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Had to run coach for something dumb...


NateWalter
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Was working a 14U game the other night and had to run an assistant coach for the dumbest of reasons.

I've worked with both teams many times and one team, we'll call them the Wildcats (not their actual team name) has a reputation of causing havoc in games. Their head coach is a hothead, and the entire team was suspended from league play last summer. I won't get into that. They are playing the Flames (also not the team name) and beating them pretty good.

The Wildcats' have an assistant coach who loves to talk to players all throughout the game. From the dugout when they are on the field or the 1st base coaching box. Nothing that he ever says is out of line or inappropriate. It usually just amounts to him calling kids by 90s baseball player references. He was calling the pitcher "Kevin Brown" or "David Cone" all night. I found it entertaining.

Well, to help lighten the mood, he started using well-known player references for the Flames. A Flames hitter hit a double on an excellent hit, and the coach yelled, "Great hit, Chipper Jones!". A Flames player made an absolute gem of a catch, he called the kid Omar Vizquel. As he began doing this, I encouraged him to limit his references to just his team, as the other team may not understand or appreciate what he's doing (I firmly believe it was all good-spirited).

Well, he started doing it a few innings later, and that's when the Flames were down 10-1. They were already agitated at their deficit, and now, the coaches were upset at him calling a kid "Barry Larkin." (The kid was not black, it was just another reference). So I warned the coach once more to stop. And this would be his final warning. Fast forward two more innings, and out from his mouth, toward the pitcher, "Great pitch Sergio Romo"... I'm doing the field and I just simply tell him he's gotta go. I don't make it demonstrative. I just tell him he's been ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct. He calmly walks off, laughing. His head coach loses his mind on me, and said, "this has to be the dumbest reason to eject someone I've ever seen." To which I say, "I agree, but I told him twice to not say it to the opposing team. He refused to listen."

So there you have it. I've had a few ejections. That was by far the dumbest reason I've ever had to eject someone or seen someone get ejected as an umpire.

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You told us your game was 14U but not what rule set governed your game. So--

FED:  A base coach may address only the batter or runners. (FED rule 3-2-1)

NCAA:  The coach may address only his team members. (NCAA rule 3-3c)

OBR:  Official Interpretation:  Wendelstedt:  It is the responsibility of the umpires to ensure the peace on the field. If a base coach is causing problems on the field, including the harassment of players, he should be instructed to stop. If he continues, he should be ejected.

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33 minutes ago, NateWalter said:

His head coach loses his mind on me, and said, "this has to be the dumbest reason to eject someone I've ever seen." To which I say, "I agree, but I told him twice to not say it to the opposing team. He refused to listen."

'Then why'd you choose such a dumb coach?' ;) 

No sure the ruleset you're in but LL (that I work) has an explicit rule about talking to the other team. I've seen it cause issues when first base OC was repeatedly telling F3 to be careful creeping on a smaller batter since 'he has more power than you think'. He probably thought he was being helpful for safety but it backfired as F3 took it personally and got so pissed off he started crying (he was 11).

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55 minutes ago, NateWalter said:

That was by far the dumbest reason I've ever had to eject someone or seen someone get ejected as an umpire.

Addendum: It is an odd one but I'd also say coach being told "stop or you're gone" and continuing to prattle on is pretty dumb too.

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Here’s the LL rule that Mr. Velho mentioned—it’s 4.05(d). From the 2018 Little League RIM--

4.05 - The offensive team shall station two base coaches on the field during its time at bat, one near first base and one near third base. The coaches shall not leave their respective dugouts until the pitcher has completed his/her preparatory pitches to the catcher. Base coaches shall-

(d) talk to members of their own team only.

An offending base coach shall be removed from the base coach’s box.

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Thank you sir

 

12 minutes ago, Senor Azul said:

base coach shall be removed from the base coach’s box.

Heck, when are they ever in the box in the first place :D  

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2 hours ago, Senor Azul said:

You told us your game was 14U but not what rule set governed your game.

It was USSSA. And look, I'm not as big of a stickler, because he was essentially rooting on the kids. But it just started to get under the opponent's skin, which was exacerbated by a pretty big deficit.

And this team has a bad reputation of poor sportsmanship, that anything they do will be perceived as wrong. But originally, I had no issue with it, as I understood the references. Most the dads at the game did too. I was impressed by some of them too! And it was very clearly done in a good-hearted fashion. But it just got out of hand, as so many things do that I had to stop it. I don't know why he insisted on continuing.

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2 hours ago, Velho said:

Addendum: It is an odd one but I'd also say coach being told "stop or you're gone" and continuing to prattle on is pretty dumb too.

Yes, that was the confusing, and aggravating part of it.

I didn't make a big stink about it. I didn't even file a report for it. Before he left the dugout for the 1B coaching box, I just asked him to leave. If he was already on the field, it may have been more of a scene. The ejected coach was cool about it. The head coach was not.

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Down where I am at LL and BR levels I got no issues with a base coach telling another player on the other team great play when it is appropriate but another coach calling nicknames to the other team.  Yup "stop that right there, one and only warning"

 

Damn sorry that coach could not control his habit but yeah stop being that fool coach.

 

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I wholeheartedly agree there is no need for a big dramatic "You're done!" mechanic (in most situations). However, I also believe in "most" situations a clearly visible "You're done!" mechanic is in order, and prevents any confusion--alerts your partner that he better get his ass in, and let's every player, coach and fan know what's going on. I don't believe it is ideal to want fans and other players and coaches to be wondering in the next inning why so-and-so is no longer around. But I also know that the MLB umpires also have gotten away from dramatic ejection mechanics (in most situations). Here's a good example from a few years ago! The plate umpire dumps the pitcher almost casually for mouthing off to David Ortiz. I looked this hilarious video up again this season, because that pitcher is the Varsity high school coach of a team in our area (his son is a freshman pitcher). Nicest guy on the planet (bigger than many professional wrestlers :-), and I ain't ever going to risk dumping him no matter what he says to me 😂  Ejection at about 1:24.

(1) Kevin Gregg, David Ortiz exchange words as benches clear - YouTube

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2 hours ago, Recontra said:

Those are two big dudes going at. You can see the plate umpire recognize that clearly after they shoulder bump each other. lol

 

OOoooohhhhh... an abandonment call at ~3:15 for runner leaving the bag to get in the melee.

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