Yes, perfect illustration on why we SHOULD listen to everything that is said on and around the field.

I have to do it at least once a year. Work with a newer umpire, or an umpire that has not advanced very quickly. Something weird happens. Coach/player/fans start saying inappropriate stuff that he either doesn't hear, or DOES HEAR BUT WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT! I do something about it.

It really doesn't matter if the comments are direct at you or your partner. If at your partner and he doesn't do something about it, you HAVE TO!!! The game just turns to crap if you don't!

Hmmm,
 

Humans are people.

People umpire baseball.

Umpires have different lengths of fuses.

How does an umpire know IF his partner is just not near his limit or if he is "ignoring" an important issue.

I am sure that I have a different tolerance level for comments than other umpires. It does not mean I am "doing nothing" about comments -- the comments just aren't in my "problem area."

So now we have some umpires that say they would insert themselves into my issue -- why would anyone do that? I handle my own issues . . . I don't need help from anyone.

Regards,

Agree. That holds true for other sports too imo. We're having almost the same type of discussion over on the basketball forum- even as we speak.

http://forum.officiating.com/showthread.php?t=27549

It's not my job to teach the parents of 9/10 year olds how a coach should behave. If the parents want to deal with him they can, and probably will. Sportsmanship can not be "umpired" into existence. I don't give warnings. I give commands. My fuse is extremely short when the comments directed to me are personal or profane and a little bit longer for prolonged (obviously). But I ignore coaches and fans who make a couple comments about the quality of my umpiring, unless of course it's an assistant, on the field, with a complaint.

Sorry Tim, I see far too many guys letting stuff go far too long, and then the game goes to crap!

I am NOT saying that you jump right in. But there comes a point when enough is enough.

I am not generally a short fuse, except for a few things. Personal insults to ANYBODY on the field, profanity, intimidation, threats, taunting all warrant QUICK FIXING.

Tim, if we are working together, and any of this is going on, and you aren't doing anything about it, I WILL!!! Count on it.

If a coach is just complaing a bit about your strike zone (;)) I will probably let that go for a while. I might after a while ask why you aren't doing something about it if he keeps it up for more than a couple of innings. After that, I will probably warn him about arguing balls/strikes if you haven't.

I don't care for the old school attitude that says we have to take a bunch of crap from coaches! I have NEVER seen a job description for a coach which included something like: "Let the umpire know that you think his strike zone is horrible while standing either in the 3rd base coaching box, or on the dugout bench". I see NOWHERE in any rule book, umpiring manual, etc that says I must put up with crap.

I have found that looking to give a warning early in the game makes the rest of the game go much better (if any warning is even needed). Take control early, and with a fairly heavy hand, you hear FAR less crap in the late innings of a tight game! I have seen far too many umpires "let it go" early, and have situations blow up in the last two innings.

I seriously doubt that states would have needed to impose suspensions and fines if umpires many years ago had put the hammer down on complaining. Umpires "long fuses" do a disservice to the game of baseball and further the culture of poor sportsmanship.

Archangel
The only friends we have on the diamond are our partners. If you don't have my back I don't want to work with you!

RonF, I dont understand your comment. Read my post again--I was appreciative of my partners actions...

I would be mildly pissed for him butting into my business.

I know in LL the plate ump is also the Umpire-in-chief. So yeah i do agree, the umpires are a team

This is a generalization, but ...
 

When I am BU, I don't jump into my pard's game. If he wants to let participants rag his zone, he's making his own bed.

Sometimes, if I feel there is overt gesturing going on (a personal peeve) at PU's work, I will inform him, only if he cannot see it. Every field is laid out differently. On some diamonds, it's easy for weasels to hide from PU's view and put on a show.

I even jumped in once, in a 3-man game (I was U3), where U1's work was being physically ridiculed by multiple coaches in 1B dugout (between innings, with U1 down the RF line). I deemed the gesturing overly large and prolonged, which got the fans going.

But, in general, I am with Fronny. Let each of us pick his battles; jump in only when reinforcements are necessary.

Ace

Being umpire in chief does not mean the umpire is the "boss" on the field. It means he has specific responsibilities.