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Originally Posted by IamMatt
This coach's opinion is don't do it--I don't think it is part of the job description.
If the winning coach wants to let up, that is up to him.
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Acting as a professional. Acting as a role model. Teaching and practicing good sportsmanship. That is part of everyone’s “ job description”.
I’ve umpired JV to REC games that were 32-0 after 2 hours and still in the 3rd inning. I’ve seen coaches winning by 25 runs and still pulling double steals. In every one of these games I‘ve seen the losing coaches, players, and parents getting more and more frustrated as the other coach keeps “pouring it on”. I believe that good preventive umpiring requires me to have a private discussion with the coach between innings before tempers get out of hand. In every case, to the coaches credit they did change their tactics. I’ve had discussions with coaches about expanding the strike zone, and with their permission have done so. I also remind every batter that if a pitch is close it will be a strike, again without a single complaint. (I don’t call balls over their head or in the dirt strikes).
I have never in 5 years had a complaint about this. The key is to ask their permission, remind each batter, and only call it a strike if they have a chance to hit it.