[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by PWL

Steve,

It doesn't matter what answer I give you, it is never good enough or is not the correct way (the San Diego way) to handle it. I explained each situation is unique. I'm merely stating the fact that a consistent strike zone is usually what a coach can live with. I didn't suggest that every pitch was a strike. Just call the same pitch in the same location a strike. Berate me as much as you want. I get compliments on my consistent strike which is a good zone very often. I just take it for what is it worth. It doesn't mean that I'm better than the next umpire. I get the hard line complaining very seldom. When I do, I shut it down nicely and calmly. It's worked every time that I can remember. I do not give repeated warnings. That is the fallacy that you and Tim like to portray to other posters. Working FED games the majority of the time, the coaches hold themselves to a higher degree of conduct. Thus, I encounter less of these problems to begin with. Simply put what works for me might not work for the person that gets upset with criticism as easily as you seem to do. If you feel the need to be large and in charge, be my guest. I just handle the situation differently without all the yelling. I don't yell on the ballfield. Never did and never will.

Ummmm Hmmmmm........

Originally Posted by PWL

I never pay the least slight attention to coaches yelling from the dugout or from the coaching boxes In fact, I have never had an ejection. I know that they can get emotional, and I give them a few seconds to calm down. Of course, I haven't had one go over the edge verbally. There were a few I could have ejected for their actions.

In fact, I've done this a few times to bench jockeys when I feel they have crossed the line.

I call time. Walk over to the dugout. I say calmly, "It ends right now or I'm going to eject the person I think is responsible. You might want to want to get somebody ready in the bullpen". Not that I would do that of course, but it really quites them down a lot.

Another method I have used when I have a coach yelling from the dugout. I stop, take off my mask, step in front of home plate, and tell the coach, "You'll have to yell a lot louder please, I'm hard of hearing, and I don't read lips." Then I brush the plate with my rear end facing their dugout. It let's them know they won't be getting anywhere with that today.

Anyway, I'm in my happy place when I'm on a ballfield. I refuse to let somebody ruin it for me and everybody else out there. There will probably be alot of people out there that don't agree with me. However, I haven't had any complaints that I know of. The coaches that know me best, know that at least they have an umpire out there that will hustle, and is not too vain to try to get the call right.

Tim.