Handling Players

[HuskerUmp22]

How do you guys handle/communicate to players when they dispute a safe/out, or strike 3 call? I've been noticing this more as I move up levels in high school ball. 

I've seen it a lot this year so far where a player will put the tag on, I call safe, and he pouts thinking he had the tag. Or he tells me "I had the tag. I had the tag."  I have been telling most kids: "HEY. Don't do that." Is this something where you call time and talk to the player or just ignore? 

I'm just wondering what you guys have done in those situations and how I can handle them better. Obviously we deal with coaches 95% of the time, but I think it is ridiculous when high school kids are disputing judgment calls made by the umpire. 

[ElkOil]

I don't mind saying to a player what I saw.  For instance, I called a kid out on a FPSR.  He popped up and said, "But I beat the tag!"  

I said, "Yes you did, but I got the out on the illegal slide."  He was upset, but there was no more to our conversation.  Such was not the case when the coach came hustling out to the field to get the explanation, however.

On another occasion, a catcher thought that because two players were standing on the same base and he tagged both of them, it should be a double play.  He said, "But you can't have two runners on one base!"

I replied, "You're right.  But you can have one, and it's him," and I pointed to the proper runner.  Again, he was upset, but that was end of our conversation.  And again... when the coach came out...

[ricka56]

How do you guys handle/communicate to players when they dispute a safe/out, or strike 3 call?

I've seen it a lot this year so far where a player will put the tag on, I call safe, and he pouts thinking he had the tag. Or he tells me "I had the tag. I had the tag."  

​I don't have a problem saying to the player, "Close play, but the touch beat the tag"...but the discussion has to end there. 

[BuckeyeMike]

Agree with Ricka.......if you choose to converse, make it short and sweet.    "Yeah, the throw DID beat him, but you tagged him up on the hip and he got under it"

[MidAmUmp]

Agree with Ricka.......if you choose to converse, make it short and sweet.    "Yeah, the throw DID beat him, but you tagged him up on the hip and he got under it"

​This isn't short and sweet.

"He got under it." or "The tag was too high" is short and sweet.

Your answers should be 5 words or less. Any more words than that, and they'll start twisting your words and have your head spinning.

[ScubaUmp]

Shucks, six words, close enough. 

I used this one yesterday after a whacker at first to end the 1st inning. Coach was real nice "Excuse me Robert, can I please talk to you, Sure, (he said please and used my name, don't get that much) he asks "What did you have Rob, Your runner not beating the ball. He had the Deer in the headlight  look, didn't know what to say, he defaults to "can you go for help?" No, but its a consolation game. Jeff, outs and safes are final, I might go for help on pulled foot or swipe tag, but we don't have either of those. Hangs his head and walks away. Stops and asked partner. Partner says, I wasn't watching, I'm looking at the runner from second for the touch at third. Jeff, you weren't watching the play at first??? Now he's really lost.

[Mike Walsh]

Shucks, six words, close enough. 

I used this one yesterday after a whacker at first to end the 1st inning. Coach was real nice "Excuse me Robert, can I please talk to you, Sure, (he said please and used my name, don't get that much) he asks "What did you have Rob, Your runner not beating the ball. He had the Deer in the headlight  look, didn't know what to say, he defaults to "can you go for help?" No, but its a consolation game. Jeff, outs and safes are final, I might go for help on pulled foot or swipe tag, but we don't have either of those. Hangs his head and walks away. Stops and asked partner. Partner says, I wasn't watching, I'm looking at the runner from second for the touch at third. Jeff, you weren't watching the play at first??? Now he's really lost.

​I would not be happy if my partner talked to him about my call, even if he agreed with it. 

Mike

[blue23ll]

How did you know what he discussed with your partner?  If a coach comes to me asking about my partners call, he's going to get an earful AND no help.

[kstrunk]

I don't typically respond to the emotions of players. I try to ignore them as if I can't physically hear it. This has worked for me thus far, especially if I'm able to move to a different position, AWAY from the player. Usually their emotional rant is overcome by common sense and they just stop, or they chirp a bit from the duggout and then stop. Either way, I haven't had a problem. 

If they ask me a direct question, I'm short and direct in reply, while still physically moving away if I can. Moving gives them the idea that I'm not interested in talking about it. 

[TheRockawayKid]

Had a men's game. Close play at second (stretched single attempted), guy tries to get fancy and get around the tag. I have a tag on the foot. Punch him out. He says "no, he didn't get me." 

I reply: "He got you on the foot." Said it twice, while nodding. Eventually he gets the point and the conversation ends.