Newbie Checklist

[BLWizzRanger 27]

So I got my first two scrimmages in.  The season starts on Monday here in WV.  I decided to have a little fun and create a newbie checklist on uncommon, maybe, experiences to see how a newbie's experience grows.  What I have experienced in the first 8 innings of work is listed below. 

Dropped Ball Balk
Coach hollering 'He didn't move' on a HBP
Missing a pitch (sort of like Shawshank's creed where everybody is innocent, 'always is perfect' is the Umpire's creed?)
Bronx Cheer from Dugout
Catcher's Interference
Assistant Coach coming out
Pitched ball off of PU's forearm
Pitched ball off of PU's ankle
+10 Batter half inning
'JC' or 'My God' comment from bleachers.
'JC' or 'My God' comment from pitcher.

 

What should I look forward to?

[HokieUmp 518]

20 hours ago, BLWizzRanger said:

So I got my first two scrimmages in.  The season starts on Monday here in WV.  I decided to have a little fun and create a newbie checklist on uncommon, maybe, experiences to see how a newbie's experience grows.  What I have experienced in the first 8 innings of work is listed below. 

Dropped Ball Balk
Coach hollering 'He didn't move' on a HBP
Missing a pitch (sort of like Shawshank's creed where everybody is innocent, 'always is perfect' is the Umpire's creed?)
Bronx Cheer from Dugout
Catcher's Interference
Assistant Coach coming out
Pitched ball off of PU's forearm
Pitched ball off of PU's ankle
+10 Batter half inning
'JC' or 'My God' comment from bleachers.
'JC' or 'My God' comment from pitcher.

 

What should I look forward to?

From some of that list, you should maybe look forward to sharpening your Ejection Report writing skills.

[umpstu 1,174]

21 hours ago, BLWizzRanger said:

So I got my first two scrimmages in.  The season starts on Monday here in WV.  I decided to have a little fun and create a newbie checklist on uncommon, maybe, experiences to see how a newbie's experience grows.  What I have experienced in the first 8 innings of work is listed below. 

Dropped Ball Balk
Coach hollering 'He didn't move' on a HBP
Missing a pitch (sort of like Shawshank's creed where everybody is innocent, 'always is perfect' is the Umpire's creed?)
Bronx Cheer from Dugout
Catcher's Interference
Assistant Coach coming out
Pitched ball off of PU's forearm
Pitched ball off of PU's ankle
+10 Batter half inning
'JC' or 'My God' comment from bleachers.
'JC' or 'My God' comment from pitcher.

 

What should I look forward to?

This happened in a scrimmage?  

[ArchAngel72 90]

I am wagering on 

#2,3, 5,7,8,9,10

 

 

[BLWizzRanger 27]

8 hours ago, umpstu said:

This happened in a scrimmage?  

Yep.  8 innings... 5 JV and 3 V

The JV one had the +10 batters and ball off of the forearm.

The V one had a notorious team/coach/stands for being 'vocal.'  I guess they were practicing for the season too.

[SeeingEyeDog 165]

So, it's hard to critique your list without knowing what or how you responded. As @HokieUmp and @ArchAngel72alluded to, some of those things would require a response from an umpire.

Umpires don't go looking for trouble. We don't look to escalate a small situation into a larger problem. Umpires don't eject players and coaches. Players and coaches eject themselves through their words and or actions. Everything an umpire permits an umpire promotes. Don't think for one second that, "Oh what that coach or player said or did there doesn't bother me so, I'm not going to intervene..." If you permit a coach to holler about a HBP call (or any call), YOU are PROMOTING that behavior. By not addressing that, you are saying to all the coaches and players there that day, "Yup...that's ok! You can stand out there and holler about calls you don't like." And now, you've created a problem for the NEXT umpiring crew who gets a slot to work those teams' games. Managing a baseball team is also a job to be learned. I've been seeing a lot of young managers many of whom may have spent their lives in the game but, they still don't know what is and is not ok. Umpires are a big part of their "education".

Umpiring takes time and patience. We can only scheme up so much in a classroom or at a clinic or camp. Umpires are forged (or broken) from working games, period. Things are going to happen. And the game of baseball demands someone administer the game. By default, logic dictates that's the crew but...we all have to go out there and earn it, every pitch.

I have been keeping a journal and really trying to be my own worst critic about how situations were handled. When things happened, how did I respond, how did my partner(s) respond and what takeaways did I have and could implement next time? Hopefully, you have mentors in your association and of course, this forum to provide feedback, too.

~Dawg

[HokieUmp 518]

On 4/7/2021 at 2:53 PM, BLWizzRanger said:

Coach hollering 'He didn't move' on a HBP - Not SO worried about that.  Although I would remind them "once you throw a pitch halfway into the box, you kinda lose your right to complain."

Bronx Cheer from Dugout - I don't know what to make of this.  Literally, a raspberry??

Assistant Coach coming out - I hope you at least stopped him dead in tracks with something like "no further, Coach!"  I'd PREFER that you ran him.

'JC' or 'My God' comment from bleachers. - don't care.  Don't talk to the fence.

'JC' or 'My God' comment from pitcher.  - stop that immediately, by whatever means you have.

 

[BLWizzRanger 27]

Guys, it was a joke. Toungue in cheek somewhat on them being rare happenings in a game. No response needed.

Yes, All of those things happened in the first two scrimmages. Initiation period be damned.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930AZ using Tapatalk

[SeeingEyeDog 165]

Sorry for the additional post...

I would also add that on the "JC...My God" comment from the pitcher? Depending on your mood and the level/age of the players...one of the "means you may have" is to call time and say to the catcher only loud enough for him to hear, "Go out there and tell your pitcher to knock that off." and then clean the plate while he is out there to make it look like a routine mound visit. This technique quietly teaches players about proper conduct on a baseball field.

Another "means you have"? Eject the pitcher. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. This technique demonstratively teaches players about proper conduct on a baseball field.

~Dawg

[BLWizzRanger 27]

Thanks for the input guys.  I get what you are saying.  As of this morning, I have umpired officially one JV game.  I will always be learning here.

WTBS, I can add to my list:

Pouring, soaking, miserable, finger numbing, 50 degree rain storm that moved a JV game from grass to turf and was off and on all game. But we got the game in.

Running Lane interference on a D3K

Car lights in the outfield.

Ball presentation without NFHS and NOCSAE stamps.

And I didn't miss a call**

**Shawshank Redemption Creed

[conbo61 777]

11 hours ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Sorry for the additional post...

I would also add that on the "JC...My God" comment from the pitcher? Depending on your mood and the level/age of the players...one of the "means you may have" is to call time and say to the catcher only loud enough for him to hear, "Go out there and tell your pitcher to knock that off." and then clean the plate while he is out there to make it look like a routine mound visit. This technique quietly teaches players about proper conduct on a baseball field.

Another "means you have"? Eject the pitcher. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. This technique demonstratively teaches players about proper conduct on a baseball field.

~Dawg

I find that the line up card is my friend in situations like this. If a player is being a little too demonstrative, between innings I will approach the coach, pull out the line up card and while looking at the card and pointing to something on it, explain my issue and ask for his help in calibrating the player.  It is discreet, non-confrontational and gets the point across.