A new one for me

[David B]

In the midst of basketball playoffs, baseball season started Saturday.

Since we are short on umpires, I said I'd do a double header and first game is a perfect game by the visiting pitcher.

My first to witness. Kids going to be a good one.

Second game, I heard a first from a coach, made me laugh right on the field.

F1 comes to set, then flinches. Balk.

Coach comes to complain and his statement, "that's the first times I've ever seen a balk called when the coach did not call it first."

I didn't know what to say so I just laughed. Going to be a long season I can tell.

Thanks
David

[umpduck11]

Does anyone else do what I do? If I see a balk,but
the defensive coach hollers "balk" before I do,I do
not usually call it. I prefer to look as
if I make my own calls,not those suggested by a coach.

[Edited by umpduck11 on Feb 20th, 2005 at 05:49 PM]

[Thaal]

Surely the thing to do is to make the correct call, no matter how that makes you look.

What if someone starts yelling Strikes and Outs from the dugout?

I can not disagree with this method of umpiring strongly enough.

[LDUB]

Originally posted by Thaal
What if someone starts yelling Strikes and Outs from the dugout?

Toss 'em.

[officialtony]

I agree with umpduck here - in theory. It rankles me to make a call I know is right immediately after a coach has screamed it out. It makes it look like I heard him and thought he was right rather than my making the call because I knew it was right.
Now . . . . . having said that, I am in complete agreement with Thaal. I try to make the right call regardless of what was said before - or after - my call. My job is to call what I see (presumably what is right ) when I see it. I can't be concerned if someone else thinks I did it for any reason other than it was the right call.
But . . .if the calling from the coach's box or dugout continues, I try to get the caoch aside between innings and ask him to let me make the calls - as politely as possible without embarrassing him or me.
When all else fails - I'm with LDUB.
" Toss em! "

[dddunn3d]

"Hey coach, you keep making my calls, I'll coach your players!"

[David B]

Originally posted by dddunn3d
"Hey coach, you keep making my calls, I'll coach your players!"

you know us umpires we have to have the last word.

An inning later, we have a close call at first (not a banger just close) and of course I asked the asst. coach what was the call first, then made my call.

Asst. coach almost hit the ground laughing also.

Hey, we've got to have some fun too.

Thanks
David

[ChapJim]

Originally posted by umpduck11
Does anyone else do what I do? If I see a balk,but
the defensive coach hollers "balk" before I do,I do
not usually call it. I prefer to look as
if I make my own calls,not those suggested by a coach.

[Edited by umpduck11 on Feb 20th, 2005 at 05:49 PM]

Coaches are right sometimes! Call it as you see it.

[OzUmp]

How many times have you been behind the catcher and a borderline pitch comes through? Before you can get the call out the catcher bellows his approval of the pitch. You then call strike because you honestly felt the pitch was a strike. Then some genious in the stands or dugout will say "good call catch; you convinced him." So you get showed up a bit. I dare say that if you ejected people for such trangressions you would not be around long. The point is that you must call it like you see it, no matter how you feel (or are make to look), or you are simply not doing your job.

[Dave Hensley]

Make the call as you would have called it, and then immediately look to the coach/catcher/whoever who was "playing umpire" and tell them to knock it off.