I Will Get More Ejections!

[Umpire in Chief]

Guys, I've been seeing a lot of horrid behavior on the field lately. I've come to believe that the players and coaches are acting the way they do because we as umpires, or officials in any sport for that matter, are letting the rats push the line so far back that we are losing control of the game. I got fired up the other day I was not scheduled for a game that day and knew one of my buddies was working a JV game at a school I pass on my way home from work. I stopped by to watch the last few innings of the game. There was a play with R2 No outs a fly to right field. R2 taged up and tried for third. It was a hell of a throw and a VERY close play my buddy was the BU and called the runner safe. He was in excellent position and I wouldn't even try to second guess him, especially from the first base bleachers. Out comes the coach giving him a bunch of crap getting very animated and hollering.

My friend stood there and took it, and took it. But in watching it seemed to me he went from being the better person and not letting the coach get the better of him to looking weak for not taking any action. As this was happening I was thinking, this is how I must look. Needless to say I wasn't very happy about it. I kept waiting for him to pull the trigger, but it never happened. The coach eventually went away on his own.

Seeing this happen to someone else made me rethink how much I am willing to take. The rest of my way home I was thinking about the situations I have been involved in and how I must have looked exactly like my friend did. I have now vowed not to let a coach or player make me look bad in this way.

I got inspired to write an article about this. While I have no EJs yet this year I'm not out looking for them or going to be a red ass, I'm not going to let this happen to me any more.

[LMSANS]

If I never have another EJ for the rest of my officiating career, I would be very happy. I had 2 just the other day, because a player and a coach (in separate games) stepped over that line. I give credit (blame?) to this and other forums. I am a very tolerant person normally, but I have learned that my tolerance just makes it harder the next time. So I am less hesitant to toss a belligerent participant.

[Umpire in Chief]

I didn't pull the trigger yet again...

Local city Parks & Rec game equivalent to LL Minors. The kids first player pitch experience.

The pitcher is throwing rainbow pitches with a 12 foot arc. One of these pitches lands on the point of the plate and I call for strike 3. At the front of the plate it was probably at his belt.

The coach walking back to his dugout says something to me about not taking the game away from the kids. He goes on to say that if it hits the plate it can't be a strike.

I replied with a quick, "Coach we're not going to discuss balls and strikes."

He continues...

I had so many things running though my mind of what I wanted to say to him, but thought better of. I instead said, "Coach conversation is over get back to the dugout and well keep playing." He did go back huffing and puffing. He mad a few other indirect comments during the game.

I think the only thing that kept me from pulling the trigger is the level of play. Being a parks and rec really young kids game. Same thing in a bronco/Juniors game I'm pretty sure I would have dumped him.

[Kyle_Stevens]

I think that you are justified either way, considering the level of play like you said. Were the conversations you had with him in ear shot of others? If they were, you could've taken him aside and sternly given him his two choices, both of which involve him ending the discussion of balls and strikes.

Quite a few of the LL coaches around here think they are next in line to replace Bobby Cox and are wanting to practice during an 8 yr old game. Most of them get by with it around here because of the experience level of the umpires.

I am also irritated that the coaches don't understand the 'plane' at the front of the plate. When a kids knees are 8" from the dirt, the ball can cross the strike zone and even hit the back of the plate. However, it is not our job to explain this basic stuff.

[LMSANS]

One of the reasons I don't work the small diamond is the preponderance of ignorance in coaching. I hate the idea of ej anybody in a 10u league, but can't imagine putting up with the bs.

I do work jr/sr LL and that is difficult enough with the daddy coaches. FWIW I have developed a reputation for a low tolerance level and don't hear a lot of complaining.

[blindumpire99]

I've been extremely lucky this year.

As of this writing, I've only made one EJ the entire season which includes HS regular season, youth league ball, summer HS league and now fall ball.

Got about 3 weeks left in Fall Ball ....

[mstaylor]

I've had eight or ten. I had two in one game, should have been three.

[Stan W.]

Over the years I have watched my ejection total decrease in yearly totals...I keep a game journal so I know exactly how many I have had...

Dont regret your ejections...we dont eject coaches and players...they do it themselves by crossing the line.....we just confirm the ejection...

Ejecting participants for bad behavior is doing all your fellow umpires a favor...allowing bad behavior is just pushing the problem children down the line and onto the next umpire...

Having the reputation of having a "line that cant be crossed" is not a bad thing...(I am not reccomending being trigger happy although some do.....esp early in your career)

[BT_Blue]

The problem I have seen is that people just dont want to deal with the problems of an EJ. Whether it is they dont want the responsibility of the EJ. Or having to write the report. Some people just dont do it. Ive had at least one EJ every year for the last 14 years (except last year due to my schedule being drastically cut due to my work schedule).

The only EJs that bug me are the ones that I didnt do. What are your guys thoughts on missing the ejection when you are supposed to do it. Then a play happens. Can do EJ after the play?

I was on the bases and the OAC started complaining about a check swing strike I called. I told him to knock it off (he responded "no") and my partner didnt notice that I was having words with the dugout allowed the next pitch to happen. the BR grounded out to F4. Could I then come back and inform the HC that his assistant needed to hit the showers or have I missed the chance. After the he said "no" and the pitcher made the pitch I didnt hear anything else from the coach so I didnt get a second chance.

[mstaylor]

Yes, you could go back and get the ejection. To have a coach blatantly tell you no after a knock it off, he's got to go.

Yoou can't allow the inmates run the asylum. To have a coach tell you he isn't going to do something or tells you to make him, he is challenging your authority and ability to control the game.

[BrianC14]

Yes, you could go back and get the ejection. To have a coach blatantly tell you no after a knock it off, he's got to go.

Yoou can't allow the inmates run the asylum. To have a coach tell you he isn't going to do something or tells you to make him, he is challenging your authority and ability to control the game.

Agreed. In that situtation, you could easily give him the hook after the play is completed. If they whine, you simply state that the ball was live.

There's no time limit (per rule) on an ejection, anyway. And if OAC means an Offensive Assistant Coach, well, we all know that those guys don't exist in our world anyway, right? So especially if it's an assistant coach, then :cheers:

Edited January 13, 2009 by BrianC14

[Dragon29]

An assistant coach? Don't even talk to him if he starts w/a complaint. (a jovial word between innings may be OK, but that's it) Just ignore him unless/until he gets loud enough for even one player to hear - then, he's gone.

Managers get a little lee-way; ACs get zero!

[BT_Blue]

Yeh, this is the one and only EJ that I wish I had gotten and didnt. Its actually my fault for not trying to kill the ball when it happened.

It was all my fault. I wasnt used to arguing balls and strikes without my mask on and since I was up the 1b line I obviously didnt. I actually ended up taking off both my hat and my sunglasses so I think i didnt continue with the EJ mostly cause I was redfaced because of me more or less undressing myself.

I promise I wont make the same mistake again.

[jjb]

In 26 years (damn, I'm old), I can't remember a dozen of the countless EJ's I've been involved in: however, I can probably remember every single coach/player who needed to go, but I didn't throw him.

About 10 years ago, I'm working one of those End-of-the Year Invitational Tournaments that we've become accustomed to: y'know, the ones where the fights begin during the plate meeting. Anyway, I'm chatting with my partner as the teams as coming in from warming up. My partner says, "Jimmy, have you tossed anybody this year?" I thought a moment, and said "Y'know, I don't think I have." THE FIRST PLAY, the BR hits a triple: as he's coming in toward third, the ball's right behind him. F5 doesn't even try and field the throw, but lays the most beautiful forearm on the runner, as the ball goes into the dugout.

I pointed at the third baseman, and said, "pal, you are SO ejected", and sent the runner home. The Defensive HC actually gives birth in the dugout, and comes screaming across the field at me, shouting phrases I haven't heard since the Marine Corps. He gets launched. Next, the parent of the kid I tossed (I guess) comes out of the stands, and starts running at me. I toss him, and, as I did it, I'm looking at my partner, who's holding onto the fence, trying to stay upright from laughing so hard. He looks at me, and says, "Jimmy, you've gotten three on ONE PLAY!"

[BT_Blue]

and it only took you the first play. Nice!

[catoblue]

Head coach giving birth in the dugout.... I'd have been struggling to not fall down laughing too!!!!

[Old Nr 24]

It is and always has been my contention that getting the reputation of being one who will not take a load of crap (not the red ass, but a no-nonesense umpire) makes ones career go a lot smoother in the end. Once you establish yourself as being an umpire who will not hesitate to pull the trigger if the line is crossed (and they already know where those line are, or should!), it has been my experience that most are unwilling to test you.

This is along the same lines as my theory of "call more strikes, call more outs." I feel that if you call the close pitches (even maybe a bit off the plate, or low) a strike, you set your tone for the game, the hitters are more willing to swing, the game becomes shorter, and usually goes pretty smoothly. Being the one who administers that kind of nebulous thing we call a strike zone, it's up to you to set the standards for each game. Call the close ones strikes and see if it doesn't make for a better game all around.

As for outs over safes (unless the runner is obviously safe, of course) it's a matter of expectations. Batter hits a smash to third that is snagged, quickly juggled, then the ball zooms across the infield for what appears to be a "tie." I know, there are no ties, right? Uh-huh, right. Call the batter-runner out! It was close, and what is everyone in the park expecting on a fielded ball to third? Right, a groundout, so why not oblige them? You will catch far less grief on a close out call than you will on a close safe call!