[JRutledge]

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
Are you telling me that you wouldn't get together when a coach comes out and asks you to ask your partner for help (on an applicable play, as we've discussed), you'll beg off?

I do not give a damn what a coach wants. If my partner wants help, he will ask. If I need help, I will ask. The coach has nothing to do with that decision. And it might not be appropriate to ask for help in many situations. Coaches ask for help on many plays where another umpire could have made a call if they saw something but did not.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
That is a major contention here. Some guys think that their calls are absolute and don't acre what anyone else thinks.

Depending on the call and situation, it is absolute. If my partner sees my call, what the heck is he watching?

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
Do you say "No" when he asks for an appealed check swing?
Then why would you not say "Okay coach, back off and I'll ask him what he saw." Now you get together and say, "Jurassic, I saw him come off the bag and he never got back before the runner. How about you?" When he tells you that he's got the same thing, you walk back to him and say, "Coach, my partner and I agree. It was a great dig by your first baseman, but he lost the bag. The runner is safe. Now, let's play ball."

At the HS level, I am not asking for a checked swing help just because a coach asks for it. For one, they ask for them when it is so obvious there was no swing. Or better yet they want the PU to get help after they have ruled the batter made a swing.

Windy, I have been doing this awhile. I know when I need help or when I need to give help. It is a pregame discussion I bring up every single game. So if there is an issue with a pulled foot, we have already discussed that situation before the game.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
The Major Leaguers have shown us all year that they are not afraid to get help or even look like they are getting together (1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 guys) to talk. Talking with each other gives the appearance of sincerity and reflects respect for the game.

I have also seen many situations where they did not ask for help either. I have yet to see an umpire ask for help at the ML level for a pulled foot or a dropped ball. They have gotten together on interference calls or rulings on homeruns or where to advance runners, but not on basic plays. I certainly have not seen ML Umpires asking for help on checked swings because the coach wanted it. They tend to do that on their own.

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
Finally, I will not offer assistance and don't expect to receive any WHEN A COACH HASN'T COME ON THE FIELD OR REQUESTED IT. The only time we are aware that there is a problem is when a coach or player lets us know! It's not a difficult concept.

I guess the part that I find disturbing is that you seem to base a lot of things on what the coach does. Coaches do and say things to get an advantage. Coaches will see what strings they can pull from you. The last person I give a damn about is what the coach thinks. They sometimes have legitimate gripes and I have been officiating long enough to recognize that. But just because a coach wants me to ask for help is silly to me.

Peace