How do you handle dugout chirping?

Tonight I was asked repeatedly, "Where was that pitch?"
I also overheard the coaches wondering why I wasn't giving their pitchers the same calls the other team got.

That all depends on what's being said.

Usually I ignore this comment unless the catcher gets asked. Then I turn to the coach and tell him "It was in the ball zone, coach" as I point my finger at him. That usually shuts him up. If he keeps it up or asks the catcher again, I handle it directly. Never tell them where the pitch was.

As long as this is just a comment you over-hear, bear down harder and make good calls. If this comment is clearly directed toward you, dump him. Never allow a coach to accuse you of cheating. That is what this comment infers - you are giving 2 different strike zones.

Probably the first time, I MIGHT reply if asked politely. After repeatedly questioning, I will call time and tell the coach "don't ask anymore", the pithch is whatever I call it and leave it at that". For which I will usally get the reply, "well how do I tell my pitchers how to adjust"? To which I reply, "thats your problem coach, just don't ask".

The ONLY reason that question is asked is because they thought it should be different than what you called. THE ONLY REASON!

Put an end to this early and you will set the tone of the game. If the coach can't fogure that out, well than he deserves the consquences.

In my limited time as an umpire, it has become even more apparent that baseball does not have any official warnings like other sports. There are no yellow cards, no two minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, no 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct flags, and no technical fouls.

I have used "The Stare" with good results. The first or second time you hear "chirping" just look over and stare hard at the coach. Usually they get the message.

You could also call time and nip it in the bud the first time it happens and tell the coach that he needs to drop the comments.

Or you could just toss the first person from a team who makes a second comment of any type. That will just about always get the message across.

Your mileage may vary.

better yet...
 

A lot of good umpires use the catcher.
A coach chirps, "Where was that?"
Tell the catcher, "Show him outside." When he does, say "Thanks for keeping your pitcher's head in the game." Since your mask is on and you are saying it discreetly, it appears that the catcher is nipping it in the bud. If he doesn't want to assist, tell him, "Hey, I could call "Time" and explain every pitch to your bench, but you and I know where it was - he just missed. Let's keep the game going."

The best catchers know that they don''t want to piss off the guy behind them. Most are polite to a fault and think that if they are helping you, you'll help them.

If the bum still won't stop questioning pitch locations, dump him as he walks by you to go to the coaching box. Dumping a guy in the dugout is low class and calling "Time" to go to him is for rookies. No one will know the words exchanged when he is walking by, and you aren't perceived as looking for it.

They don't get to argue balls and strikes - even when you've kicked it.

Ignore them.
 

I just ignore the bench. I do not even start to answer question from the bench. I only talk to the catcher and let him tell them. You start answering questions early from the benches, you will continue to answer questions the rest of the game. Most good catchers will help you out and clearly speak for you. But if they do not, you inform them of their duties and it is not to question your calls.

Now I will say this, if I have not heard anything all day and we have a really close pitch much later in the game and the bench says something (I am talking about head coach here). I might nod my head my head if they ask, "was it low blue?" But that is if they have acted like they have some sense most of the day. That is just something you have to have a feel for.

But for the most part I just ignore them and they get the message.

Peace

BIG :D

Re: better yet...
 

I would like to see you write up a report on that ejection. It would go something like this. Well the coach was questioning my strike calls, I told him to stop but he kept going. He went too far, and I decided that he must go. But then I thought to myself, if I eject him now, I will look like a low class rookie, I better do it later. So between innings, as the coach walks by me about 15 feet to my right, minding his own business, I yell "that's it, you're gone!" and I eject him. He asked me what he did, but I refused to talk to him because he has to leave the field.

I have a question also. How would you handle this situation if the coach who is yelling does not coach 1st or 3rd? Do you toss him when he comes to you with a subsitution?

Glad you like my advice :)

I wish I'd have gotten "The Stare" ;)

You thought my advice was bad, this has to take the cake.
 

And you have the nerve to question my advice?

No crap!!!

Now I see why you are offended by being questioned as a "Big Dog."

Peace

Wake up!
 

Jeff, I posted before you.

How could I possibly have known that you were going to say what you did? Look at the timeline. Who's kidding who?

BTW, go to professional school, graduate, work a couple of years of Minor League baseball and then you can question my technique. The way I handle coaches was taught at Brinkman-Froemming for years. Tossing a coach in the dugout is bush. Baiting him by approaching his dugout is worse.

"Big Dog" comments are just an extension of your mentality.
Work the games I do and you'll see that those of us that work there don't pick battles we can't win. Getting your first big game is easy, getting annual schedules is the true accomplishment. If you consider that arrogant, too bad. The advice I give is backed by more than a few years of calling high school baseball.

BTW, "The Stare" doesn't work past high school. It just indicates that you heard him and won't react. That we did learn in the Minors.

[Edited by WindyCityBlue on Jun 18th, 2004 at 01:56 PM]

Re: Wake up!
 

You mean they actually teach you to throw out a coach a half inning after a comment was made for no other reason other than walking by you?!? That just doesn't sound right?!?

I have seen coaches in the the Major Leagues get tossed while sitting on the bench. Are you telling me those umpires are bush league?

What do you do with a coach that is chirping from the dugout who doesn't come out of the dugout? If you shouldn't throw him out on the bench because that is bush and you shouldn't approach the dugout because you don't want to bait him what exactly are your options???

I'm definitely confused???:confused:

As far as I'm concerned, chirping is part of the game... to a certain extent.

You can't let every little word coming out of the bench get to you, or else you look vulnerable. As long as they aren't screaming or swearing or personally attacking you, just live with it.

When I'm playing, from the bench we always yell "leave it up there!" on borderline high strikes... and so on...

Just deal with it.

Please read it again
 

You mean they actually teach you to throw out a coach a half inning after a comment was made for no other reason other than walking by you?!? That just doesn't sound right?!?

Okay, when did your go to school? Besides learning mechanics, technique and rules, you are taught how to handle situations. The first rule of umpiring is to not lose control, second is to maintain a professional appearance. Staring into a dugout (when no one can hear what he is saying) or stopping the game and approaching him are bush. Depending on the comment, I have tossed guys who have been in the dugout while never moving from behind the catcher. I have also walked to the dugout and dumped guys. Every time, I received a sheet that told me how bad that looked. Rabbit ears? Baiting him? No more.

I have seen coaches in the the Major Leagues get tossed while sitting on the bench. Are you telling me those umpires are bush league? Depends...I don't know which play you are referring to or what was said. But I can say that just because they are working there doesn't mean they don't make mistakes...I saw the homerun call between the Expos and Twins...seems that bad judgement does make it on their fields.

What do you do with a coach that is chirping from the dugout who doesn't come out of the dugout? If you shouldn't throw him out on the bench because that is bush and you shouldn't approach the dugout because you don't want to bait him what exactly are your options???
I think I explained it and you took exception. It works for our level of ball, you may not like it, okay. It is advice from someone who has used it successfully. Like many techniques and mechanics, use what serves you best.

I had a coach ask me between innings, "where's my pitcher missing on the low outside corner pitches?" His pitcher was trying to hit that location all inning and kept getting ball calls.

The problem was that on the low outside pitches, the catcher for some reason would stab at the ball with his glove and pop up in front of me just as the ball got to the plate. I couldn't see the plate at all when he did that and since his glove ended up outside the zone by 3 feet, I was calling ball.

I told hte catcher this once or twice and it kept happening. So when the coach asked, I told him what was going on and he switched catchers.