help with new league

[Rich]

Originally Posted by CoachJM

Tidefan,

Sounds like your league president understands his and your respective roles in cleaning up the league. That's good.

As to your second question, I'm probably one of the least qualified people who posts here to answer it. I've never umpired a real baseball game in my life, so I've never ejected anyone. In twelve years of coaching, I've never been ejected.

If you are a subscriber to the paid part of this website, I would encourage you to read the following articles written by some of the distinguished umpires who publish there that address the question you raise:

Carl Childress

Why and How to Avoid Ejections (3 Part Series)
How to Talk to a Coach

Tim Christensen

Rats, cheese, and a glass of whine
The art of ejection

Rich Fronheiser

Game Management (2 Part Series)

Bob Jenkins

Traffic Stops, Misdemeanors, and Felonies (focus on Fed, but generally applicable)

Peter Osborne

Creative Ejections (11 Part Series)

I'm sure there are others as well.

If you do not subscribe to the paid part of the site, just use the forum "search" function with 'ejection' as the search argument.

In general, I believe that the best umpires tend to have the fewest ejections. This is because they:

1. Tend to make the correct call and are in position to do so.

2. Have excellent game management skills that tend to defuse "situations" that could lead to an ejection if handled poorly.

3. Have absolutely NO hesitation in ejecting someone when his behavior is deserving of an ejection (their reputation precedes them).

In the case of this league, one or two early-season ejections of the primary miscreants might be appropriate just to "set the tone" for the remainder of the season. If you and the league president believe that is the case, you simply MUST read Peter Osborne's series on how to go about doing it.

JM

Thanks for the plug. I went back and read my articles again. Not bad for an amateur. I may have to find a website I can write for again at some point.

This season I already have eight ejections after having only 2 the entire year of 2005. Two in high school (first base coach and player in playoff game as they were being killed), 3 in college (two were for intentionally throwing at a hitter after being warned), 3 in summer ball. My standards don't change -- the players and the coaches and their behaviors are the variables.

[tidefanintenn]

Rich, I liked your article too. I was given it by another umpire that had got a copy from somewhere. I usually do not have any issues with ejecting if it is warranted. I am not known for throwing guys out, but Iam known as a strict rules enforcer so sometimes my ejections get to be a lot higher than this year's total of 0. Everybody behaved I could not believe it.

[aceholleran]

I know I am echoing some other posters, but I've been asked to do this very thing.

1. Make sure you have backing of your BOD. Without this no one can umpire effectively.

2. Try to get the best umps in your area--make sure they have (or teach them) a subspecialty in Dixie ball. Since I live in Connecticut, I have no idea what Dixie is about.

3. Make plans to speak at a pre-season coaches' meeting. Stress a) umps in the ensuing season will be better, more savvy and more knowledgable. b) umps will enforce all rules. IMHO, don't mention conduct or EJs--it
is too threatening.

4. Get all of your arbiters on the same page. Outline how bad conduct will not be tolerated ... and how to nip same in the bud. If just one of your crew allows bad behavior, it weakens your entire group.

5. In-game, show steely confidence without arrogance. Encourage as little socializing between coaches and umps as possible. Be the last ones on the field ... and the first ones off it.


Ace Holleran