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Like many of you, I'm dusting off gear and getting ready for the new season when I was reminded of a game that didn't go well and i'm curious for other thoughts.
This is ASA JO 14 and under league game.
I'm working with a newbie umpire. The umpire was eager to learn and I think he'll make a decent umpire. This was late in the season, so I'm not sure if he started mid year or if nobody had given him much advice....
Anyway, I'm on the plate. R1 on 1st, 1 out.
R1 steals on the pitch, B1 hits a slow ground ball to shortstop. I trailed a few steps to first. Shortstop bobbled the ball briefly and then threw to first. I started drifting towards third as R1 is now waiting at second to see what short does. The play at first is BANG BANG. The kinda play that we dream about. As Bang Bang as a play can get. The Base Umpire is in position and he calls the runner.....Well we wait....and there is no call from the base umpire. Coaches are yelling. The Base Umpire finally goes up with a very weak out call. As expected, the offensive teams coach goes crazy.
I really beleive that the ump could have called safe or out and would have had no trouble from either coach if he would have sold it and called when he should have.
Since everybody knew that he wasn't sure of the call, the coach exploded.
He came to me and I sent him to the base umpire as he was the one that made the call.
After the coach told him to check with me, we got together. I told him that it was his call and that I was moving towards third and didn't get the best look. Plus, the was no reason for me to overturn his judgement.
We stuck with the out...and this is where it turned on the ugly side.
The coach continue to ask why she was out as he walked to the dugout as I went to brush off home. The scorekeeper, who was in the dugout, said "You guys are the worst guys we've had all year." No problem, at least we'll be remembered. The coach comes back out as asks to appeal the game. I mistook his comment as meaning he wanted to appeal the play. I didn't know you could appeal a game. I asked him what he was appealing. Maybe he was asking about a pulled foot, or something, even though the play was clean. He said that the out/safe call should be overturned. I told him that it was a judgement call and then I said "Lets play ball"
He went back to the dugout as the next batter stepped in. I then heard the scorekeeper say "They're f**king idiots. We can protest any G*d Damn game we want." So, I call time and call the coach from third base back to me and informed him that his scorekeeper had been ejected. He laughed and went back to the third base coaches box. I then tell the scorekeeper that he has been ejected and needs to leave. I wait and he refuses to leave. I inform the coach that he needs to leave or the game is over. Finally, the asst coach gets the scorekeeper to leave, but not after a verbal barage of thoughts. The game comtinues with no trouble.
Any other ways that this could have been handled without it leading to a ejection.
Thanks
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