Eject or Keep walking?

[JaxRolo]

I posted this on my Federation Rules Facebook page and got several different opinions.

 

Would you eject or keep walking?

 

Yesterday's game ended in the bottom of 8th with a ball hit in the front of the plate and F2 overthrowing F3 allowing the runner on 3rd to score winning run.
Me and partner are opening the gate on the opposite side to leave and assistant coach is running at us asking if the runner was out of the running lane. While everyone else is on the middle of the field shaking hands.

 

 

Runner was clearly in the Running lane.

We were literally at the gate. We ignored and kept waling out.

 

Edited: He was screaming. Body language with hand gestures. Was not a good tone.

[Majordave]

Why eject for that? It's an assistant asking but he isn't interrupting the game to do so and the OP doesn't say arguing or give any indication of post game EJ actions by the ASSt. Coach.

[JaxRolo]

Why eject for that? It's an assistant asking but he isn't interrupting the game to do so and the OP doesn't say arguing or give any indication of post game EJ actions by the ASSt. Coach.

He was screaming. Body language with hand gestures. Was not a good tone.

 

Had he just asked without all the theatrics I would probably give him an answer.

[DVA7130]

Might as well eject before you cross the gate

[Majordave]

If he isn't Personal (YOU suck!)

Or Profane (That call EFFIN' sucked!)

Or Prolonged ( it sucked, it sucked, it sucked. We're done. No we aren't. That call sucked, sucked, sucked!)

Then you did the right thing. Might want to follow up with email to head coach describing the event and cc: your assigner. Just a thought. For future training of the ASSt. Coach.

Or as prophylactic measure for your future visits to this venue/team/ASSt. coach.

[maven]

Well, he did violate the rule prohibiting assistant coaches from leaving their position to argue a call. 3-3-1-f6

 

That said, it also sounds as if he might have been right. Eject him, call the BR out, return the runner, and resume play?

[Thunderheads]

Well, he did violate the rule prohibiting assistant coaches from leaving their position to argue a call. 3-3-1-f6

 

That said, it also sounds as if he might have been right. Eject him, call the BR out, return the runner, and resume play?

I don't have a book on me now ..(thanks for the cite) ...but ...even after a game?

[noumpere]

 

Well, he did violate the rule prohibiting assistant coaches from leaving their position to argue a call. 3-3-1-f6

 

That said, it also sounds as if he might have been right. Eject him, call the BR out, return the runner, and resume play?

I don't have a book on me now ..(thanks for the cite) ...but ...even after a game?

 

Yes.  Or, even without an ejection, write whatever report your state needs.

 

Now, I probably give a little more leeway after the game is over, but the post-game EJ can still be used.

[maven]

 

Well, he did violate the rule prohibiting assistant coaches from leaving their position to argue a call. 3-3-1-f6

 

That said, it also sounds as if he might have been right. Eject him, call the BR out, return the runner, and resume play?

I don't have a book on me now ..(thanks for the cite) ...but ...even after a game?

 

 

If the umpires are still on the field, then they still have jurisdiction and can fix an incorrect ruling (10-1-2). If they need to do that, then they should.

 

My comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek: if the ASSt coach is right, he'll get some leeway about running over to keep us on the field and make his case. If he's a little rambunctious, I might tell him that we're listening and request that he settle down before our discussion.

 

If he doesn't catch us till we're at the cars, then he missed the boat. "BALLGAME!" (I never say that....) I have no problem with a polite post-game question, but any kind of rant and my state wants a post-game report and/or ejection.

[grayhawk]

I had something similar happen three years ago in a freshmen game.  I had balked the home team's pitcher in the top of the 7th (blew through his stop) with R2.  Next pitch, grounder to third, F5 boots it and R3 scores to tie the game.  Visiting team went on to win in in 8.  As I am walking off the field, the head coach of the home team starts yelling that I can't call that balk, that I took the game away from the kids, etc.  I simply said, "I still have authority on this field and can and will eject you if you continue."  He immediately stopped, said, "thank you" and turned and walked away.

 

YMMV.

[catsbackr]

If the runner was clearly in the running lane as you said, why not just answer his question? 

 

"I've got the BR in the running lane, coach."  Keep walking.

[zm1283]

I had something similar happen three years ago in a freshmen game.  I had balked the home team's pitcher in the top of the 7th (blew through his stop) with R2.  Next pitch, grounder to third, F5 boots it and R3 scores to tie the game.  Visiting team went on to win in in 8.  As I am walking off the field, the head coach of the home team starts yelling that I can't call that balk, that I took the game away from the kids, etc.  I simply said, "I still have authority on this field and can and will eject you if you continue."  He immediately stopped, said, "thank you" and turned and walked away.

 

YMMV.

 

This is probably what I would do. 

 

"You do realize you can still be ejected right now, right?" (And any HS ejection here carries a minimum one-game suspension)

 

That would usually do the trick.

[Umpire in Chief]

Based strictly on what was written, I would have told him no he was fine. And keep walking. Unless he escalated it I wouldn't eject. 

[bam]

"No he wasn't"

 

Boom, done. 

[Cav]

The running lane rule is like the flu; not everybody gets it.  

[Richvee]

I have trouble with the OP. Well, not the OP but the description of the coach's actions.

 

- "assistant coach is running at us asking if the runner was out of the running lane."

-  "He was screaming. Body language with hand gestures. Was not a good tone"

 

Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but I don't know if I've ever seen an irate, hand gesturing, screaming coach ask me a question. If he's yelling and screaming, he's telling me what he saw happen. He's not asking what I saw. 

 

Sounds to me like he was running at, and waving his hands in an effort to get to you before you left the field of play, then once he got your attention asked the question. 

 

In that case I see no harm in answering the question.

"I had him in the lane all the way, coach"...If he continues @Umpire in Chief , @zm1283, and @grayhawk sum it up. 

Extra innings, VT just lost on a crappy play. Emotions are a bit high. 

[JaxRolo]

I have trouble with the OP. Well, not the OP but the description of the coach's actions.

 

- "assistant coach is running at us asking if the runner was out of the running lane."

-  "He was screaming. Body language with hand gestures. Was not a good tone"

 

Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but I don't know if I've ever seen an irate, hand gesturing, screaming coach ask me a question. If he's yelling and screaming, he's telling me what he saw happen. He's not asking what I saw. 

 

Sounds to me like he was running at, and waving his hands in an effort to get to you before you left the field of play, then once he got your attention asked the question. 

 

In that case I see no harm in answering the question.

"I had him in the lane all the way, coach"...If he continues @Umpire in Chief , @zm1283, and @grayhawk sum it up. 

Extra innings, VT just lost on a crappy play. Emotions are a bit high. 

He is an Assistant. So no matter what he has no right to come running anyway. At least not in the way he did.

 

I think we handled it fine.

[Majordave]

Jax,

 

You spelled it wrong.  It is ASSistant.  Abbreviated ASSt.

[Richvee]

 

I have trouble with the OP. Well, not the OP but the description of the coach's actions.

 

- "assistant coach is running at us asking if the runner was out of the running lane."

-  "He was screaming. Body language with hand gestures. Was not a good tone"

 

Maybe I'm just reading too much into it, but I don't know if I've ever seen an irate, hand gesturing, screaming coach ask me a question. If he's yelling and screaming, he's telling me what he saw happen. He's not asking what I saw. 

 

Sounds to me like he was running at, and waving his hands in an effort to get to you before you left the field of play, then once he got your attention asked the question. 

 

In that case I see no harm in answering the question.

"I had him in the lane all the way, coach"...If he continues @Umpire in Chief , @zm1283, and @grayhawk sum it up. 

Extra innings, VT just lost on a crappy play. Emotions are a bit high. 

He is an Assistant. So no matter what he has no right to come running anyway. At least not in the way he did.

 

I think we handled it fine.

 

He's not running on to the field to dispute a call during the game. There's a casebook play that gives him the right to talk to the PU about a rule/play on the way back to the dugout in between innings. This is similar.

 

Never been a fan of the ignore tactic when it's obvious you hear a coach. I feel it makes us look standoffish and guilty. During a game, a "We're not discussing that now", or "That's enough" or a warning might be all that's needed. In this sitch, I see no harm whatsoever in answering the question. 

 

"Me and partner are opening the gate"

 

He got your attention before you left the field. He deserves an answer. 

[alan2703]

I would have just said he was in the lane and kept on walking. I would inform my assignor of what happened and let him inform who he had to,

[Rich Ives]

Well, he did violate the rule prohibiting assistant coaches from leaving their position to argue a call. 3-3-1-f6

 

 

 

So after the game ends does the coach on the field at the time have to stay in the coach's box until the umpires leave the field. 

 

Or can he complain from there as he didn't leave his position? 

[blue23ll]

That's a great idea, Rich!!

[Majordave]

If he is an ASSt. Coach he has no standing to argue anything.  He should keep his mouth shut and speak through the team's head coach/manager.  He may be civil and ask a legitimate question but that usually leads to no good after a controversial call.

[blue23ll]

After a game is over and I am walking out, I develop 'situational deafness', which sometimes occurs during a game depending on the situation.