Never Yell Shut Up

[RPatrino]

I have found that my level of restraint lowers when I do adult ball. Its hard to watch 40 year old men act like children. I have contemplated keeping pacifiers in my ball bag to hand out when they start to whine.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

I have found that my level of restraint lowers when I do adult ball. Its hard to watch 40 year old men act like children. I have contemplated keeping pacifiers in my ball bag to hand out when they start to whine.

Just ask if they want you to call the waaambulance. Who was it that posted that pic a while back?

[SAump]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Just ask if they want you to call the waaambulance. Who was it that posted that pic a while back?

Brian has it and he uses it every now and then for effect, or is that affect.

Damn, something else I failed to learn in school because I never stopped moving around enuf to listen well.

[Uncle George]

Personally I would never yell shut up! I'd just enforce the rule, ejection! And also, I never say the next person who says another word is gone because what if he says "Thank You", you gonna run him? I doubt it! If the rule says the infraction warrants an ejection, send him on his merry way and follow that with "Play Ball"!

[ctblu40]

IMO, depending on the level of game, situations such as this must be handled differently.

For example, if working a game between 13 year old players and the sniping starts, I'll walk to the coach and ask him to take care of it. Why? Because more likely than not, this group of participants don't know how or when to express displeasure.

If working an adult league game, this passive approach will most likely not solve the problem. A stern response such as "shut up," "sit down," or "I'll handle the balls and strikes," with some volume and a good game-face is usually necessary.

[Rich]

Friend of mine was working an adult tournament last week with teams from out of the area. Teams in the area know not to mess with this guy (and a few more of us), but like I said, these are teams not from the area.

Ground ball to F4. He bobbles, bobbles, lollipops to first, safe.

F6 says, "He sure f---ed that call."

Now, my friend could've just run him, but decided to pull a page from the book of "Game management -- Adult Baseball Style."

"Time. (Turns to F6) You don't know me and I don't know you. Let me introduce myself. SHUT THE F--- UP AND PLAY THE GAME."

It's not my style, but he said that he didn't hear a word out of either team the whole game.

Adult baseball is a matter of survival in many cases and sometimes the right answer doesn't come from Miss Manners.

[pdxblue]

I agree! I use a heavy hand when needed, and am not afraid to tell them to shut up, swear at them, etc...

Multiple times I have had multiple ejections in "adult" games. After the first time, the teams sort of figure out that I have no problems ejecting enough guys so that their team has to forfeit! I don't think of it as me ejecting them. Rather, I think of it as them ejecting themselves!

Usually, a comment to a bench like "You can go ahead and talk all the fu*king crap you want to me. I will just keep ejecting you guys until you are done" gets their attention and we can move on.