[MD Longhorn]

Many of you know by now that I'm taking a break from umpiring our local league to coach my daughter. Being on the dark side is weird, but 3 seasons in, I'm getting more comfortable.

90% of the umpires in the league are guys I've worked with, and who know I've been in their shoes, in all but 2 cases, more than they have.

I'm outside my dugout (allowed by convention here - something I've had to force myself to do as coach), about a step toward home from the entrance, which is right at first base. We're allowed to be in front of any part of the dugout, which extends about halfway home. Anyway...

Nobody on base. Before the first batter (but after the throwdown to 2nd), umpire is talking to my 2nd baseman. She moves back 2 steps. I get her attention and move her back up.

Blue then gets my attention and tells me she's in the baseline. I say, "thanks". 1 pitch goes by and he gets my attention again (he's still in A) and tells me I have to move her - "she's too close". I say, "No, I don't." He says it again and I turn to face him and say, "I'll coach, you umpire."

Next pitch he steps toward me and tells me that if I don't move my player BACK, he's going to eject me. So, of course, I tell my player to move FORWARD a step and walk away from him about 10 steps, pretty much as far toward home as I can go.

I kind of wish he'd tossed me to be honest, but nothing came of it, and between innings I saw PU giving BU a decent talking to (it looked more like a scolding to be honest).

I know that NONE of you would ever try to position a player... but do you think "I'll coach, you umpire" crossed a line? Do you think me telling my player to do the opposite of what I was instructed to do crossed a line?

I try to treat blue better than I expect to be treated in blue... but sometimes they make it very difficult.