Malcontented Pitcher

[bluejerred]

Wreck ball. 13 year old players (BRL Prep). Pitcher has athletic skill but no discipline or mental toughness. Same goes for the catcher. In the 2nd and has been a crybaby since the beginning. 

Pitcher fires a very hard fastball that his catcher totally missed. Nails me right in the forearm. It hurt and I take a few to recover. No apologies from pitcher or catcher.  I tell the catcher that if he can't catch it, don't call for it. Next batter, pitch close but outside the zone, I call ball.  Pitcher steps forward and throws his hand up in disgust. At this time, I chew some major ass.  I tell the pitcher, while giving a quality knife hand, "DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN.  YOU HIT ME WITH A FASTBALL AND THEN YOU THROW YOUR HANDS UP LIKE THAT THE NEXT BATTER?  THAT'S WHAT YOU DON'T DO!"

Inning finishes, their head coach comes to me and says, "I know you got hit, but you can't tell at him like that."  I told her "I can either chew him out or throw him out.  Nobody on your side did anything to correct him so now it falls on me. He's not a victim, he's still in the game, and it's done unless you're telling me it isn't."  

No problems the rest of the game, everything went good, still called a fair game (including for the kid in question when he came to bat).  Their coaches didn't talk to me the rest of the game, which is fine by me. 

Now you guys can chew my ass on my approach.  Ready, set, go! 

[Richvee]

23 minutes ago, bluejerred said:

THAT'S WHAT YOU DON'T DO!"

That about sums it up. 

[Velho]

33 minutes ago, bluejerred said:

BRL Prep

Beer Rec League Prep?

[bluejerred]

47 minutes ago, Velho said:

Beer Rec League Prep?

Babe Ruth League

[dumbdumb]

16 hours ago, bluejerred said:

Babe Ruth League

Well this upbraiding was put in the 18th largest metropolitan area newspaper in 1996

https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1996/05/29/nl/

or

https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/06/22/miss-proves-wilkins-no-favorite-of-froemming/

[Mudisfun]

Coaches shut up, player shut up, no one got ejected... Wreck ball or Travel ball... sounds like mission accomplished to me.

[SeeingEyeDog]

A bit aggressive...can't deny the results, I guess...

I've always preferred, quietly while cleaning the plate after wearing one straight from the pitcher that did not stop at the batter, the bat or the catcher, "You know, catch...it's hard for an umpire to call strikes when they're wearing pitches."

Your other option is to get better so you're not working 13U...

~Dawg

[Aging_Arbiter]

Handling situations...

This is one of my POE for some of our younger/newer umpires.  Granted, everyone is different so no roasting.  If I may offer a suggestion.  Send that message a little more discreet. If you have a rapport with the Catcher, send him out to the pitcher with your message.  If not, maybe discuss with player AND coach as they come off of the field.

Obviously, you got the message across and no further issues.   I get it, it hurt. Here is one of my EALRY (20+ yrs ago) exchanges. I don't remember the inning or situation........

Me: Ball

F1: throws hands up like a drama queen

Me: (Loudly (as you did above) I shouted so F1 and both teams could hear) Do you want to pitch, or do you want to umpire?  You're not going to do both!

...........no further issues from the pitcher

 

After the game, the player and his father approached my at the umpire locker room (my truck, in the parking lot). The young man shook my hand and apologized. He stated that he was too emotional and was working on mental toughness.  I thanked him for this, and we parted ways.  Fast forward 6-8 years, and after the HS team won a State Championship, out of the blue he came up to me and asked if I remembered our first encounter.  I told him that I did.  He looked down at his championship medal and thanked me again. 

How do you want to make an impact? How do you want to be remembered?

[maven]

On 7/12/2024 at 12:17 PM, Aging_Arbiter said:

Me: (Loudly (as you did above) I shouted so F1 and both teams could hear) Do you want to pitch, or do you want to umpire?  You're not going to do both!

 

Excellent. This will get a lot of play going forward.

[The Man in Blue]

Depending on the severity, inject a little levity …. Nobody wants to see me pitch, so I doubt they want to see you umpire. 

[MadMax]

On 4/27/2024 at 11:07 PM, bluejerred said:

Pitcher has athletic skill but no discipline or mental toughness. Same goes for the catcher. In the 2nd and has been a crybaby since the beginning. 

I really feel for today’s generations. Way too many chemicals and synthetic hormones in the food & water supply. 

[Tog Gee]

2 hours ago, MadMax said:

Way too many chemicals and synthetic hormones in the food & water supply. 

Us guys who used to inhale lead from gasoline aren't superior.

On 4/27/2024 at 10:07 PM, bluejerred said:

Pitcher steps forward and throws his hand up in disgust.

Warn him immediately then eject him if it happens again. Don't have to blow up.

On 4/27/2024 at 10:07 PM, bluejerred said:

Wreck ball. 13 year old players (BRL Prep). Pitcher has athletic skill but no discipline or mental toughness. Same goes for the catcher. In the 2nd and has been a crybaby since the beginning.

Maybe re-visit the terms you use with these kids.

[The Man in Blue]

11 hours ago, MadMax said:

I really feel for today’s generations. Way too many chemicals and synthetic hormones in the food & water supply. 

 

So . . . they are all 'roided up?

[MadMax]

10 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

 

So . . . they are all 'roided up?

Nope. Polar opposite… soft, overly-sensitive, and “sissified”. 

 

 

[The Man in Blue]

 

[834k3r]

2 hours ago, MadMax said:

Nope. Polar opposite… soft, overly-sensitive, and “sissified”. 

 

 

As an aside, my son is on our local 16U Legion team. He's the lone 16 year old; the other kids are 13 and 14 (it's a rebuilding year for our team). My son and I were discussing his team (half of the starters probably weigh as much as I do and are 2 feet shorter than I am) and he said to me, "they're not baseball players, they're video game players and Twitch streamers."

That was an epiphany to me. It explains so much of their lack of hustle, lack of desire, and general physical inability to play quality baseball.

[The Man in Blue]

1 hour ago, 834k3r said:

As an aside, my son is on our local 16U Legion team. He's the lone 16 year old; the other kids are 13 and 14 (it's a rebuilding year for our team). My son and I were discussing his team (half of the starters probably weigh as much as I do and are 2 feet shorter than I am) and he said to me, "they're not baseball players, they're video game players and Twitch streamers."

That was an epiphany to me. It explains so much of their lack of hustle, lack of desire, and general physical inability to play quality baseball.

 

 

Twitch streamers . . . 🤣🤣🤣

 

One of my favorite MLB players was John Kruk . . .