What The F*ck Ump?

[Kaliix]

As an umpire, I've come to expect some comments from coaches. I'll usually get a "where was that blue?" or my personal favorite "Jones (catchers name), where was that?" If the catchers smart he'll say outside/low/etc.

Personally, I don't worry about the occasional comment. By occasional, I mean, once every two or three innings. I've even let it go twice in a inning, as long as it stops there. That is in regards to the occasional, "where was that blue?"

Now if the it gets anymore frequent than that, if I can wait until the half inning, coach and I have a friendly little chat, in which I nicely make it clear that the comments should stop.

If it can't wait till the half inning, as the comments continue, I call time and tell the coach that arguing balls and strikes is against the rules and that if the comments continue, he's going to have an early night. I say it firmly and with conviction, but respectfully as possible.

If the comments are personal, like "you suck blue!" or expletive laced, "That was shi%*y call!" then they are gone.

I have tried to warn first and so far it has worked. I have the advantage of having a command presence, an imposing physical stature and a friendly but take no crap attitude that has gone a long way towards keeping comments to a minimum.

Originally posted by Jurassic Referee

I agree. Those two are out of line. Tsk,tsk,tsk.

As an umpire, Kaliix, how would you personally handle a coach of, say, an Under 12 baseball team that constantly "worked" the umpiring crew? By "worked", I mean constantly questioned calls with the view of getting other calls made in his favor. Exactly how much would you personally let that coach get away with, and what would you do about it?

I'm also wondering how the other umpires on this board view coaches deliberately "working" them- especially in the younger age groups, and what they'd do about it also.