I would have to agree. At the Varsity level the veteran coach's know how to deal with umpires. I never assume that they will "NEVER" argue with me, particularly if I don't hustle or show them that I am working hard. I believe that if you do your best and give 110% you should have few problems. I have had coach's ask me about plays and rulings, they might have disagreed, but they accept my decisions and moved on. We have ex major league and high level college players coaching in our area, and that makes a difference.

Now, in sub varsity and youth ball I have found that the level of composure and behavior deteriorates as you move down. I attribute that to lack of experience and motivation, where the youth ball coach tends to want to live vicariously through their kids and they try to emulate the things they see on TV.

I had that in a Pony level game this weekend, where the coach wanted to try to extend his "authority" to include the umpire crew. We went into "red aXX" mode in a quick hurry and he figured it out very quickly. Some are quick learner's, and the slower ones learn from the parking lot. Its sort of like Darwinism.

Bob P.

At least in Tennessee, the school is fined a minimum of $250 each time a coach is ejected. The fine can be higher if it's particularly egregious.

The coach generally has to answer to the Athletic Director or Principal. This, in itself, often keeps their behavior in check.

A school simply can't AFFORD to have a Lou Pinella type of coach.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

I like that.....a lot!:D

I have to weigh in on this one, being a relatively inexperienced umpire, yet still getting my fair share of NFHS varsity baseball games. The coaches that will sort of sidle up to me between innings and ask if I was "sure" about a call will really earn my respect in an instant compared to guys who will either show me up on the field or continually comment from the dugout. Usually, I will say either, "I'm sure, man." or "It was close." and they're pretty satisfied either way. The one thing that's tough is when coaches come to me to complain about my partner. I realize that I used to do that all the time when I coached. I know they're just looking for some sympathy, but I always just say something like, "He's doing fine, and I've got enough to worry about myself."

Really quick I want to follow up with a question. How does everyone feel about HP admitting that he probably missed a pitch? I miss my share, and it seems as though it's usually a pitch that I should have called a strike and didn't. Two or three times this year, I have simply stated for batter and catcher to hear: "Boys, that was a good pitch." I guess it makes me feel better, I don't know. Another instance in a recent game had ball one come in at the knees and I thought I missed it, calling it a "ball". Next pitch comes in just high - "ball". Both pitches the pitcher expressed just the slightest bit of a puzzled look. Pitch # 3 was fouled off down the left field line. As I skipped out from behind the plate and moved a little closer to the mound, the pitcher had moved in pretty close to the plate. As I flipped him the new ball, I said, "I missed the first pitch." His reply: "No problem". This was around the second inning. No problems whatsoever the rest of the way.
Is this just a plain stupid thing to do on my part?

It's not a cardinal sin to talk to the catcher. If I am asked about a pitch I am convinced I missed I will say "I missed that pitch and if I see it again it will be a strike". This will be loud enough for batter to hear.

PWL,

Huh??? :confused: In my world, all of the bases are in fair territory. So is the space over them. Even if the lines aren't laid down correctly.

JM

Yuo meen its nut a fowl bull ef its cuahgt oever teh big?

Yuo meen its nut a fowl bull ef its cuahgt oever teh big?

Its leta adn i"m lgaufng me asse oever sum recint pusts.

DG,

I thimk it wouold depind on iff the playr was proprly eqwipt.

JM

I think PWL is on to something. Once had a VERY early Saturday game, 8 AM as I recall, and the foul lines looked like they had been done by a drunk. As it turned out, THEY WERE!! The foul lines were on the inside of the bases, so that the bags were in "foul" territory. I found someone else to replace the lines.

As Papa C. would say... Lah Me!!

bob P

Unless the lines are totally FUBARed, you have to go with what the line says, correct? I don't think it would make sense to call what the REAL line would be if it were done correctly...both teams would be guessing at slow rollers down either line.

If lines are bad, I'll address it at the plate conference. Either by saying - guys, these lines are bad in places, but we're calling the LINE... or by saying - guys, these lines are unplayable - we're going to have to use our best judgement and call based on where the lines SHOULD have been.

But address it, to avoid problems like the one mentioned up above.

PWL,

Well....that's different! Never mind.

It's just that when you said...

I thought you meant he had actually fielded the ball while it was "right over the bag".

I agree that it can be difficult to convey all the nuances of a play with a typed description.

JM