Coach ejected

[plsjms94]

The coaches and umpires didn't meet one another prior to the start of the game?

They did. Don't know if names were exchanged. The plate ump was very defensive. HC asked him three times, IMO very politely. PU just shook his head and said you don't need to know his name.

 

[plsjms94]

The honest answer is anytime the umpire believes it is warranted.
Was it an over reaction? Maybe, we are only hearing on side of the story. But it really doesn't make any difference as what alternative is there? Are you going to forfeit a game over something so trivial?

Best thing to do is approach the TD after the game and voice your concerns. The TD will know or be able to find out, who the umpire was.

Agreed. It is just disappointing to have grown men act so childishly instead of acknowleding a mistake. These are 11 and 12 year old girls who see and hear everything that goes on on the field. Umpires are the only ones being paid to be there. Their job is to enforce the rules and call the game impartially. I have seen umpires overturn their own calls when they recognize they made a mistake and I have a lot of respect for them for putting the game and the players ahead of their own ego.

 

[MTR]

Agreed. It is just disappointing to have grown men act so childishly instead of acknowleding a mistake.

Not big on apologizing for anything and, just maybe, the umpire did not believe it was a mistake. But that is irrelevant to acting like an adult.

These are 11 and 12 year old girls who see and hear everything that goes on on the field. Umpires are the only ones being paid to be there.

I really tire of hearing that. You want to know why the umpires are paid? Because it is the only way you can get someone on the field in today's world. I've offered to train volunteers, at no charge, for youth leagues. Cannot get any takers. I had one league pay for an umpire school for five "umpires". Only one should up. The other four thought it was more important to rake the field and pick-up leaves left from the Fall. Whether you realize it, it is rather expensive to be an umpire and do it right. I don't know of many who can afford to do it without remuneration.

Their job is to enforce the rules and call the game impartially. I have seen umpires overturn their own calls when they recognize they made a mistake and I have a lot of respect for them for putting the game and the players ahead of their own ego.

Well, I agree with the first sentence. It is a common word for many, but I don't really care for the term "overturn". An umpire may change a call when they receive more information. The call may have been 100% correct until that additional information was added. I think people like to use the term "overturn" simply because it seems like an act of power and authority when in many cases, it is little of either.

mini-rant, slightly off-topic

There are a lot of people who think something is wrong simply because they do not believe it to be fair, and I know of umpires who officiate in the same manner. Problem is "fair" and rules do not always go hand and hand and the umpire isn't really there for the kids, but the game and that is the way it should be approached as an official. People think it is okay for the umpire to be "fair" until fair to one team takes away the effort of your team playing by the rules.

 

[murphdog]

I've only seen a coach ejected once. 10U Nationals, play at the plate. Runner was out by a country mile and coach flipped out, called the FU a whole bunch of words that a coach should not say infront of 10U girls. PU very nicely told him to leave not just the dugout but the field complex. Saw him later that day walking along the fence outside the complex muttering to himself.

 

[PGSAKen]

Sundays umpire lost trackof the count on 8 occasions. Even sent batter to first on a walk when the count was 1-2.

You could tell he was not focused. In hindsight I wonder if he was under any influences (pain meds etc) as his behavior was far from the norm.

He did get better as the day went on but in bracket play thats a bit too late for some teams.

I have seen the other end where umpires will not warn or toss a coach for aggressive and angry behavior. In a recent case the umpire let a coach stay our of control for the game. After the game it escalated into a player getting assaulted on the field.

Its a liability call and Id rather an umpire be cautious than passive. This is a change in view for me after what happened to my girl.

 

[David Carter]

Only slightly off topic...here is what happens when you do not pay umpires...Little League (I think they are still volunteers), anyway about 15 years ago our team (my son BB) had struggled without a win all year and we are finally up in the last game its the last inning and there are two outs the ball is hit hard to the outfield and the tying run is getting ready to round third, our relay is perfect catcher is three or four step up the line with the ball as runner is about half way there, the runner proceeds to try and avoid the tag having a near brush with the pitchers mound in the process as he avoids the tag and slides home he is called safe by HIS DAD the home plate umpire. Myself as the HC (not as calm as I am today) jump off the bench the stands behind me erupt and begin to explain how far out of the base line the runner was, then all of a sudden with the angriest look I have every seen the umpire begin to charge fists clenched straight at me he has 6 inches and at least 50 pounds on me and being a scrappy little guy I manage to retreat over the fence by the dugout to safety as the FU gets him under control.

Crazy thing is we were all friends. The problem from the HU standpoint was he thought he heard a racial epithet coming from me. After tempers subsided and he thought about it for a while and realized it had to have been from the stands and that even then he probably misunderstood with all the yelling going on things returned to normal, the FU who happened to be the league president helped him get the call right and we all lived happily ever after.

If you think volunteers are the answer then you won't find anyone running your leagues because guess who is stuck when no one shows up, some one from the board (in our story the protagonist was the league field/equipment manager) ends up standing in so the kids can play and things could go terribly wrong.

I only umpired for 3 years, girls FP in Alabama, but you learn really quickly that you simply have to develop a thick skin, if you threw everyone out that argued calls there would not be any coaches left.

 

[CoogansBluff]

After the next inning the HC asked the plate ump what the field ump's name was. He told him he didn't need to know it.

I think the umpire was right about that. You don't need to know his name. The tournament director can figure that out. Asking for the umpire's name the next inning after an ejection is agitating. If the coach wants to know the umpire's name, then get it at home plate before the first pitch and remember it.

Also, most umpires express before the game that if a coach has a disagreement with a call to come to the umpire who made the call after the play and discuss it. Instead, the head coach yelled from the dugout. When asked who yelled, the head coach didn't answer honestly, but an assistant took one for the team instead.

I'm basing that on this: ''HC and several fans yelled "it's a force." ... HC said he didn't know who said that.''

I can't defend the umpire's call at second, or his decision to eject. Didn't see it, but don't doubt that they were improper. Just wonder if the head coach couldn't have done a better job himself.

If somebody makes a mistake based on the force-out rule, I figure I've got a pretty good chance of getting that overturned by talking calmly and diplomatically with the umpire about it.

"Did you see my fielder touch the bag before the runner arrived?" Then she's out.

 

[David Carter]

Coogan is right on target...first thing the umpire should ever see or hear is the coach standing there, with his hand up in the air, saying in a calm voice loud enough for the ump to see and hear " Blue, time", then walk over and have a conversation with him once time is granted. If he sees you with you hand up saying "Blue" in a calm manner then he knows it is not you yelling at him.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Why can't umps be more like this..........

[/IMG]

 

[plsjms94]

For the record I think umpires should absolutely be paid, but I expect them to do the job competently. I truly believe HC was caught up in the play and reacted to the bad call. It was that obvious that the call was blown. Before he could even recover to call time and ask about the call the umpire had called for the ejection. HC has also umpired for several years so should have handled it better.

Definitely believe their are instances when ejections are appropriate. Have seen coaches, fans, and even a 12u player ejected-most legitimately, but have also seen a few instances of power tripping umpires who clearly didn't appreciate their call being questioned.