[greymule]

You were right in tossing them, and I agree that the woods are full of no-nothing loudmouths. I would like to add, though, that I've also seen the other extreme, where umps toss people too quickly. I think that comes from insecurity, too: "Be tough, show them I'm the boss, don't let anyone challenge me." I've seen umps unnecessarily aggravate a situation, too.

I can think of one example from an ASA FP tournament game where I was PU: First inning, R1 on 1B tries to steal 2B. Throw from catcher sails and draws F6 two steps across 2B and right into the path of R1. The ball goes off F6's glove into the outfield just before R1 collides with F6, obviously unintentionally and clearly not a violation, even under Fed's dainty rules. In addition, R1 even slowed up and tried to avoid contact. BU, whom I had never worked with, calls runner out for colliding. This was indeed a terrible call, and I intended to confer with the BU in hopes of reversing it. The offensive coach (admittedly a known hothead) naturally comes out to question the call. But BU immediately tells the coach, "Get back in the dugout, sir. That's illegal and we're concerned about safety." As coach turns around to walk back, he says--not screams, just says--"That's the worst call I ever saw."

Bang! "You're out of here, sir." Now I can't confer with BU about the play, and we have a poisoned game. Six more innings of grief from fans and general hostility in the park, all totally unnecessary. Later in the game, BU even called a player on the other team out on virtually the same play. (He also thought that as soon as the infield fly was called, runners could tag up and advance legally--they didn't have to wait for the ball to be caught!)

The best umps I've seen let players and coaches have a lot of say, even well after the play, as long as the complaining is about the play and not personally insulting. But they ignore, to a point, "Get in the game," "Open your eyes," "You're killing us," "It's 11 against 9," and so on. But it depends on who says it and where and how loud and how vehemently and how persisently and a lot of other factors.

It would take a lot for me to toss someone in Fed. For an ejection here in NJ, you have to fill out more paperwork than would a police officer who shoots a suspect.