and forth for a couple of minutes.  He alternates between A; not believing the rule exists, to B; believing we should 'cut some slack' because the rain delay confused the issue and C; it's an obscure/silly rule. 

Me: If we don't do the right thing here, he's going to have valid grounds for protest.  And, by the way, I can see that he's found what he's been looking for in the book.

PU: If he brings that f*ing book out on my field, I'm gonna run him.

Me: I really wish you'd reconsider...

PU: suddenly turns away from me, shouts to OC "get me the correct courtesy runner"

DC: (still quite calmly, walks toward PU with book in hand)  "Sir, right here on page..."

PU: (now enraged) "take one more step toward me and you're gone"

DC: but

PU: YOU'RE GONE!

DC: (as he's backing away) I intend to file a formal protest.

PU: (stepping toward DC, with me trying to block him) You can do whatever you want, but you'll have to do it in the parking lot.

 

Everything has now spun completely out of control.  Fans are screaming, asst coach is pulling DC back to dugout, I'm trying to restrain my partner (who outweighs me by 50 lbs). 

 

I say to OC: We've got a protest situation here.  Get your players off the field, and please send somebody to find the TD.

I then told the pitcher to bring his team off the field, and tried to get my partner calmed down.  PU says "I gotta take a leak" and starts walking towards the portapots beyond RF corner. I walked part of the way with him, but leave him alone as it's obvious he doesn't want to talk. Ejected DC is in the corner of the dugout talking on his phone...probably to the TD.

 

TD arrives, and I start to fill him in on what's happened.  He wants to know where my partner is.  I say "he went to the can", and look over in that direction.  We see him walking  away from the field, toward the parking lot.  We stand there in disbelief as he gets in his car and drives away...still in his gear.  I'd never worked with him before, he was not from our local ass'n.  Never heard from him or of him again.  Good riddance.

 

TD upheld the DC's protest, declared the improper CR out, which ended the inning.

OC gave no beef...he'd known all along that he screwed up.

TD rescinded the DC's ejection.  (not sure I completely agree with that decision, but it was understandable)

I got in the gear and finished the game on the plate while the TD took the bases.

 

Just for fun, the kid we called OUT for being improper CR came on to pitch the last 2 innings and struck out all six batters.  He also scored the winning run from 1st base on a bloop double and bad throw from F9.

[GreyhoundAggie]

That's pretty nuts camel. I've never had a partner walk out on me. No matter how bad they or the situation are.

 

At least in FED there are no formal protest. Everything is handled on the field.

[grayhawk]

It's stories like yours @FleasOf1000Camels that make me realize that my "bad" partners haven't really been that bad.

[Jimurray]

BPA tournament 3-4 years ago.  I don't know how many of you may be familiar with BPA, but they have their own complete rule book.  It MOSTLY follows OBR, but has some quirks, one of them has to do with courtesy runners.  Under their rules; if the team at bat inserts the wrong guy to courtesy run, and the defense catches it before there is a pitch or play, he's OUT.

 

I'm BU.  In the bottom of the 5th inning we had a 45 minute delay because of lightening.  With 2 out and the game tied, home team's catcher draws a walk to load the bases.  They ask for 'time' to insert CR.  The kid they send out had already been used to CR for the pitcher earlier in the same inning.  I recognized him, and was running through my mind "didn't he run for F1 earlier in the inning?  YES, I'm sure he did."  I say nothing, but make eye contact with my partner, and give him a subtle nod and glance toward that runner.  I thought my partner understood.

 

As soon as my partner announced PLAY, DC asks for TIME and approaches PU. 

DC:  Excuse me, sir.  But I believe they're using an illegal courtesy runner.

PU:  What makes you believe he's illegal?

DC:  That same kid ran for the pitcher earlier in the inning...you know, before the weather delay.

PU:  Are you sure that was this inning...it seems like a long time ago.

DC:  Yes, I'm quite certain.

PU:  (to OC, who is approaching from 3B box) Did that kid already CR this inning?

OC:  Now that I think of it, yes, I believe he did.

PU:  OK, this is easy to fix.  Just get me a proper CR.

DC:  Excuse me, sir.  I believe that BPA rules say that an improper CR is OUT if discovered by defense before a pitch.

PU:  I've never heard of that.  That penalty sounds a bit harsh for an honest mistake.

Up to this point, I've stayed out of it.  But now I'm quietly trying to get his attention...I've got info he needs to know.

DC turns to his bench and asks asst coach to grab the BPA rulebook from his bag.

PU: (suddenly angry) You can leave the rulebook right where it is...

Me: (to both coaches)  Guys, step back and give us a moment.  (both comply, but as we're huddling, DC is hurriedly thumbing through the rulebook.

 

Me: (whispering through my hat) Jim, he's right.  That's exactly what the BPA book says.

PU: Are you sure?

Me: 100%

We go back and forth for a couple of minutes.  He alternates between A; not believing the rule exists, to B; believing we should 'cut some slack' because the rain delay confused the issue and C; it's an obscure/silly rule. 

Me: If we don't do the right thing here, he's going to have valid grounds for protest.  And, by the way, I can see that he's found what he's been looking for in the book.

PU: If he brings that f*ing book out on my field, I'm gonna run him.

Me: I really wish you'd reconsider...

PU: suddenly turns away from me, shouts to OC "get me the correct courtesy runner"

DC: (still quite calmly, walks toward PU with book in hand)  "Sir, right here on page..."

PU: (now enraged) "take one more step toward me and you're gone"

DC: but

PU: YOU'RE GONE!

DC: (as he's backing away) I intend to file a formal protest.

PU: (stepping toward DC, with me trying to block him) You can do whatever you want, but you'll have to do it in the parking lot.

 

Everything has now spun completely out of control.  Fans are screaming, asst coach is pulling DC back to dugout, I'm trying to restrain my partner (who outweighs me by 50 lbs). 

 

I say to OC: We've got a protest situation here.  Get your players off the field, and please send somebody to find the TD.

I then told the pitcher to bring his team off the field, and tried to get my partner calmed down.  PU says "I gotta take a leak" and starts walking towards the portapots beyond RF corner. I walked part of the way with him, but leave him alone as it's obvious he doesn't want to talk. Ejected DC is in the corner of the dugout talking on his phone...probably to the TD.

 

TD arrives, and I start to fill him in on what's happened.  He wants to know where my partner is.  I say "he went to the can", and look over in that direction.  We see him walking  away from the field, toward the parking lot.  We stand there in disbelief as he gets in his car and drives away...still in his gear.  I'd never worked with him before, he was not from our local ass'n.  Never heard from him or of him again.  Good riddance.

 

TD upheld the DC's protest, declared the improper CR out, which ended the inning.

OC gave no beef...he'd known all along that he screwed up.

TD rescinded the DC's ejection.  (not sure I completely agree with that decision, but it was understandable)

I got in the gear and finished the game on the plate while the TD took the bases.

 

Just for fun, the kid we called OUT for being improper CR came on to pitch the last 2 innings and struck out all six batters.  He also scored the winning run from 1st base on a bloop double and bad throw from F9.

I realize this is BPA but if it was FED most of us would tell the coach the sub couldn't run for the catcher if we recognized the illegal sub. Also in FED if you didn't catch it and declared the out the player is restricted to the bench and can't renter.

Wow, regarding your partner.

[blue23ll]

Several years ago, during a plate meeting, I had a partner who told the coaches, "Anyone who warms up a pitcher MUST have a cup on, including coach's".....we all about died laughing. Of course he was 100% serious. Later in the game he tried to convince me that players on a particular team where switching jerseys to "confuse him".  I said, " I have the plate, I'll handle substitutions". 

[gnhbua93]

That's nothing compared to when your partner start the game yelling "Play ball" like in The Sandlot" movie.

[blue23ll]

Same partner who was confused by players "switching jerseys" also in another game, was also motioning while in B or C where he thought the pitches were missing (making hand gestures). We met between innings and that stopped. 

[VAUmp]

BPA tournament 3-4 years ago.  I don't know how many of you may be familiar with BPA, but they have their own complete rule book.  It MOSTLY follows OBR, but has some quirks, one of them has to do with courtesy runners.  Under their rules; if the team at bat inserts the wrong guy to courtesy run, and the defense catches it before there is a pitch or play, he's OUT.

 

I'm BU.  In the bottom of the 5th inning we had a 45 minute delay because of lightening.  With 2 out and the game tied, home team's catcher draws a walk to load the bases.  They ask for 'time' to insert CR.  The kid they send out had already been used to CR for the pitcher earlier in the same inning.  I recognized him, and was running through my mind "didn't he run for F1 earlier in the inning?  YES, I'm sure he did."  I say nothing, but make eye contact with my partner, and give him a subtle nod and glance toward that runner.  I thought my partner understood.

 

As soon as my partner announced PLAY, DC asks for TIME and approaches PU. 

DC:  Excuse me, sir.  But I believe they're using an illegal courtesy runner.

PU:  What makes you believe he's illegal?

DC:  That same kid ran for the pitcher earlier in the inning...you know, before the weather delay.

PU:  Are you sure that was this inning...it seems like a long time ago.

DC:  Yes, I'm quite certain.

PU:  (to OC, who is approaching from 3B box) Did that kid already CR this inning?

OC:  Now that I think of it, yes, I believe he did.

PU:  OK, this is easy to fix.  Just get me a proper CR.

DC:  Excuse me, sir.  I believe that BPA rules say that an improper CR is OUT if discovered by defense before a pitch.

PU:  I've never heard of that.  That penalty sounds a bit harsh for an honest mistake.

Up to this point, I've stayed out of it.  But now I'm quietly trying to get his attention...I've got info he needs to know.

DC turns to his bench and asks asst coach to grab the BPA rulebook from his bag.

PU: (suddenly angry) You can leave the rulebook right where it is...

Me: (to both coaches)  Guys, step back and give us a moment.  (both comply, but as we're huddling, DC is hurriedly thumbing through the rulebook.

 

Me: (whispering through my hat) Jim, he's right.  That's exactly what the BPA book says.

PU: Are you sure?

Me: 100%

We go back and forth for a couple of minutes.  He alternates between A; not believing the rule exists, to B; believing we should 'cut some slack' because the rain delay confused the issue and C; it's an obscure/silly rule. 

Me: If we don't do the right thing here, he's going to have valid grounds for protest.  And, by the way, I can see that he's found what he's been looking for in the book.

PU: If he brings that f*ing book out on my field, I'm gonna run him.

Me: I really wish you'd reconsider...

PU: suddenly turns away from me, shouts to OC "get me the correct courtesy runner"

DC: (still quite calmly, walks toward PU with book in hand)  "Sir, right here on page..."

PU: (now enraged) "take one more step toward me and you're gone"

DC: but

PU: YOU'RE GONE!

DC: (as he's backing away) I intend to file a formal protest.

PU: (stepping toward DC, with me trying to block him) You can do whatever you want, but you'll have to do it in the parking lot.

 

Everything has now spun completely out of control.  Fans are screaming, asst coach is pulling DC back to dugout, I'm trying to restrain my partner (who outweighs me by 50 lbs). 

 

I say to OC: We've got a protest situation here.  Get your players off the field, and please send somebody to find the TD.

I then told the pitcher to bring his team off the field, and tried to get my partner calmed down.  PU says "I gotta take a leak" and starts walking towards the portapots beyond RF corner. I walked part of the way with him, but leave him alone as it's obvious he doesn't want to talk. Ejected DC is in the corner of the dugout talking on his phone...probably to the TD.

 

TD arrives, and I start to fill him in on what's happened.  He wants to know where my partner is.  I say "he went to the can", and look over in that direction.  We see him walking  away from the field, toward the parking lot.  We stand there in disbelief as he gets in his car and drives away...still in his gear.  I'd never worked with him before, he was not from our local ass'n.  Never heard from him or of him again.  Good riddance.

 

TD upheld the DC's protest, declared the improper CR out, which ended the inning.

OC gave no beef...he'd known all along that he screwed up.

TD rescinded the DC's ejection.  (not sure I completely agree with that decision, but it was understandable)

I got in the gear and finished the game on the plate while the TD took the bases.

 

Just for fun, the kid we called OUT for being improper CR came on to pitch the last 2 innings and struck out all six batters.  He also scored the winning run from 1st base on a bloop double and bad throw from F9.

 

I assume the PU didn't have a line-up card???  Couldn't you have just said, "He's already ran for the pitcher, find another runner" before he even got to first base?

[MadMax]

 

BPA tournament 3-4 years ago.  I don't know how many of you may be familiar with BPA, but they have their own complete rule book.  It MOSTLY follows OBR, but has some quirks, one of them has to do with courtesy runners.  Under their rules; if the team at bat inserts the wrong guy to courtesy run, and the defense catches it before there is a pitch or play, he's OUT.

 

I'm BU.  In the bottom of the 5th inning we had a 45 minute delay because of lightening.  With 2 out and the game tied, home team's catcher draws a walk to load the bases.  They ask for 'time' to insert CR.  The kid they send out had already been used to CR for the pitcher earlier in the same inning.  I recognized him, and was running through my mind "didn't he run for F1 earlier in the inning?  YES, I'm sure he did."  I say nothing, but make eye contact with my partner, and give him a subtle nod and glance toward that runner.  I thought my partner understood.

 

As soon as my partner announced PLAY, DC asks for TIME and approaches PU. [snip]

 

I assume the PU didn't have a line-up card???  Couldn't you have just said, "He's already ran for the pitcher, find another runner" before he even got to first base?

 

 

Doing that, @VAUmp, would be akin to pointing at a missed touch, or some other indication of an infraction that is at the prerogative of the opposing team to notice. Similar to an Uncaught 3K. If the ball skips up off the dirt to the catcher's glove on Strike 3, and the Batter hangs his head and starts trotting back to the dugout, are we supposed to say "Hey batter! Start running to first! You're not out yet!" It's up to them to appeal or do something about it, not us to point it out, as per the terms in the Rules "before a pitch or play is made".

[Jimurray]

While we should not be helping a coach normally I think previous threads on the sub situations had a consensus that preventive umpiring allowed us to tell the coach he shouldn't do the sub as requested. But the responsibility remains with the coach if we don't catch it. I'm open for an authority to say not to do this.

[VAUmp]

Preventative umpiring.  

[FleasOf1000Camels]

I remember thinking to myself when I saw the courtesy runner "didn't that guy already run this inning?"...but I never gave any serious thought to correcting the error then...any more than I would tell a runner to go back and touch the base I saw he missed. 

[Jimurray]

So, if this was FED, as soon as the coach announced the illegal CR one or both of you should call the CR out and restrict him to the bench?

[Stan W.]

That's nothing compared to when your partner start the game yelling "Play ball" like in The Sandlot" movie.

 

and  announces the score....".at the end of 2 innings it is white team  3 and red team 1..!!!!"........or with runners on 1st  and second and less then 2 outs...walks to the area in front of the pitchers mound and yells....."the infield fly situation is now in effect!!"....... 

[gnhbua93]

@Jimurray according to you, definition of authority and who is an authority here.