Crew Chief makes a mistake...but they got it right

[His High Holiness]

Originally posted by GarthB

Are you now promoting the thought that one umpire, believing he is right and his partner is wrong, should openly overrule his partner, regardless of his partners objections or insistence on his accuracy? No red herring, just an honest question seeking an honest answer absent of diversion.

I do not think that I was ever promoting that but let me give you some examples. If I am the little dog, I would never overrule my partner. If we are of equal rank, I would not overrule him. However consider the following. I have told this story before:

FED game, three or four years ago. Bottom of 7th, 2 outs, score tied, bases loaded, and ball 4 is delivered to the batter. I am the big dog on the bases and the plate man is an arrogant little dog.

R3 comes in to score and everyone celebrates at home plate by hugging and jumping up and down. After about 10-15 seconds, the PU calls the BR out for not going to first and abandoning his effort. The home team coach comes exploding from the dugout towards my partner. I intervene and whisper quietly to the coach,

"Get that stupid batter down to first base - NOW!"

I motioned the plate man to come out and see me in the infield and asked him what he thought that he was doing. He said that the BR abandoned his effort to go to first (Everyone was celebrating at home plate) and he called him out so we had an extra inning game. I told my partner that I would not allow him to f$$$ up a game with a call like that and he was going to change it. He refused and I pointed out that abandonment could not occur until after a BR had entered the dugout. I told him to look at the BR standing on first base. The BR waved at us with a sheepish grin on his face with both feet planted firmly on first base.

The BU finally changed the call but if he had not, I would have pulled rank and changed it for him. In my association, the senior man is held responsible for screw ups like this.

Peter