My amazing partner

[LMan]

ah, now you are adding previously-unknown info I'll take my mulligan on the second sitch, then

I agree that we all suffer for partner's mistakes. I know I cause my partner (s) to suffer when I make a mistake. I make far too many for my liking, but I promise myself that no one will outhustle or outwork me to improve. Whether I actually improve or not, well....I leave that to my evalutor to decide But my assoc has umpires that could not possibly care less about improving, as long as they get that check. I know your assoc has them also.

There's a difference between honest mistakes and those caused by laziness or willful indifference to basic rules. I kill myself sometimes trying to keep coaches off the back of brand-new umpires I work with, when I know they are overwhelmed and just too new to know better. But I draw a distinction between them and the 10-year guy who stunk when he started and still hasn't cracked a rulebook YET. Why reward deliberate incompetence?

Should I draw such a distinction? I honestly don't know. I don't know that some rump-chewings will make them try to improve, but I can say with confidence that completely shielding them from the consequences of their calls doesn't seem to have the desired effect!

I didnt mean let the game go down the toilet just to spite your partner. The game is the most important thing here. I think we are in general agreement here, but its hard to show shades of grey on an internet forum....

[RPatrino]

I did a USSSA tourny, 6 games in one day, 4 dish's. Championship game ended at 10:30 pm, and the day started at 8:30 am. Got to love it!!

I have worked with an 80+ year old partner. He was slow, but steady. He is a fixture in our association, and I mean that both literally and figuratively. The game we did was an experience that I will relate at a future date.

Bob P.

[UMP25]

80 years old??? They shoot horses well before that, don't they?

[UMP25]

I've worked with partners with big heads before, but this one takes the cake...

A few weeks ago I do a D-III game with a guy who's a D-I umpire (working games for Rich Fetchiet) and reminds everyone of this fact. (Never mind that I don't go around telling people that I do D-I games as well--what's the point?) Disclosure: both my partner and I are CBUA members and work for Fetch, though my schedule severely limits me from doing nearly as many D-I games as regularly as my partner in question.

I'll skip all the irritating stuff he said and did before the game and jump right to what happened (exception: in an Email to me earlier in the day he tells me: "it's a conference game, so I should do the plate." F--- him!)--an incident that I believe would have gotten him fired had Yeast or Fetch seen it. Sadly, the guy was frickin' proud of what he did.

We're in the top of the 9th inning with the home team leading 10-0 (NCAA rules, so no 10-run rule) and one out and no runners on. The second batter comes up and ends up being called out on a check swing by my partner. Did he go? Heck, I'm in the "A" position with a lefty up! Anyway, the head coach for the visiting team--he's coaching third base--starts to ***** about the call. The dugout wasn't happy either, but it was nothing that could have realistically been ignored with 1 out left to go in the game. My partner chirps back, the coach chirps back, then my partner walks toward the coach still squawking to him. My partner yells to him, "Control your dugout!"

So, he gets back behind the plate and the first pitch to the next batter is at the top of his head. No exaggeration. It's up there pure and simple. My partner pauses to call it, turns toward the head coach, looks at him, and bangs, "Strike!" The dugout is yelling and the head coach starts screaming, to which my partner replies, "Control your f-----g dugout or the next pitch will be a strike, too!"

The first base coach turns to me (I'm still in the "A" position, of course) and asks quite emphatically, "Did he just call that pitch a strike intentionally? Did he just call that f-----g pitch a strike?!? What the hell was that?" Having no problem throwing my partner under the bus at this point (many other things occurred prior to this that made me adopt this attitude), I replied, "It appears so, but you'll have to ask HIM to find out."

"What, you guys don't talk to each other?" asks the 1B coach.
"Not after each pitch. Besides, talking to 'Bob' (not his real name) isn't going to help me one bit today," I explain.

Nobody gets ejected, thank God, and the batter hits the next pitch to the infield. It's bobbled, B1 is safe at first but trips over the bag and dislocates his ankle (it was not a pretty site to see--ouch!). The home team trainer comes out to take care of the batter. The head coach comes over, and we're huddled around seeing how the kid's doing. My partner is thankfully back by the plate when the head coach turns to me and asks, "'John,' (not my real name), what the hell was that with that strike? What the hell is he trying to prove?" I replied: "Don't ask me, Eric. I've given up trying to figure out what 'Bob' is doing, and it's no use talking to him. His head's so big he'd never hear me."

Eric shook his head in disgust but understood what I meant. A few minutes later my partner came down to join us and I tried to walk away. After a 20-minute delay that included the arrival of an ambulance, we were done. (BTW, even with the delay, we sailed through 9 in 2:01.)

We're on the way back to the parking lot and 'Bob' pats me on the chest and says, "Hey, how did you like that strike call there in the 9th? That'll serve to teach them, huh? If they'd control their f-----g dugout they wouldn't have this problem."

I shook my head and said, "How did I like it? I didn't. It was bush; it was unprofessional."

And this guy's a regular D-I umpire? In all honestly, if it's guys like this who get such games, there's a serious problem.

In my almost three decades of umpiring, I seriously doubt I have ever witnessed a more unprofessional display of umpiring and arrogance in general.

[Justme]

UMP25:

I think that we've all worked with partners that have used their strike zone as a weapon.

I haven't had this happen for several years but it was in a college game also. My partner on the plate spent a lot of the game arguing with coaches and using his strike zone to punish the coaches. He even said things like, "If you didn't like that call, wait until you see the next call." Unlike you I refused to comment on my partner when the coaches attempted to engage me. I did attempt to talk to my partner once between the inning but I really shouldn't have. He got upset at me and 'ordered' me back to my position.

Several days later I was contatced by our assignor and asked to submit a report on what happened during the game. My partner did not umpire another game for our association but did continue to work HS games. Luckily I never had to work another game with him.

[Daryl H. Long]

Ump25,

Sounds like "Bob" learned everything he does from Rich Fetchiet. I was a CBUA member in the mid 90's and Rich often told stories like this of how he "handled" unruly couaches, players, etc. His arrogance has surely rubbed off on "Bob".

Sorry to hear Fetchiet is still umpiring and assigning umpires.

[UMP25]

Daryl,

You may have misunderstood my post and assumed somehow that the CBUA condones such behavior. I am NOT criticizing Fetch at all. I just stated that my partner and I both happen to be CBUA members, and I'm certainly not ashamed of that in the least. My point is that such an individual shouldn't even be a member of such an organization, or any other if you ask me, and that the CBUA shouldn't be proud to have such an umpire as one of its own.

I can't speak for your experiences with Rich, but I'd like to believe he wouldn't tolerate such blatant unprofessionalism.

[mick]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Daryl,

You may have misunderstood my post and assumed somehow that the CBUA condones such behavior. I am NOT criticizing Fetch at all. I just stated that my partner and I both happen to be CBUA members, and I'm certainly not ashamed of that in the least. My point is that such an individual shouldn't even be a member of such an organization, or any other if you ask me, and that the CBUA shouldn't be proud to have such an umpire as one of its own.

I can't speak for your experiences with Rich, but I'd like to believe he wouldn't tolerate such blatant unprofessionalism.

Preacher seems to think Rich not only tolerates it, but teaches it by example.
Hmmm.
I dunno.
mick

[UMP25]

He could think whatever he wishes, of course, but Rich has been nothing but fair to me, and I like him personally. Therefore, I'm not going to agree with Preacher's sentiments.

[Daryl H. Long]

Originally Posted by UMP25

He could think whatever he wishes, of course, but Rich has been nothing but fair to me, and I like him personally. Therefore, I'm not going to agree with Preacher's sentiments.

I want to preface my remarks here with congratulations to Ump25 for the level he has achieved, and for his high standards of performance that is evident he requires not only of his partners but of himself. I believe that the assigner in this case did not require the same high standard, maybe because he feels 'it's only a D III game'. Who knows?

It is sad that Ump25 had to work a college game with such an unprofessional umpire. And while we bash the umpire we somehow release from culpability the other who are just as much to blame. First, the assigner, and secondly, all those involved in the game who witnessed the behavior (coaches and other umpires) and did not report the behaviour to the proper "administrators". (Posting the incident to this forum does not qualify)

I will raise some questions that seem to point fingers but that is not my intent to put anyone on the spot, especially Ump25. The questions, while real, are rhetorical in nature. It is up to him if he answers them on the forum or not but I in no way wish to jeopardize any future assignments he may get. I guess I am hoping Ump25 reported the incident to more than just us on this forum. If so, he gets my respect even more than I have mentioned in this preface. But I still have to raise the questions.

1. I admit it was probably unfair of me to surmise that Fetch has not changed his thinking nor curbed the arrogance he exhibited in my short time of meeting and talking with him. Let me illustrate why I don't think Fetch has changed and I will base it all on Ump25's words.

Fact: "Bob" not only bragged about the high level games he works but also seems to brag about the close friendship he has with Fetch. Of course that may be just hot air by "Bob" to get others to think he is a greater umpire than he really is.

Since "Bob" has exhibited unprofessional behavior in the game he worked with Ump25 then most likely he has done it numerous times. I am certain of this because Ump 25 said, "Sadly, the guy was frickin' proud of what he did". There seems to be no remorse for his actions in hindsight as if it was an isolated incident. These kinds of things at that level can not be kept secret from the assigner, who in this case happens to be Fetch and he keeps hiring "Bob".

That to me seems like Fetch does condone it.

Let us know if Fetch drops "Bob" or continues to hire him. Then we all will know for sure whether he condones such behavior or not.

2. Ump 25...Did you report "Bob"s behaviour to Fetch, Yeast, and CBUA?

You were incredulous about "Bob"s behavour. But it does no good to tell us here on the forum. Nothing we can say can prevent BOB from doing these things again.

First, to illustrate a point I just made. When Ump25 posted his experience with "Bob" on this forum umpires across the nation now know of the incident. I assume by now that Fetch knows about it too: at least two coaches should have reported it but more importantly Ump25 should have been on the phone to Fetch 5 minutes after the game to report it himself.

Ump25, Did you report it or not?

Secondly, concerning "Bob"s e-mail you said, "I'll skip all the irritating stuff he said and did before the game and jump right to what happened (exception: in an Email to me earlier in the day he tells me: "it's a conference game, so I should do the plate." F--- him!)--an incident that I believe would have gotten him fired had Yeast or Fetch seen it."
Why hasn't he seen it? You should have forwarded the e-mail to the assigner just as soon as you got home. And a second e-mail should have followed that as a written confirmation of what happened before, during, and after the game.

Was a written followup to the phone call made?

3. I am having a hard time figuring out just what Ump25 really thinks of Fetch My problem with Fetch is personal and it will do no good to bash him further by providing the details of what happened between us.

He defended Fetch after I said something negative about him. He talked about fairness and personally liking Fetch. But then (through interpolation) he indicts Fetch as the cause of "serious problems" within the CBUA.

After describing the incident Ump25 said, "And this guy's a regular D-I umpire? In all honestly, if it's guys like this who get such games, there's a serious problem."

Amen brother.

If an unprofessional umpire is getting games in the CBUA then there are many people to blame...the ASSIGNER, the coaches who tolerate the bahaviour, and other umpires who continue to work with him.

[UMP25]

Daryl, the individual who assigned Bob to work with me I very much respect. While we both knew that Bob tended to suffer from the "little man/big head syndrome," neither of us expected him to do what he did. Therefore, please don't blame him, because I can't fault him for assigning Bob.

I'll jump to #3 for the moment. I am NOT indicting Fetch at all, nor was it my intention to claim that the CBUA has serious problems. It was more of a general statement. The guys I know of and have seen in the CBUA are good and professional individuals, and all the interaction I have had with Fetch has been equally good and professional. Of course, this doesn't mean that one will never run into a guy who doesn't cause one to raise an eyebrow from time to time.

As far as reporting this incident, I spoke to the assignor about it and even asked him if I should bring it to the attention of Yeast and/or Fetchiet. I also discussed this with other reputable NCAA umpires whom I respect to get their opinions. Every one of them recommended that I NOT take this any further. Several reasons were given, but among them were explanations that according to what they knew, Bob wasn't perceived by others to be as good as he thinks he is; that my reporting of this could be construed as petty and can backfire; that Bob would eventually get his comeuppance; etc.

I'm one who has always been a rather straightforward individual in just about every aspect of life, but I admit that sometimes not saying anything can be more preferable than saying something. Considering that Bob has been around longer than I have--heck, he's at least 15 years older than I am, I'm guessing--I didn't want to be seen as a vindictive backstabber of some sort.

In short, I considered his actions unprofessional but didn't consider them a major, federal offense. I didn't want to make a mountain out of a molehill, you might say. Perhaps my original post above seemed like I was. If so, that is an incorrect interpretation of it. Instead, it was just meant as an example of a, shall I say, "memorable" experience with a partner.

Let's let this specific incident die right here. There is no need to pursue it further. You can contact me privately if you have any additional questions.