No Clue Partners

[Dbellyflop]

The thing with Little League is that as a team progresses through the International Tournament , the powers that be get more and more OOO About things like this.

At the district level they want all the little league "things" enforced. and as you go up the ladder they won't even let extra coaches on the field during warm ups... which is a TD thing, but i notice how many coaches are on the field when i walk up , and let the manager know how many can stay during the plate meeting....

[smoyer]

I work little league.Never had a problem with coaches that  they had too many in the dugout as long as I did it before first pitch.I support Tank,he did not write the rule book,he just enforces it.That's all you have to tell them if they ask but be nice about about it.

[MadMax]

What's the penalty of this rule violation?

If it's just removal (non-Ejection) of two "coaches" from the dugout, that's a pretty flammable rule. I'd rather have all the crabs in the cage, than have one or two disgruntled ones now free to sit behind me (or my PU partner) and pinch our a$$.

Besides, it's more AC's to practice your Ejection mechanic on! Where's the complaint?

Look, if there's a rule that these ballplayers have to wear a HSM to warm up the pitcher, yet, behind the dugout, there's the next inning's pitcher and a spare kid off the bench warming him up in a makeshift (or perhaps built) bullpen, wearing a TM or going sans-mask, are you honestly going to do/say something about it? What consequence does it hold, either for you the umpire or the game you are officiating? There's a (series of) rule(s) in OBR prohibiting ballplayers with engaging with spectators, and there are NFHS rules outlining that players are not to leave the dugout during live-ball play. Tournaments are notorious for players leaving the dugout (albeit stealthily) to go talk to mom, go eat something, go to the restroom (these kids have the bladders of fleas), go warm up as a pitcher, go warm up for no reason, go work on their swing (alot of good it does them, sheesh), go put sunblock on, go put ballblock on (at the insistence of their mothers)... any number of reasons, all while the game is underway! Did you count how many kids were in the dugout five minutes ago? How 'bout now? How 'bout... now? That number will vary wildly. And some dugouts cannot be entered/exited without a quick little dash from dugout to gate. It's only, say, six feet... Is the U3 going to go all Crossing Guard and point it out and banish them to the dugout because their otherwise innocuous escapades are violating The Rules?

[James Walker]

IMO, going in the dugout never ends well.  You don't want to get the rep of "that" guy.  Like others have said, unless the dugout gets my attention, I'm staying far away.  I've got no interest in what's going on in there and couldn't care less.  If the coach can't contain his "area" and it effects/spills into my area I'll deal with it then.

[LMSANS]

My hats off to you guys who work Little League but this thread is another reason to add to my list of reasons not to work Little League or any other 60'/70'/small diamond baseball.  They just don't pay enough.  I wouldn't willingly/volunteer to work that level for $100 a game.  Too much aggravation.

I am too old for that kind of crap.  From coaches, fans, parents, other umpire partners.  

 

In the words of the great Austin Powers, "That sort of thing's not my bag, baby!

​...and another reason Dave is my hero!

[Replacematt]

How does one even notice too many coaches in the dugout? 

[ricka56]

How does one even notice too many coaches in the dugout? 

​I know...he counted 5 coaches...I got this gig only because I could count to  3  uhhhh  4  ...uhhh, no, 3.

[blue23ll]

The way I see it, if you want to count coaches, measure bats, clean bases or the rubber, and use robotic mechanics  work softball .  I've done my Little League work, I played babysitter to the dumbass coaches and board members who were virtually clueless. And yes, I counted coaches during play-off time, and I made them ask permission to leave the dugout to go tinkle too. I was a damn good babysitter, for NO pay !

Edited June 5, 2015 by blue23ll

[maven]

How does one even notice too many coaches in the dugout? 

​The opposing coach comes over and bitches about it in order to make it your problem.

[RingEmUp]

This thread makes my head hurt.  Once the first pitch is thrown then IMO there is nothing you can do about it.  It's you and your partners fault for letting it get that far.