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Originally Posted by JIGGY
UMPIRES DO NOT GET PAID TO TAKE CRAP- ANY CRAP- ANY AMOUNT- PERIOD!
having said that...(and before everyone goes ape over that statement all by itself)
We as umpires have more than one tool in our chest. Especially as it pertains to balls and strikes from the dugouts or coaches boxes. My first reaction to his first outburst might be just to note who said it but not even acknowledge it (ignore). I took action, just not one everyone can see. If he keeps going (which they almost always will), i will acknowledge the second one (i.e. looking in his direction- if he says something then i may give a short response something like "that's a good pitch, a strike all day today"). Then I go back to work (I'm giving him every opportunity to shut up). If he pops of again, that's the last one: "hey!, that's enough. we're not gonna talk about pitches!" mask off and giving him the stop sign. Then it's up to him, next comment at all about pitches or my zone he just dumped himself. Obviously there may be instances when his actions or comments accelerate this process, that is the judgment we get paid the big bucks for. Balls strikes should be a fairly easy one to deal with in most cases without constricting him from talking at all and without me having to take any crap off of him without action. One HUGE thing to understand with ejections is (IMHO) that we have other tools in our chest, and we shouldn't be ejecting anyone because he "pissed me off" or "i hate it when they do _____" There are reasons to get run and then there are things that we don't like but aren't a reason to get run. It is part of our job not to make any decision on the field out of emotion or personal feelings one way or the other. An ejection should not be the result of being "fed up". If you are fed up, why didn't you handle it before you got "fed up"? Food for Thought.
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During the time leading up to his first warning and the time you toss him there must have been some "crap" taken? Sounds like on the first outburst (I call it crap) you just note who said something (but ignore it). Then if it happens again you look his way and engage him in a verbal exchange (I can see where that might have the opposite effect). Then when he says something again (for the 3rd time) you take off your mask and give him the hand saying "hey!, that's enough. we're not gonna talk about pitches!" Then IF (when) he gives you more crap (for the fourth time) you finally run him. That's a lot more crap than I will take.
If a coach makes a comment after a pitch I'll give him some leadway, depending on what he says, but after a very short time I'll usually say (first warning) "I heard you coach, that's enough". This is with mask in hand and probably his only warning. Any more comments from the coach then it's to show me up and he is asking me (daring me) to take more actions against him.
We just don't argue balls/strikes....never ever! You'll sometimes hear comments on a pitch but when they begin to make a scene they are opening their own exit door.
Coaches learn which umpires they can't push too hard, word spreads. Every game I work the coach knows what to expect from me if pushed. I haven't ejected a single coach (HS or higher in my 100+ games this season). I did get a youth coach Saturday though....but not until he asked me to toss him
