The "Art" of the Ejection

[HumblePie]

I completed 171 games across two states in 2024 and had 4 total ejections.  2 coaches, and 2 players.  That was a lot for me in one season, but I'm probably able to prevent more ejections than some are after "screwing it up" myself a few times.

I want to first paint a picture of the worst, most avoidable ejection I ever witnessed, to make a point.

One of the best officials in Middle TN was working a semifinal game at the State Tourney, and the team "stud" tried to steal 2nd base with two outs.  The official called him out, third out, and could have turned and walked off the field to his "place" he hangs out between innings.  Instead, he caught a "glare" from the runner he just called out, and the kid acted like he wasn't gonna leave the field.  The official walked up to the base and asked the runner to hustle off the field so he could sweep the dirt off the base.  The 17-yr-old said, "You've gotta be f***ing kidding me ..."

BOOM.  Ejected.  If the team makes the championship game, their best player won't be playing.  The Official was incredulous that he did the right thing, that the kid used profanity in his face, and by the rule book, no one could argue with him.  The rest of us, unfortunately, felt like this was absolutely avoidable, that in a sense the official baited the kid while his temper was hot, and he actually "caused" the ejection.

I could easily write a book on all the things I've done wrong over the past 25 years ... both ejections that probably could have been prevented, and non-ejections (where I failed to pull the trigger and lost my opportunity).

If a Head Coach comes out to argue or discuss a call, give him some leash.  Give him some time.  Don't treat him like an assistant or a player, because he's earned the right to have that leash and that time.  We are all taught the four P's for which to eject ... Personal, Physical, Profane, Prolonged.

I'm going to key in on the one that gets under my skin the quickest, and the one I will tolerate the least ... that is Personal.  I'm happy to let the coach run toward me without automatically tossing him for "charging" me.  That's in the heat of battle.  I've been bumped by a coach before.  I've had him grab my shoulder or forearm to get my attention, and I have resisted the temptation to immediately toss him for getting physical.  I've allowed coaches to blather on 2 or 3 sentences longer than what I think is acceptable to make their point, and then allowed them to stay in the game.  I'm not going to put up with personal jabs.  It's the most demeaning and disrespectful behavior of the four.

I had a coach ask me ... angrily ... after a tough call, "Blue, do you live here, or did you travel in with that team?"

........ He called me a cheater ... that's a personal affront.

I had a coach tell me, "Hey, that Coach thinks he can push you around, stop letting him influence your calls."

........ He called me a pussy.  That's a personal affront.

I had a coach tell me, "I realize you must be a rookie, but you've got to start giving my pitcher that outside pitch."

........ He called me incompetent.  That's a personal affront.

These are the kinds of comments these coaches have honed and used on other officials who, in the name of thick skin, didn't want to throw them out.  If they use these disrespectful phrases on me, they've gotten away with it 147 times, so I'll very likely give no warning and confine them to the dugout immediately.  My feeling about the dugout restriction is that it is not 50% of the distance to an ejection, but it's 90% of the distance.  One more sarcastic word, and he's gone.

I fully realize that the Dugout Restriction is peculiar to NFHS (FED) rules ... that doesn't mean it's not an excellent tool, and that doesn't mean you can't utilize it in all brands of baseball below the High School level.  You've got the authority to do so.  I've used it often in Middle School aged summer ball tournaments, for example, where we were playing by OBR.  If you use it, enforce it!  The coach does not get to come out next half inning so he can coach 3rd base.

Above all, I don't believe in the showy "heave ho" of an ejected coach or player.  This is not entertainment, as MLB clearly is.  We are arbiters ... calm, confident, and unbiased.  The best thing to do is calmly, inform the coach that he (or his assistant or his player) has been ejected, and then immediately ask who will be subbing.  If the coach won't leave in a timely manner, tell him he's got 60 seconds (give him 90 - 120) to leave the field, or the game will be forfeited.  Don't walk over to or into his dugout.  Say what you need to say, and don't argue.  Just keep your cool and make notes as needed.

DO NOT eject a fan without first going to the Head Coach and giving him the opportunity to get the fan in line.  If the fan is being unruly to the point that he is distracting me or the players, I simply call time, walk straight to the Head Coach, and tell him he's got 60 seconds to address this fan, and if the fan remains unruly, I'll toss the fan and restrict the coach to the dugout.

GENTLEMEN, if you confront a female directly, without going through the Head Coach, don't EVER come to me for sympathy, empathy, understanding, a shoulder to cry on or an ear to bend.  You're a moron.  Those days are behind us forever.  Angry women can turn you into a criminal before you even know what happened, and they will SOMEHOW find 12 witnesses to support their bogus claims that YOU were the aggressor, YOU are a misogynist, and YOU targeted and bullied HER for being a female.

 

The ejection report (Mostly used in High School ball, rarely needed in summer ball) should be 25 words or less.  Name, position, uniform number, reason.

"John Smith, Head Coach, #28, profanity directed at the officials." 

"Chase Johnson, Shortstop, 5th batter, #12, malicious contact on offense -- play at the plate."

If the State Director or the TD needs more clarification than that, he'll ask.

[JonnyCat]

5 hours ago, HumblePie said:

If a Head Coach comes out to argue or discuss a call, give him some leash.  Give him some time.  Don't treat him like an assistant or a player, because he's earned the right to have that leash and that time. 

What does that even mean? He's earned the right?

What, earned the right to act like a F*#King prick?

No not ever. If a coach wants to come out and have a respectful and civil conversation with me, then I will happily oblige. If not, he can get F*#Ked.

5 hours ago, HumblePie said:

I'm happy to let the coach run toward me without automatically tossing him for "charging" me.  That's in the heat of battle.  I've been bumped by a coach before.  I've had him grab my shoulder or forearm to get my attention, and I have resisted the temptation to immediately toss him for getting physical. 

A coach touches me, he's F*#King done.

I don't care how egregious of a call an official makes or whatever the situation is, it NEVER gives a coach the right to abuse you, either physically or verbally. Period.

It's this type of tolerance that has greatly contributed to the shortage of sports officials.

[grayhawk]

5 hours ago, HumblePie said:

The official walked up to the base and asked the runner to hustle off the field so he could sweep the dirt off the base.  The 17-yr-old said, "You've gotta be f***ing kidding me ..."

Sweep the dirt off the base? Sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph - WHY? Was this an excuse to engage the upset player? Does he like to clean the bases on the regular? If a player is upset, look or walk the other way. If he escalates it from there, it's ALL on him.

[Umpy]

2 hours ago, grayhawk said:

Sweep the dirt off the base? Sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph - WHY? Was this an excuse to engage the upset player? Does he like to clean the bases on the regular? If a player is upset, look or walk the other way. If he escalates it from there, it's ALL on him.

I did a Little League tournament this past year where some of the umpires walked around and swept off every base between each inning.  Then I had a coach ask me if he could sprinkle some dirt on third base so the kids would be able to slide onto it easier.  I had to tell him one of the other umpires would probably fight him about it.

[BigBlue4u]

1 hour ago, Umpy said:

I did a Little League tournament this past year where some of the umpires walked around and swept off every base between each inning.  Then I had a coach ask me if he could sprinkle some dirt on third base so the kids would be able to slide onto it easier.  I had to tell him one of the other umpires would probably fight him about it.

I'm half-wondering if the coach wasn't pulling your leg.  And, about dusting off the bases.  I was a LL instructor for several years and it didn't take long to realize LL is on a different page when it comes to the various aspects of umpiring.  

[BigBlue4u]

9 hours ago, HumblePie said:

One of the best officials in Middle TN was working a semifinal game at the State Tourney, and the team "stud" tried to steal 2nd base with two outs.  The official called him out, third out, and could have turned and walked off the field to his "place" he hangs out between innings.  Instead, he caught a "glare" from the runner he just called out, and the kid acted like he wasn't gonna leave the field.  The official walked up to the base and asked the runner to hustle off the field so he could sweep the dirt off the base.  The 17-yr-old said, "You've gotta be f***ing kidding me ..."

A complete lack of game awareness....for starters.  And, I would not characterize his actions as those of a "best official."

[Richvee]

23 minutes ago, BigBlue4u said:

A complete lack of game awareness....for starters.  And, I would not characterize his actions as those of a "best official."

That was my first thought here. 
One of the best in the state doing a state semi, and he’s got a plate brush on him while on the bases?  Was it in his ball bag? 🤦

[maven]

A few comments:

1. Regarding the anecdote, I don't have much to add. A yahoo umpire looking for a scrap with a kid. Not a great look.
2. That said, on close plays at a base, we should NOT instantly turn and run away. The kid on the losing end could turn and pop his opponent in the nose, and we cannot always count on a partner to see it. Don't approach them (and never, ever, clean a base, as if you weren't really sure where it was), but don't leave them until they start to separate. (This tactic is essential for football.)
3. I never try to "prevent" an ejection. Ejections happen when people cannot control themselves, and if they cannot control themselves, how could (and why should) I control them? Ejections should be situations that are big, that others see, and that must be addressed for the good of the game (both the game on that field and the game of baseball generally). 
4. Experienced officials know how much shîte they can stomach, and where their line is (usually not strict enough). It's more difficult for newer officials who haven't figured out where their line is, and that's part of the learning curve. I don't tolerate anyone yelling at me—they don't have to agree with me, but they're going to model adult behavior or yell at their steering wheel.
5. I have known few umpires (or officials in the other sports I work) who take (what I consider) exactly the right amount of shîte—almost all habitually take way too much, and a very few have hair triggers. Many of them don't know how to issue a proper warning, either. For me, that's the real art: warnings aren't there to prevent ejections (I'm not trying to prevent anything), they're there to remind a participant of the consequences of proceeding. Then the participant makes his choice, and we go from there.

[834k3r]

I really appreciate this thread and hope it continues.

I've only ejected one coach and one player and they were both really easy (no doubters); although this is a minor part of our repertoire it's the part for which I probably feel the least prepared. Without going to clinics there's no good way to practice this, so I greatly value the discussion and "war stories."

[love to ump]

I second 834k3r's post.  Value the discussion and stories.

Have done  200+ games over past two seasons, zero ejections, one dugout restriction....maybe it's true that  Canadians are just too damn polite!!

[HumblePie]

3 hours ago, love to ump said:

Maybe it's true that  Canadians are just too damn polite!!

The only time I ever threw a catcher out of a game while on defense was a kid from Canada who started barking at me and sticking pitches about five pitches into a summer ball tournament.

I'm not sure I ever thought of that team as too damned polite.

[love to ump]

5 pitches in!!....well at least you had his name from the "plate meeting"  when you threw him out!!

[HokieUmp]

Honestly?  I swear more or less like a pirate, so I kinda wish the 4Ps were actually the 3Ps, and leave Profane out of it.  I'd be okay with it, since I would easily/happily provide an equivalent-level rejoinder.

To use the original scenario - although I'd never brush a damn base off.....

Player:  "You gotta be f---ing kidding!"

Me:  "No, I'm not f---ing kidding, and you need to get outta here before you get run."

And ........ scene.

He get his f-bomb out the way, and blow a little steam off, I get mine, and hopefully he goes away, and doesn't get tossed.  If he decides to keep going, well, he's had his chance.

[JonnyCat]

3 hours ago, HokieUmp said:

Honestly?  I swear more or less like a pirate,

Yeah, after nearly 40 years in construction, I know my way around profanity. In fact, some would say I'm well versed in it. Hazards of the job!

[jimurrayalterego]

3 hours ago, HokieUmp said:

Honestly?  I swear more or less like a pirate, so I kinda wish the 4Ps were actually the 3Ps, and leave Profane out of it.  I'd be okay with it, since I would easily/happily provide an equivalent-level rejoinder.

To use the original scenario - although I'd never brush a damn base off.....

Player:  "You gotta be f---ing kidding!"

Me:  "No, I'm not f---ing kidding, and you need to get outta here before you get run."

And ........ scene.

He get his f-bomb out the way, and blow a little steam off, I get mine, and hopefully he goes away, and doesn't get tossed.  If he decides to keep going, well, he's had his chance.

 

20 minutes ago, JonnyCat said:

Yeah, after nearly 40 years in construction, I know my way around profanity. In fact, some would say I'm well versed in it. Hazards of the job!

That's my problem. Grew up using the "New York alphabet"

[grayhawk]

3 hours ago, HokieUmp said:

Honestly?  I swear more or less like a pirate, so I kinda wish the 4Ps were actually the 3Ps, and leave Profane out of it.  I'd be okay with it, since I would easily/happily provide an equivalent-level rejoinder.

I'm similar in that as long as the profanity isn't directed AT me, and "You gotta be f---ing kidding!" is not directed AT me, then I don't really care.

I was the instructional chair for my HS unit a few years ago, and we had far too many ejections for simple profanity, so the next season I showed the rule that says a participant MAY be ejected for using profanity (not SHALL) and our ejections went down that year. I don't do HS anymore but I think I heard that profanity was a POE recently, so I suspect ejections went back up. 

[grayhawk]

31 minutes ago, jimurrayalterego said:

That's my problem. Grew up using the "New York alphabet"

Or the old Robin Williams "New York echo":

Helooooooo!

Shut the F*#K up!

[bluejerred]

I recently put a post up about having 10 ejections this year.  Had good feedback on it from the group.  I used to be afraid of issuing an ejection - I was already worried about what a coach, player, fan, partner, or assigner would do.  This caused me to lack confidence in myself and spilled over into other parts of my game.  I also used to let the "grow thick skin" comment bother me - as to imply that if I eject someone, I can't mentally handle the pressure.  I grew to believe the opposite is true - letting people get away with whatever they want and allowing yourself to be miserable is not having "thick skin".  Handling business is having "thick skin".  Remember that you are the impartial party at a game - if you are miserable, there is a high chance you aren't the only one and they might be relying on you to make things better for everyone else.

 

 

[Velho]

You nailed it @bluejerred.

12 minutes ago, bluejerred said:

I was already worried about what a coach, player, fan, partner, or assigner would do

Good reminder. I need to revisit/refresh of the concept of not caring.

See except from a great book about this below. Author also has a book (apologies for the profanity in the link title if it offends and, if the f word bothers you, you really don't want to click through)

https://markmanson.net/not-giving-a-F*#K

[concertman1971]

On 11/17/2024 at 10:27 AM, grayhawk said:

Sweep the dirt off the base?

@grayhawk tell me you haven't worked in TN without telling me. 

Having worked the "Spring Fling" (state finals) in TN, I can confirm some of the guys working those Finals have been working the State Finals for the past 20+ years. They are set in their ways and if (god forbid) they did not get to the State Tournament, would probably quit and take all of their friends with them. 

My one EJ this year was the easiest of my life. Game 4 of a 4 game series, HTHC had enough of the way his team was playing. Play at the plate, I call SAFE. He comes out, i meet him at the edge of the dirt circle, warn him to not enter the dirt to argue the play at home, he goes right around me. Boom. gone. Easiest EJ ever. He wanted to go and made it easy on me. Easily defendable, looked good on video, report was easy and the assignor replied "got it, thank you". Had I not EJ, would have looked terrible.

[grayhawk]

16 minutes ago, concertman1971 said:

@grayhawk tell me you haven't worked in TN without telling me. 

Having worked the "Spring Fling" (state finals) in TN, I can confirm some of the guys working those Finals have been working the State Finals for the past 20+ years. They are set in their ways and if (god forbid) they did not get to the State Tournament, would probably quit and take all of their friends with them. 

My one EJ this year was the easiest of my life. Game 4 of a 4 game series, HTHC had enough of the way his team was playing. Play at the plate, I call SAFE. He comes out, i meet him at the edge of the dirt circle, warn him to not enter the dirt to argue the play at home, he goes right around me. Boom. gone. Easiest EJ ever. He wanted to go and made it easy on me. Easily defendable, looked good on video, report was easy and the assignor replied "got it, thank you". Had I not EJ, would have looked terrible.

Sounds like if they quit it might be addition by subtraction.

Yeah, that's a no brainer EJ. Love the restrictions the NCAA has put on coaches coming out to "discuss" a call.

[HumblePie]

On 11/21/2024 at 6:14 PM, grayhawk said:

I don't do HS anymore but I think I heard that profanity was a POE recently, so I suspect ejections went back up. 

My first year of high school was 2005, and our state director stood before 300 officials and coaches and stated, after writing the word on the board,

" 'SUCK' is a profane word, it will not be tolerated, so I'm telling you, throw them out of the game and it will be like church for the next 7 weeks!"

It was an unmitigated disaster.

This same director, in January of 2006, stood in front of us and declared,

"When it comes to profanity, do whatever it takes to keep the players in the game. I never said to throw a player out of the game if he's using profanity that's not directed at anyone."

It was a sad case of a proud man unable to admit he had made a mistake.

[Velho]

1 hour ago, HumblePie said:

"'SUCK' is a profane word, it will not be tolerated, so I'm telling you, throw them out of the game and it will be like church for the next 7 weeks!"

Only time my son got EJ'd was freshman year. He leaned into a non-strike pitch and started to take the base. PU said "no, you leaned into it" (which was fine because he did). My son argued back - not rude but not Sunday Grandma polite. They went back and forth for 15-20 seconds. PU finally realized it was ball 4 and said "take your base". My exasperated 14 yr old said "Christ!" and the PU tossed him.

It was a learning lesson not to talk back to umpires (or even engage with them). Which he learned and converted to a life lesson on when it's good to push back and when not too. So all's well that ends well.

Funniest part though, my wife was worried about it affecting his future playing time (beyond the automatic game suspension and learning from the moment). I assured here it would be fine because, beside him accepting the learning lesson, frankly, the kids behind him weren't that good. 

His replacement went 5-5. 😳 LOL

[jimurrayalterego]

27 minutes ago, Velho said:

Only time my son got EJ'd was freshman year. He leaned into a non-strike pitch and started to take the base. PU said "no, you leaned into it" (which was fine because he did). My son argued back - not rude but not Sunday Grandma polite. They went back and forth for 15-20 seconds. PU finally realized it was ball 4 and said "take your base". My exasperated 14 yr old said "Christ!" and the PU tossed him.

It was a learning lesson not to talk back to umpires (or even engage with them). Which he learned and converted to a life lesson on when it's good to push back and when not too. So all's well that ends well.

Funniest part though, my wife was worried about it affecting his future playing time (beyond the automatic game suspension and learning from the moment). I assured here it would be fine because, beside him accepting the learning lesson, frankly, the kids behind him weren't that good. 

His replacement went 5-5. 😳 LOL

I get 2 or 3 ball 4 wear it occurrences every year. Me and the catcher have a chuckle.

[BigBlue4u]

On 11/22/2024 at 10:58 AM, concertman1971 said:

He wanted to go and made it easy on me.

I have had a handful of coaches over the years who wanted to go. I'll always ask them if they are sure, to give them a second chance, and I have never had a coach change his mind.  Sometimes the conversation goes like this: "It was a crazy play. I'm pretty sure you got it right, but my team is going nuts, and our fans are going nuts so you are just going to have to toss me." So I tell him to act up a little and I'll be happy to accommodate him.  He does and I do.