Chirpy Coach

[nicshow]

I'm in my 2nd season of doing varsity baseball and softball. I've still got a lot to learn and a lot of seasoning to do but I'm generally pleased with my progress. I've worked hard to develop my strike zone and have received affirmation from partners, coaches and assignors.

 

Tonight I had my first chirpy coach - varsity softball. His pitcher was terrible and very slow. The other pitcher was decent.

 

From almost the start, I was hearing moans and groans especially when his pitcher came anywhere near the plate. Then, from the slot position a pitch that was thigh high but coming for my left hip to a right-handed batter which I called a ball. He said "that was right down the middle." I was mostly amused but it was getting under my skin just because of how ridiculous most of it was.

 

Finally, he was in the 3rd base coaches box and I called a borderline, high and outside pitch a ball. The next pitch came right to the same spot but just looked slightly better to me so I called it a strike. "Just some consistency is all I ask for." I took off my mask, called time and took 3 or 4 steps toward up the line and asked the coach if he had a question to which he replied "no." He was quieter for the rest of the game.

 

Should I have just ignored him? He never did say anything personal so I didn't want to elevate the situation unneccessarily.

 

The game ended with his team losing 13-0.

 

Nic

[Richvee]

 I took off my mask, called time and took 3 or 4 steps toward up the line and asked the coach if he had a question to which he replied "no." He was quieter for the rest of the game.

Nic

I think you answered your own question. In hindsight, don't you wish you said it sooner? Sometimes a stern "that's enough" or just what you did is enough to quiet them for the day. 

[BillKen]

Had one this week that barked about a couple of pitches low in the zone...one went against his batter, then one went against his pitcher.  He barked pretty loud and I gave him the look and acknowledged his complaint.  A stern "You've been heard Coach" was my response.  I never had to go to the warning step...but I was certain we were headed down that road and it was way too early in the game for me to tolerate it all night.  Fortunately, we had a hard tag/push back situation in the field and he redirected his ire towards my partner then went back to coaching.  Sometimes we have to deal with it and sometimes it takes care of itself.  I know that I don't want to be the aggressor and I want everyone to know that the coach didn't just tiptoe on the line...when he crosses it, others should know.

[maven]

Ignore only until the comments become a distraction. At that point, his jackassery is becoming a hindrance to the performance of your duties and must stop. So you can give him the stare, and maybe it will stop. If not, you can tell him to "knock it off," and maybe it will stop. If not, you can restrict him to the dugout (dunno about softball), and maybe it will stop. If not, you can send him packing, and then it will stop.

[woodiemiller]

I'm in my 2nd season of doing varsity baseball and softball. I've still got a lot to learn and a lot of seasoning to do but I'm generally pleased with my progress. I've worked hard to develop my strike zone and have received affirmation from partners, coaches and assignors.

 

Tonight I had my first chirpy coach - varsity softball. His pitcher was terrible and very slow. The other pitcher was decent.

 

From almost the start, I was hearing moans and groans especially when his pitcher came anywhere near the plate. Then, from the slot position a pitch that was thigh high but coming for my left hip to a right-handed batter which I called a ball. He said "that was right down the middle." I was mostly amused but it was getting under my skin just because of how ridiculous most of it was.

 

Finally, he was in the 3rd base coaches box and I called a borderline, high and outside pitch a ball. The next pitch came right to the same spot but just looked slightly better to me so I called it a strike. "Just some consistency is all I ask for." I took off my mask, called time and took 3 or 4 steps toward up the line and asked the coach if he had a question to which he replied "no." He was quieter for the rest of the game.

 

Should I have just ignored him? He never did say anything personal so I didn't want to elevate the situation unneccessarily.

 

The game ended with his team losing 13-0.

 

Nic

If pitches are "borderline", try getting more strikes?

[blue23ll]

Remember, if you are on the bench or in the coaching box you can't tell if a pitch is inside or out, just high or low, for the most part. To them pitches might look 'right down the middle' and actually be nowhere near the middle. And what a coach wants is consistency, but isn't that what we want to? How much of a difference was there between those 'borderline' pitches? Perhaps you are being too fine? My experience has been, when I'm calling strikes, and the game is moving along, the chirping stops. 

[Majordave]

I have had this twice this week. When pitchers Dick around and won't/can't throw consistent strikes I cannot call consistent strikes and I'll be damned if I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt on C3K's when they haven't shown the ability to consistently keep the pitches near the zone.

Had a starter in NAIA looked to be around 30 or older throwing nerf balls and bad knuckle balls that wouldn't break glass all around the zone trying to trick opponents. He was winning into the 5th or 6th until Homeboys started whacking his silly stuff all over the lot instead of whiffing or popping up. That's when the whining started. I was NOT going to give his whiny ass and his whiny coach any benefits when he could not and would not challenge the hitters (never mind the fact that he couldn't on his best day get anyone out with a legitimate pitch). He had to be yanked after he walked bases loaded.

[maven]

I was NOT going to give his whiny ass and his whiny coach any benefits when he could not and would not challenge the hitters (never mind the fact that he couldn't on his best day get anyone out with a legitimate pitch). He had to be yanked after he walked bases loaded.

 

Oh, c'mon Dave, why so coy? Tell us how you really felt!

[UmpJeff]

Ignore, Acknowledge, Warn, Eject.

 

In this case, all it took was an acknowledgement (in the form of a question). 

[UmpJeff]

"When pitchers Dick around and won't/can't throw consistent strikes I cannot call consistent strikes and I'll be damned if I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt on C3K's when they haven't shown the ability to consistently keep the pitches near the zone."

 

My philosophy, exactly!

 

[kstrunk]

The other night I was hearing from a coach just a bit, 'chirpy', as has been called here. What he couldn't see was his 6'4" catcher, with long arms, set up outside, still reaching further out for the ball, which was in the left handed box. 

 

So... in between innings he happened by and said something benign about weather or what have you... so I took opportunity to say 'Hey...I know you wanted some of those pitches, but from where you are you can't see that they're in the other box. Just because they're near the target doesn't mean they're strikes.'. 

 

He acknowledged, apologized, and I didn't hear him again. 

 

Not sure if that's appropriate or not, but it was calm, quiet, and it worked. 

[Majordave]

I've been known to tell a chirping coach that he's watching a baseball game from the 2nd worst place to watch a game-the dugout. Then I ask him if he knows the worst place to watch a game? "No". I tell him the parking lot. That shuts them up. And yes, I really have used that line on more than one occasion directly to the coach. Used it twice this week by telling the catcher. Chirping ends.

It's all about the power of suggestion.

[ElkOil]

This is an area I want to work on next.  i don't get too many whiners, but when I do, I know I need to improve how I handle it and cut it off before it becomes problematic.  During a couple of games last week, the losing coaches thought my strike zone wasn't large enough.  One coach asked, "C'mon, can't you give those to us?  We're losing by seven runs."  So now he wants me to change my zone because he's losing.  Got it.  I'll get right on that.

[ricka56]

This is an area I want to work on next.  i don't get too many whiners, but when I do, I know I need to improve how I handle it and cut it off before it becomes problematic.  During a couple of games last week, the losing coaches thought my strike zone wasn't large enough.  One coach asked, "C'mon, can't you give those to us?  We're losing by seven runs."  So now he wants me to change my zone because he's losing.  Got it.  I'll get right on that.

 

Good, do get right on that and it will improve your game management. If the game is a blow-out, find any/all excuses to find the first two strikes on the team blowing them out. But give the batter a chance to hit before calling K3.

[maven]

This is an area I want to work on next.  i don't get too many whiners, but when I do, I know I need to improve how I handle it and cut it off before it becomes problematic.  During a couple of games last week, the losing coaches thought my strike zone wasn't large enough.  One coach asked, "C'mon, can't you give those to us?  We're losing by seven runs."  So now he wants me to change my zone because he's losing.  Got it.  I'll get right on that.

 

I used to worry about stuff like this. I might have said, "Coach, are you asking me to cheat?" C'mon, man!

 

Now I'd just say (as I might have mentioned): "I'll see what I can do, coach!" The guy's upset because his kids aren't playing well. He's not asking us to cheat, he's just venting. I can be, briefly, sympathetic.

 

Of course, he doesn't get to vent on every close pitch for the next 3 innings. THAT we have to shut down...

[KenBAZ]

How did we evolve to the state where coaches and fans think they can complain about pitches they can't possibly see. It's a breakdown of society I tell ya.

[ElkOil]

 

This is an area I want to work on next.  i don't get too many whiners, but when I do, I know I need to improve how I handle it and cut it off before it becomes problematic.  During a couple of games last week, the losing coaches thought my strike zone wasn't large enough.  One coach asked, "C'mon, can't you give those to us?  We're losing by seven runs."  So now he wants me to change my zone because he's losing.  Got it.  I'll get right on that.

 

I used to worry about stuff like this. I might have said, "Coach, are you asking me to cheat?" C'mon, man!

 

Now I'd just say (as I might have mentioned): "I'll see what I can do, coach!" The guy's upset because his kids aren't playing well. He's not asking us to cheat, he's just venting. I can be, briefly, sympathetic.

 

Of course, he doesn't get to vent on every close pitch for the next 3 innings. THAT we have to shut down...

 

 

And that line is a fine one, I think.  I'm a pretty tolerant guy and am happy to let a coach vent. If he looks sad and defeated and says something like that, it's one thing.  If he's angry, snarky and being kind of a douche, it's another.

[ElkOil]

How did we evolve to the state where coaches and fans think they can complain about pitches they can't possibly see. It's a breakdown of society I tell ya.

 

It's just two steps away from the preppers saying they all told us so.  And aren't I going to be the dumb one without a well-supplied underground bunker.