Was she out of line, or was I?

[spleen1015]

I used to be a yell at the ump kind of guy. Then you start talking to other parents and college coaches about how kids lose opportunities because their parents are d-bags. Losing an opportunity for my DD is not something I want to do. I stood by the LF foul pole and watched all 6 games this last weekend and found myself not yelling at anyone.

 

[TexAg1998]

I used to be a yell at the ump kind of guy. Then you start talking to other parents and college coaches about how kids lose opportunities because their parents are d-bags. Losing an opportunity for my DD is not something I want to do. I stood by the LF foul pole and watched all 6 games this last weekend and found myself not yelling at anyone.

Most helpful comment of the day. Thanks.

 

[djcarter1966]

Most helpful comment of the day. Thanks.

I was not kidding about the outfield thing, there is actually a group of us that usually stand down the line about halfway between the bag and fence, the view is fine, we chat, argue grip and complain amongst ourselves out of earshot of both our girls and the umpires. As others have said please don't take it the wrong way most of us have been in your shoes and understand your frustration when we see things that either coaches or umpires do wrong. Anyway hopefully we don't chase you away, as others have said this is a great place to gain perspective, learn and vent

 

[Cannonball]

I've had some weird umpiring this week. This past weekend, the only time I had beef with an umpire was on a similar play to the OP but at 2nd base. Runner stealing. My catcher has a cannon. So, runner is going to be out by a lot. Runner stops so 2B walks up to tag her. Runner then runs out of baseline around 2B and I mean around while 2B is standing on the bag with the ball not allowing her to get to the bag. It is so obvious that the girl is out, she finally stops and proceeds to walk toward bench. My player throws ball to pitcher. Coach for other team yells to player to get to the bag. The call is safe. I walk out and ask how in this world could that player be safe. Not only has she been out of base path in a circle around the bag. (We were all laughing in the dugout as this was so comical.) She has attempted to leave the field by passing 2B and headed to 3B side dugout. Here was the explanation. Umpire said that in his opinion, if she ever stuck her arms out and dove, she could reach the bag and so, the tag had to be applied. I asked where that was in the book. Then, I said the runner had bypassed the bag, the ball was returned to the circle, the runner had continued toward the dugout even when the ball was in the circle and then returned to the bag. The explanation by the umpire was, "no one made a play on her so she was good." So, as I did several times this past week, I commented that if that is what the umpire thinks is in the rule book, I can't help them. Note, I wish I was making this up but I am not. I can only top this by the batter stepping on the plate and not having it called even when the Umpire saw it. Why? Because the Plate is in fair territory. You can't make this stuff up!

 

[Mike Alwine]

At 18-0, why isn't the winning team just stepping off? Looks like sportsmanship needs a refresher course in your area.

 

[MTR]

Here's the situation: high school game, last game of the season. Score is 18 to 0. Losing team is on defense with one out. Runner at third, ball is hit to the third baseman who fields it cleanly and throws it home. Runner coming from third stops with her left foot on the chalk line, catcher tries to apply the tag and runner arches her back and runs about 5 feet toward the pitcher's circle to avoid the tag. Umpire makes no call. The resulting rundown situation ends with the runner being safe at third and the batter safe at second. Several parents in the stands, including myself, were yelling that the runner had left the basepath to avoid the tag and should be out. Head coach goes out to appeal the call, and both officials tell her that the call stands and go sit down. I tell home plate umpire to check his phone because he missed a call.

Being on the chalk is irrelevant to the rule, but others are correct, it is completely judgment and from experience, on the field is a much better view than from the stands

Defense has to get through 4 more batters to get two more outs to end the half inning. At that time the home plate umpire walks over to our side and singles me out because I'm keeping scorebook (for my benefit, not for the team - they have student managers who do that in an official capacity for the team) and says "if you're going to make comments to the officials you need to learn the rules." I reply that I'm very familiar with the rules as they apply to this particular situation and that he should just admit that he blew the call. He got very agitated, started yelling that none of us have a clue, and had to be physically restrained by the field official before making even more of a spectacle of himself. Once the field official got him calmed down then the field official came over and issued a warning to me and told me that they were right and I was wrong and if there one more outburst from anyone that I would be ejected and reported to our state's athletic governing body. They even went a step further and informed our head coach that if I got ejected then she would be ejected as well.

Neither umpire should have approached you, period. When it comes to the game, your opinion isn't worth the paper on which you are keeping score.

At no point in time did anyone use any foul or demeaning language. As passionate as we may be about a play in the heat of the moment, we do remember that there are teenage girls in the dugout just a few feet away.

Why do people think profanity is a qualifier for ejections? Any knowledgeable coach will tell you the nastiest word you can throw at an umpire is "you". Regardless, in many cases, the umpires' authority doesn't extend beyond the fences to non-team personnel. That doesn't me the umpires cannot request, maybe demand, the school site admin have you removed

By coincidence, I happened to be parked next to one of the officials in the parking lot. After the game, as I was standing by the car waiting for my daughter to come out, both officials approached me and told me that they wanted to educate me on the rules. At that time, I pulled out my phone and read to them, out loud, the rules regarding base path and the effect of a play when a runner moves more than 3 feet out of the base path in order to avoid a tag by a defender (I downloaded the rules a couple of years ago so I could study up on them when I was coaching Little League ball. Granted it is the 2014 ASA rules, but there aren't very many variations between ASA rules and in NFHS rules, right?). Their response was, "well the games over now and there's nothing anybody can do about it, so you have yourself a great evening."

Here are my questions:
1. Was the runner out or was a no call the proper call?

Unless they were there, no one can offer a valid opinion and the only one that counts is the PUs

2. Is there a rule that says the head coach can be ejected even if she did nothing wrong or was that a scare tactic used by the umpires to get me to be quiet?

Don't you know? Not really unless the local HS association approved such a rule

3. Should I explore options for reporting these officials or should I just let it go since the season is over now?

As a fan, you can talk to whomever you please, but odds are it will carry zero weight. If it were that bad, why wouldn't the coach handle that?

 

[chinamigarden]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Many of them were helpful, while some of them were just additional personal attacks. I guess I'll just keep my mouth shut at my daughter's games from now on, especially if I feel like her team is being hosed or cheated. And I'll be damned if I ever ask another question on this forum again.


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sorry that you feel that way. FYI the Url for everyoneagreewithme.com might still be a available

 

[TexAg1998]

I'll just leave this right here.

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[Cannonball]

TexAg, this forum is comprised of all types of people. It would be a shame if you were serious about not posting any other questions. Everyone of us have fallen under scrutiny at some point. Still, the benefits vastly outweigh the negatives.

As a basketball coach, I once had a set of parents get into a fight in the stands. They were getting a divorce. I had the official come over to me, announce to me that I had to take care of it or we would forfeit the game. Why was I put in that situation and more importantly, why was their child subjected to parents who could not control themselves? TexAg, I don't think it right that you called the umpires out but it seems to me they had rabbit ears as well. To be sure, the should never have approached you. In my experience, that is where a coach/fan/parent etc. is being baited. I really don't like umpires baiting someone and I'm sure they were responded to get even with you for your statement. Finally, I understand that as a parent, it is hard to sit there. Still, the coach has to take care of these things. Good luck in the future.

 

[grcsftbll]

sorry that you feel that way. FYI the Url for everyoneagreewithme.com might still be a available

You know I had to check, and it is. I kind of want to buy it. lol