Coaches Go at Each Other, thoughts?

[GerryB]

On Sunday, in an important D2 league contest both head coaches went after each other. It began with benches yelling at each other (warnings given, bottom of the 9th) and in the top of the tenth a batter requests time out, I grant it, pitcher continues, batter steps back in with a foot and fouls dead ball pitch (inexperienced player confusion) catcher stayed crouched. Defensive HC becomes unglued and wants the batter ejected for making the game unsafe. My partner dumps a dugout sniper (assistant) as I settle HC. At the end of that half inning the offensive HC leaving from the third base coach's box stops to talk to the defensive HC. OHC says, "Charlie, if you have a problem with one of my players, just come to me. You don't have to go to the umpires." DHC suggests the OHC's players are rear-end orifices and they go chest to chest.

What would you do next? Letting them go and likely them hitting each other would have led to a larger altercation I felt. So I stepped in between them. The DHC at this point was saying, "Rick, you are a $***head" repeatedly. I walked him down the left field line. Yes, in walking him out we did make some contact, which is bad, but was unavoidable. Things settled and the game ended in the 13th. Parents verbally abused my partner and I on the way out as we had to walk past their stands. Generally they said we were bleeps for making the game unsafe (where did they get that?). Names changed.

[humanbackstop19]

The contact is were I see a major issue.   If there was any contact with an official, he would be looking automatic ejection, plus a 4-game suspension.   I'm having trouble seeing how it was unavoidable. 

[GerryB]

Getting my self in between them. More concerned that contact would be on me for trying to get in between. 

[wolfe_man]

6 minutes ago, humanbackstop19 said:

The contact is were I see a major issue.   If there was any contact with an official, he would be looking automatic ejection, plus a 4-game suspension.   I'm having trouble seeing how it was unavoidable. 

I believe he is saying that the Umpire made contact with the Coach, not the other way around.  He was trying to calm things down and took the Coach for a walk down the LF line and while doing so, made incidental contact.   Or maybe I am reading it wrong?

[humanbackstop19]

Makes sense to me now.  Very touchy situation.  Hopefully both coaches appreciate the opportunity and handling of the situation to keep them in the game when it seems they both could have easily been gone.

[umpstu]

I would have grabbed some popcorn and let them go at it.

[GerryB]

1 hour ago, wolfe_man said:

I believe he is saying that the Umpire made contact with the Coach, not the other way around.  He was trying to calm things down and took the Coach for a walk down the LF line and while doing so, made incidental contact.   Or maybe I am reading it wrong?

Yes absolutely correct. Thank you. I would have preferred the popcorn alternative and it crossed my mind, but...

[zoops]

Unless you judge the hitter was doing something to intentionally hurt the catcher, that sounds like nothing to me.

I don't have a problem with you getting in between them, depending on how violently they were going at it.  No issue with stepping in between them, which could bring some incidental contact..."rodeo clown."  Wouldn't recommend pushing them apart or wrestling them away from each other.  Keep in mind they probably have insurance, we don't.  

If two scholastic-level coaches are chest-to-chest and yelling profanity at each other, this seems like an easy, automatic, mandatory, whatever adjective you want, ejection for both.  Obviously I wasn't there but I just don't see how you can let that go.  

[Mad Mike]

2 hours ago, zoops said:

 

If two scholastic-level coaches are chest-to-chest and yelling profanity at each other, this seems like an easy, automatic, mandatory, whatever adjective you want, ejection for both.  Obviously I wasn't there but I just don't see how you can let that go.  

So, Zoops is on to something. If you dump them both they can take it to the parking lot and discuss things over tea. 

[ilyazhito]

Both are gone, if the situation is as you describe it. They can continue being assholes to each other in the parking lot. 

[Replacematt]

Based on this description, the DHC is done. OHC, maybe; there's nothing in the OP that would cause me to toss in and of itself, but there may be more in the whole situation.

With that, there is no issue with getting between them. In fact, assuming you're the one with the trigger finger, I would have your partner rodeo the DHC and you corral the one that didn't get tossed--gently pulling, if need be--away and remind him that you've taken care of it. 

If you get both of them, I would have both of you get in the middle of it and use your presence to push them apart. Start walking in opposite directions through the coaches. Yeah, that leaves you open to not having many options if the situation escalates and others join, but you're going to have an even bigger problem if you don't take care of the brush fire that is actually occurring.

[Minnz]

I think you handled it well. I also think you could have ejected as well.

I had something similar in a D3 game this season. Game 3 of a four game set and the Friday DH produced some bench jockeying.  No ejections or warnings. In the third inning the home HC didn't like chirping from the visitor dugout and told me to shut it down. Nothing being said was directed at his team so I told the HC I will take care of anything that is deemed out of line.

Next inning something was said neither myself or my two other partners hear what it was. Next thing I know home HC is yelling at the visiting HC who is coaching third. U3 is in deep B since we have R1. I walk halfway down the line and yell, "If you guys need to talk to somebody talk to me and not each other."  Actually seemed to work and they avoided stuff the rest of the game.