[Rich]

Originally posted by His High Holiness

It depends on the politics of your association. In my own association, I am very senior and I don't care what the junior umpires think of me. I have been known to step in and correct a little dog's mishaps when he is too bull headed to come to me.

Example:

A couple of years ago, I was doing the bases in a FED game between two intense rivals. Bottom of 7th, tie score, bases loaded, with 2 outs. The pitcher delivered ball 4 and R3 came home from third, touched the plate, and everyone celebrated the victory around home plate. After about 10-15 seconds, my partner call the BR out for not going to first. He was still celebrating the victory at home. The home team coach came running out of the dugout breathing fire towards my partner. I yelled at the coach to come to me. I said quietly. "Coach, I'll take care of this if you just get that dumb-a$$ batter down to first and go back to your dugout."

I called my partner out to the C position and I asked him "What the hell are you doing?"

He said that he called the BR out for abandoning the bases. I said "You are not f$$$ing up this game with a call like that. A BR cannot be called out for abandoning the bases until after he gets in the dugout."

Then I said "And exactly where is the batter now?" The batter waved at us from over at first base and we quickly got the hell out of there before the visiting coach could lose his cool.

I had the same bozo for a partner two months later in a Legion game. He insisted that I do the plate because it was my turn. I said "No, you are doing the plate because you screwed up the last game and so you get to do it until you get it right." He grumbled loudly and put on his plate gear.

It about the fifth inning we had the following situation:

R3, R1, 1 out. R1 is moving on the pitch and a fly is hit to center for the fly out. R3 scores after the tag and R1 is doubled up going back to first. R3 clearly scored well before the ball reached first base.

As we are starting the next inning, I noticed that the score board did not reflect the run scored from the previous half inning. Before my partner can call "Play", I jogged in and asked him about the run that just scored. He said. "The run did not score becasue it was a force play at first." I said. "You just screwed up again so you owe me another plate. You can instruct the scorekeeper to put up another run or I'll show you up and do it for you."

Another run was put on the board and he went home after the game and called the assignor and demanded that I never work with him again. When the assingor did not honor his request, he quit. Good riddance.

On the other hand, if I am working with a bigger dog than me, he can screw up all he wants and if he doesn't come to me, it isn't going to be fixed.

The politics of my association hold the senior man accountable for all screw ups. When I am going to be held accountable, I take the necessary actions to get things right. If it violates umpire traditions, tough s$$$.

Recently, I wrote here about a situation where a junior umpire screwed up a catcher's interference call. I wandered into the mound as if to say. "Come ask me for Help!" He took the hint and asked me for help. If he had not, I would have intervened. It all has to do with the expectations of your assignor and the pre game conference. Get these things settled in pregame so you don't have any surprises.

Peter

Sounds like a really enjoyable place to umpire. And you sound like a really great partner to work with.

--Rich