What The F*ck Ump?

[mcrowder]

On our fields, we have to exit through a dugout (or hop a fence - which I did once when both teams were out of control). I try to avoid any comment or wait until after they have vacated, but it's not always possible. I say as little as possible to the coaches after the game, whether they did well or not, and whether they were courteous or not. I will reply if spoken to, and be as courteous as I can, but mostly I ignore as much as possible - both negative and positive.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

Originally posted by bigwes68
If I feel like coaches and players have exhibited exceptional sportsmanship and have been very courteous to me the whole game, I will tell them after the game that I appreciate it. If not, I get the heck out of there.

We create the situations we find ourselves in.

The vast majority of my games go very smoothly and I rarely have a coach that I don't want to be within earshot of at the end of the game. Create that atmosphere for yourself and your participants, and then it's no big deal. But in general, as others here have said "Get gone, man." Do not make any opportunity for a battle or to be shown-up by the lack of a handshake... just don't be there. Whatever conflict that may have ocurred during your game is over and done... don't exacerbate the situation by trying to force a handshake or some small talk pleasantries. Some of us find ourselves in these less than favorable positions... but by being there, you have created that situation too.

Several are the times I have said "I will explain it to you later, or after the game." NEVER, NEVER, NEVER have I yet, had that after the game conversation be one in which I have come out on top. IT IS A NO WIN SITUATION - so why be there or be involved.

Is there an echo here? GET GONE!

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by PAT THE REF

For those of you that dont know me my name is Patrick & I am a head umpire of a local recreational league.

You need not say no more when you say REC league which from my experience and you found at first hand are the most disorganized and misbehaved leagues to umpire in.

Suggestions:

You need to have a PRE-SUMMER meeting with the parties involved and LAY DOWN THE LAW If they do not get it, here's another suggestion that sometimes works.

Since you are the UIC, I'm sure you have a couple of "Old Smitty's" you can send to umpire these type games. This "type" umpire couldn't care less what people think or say. Give me my paycheck and I go home. Also, how many do I have to eject to have NO game, go home early with a nice paycheck.

If this league wants to behave that way, then give it back to them Save your "best" crew(s) for your Bread and Butter leagues that give you less headaches.

Now to the poster who also had a fiasco.

Here's some Game management techniques that could aid you.

First and Foremeost make CERTAIN you get PAID up front, especially dealing with the type of league your thread was about.

When doing a game SOLO. Take NOTHING from no one and I mean NOTHING . As long as you hustle, that's all that is needed. One peep from either bench and you get your point across in a hurry. You don't need adjeda. If they do not get the message it's see ya have a nice day.

As others mentioned do not look for acolades from ANYBODY. If you want an honest evaluation or critique of your performance ask your partner or another Official who observed the game. DO NOT hang around and shake hands. Drop the base-balls, Greet your partner and GO HOME.

Also, do not park too close to where everyone else parks, especially if you have a Double DIP or more which you had. So you have to walk a few extra steps to get too the field, it's well worth it.

Lastly, discuss this league with your association. Are other umpires having difficulty with this league? If your association as a whole is constantly having trouble with this league, Have a MANDATORY meeting with the league officers or Simply DROP them from your schedule as it is not worth it.

Pete Booth

[MichaelVA2000]

Originally posted by PAT THE REF
Hey everyone, Bear with me - This is a long post; but an interesting one~!

For those of you that dont know me my name is Patrick & I am a head umpire of a local recreational league. I recently was the BU for a 15-16y.o game. There were three ejections and 2 suspensions, would you have done anything differently?

Here was the story:
Team A was in the lead by 4 runs. Team B was up too bat. Top of the 5th. (We play 6 innings) Two out - no one on. Team B's batter hits the ball but only lets it go about 15 feet. The pitcher picks up the ball. The batter starts walking down the 1st base line. The pitcher walks down towards 1st base. The pitcher starts skipping (literally). The batter then runs like anything to 1st base. The 1st baseman was standing on the base waiting for the pitcher to throw the ball. The pitcher thinks he can out run the batter so he runs. The batter is at least 1-2 steps safe. Then the pitchers foot hits the base. I call & sell the safe signal. (Now the "fun" begins).

The parents start off in the stands..... "You have to be kidding me! etc.... So I made the call and went to position B. Then I hear the Shortstop say - "Dont worry about it he sucks any way" Then the pitcher turns around and says "Yeah he can't even make a F---ing call at first~ The F---ing blind.... Boom. He's Gone.

As I throw there all star pitcher out of the game... My PU throws the Shortstop out (I cant honestly say what they said but he did tell me later that he was making hand movements and also cursing).

As they left the field they were cursing again & again. They decided to sit in the stands. Cursing (F-word etc..) theirs mouths off so I walk over to the coach (by the way I am the UIC) and tell the coach that they need to leave the field or they would forefit... So the coach called their parents and made them leave.

Two down 1 to go........

Then with the score tied at 7-7. Bases loaded - 2 outs.... Team A was at bat (Visitors). A player hits a long long long (almost over the fence) fly ball my PU strattles the 1st baseline and calls it fair. I thought it was fair too and he didn't call fair. So he turns and looks at me. I point towards centerfield. As I do, he does too indicating a fair ball. - Home run - they win 11-7.

The coach comes out after the long ball call and starts throwing his bats on the field. Enough said - ejection.....

Another day at the ball park......
Questions? Comments? Tips?

Thanks.......

Patrick,

You mention Team A was in the lead and Team B was at bat. Top of the fifth. Later in your post, you state that Team A was at bat (Visitors). Just wondering....who was home team?

The shortstop and pitcher ejected themself and it was wise to remove them from the playing area also.

On the long ball hit up the first base line, hopefully your PU didn't call it fair, the PU should have signaled it fair and if it was close, maybe pumped it twice and then given the home run signal if the ball cleared the fence in the air.

With the bases juiced you should have been in the C position and a fair/foul or home run call would not have been yours to make.

Coach tossed bats on the field, yep....he's history.

Michael

[MichaelVA2000]

Originally posted by LDUB
I had quite a crazy day today. 13 year old tournament. Called 4 games. First two games were by myself. They were semifinal games of the tournament. Ok, so first game, A vs. B. So game starts off good. We have the plate confrence. We have to flip to see who is the home team, but no one has a coin. So I say, I'll flip my plate brush. Put my thumb under it, flip it up into the air. Not the best flip on my part. The brush never turns over even once. We decided to reflip, and the game started.

Coaches from A & B are both relentless about every single call. They even yell at me for calls that go their way. I call a batter from team B out on strikes. Manager of A yells to me "Thats not a strike, but we'll take it." Of course the pitch was a curve ball right down the middle, the catcher didn't even have to move his glove. So game goes on, A ends up blowing the game big time. They loose by 1 in the bottom of the 7th. So I give team B their game ball back, tell the manager good game, and I wish him good luck on his game in the finals. Go over to manager A. Give him the ball. Tell him good game and good luck in the third place game. While I said that I was reaching out to shake his hand. Then he says I'll shake your hand but I won't say good game, you were horrible, and you should go back to strike zone school. I just walk away. Little did he know that I was going to be calling the plate at his next game.

Next game C vs. D. Team C was very polite. The coaches and the players. Never once argued a call. Team D, their manager was on me about a few close plays at third. He would question my calls a lot, but not with the intensity that manager A had. Game ends, team C wins.

I walk back to the parking lot, and meet up with my partner, who had just gotten there. The last two games were two man. A few of the parents from team C tell me good game, and to not listen to manager D, because he always yells a lot in every game he coaces.

Next game the losers play for third place. D vs. A. Manager D comes up to me before the game, he had heard about what the parents said to me in the parking lot, I told him that I would not hold a grudge against him for arguing with me last game. He was fine the whole game.

Game is going along OK. Team D is at bat, R3 & R2. Ground ball to third. F2 steps foreward to about 6 inches off the plate up the third base line. F5 checks R3 and throws to first. BR is out. R3 is coming home on the play. Throw to the plate. R3 goes in standing up, but he had to tippy toe around the catcher. I go safe, obsturction ( I know that is not the prefered way to signal obstrucion, but that is how I did it.) All of a sudden, one of the coaches is up by me asking for an explanation, so I am explaining myself, I see my partner ejection someone out of the dugout. One of the coaches had said the call was bull$hit, I didn't hear it but my partner did.

Game ends. A loses by 11 or 12. I go to give the balls back to manager A, I toss him the ball, and say nice game, and stick out my hand to shake his. He refuses to shake my hand, he tells me about how bad a game I called, so I start to walk away, then he tells me about how bad a game my partner called, then he says that I know that both of us are terrible. I thought I had called a good game, I don't know where he was coming from. An assistant coach from both teams had come up to me durring the game and complimented me on my strike zone.

Next game B vs. C for the championship. I'm in the field, finally after 3 games at the plate. Third or fourth inning. Team B up to bat. R3, two out. I'm in C. Pickoff throw at third, R3 dives back, I bang him out. Of course manager B had a great view of the play from the first base dugout, so he asks me where the tag was. Inning and a half later. Team C up to bat. R1 & R3. I'm in B. Batter hits to outfield gap. R3 scores. I watch R1 touch second, and the BR touch first. Third base coach is waving R3 home, I watch him touch third running at full speed, then I swing my head back to see the cutoff man catch the ball in the outfield, just as the BR touches second. BR takes a step off second, and cutoff man fires to third. I'm thinking BR ain't going to third, why throw there? So I follow the ball, and I see F5 catch it. Just as F5 catches the ball (it was a head high throw), I see R1 diving back to third. He must have turned around after I saw him touch third. Another bang bang play. I call him safe. The play had caught me off guard, but I still managed to make the right call. Manager C runs out of dugout and goes up to plate umpire, he argues with him about my call, about 5 seconds later, he gets ejected. Game goes fine after that.

Well, I really don't know what the point of this post is. I have forgotten what I was replying to. Well it's been a long day. I better get to sleep soon.

LDUB,

"Coaches from A & B are both relentless about every single call. They even yell at me for calls that go their way. I call a batter from team B out on strikes. Manager of A yells to me "Thats not a strike, but we'll take it."

This is a situation you need to control early. My method is very direct. I approach the dugout and say: Coach, that's enough! Arguing judgment calls is a violation of the rules, if you continue violating this rule I will take further action. If at anytime for the rest of the game he argues a judgment call, he ejects himself.

When the games is over and you are the PU, remove the balls from your ball bag and set them on the plate, meet you partner at the gate and leave the area.

These people are not your friends, the coaches and players DO NOT care what your thoughts are regarding whether the game was good or not. Fifty percent of the people at the field are already mad at you.

Also in the future you may want to park away from where the fans and players park. It maybe a further walk, but you are more likely to avoid any hassles as people return to their cars.

Michael

[LDUB]

Originally posted by His High Holiness
What the f$$$ are you doing listening to anybody but your partner after a game? Why are you shaking hands with coaches? Why are you parked in a place where fans can come talk to you? Why are you even listening to them? Have you learned nothing from your readings here at this forum?

I don't know where you are from, but around here, there is one parking lot at a field. So I park there, I parked in the back to try to be as out of view as possible. The parents of the players also park there. And if I am standing there talking to my partner for the next game, and one of the parents walks by and says good game to me, what should I do. Just look at the ground and ignore them?

Originally posted by His High Holiness
Furthermore, what in the h$ll do you expect a coach to say to you after he has lost? Don't you know that most coaches consider it the umpire's fault after a loss? If you need validation and adoration from coaches, you need to find a new line of work. Even when they compliment you, they are only setting you up for the next game. If you believe a word they say then you are a green rookie.

Yep I think it is time for me to quit. The only reason I umpire baseball games is to hear the coach say good game to me afterwards.

Originally posted by His High Holiness
Suggestion: Read more and post less. You are obviously too incompetent to contribute intelligently.

Here's a suggestion. How about you crawl back into that cave you have been living in for your whole life. I'm sorry, I shook someone's hand. I guss that make me not qualified to ever post agian.

[Rich]

Originally posted by LDUB

I don't know where you are from, but around here, there is one parking lot at a field. So I park there, I parked in the back to try to be as out of view as possible. The parents of the players also park there. And if I am standing there talking to my partner for the next game, and one of the parents walks by and says good game to me, what should I do. Just look at the ground and ignore them?

Yep I think it is time for me to quit. The only reason I umpire baseball games is to hear the coach say good game to me afterwards.

Here's a suggestion. How about you crawl back into that cave you have been living in for your whole life. I'm sorry, I shook someone's hand. I guss that make me not qualified to ever post agian.

Why so defensive? Do you want advice or do you only want sympathy?

Letting the coaches be relentless is YOUR fault. How many did you eject? You are giving them the massage that bad behavior will be tolerated. Run one or two and the problems go away. Do it for a while and the coaches will know not to f--k with you when you are umpiring.

Only shake hands that are offered to you. Having someone refuse to shake your hand is a classless move on his part, but you should expect that from some of the rats out there.

[LDUB]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser

Why so defensive? Do you want advice or do you only want sympathy?

Letting the coaches be relentless is YOUR fault. How many did you eject? You are giving them the massage that bad behavior will be tolerated. Run one or two and the problems go away. Do it for a while and the coaches will know not to f--k with you when you are umpiring.

Only shake hands that are offered to you. Having someone refuse to shake your hand is a classless move on his part, but you should expect that from some of the rats out there.

I do want advice. But I do not like having my personal character attacked because of shook hands with someone.

[Rich]

Originally posted by LDUB

I do want advice. But I do not like having my personal character attacked because of shook hands with someone.

And I never did that -- I only suggested that you (1) take care of business during the game and (2) never offer your hand first. I learned both of these the hard way, as does everyone that sticks with officiating long enough.

--Rich

[chuckfan1]

TWO THINGS:

Working Alone--Something I was taught has always helped me when I did one-man. At the plate meeting, after covering everything, finish with...."Guys, obviously I'm flying solo here, I'll be hustling for you out there, but that means one man calls." And that seemed to always help those times, when a coach would think about coming out on plays (steal at 2nd, lefty pitcher swinging his leg back past the rubber, etc) when you either have to make em long distance, or due to where everyone is, has a different view than you. And if they did come out, I told em what I had from WHERE I was, and that seemed to trigger what I said in the plate meeting in their minds, and their argument quickly lost steam.

His High Holiness--Pay attention to others on this post who tried to help the guy, saying the same thing you did, but in a little more civil tone.
An old saying rings true here......"You dont need to blow someone else's candle out, to make yours shine brighter."

[His High Holiness]

Originally posted by LDUB

I do want advice. But I do not like having my personal character attacked because of shook hands with someone.

LDUB;

I was trying to get across that I find it inconceivable that someone who has read thousands of posts on this board does not know that an umpire should not fraternize with coaches after a game. (or before the game or during the game but especially after the game.)

This is basic umpiring 101. Not knowing this is like not knowing whether the hands are part of the bat. At 252 posts, you post almost once a day since you joined officiating.com. Hopefully, you read 15 or 20 posts for everyone you write. Only a moron like the umpire from Illinois routinely writes posts without reading or thinking, and you don't appear to be a moron.

In all those thousands of posts that you have seen, have you not read about getting the h$ll off the field after a game in as quick a manner as possible? I think that there are about 10 such posts telling you exactly that in this thread alone.

Here is some specific advice (without judgment) that can help you. In a field with only one small parking lot, I jump in my car after a game with my gear still on and drive somewhere else about a quarter of a mile away to change. I don't want to give anyone the opportunity to start something. I have started and ended all of the s$$$ that I wanted to on the field and I don't need any extracurricular problems.

I did not attack your personal character. I save character assassinations for the likes of the moron from Illinois, the head case from Rhode Island, and the man who diddles with sheep from down under.

Peter

[Dan_ref]

I normally spend my time on the basketball forum but things have gone to ****e there recently, arguing about profanity, how to clean the kooties out of your whistle, license plate covers and with the occasional Bob Knight wannabe idiot girl's middle school coach - not clear enough here, it aint the girls who are the idiots.

Anyway...Pat you have got to take control of your games. As far as I'm concerned HHH has it right: dump them early & often. And you should have known better by now.

If your goal is to share a brotherly smile & hand shake after the game with a coach then do yourself a favor and get out now. You're only bending over with a big sign on your @ss that says "Kick me".

And don't take this as an insult.

Take it as brotherly advice.

[ace]

Whatch out Dan... the wanna be bobby knight girls basketball coach actually posted here :-D about a chest protector. Whats he need that for?

[LDUB]

Originally posted by His High Holiness

LDUB;

I was trying to get across that I find it inconceivable that someone who has read thousands of posts on this board does not know that an umpire should not fraternize with coaches after a game. (or before the game or during the game but especially after the game.)

This is basic umpiring 101. Not knowing this is like not knowing whether the hands are part of the bat. At 252 posts, you post almost once a day since you joined officiating.com. Hopefully, you read 15 or 20 posts for everyone you write. Only a moron like the umpire from Illinois routinely writes posts without reading or thinking, and you don't appear to be a moron.

In all those thousands of posts that you have seen, have you not read about getting the h$ll off the field after a game in as quick a manner as possible? I think that there are about 10 such posts telling you exactly that in this thread alone.

Here is some specific advice (without judgment) that can help you. In a field with only one small parking lot, I jump in my car after a game with my gear still on and drive somewhere else about a quarter of a mile away to change. I don't want to give anyone the opportunity to start something. I have started and ended all of the s$$$ that I wanted to on the field and I don't need any extracurricular problems.

I did not attack your personal character. I save character assassinations for the likes of the moron from Illinois, the head case from Rhode Island, and the man who diddles with sheep from down under.

Peter

With all the thousands of post that I have read, I must have missed the ones about talking with coaches. But I got it down now. Today, I flipped the ball to the dugout and walked away. I had to exit through a dugout, and I said nothing to no one as I left.

[LDUB]

Originally posted by Rich Fronheiser

And I never did that -- I only suggested that you (1) take care of business during the game and (2) never offer your hand first. I learned both of these the hard way, as does everyone that sticks with officiating long enough.

--Rich

I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about His High Holiness. Sorry about the mix up.