When to EJ?

[HeyBlue!]

Question to all you umpires out there,

 

What types of statements from coaches or players warrant an EJ in your books?

 

Any keywords that warrant an immediate ejection, versus a warning?

 

Hoping to hear some opinions!

[noumpere]

Persistant, profane, personal.

 

The middle one depends on the level.

[Blueump]

1. When they charge me from the dugout

2. When they use profanity

3. When they verbally attack me as a person

4. When they throw something

I have pretty thick skin and will listen to them complain, whine and even argue - but when I've let them have their say and I'm finished, it's time to play the game again. I'll toss a coach that continues after that point as well. I don't think I've tossed a coach in 5 years. Most of the coaches know me and know I'm fair. I rarely get too much grief anymore.

[Tksjewelry]

I've bartended and worked in politics, you have to work pretty hard to get tossed by me. I've only tossed one, very last game of fall ball last year. I agree with personal, profane, or persistent. I believe the 3P's are fair parameters. I probably let more go than most guys, especially on here, but my deaf mute does switch turns on pretty easily.

[Kevin_K]

When they ask for me to punch their ticket, it gets punched.

 

The three Ps, with varying degrees of allowance dependent upon an ever-changing algorithm in my head that may or may not include: age, relationship, level of play, temperature, and how close it is to sharing a beverage with my partner.

[maven]

The 3 P's are my guidelines.

 

Stay away from the idea of "key words" or "magic words" other than profanity. Instead, focus on the content.

 

Many newer umpires don't know where to draw the line with behavior, and let coaches piss and moan the whole game through. Nip it, nip it in the bud.

 

Coaches are entitled to an explanation of a ruling: here's the rule, here's what I saw. Judgment is not up for debate: if they saw it differently, fine, but we're going with my judgment. If they disagree about a rule, they can protest, or we can look it up after the game. Then we're done, "that's enough," and back to baseball.

 

I don't tolerate anyone yelling at me. I try to keep my tone level, respectful, and professional, and I expect the same from coaches. They might be fired up by the game or frustrated by various elements of it: by staying calm and quiet myself, I can sometimes dial them back. Experienced coaches understand "that's enough" is their warning. Inexperienced coaches might need to find out the hard way.

 

In our association, the guys who seem to have the most ejections can't stop themselves from arguing judgment calls. Coach is entitled to think you're wrong. He can tell you you're wrong, dead wrong, that's the worst call in the history of baseball, etc. For some umpires, they can't abide that disagreement: it's not enough for them that they get to be right, they can't rest until coach admits they're right. So they keep on going, until they have to eject somebody.

 

Don't be that guy.

[ZebraStripes]

In four years, I have only tossed one AC.  He violated the Personal and Persistent, and then after "that's enough" had a blurb about me wearing sunglasses (imagine that on a field with the PU looking at the sun for a 6:00 game.  He then got the loud heave ho between innings.  I still gave him way too much rope before tossing him.  The warnings have worked with every other coach on the diamond.  Not so much on the court (though I made it through this last season without having to toss anyone).  And my only ejection in football was two of my crew on a Saturday rec game flagged an assistant coach, and the head coach's very profane wife, and thus due to football rules, the head coach who had committed neither of the Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties was tossed from the game.  

 

 

as a tip, the louder the coach gets in a discussion, the softer you talk

[Mudisfun]

So far I have been lucky and have not been asked to punch any tickets by the coaches over the past few year but I am 100% on the 'they eject themselves' side of the coin. As others have mentioned in their replies I as well work with and manage a large group of diverse folks and as happens some of the time I have to have unpleasant conversations with them which gives you a pretty thick skin and an ability to handle adversity.

 

The closest I have had to come this season to an EJ is walking over to the HC and reminding him that his AC at 3rd is loudly disagreeing with a call and that as we discussed at the plate meeting this is not going to occur across the diamond. I just asked him if he wanted to deal with the matter or if he wanted me to deal with it? He dealt with it and the 3rd BC was quiet and demur the remainder of the game.

 

Of course this method worked in this situation but other hot heads? Most likely not so much.

[RingEmUp]

When I first started out I used to EJ at will but now that I am older, the 3 P's are a great guidline.  Profanity depends on the level of play.  My big one is the personal attacks.  Between hockey and baseball, I'm starting to hear every insult there is.  If I could immediately EJ someone in hockey I'd have about 15 or more EJ's already.  Baseball has been very calm so far.  I gave one coach a warning and that's been it.  I haven't even had to give a dirty look to anyone yet just to let them know I heard them and they can shut up now.

[Aging_Arbiter]

While the 3 P's is a baseline that most probably use, I like to think of it as I've never ejected a coach.  I have just confirmed their desire to no longer participate in that day's contest.  (note- if its hot as blazes outside, ol' skippy is sticking around too.  I'm not rewarding his behavior with air conditioning and adult beverages)

[Guest marknj1]

Over the last three years (I am starting my 4th year) I have ejected 10 people (coaches or players) after 600 games.  I have read all of the above and am always concerned when I see someone say that they haven't ejected someone in over 5 years.  I don't enjoy ejecting people and I have re-read my notes on each and every ejection (i decided to keep notes so that I would always remember why I ejected someone) and would do each and everyone all over again.  based on the above I eject people at an average rate of 1.5% of the time.  Why?  because when a coach tells me to relax I will still get paid at the end of the game, or tells me that "that wouldn't have happened if your fat %$% wasn't on the field" I have to eject.  With all of that said I learned a really good lesson recently and it's about de-escalating a situation (a good article in Referee magazine if you are interested)...  I am base umpire in a softball game and a ball is hit down the RF line.  I follow the runner all the way to 3rd and she comes in standing up.  Turns out my partner had the ball out of play (dead ball) so runner had to be sent back to 2nd base.  However, no one (not me, not the runner, not the players and certainly not the coach) heard her say anything (because she must have whispered it)...  Coach now comes out to discuss with me (and this is after the PU has told me it was out of play...and I ass u me that she has told coach also)...  so when appraoched by coach I state to her that she can't argue the rules..  it's a ground rule double...why is she arguing this????  But, as I said, it turns out she didn't hear it or know it either so she just wanted clarification....  the point of all of this is that I believe it's our job to give a reasonable coach a reasonable chance to be heard, and for us to understand what is really going on and try and de-escalate any situation that could get worse...  If, on the other hand, they say things like I mentioned above..   U need to eject them...  you are not doing the next umpire any favors by keeping people in games if they show no respect....

[blue23ll]

Early in my career I was a bit of a hot head, and I ejected a lot. Mostly because I was not very good, and felt the pressure. As I've matured, both as a person and official I find that I eject much less. The levels of play that we work also makes a difference. Most varsity head coaches will not put themselves into a position to be ejected, while a youth coach really doesn't know where to draw the line. The things that will probably cause me to react negatively are:

 

• Charge at me from the coaching box or the dugout. Do this, and you will probably be gone before you even get a chance to tell me what you are upset about.
• Yell at me from the bench. 
• Question my integrity ("call them both ways, blue" always gets me perked up)
• Be overly demonstrative in your disagreement about a call ( Throw things, stomp, kick dirt, draw lines)

If you have a disagreement, let's talk quietly, one on one. You can pretty much say anything, if only I can hear it.