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Fireworks!
Sorry in advance for the long post. I'm looking for comments/advice on my game management. U16 Sandy Koafax DH. Lets say both my partner and I knew it would be a long day when the visiting coach whines about the balls that the home coach provided for the first game. I'm BU for first game.
1st inning, Visiting F1 balks. I call and award. Visiting manager comes out of the dugout, wanting an explanation. I motion with my left leg to indicate to him the reason for the balk. He then yells "Can I appeal that to him?" I responded "appeal what?". "The balk". PU simply yells lets play and we go about our buisness. No more problems as they win by run rule.
2nd game, I'm PU. Felt I called a really good game, but of course the visiting team (who was now the home team) didn't think so as they went down several runs early on. Early on, visiting pitcher throws a curveball that strikes batter in the backfoot (he was dancing around in the box as he was going to bunt). I award 1st, and the pitcher yells in "that was a strike!". Coach says some more from the dugout but I ignore.
My partner has a banger at 2nd, and we have more flareups. Manager (who is 3rd base coach) is standing in fair territory after the call, with a live ball, clearly upset with my partner. My partner gives him a finger in the air and tells him to get into the box. He retreats back to his box, loudly, and has some words with me in between innings about the call. Still he was just being annoying more than anything.
Then, I call a strike on his batter that he didn't like (I didn't use proper timing and the catcher made the pitch look bad because he thought a squeeze was on, I probably should have called ball). He says one thing from the third base box about the call. Then a pause, and another thing. I took my mask off and approached him, walking swiftly. I asked, perhaps from 10 feet away, as we were converging on each other "Are you going to argue balls and strikes?". He looked dumbfounded, and I said "I'm going to leave the decision to you. Are you going to argue balls and strikes?" He responded by saying "I don't know. Haven't made up my mind yet". I turn and walk back to the plate, assuming that he's going to say something that is going to get himself tossed. He yells at his assistant, "John, should I argue balls and strikes?" We play on.
I overhear him talking with the other coach later that inning saying that he was going to try to get himself tossed to fire his team up. So I know its coming. Next inning, another banger at first, and he walks to about 10 feet from the plate (from the coaches box), standing there looking at my partner. I know what's coming, but I step out in between my partner and him and tell him to get back to his box. Of course, he yells more and my partner tosses him. He then gets really heated on my partner, and I shadow him as to not allow him to get close (never within 20 feet) of my partner. He tosses his sunglasses at my partner, says the typical rat stuff, gets in the dugout, yells at his team "LETS F***** WIN!", walks up the hill, gives a big wave to the field, and leaves. I walked him all the way to the dugout, then eyed him out of the field.
Then in the parking lot, he's all apologies while he's driving out with the window down (I saw him coming and told my partner get your car started), but he's also so proud of what he did to fire his team up. Assistant is in the car with him with his eyes rolling.
So my question, is there any point before the ejection where I should have hooked him? Or was there anything I could have done or said that could have avoided this? Any other comments or suggestions? As I've said, game management was my number one goal this year, so I'm curious to read responses. Thanks in advance, at least for letting me vent.
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