More confrentation issues...

[TussAgee11]

4 games at the field today. Worked as PU for the last 2.

Everything was going smoothly until the championship game. 2nd inning, pitcher can't find the plate. Couple moderatly close pitches, above the belly button, that I call ball.

Coach seems upset, and the same pitch is thrown again.

-"Ball"
-"Where was it?"
-"Upstairs"
Coach directed towards pitcher: "I don't know where he's gonna call a strike for you today".

I calmly said time and called the coach over from the dugout for a brief convo. Something along the lines of "Coach, you have the right to talk to your pitcher, but do not question balls and strikes while doing so. Its a slippery slope that you just began to walk. Please refrain from doing so again. Thankyou." all with my mask on, very low voice. When I was done with what I had to say I turned around back to the plate, coach says "I just want a shoulder to knee strike zone thats all". I kept walking

No problems the rest of the game.

Got to the parking lot, (had to stick around for the check from TD), and a Mom who was sort of riding me from the fence (and the opposing players a bit too, nothing too bad) came up to me and said she was really dissappointed with how I umpired. Partner had already left and I was literally 2 steps away from my door. I say "I'm sorry you feel that way" and continue to the car to try to just drive out.

She steps in front of the door and continues to talk about how unfair I was. I told her that I'd be glad to give her an email where she could complain to, my assignor. I wrote down my own non-school email and left. Finally.


Did I dance the dance ok?

[greymule]

You handled the coach well. As far as the lady in the parking lot goes—

Don't say you're sorry for anything.

Don't give her any e-mail addresses.

Don't talk about any aspect of the game you just officiated.

If you feel you must talk to her, refer her to someone who can help her get started on her umpiring career.

And as for the coach who said he wants a zone that's "shoulder to knee," call a shoulder-high strike on one of his players and see whether he really means what he said.

[Carbide Keyman]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

4 games at the field today. Worked as PU for the last 2.

Everything was going smoothly until the championship game. 2nd inning, pitcher can't find the plate. Couple moderatly close pitches, above the belly button, that I call ball.

Coach seems upset, and the same pitch is thrown again.

-"Ball"
-"Where was it?"
-"Upstairs"
Coach directed towards pitcher: "I don't know where he's gonna call a strike for you today".

I calmly said time and called the coach over from the dugout for a brief convo. Something along the lines of "Coach, you have the right to talk to your pitcher, but do not question balls and strikes while doing so. Its a slippery slope that you just began to walk. Please refrain from doing so again. Thankyou." all with my mask on, very low voice.

A little wordy for my taste, but not bad.

Also, you might not want to give that "do it again, you're gone" impression, it backs you into a corner as how to handle further outbursts.

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

When I was done with what I had to say I turned around back to the plate, coach says "I just want a shoulder to knee strike zone thats all". I kept walking

Personally, in my universe, he would be gone.

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Got to the parking lot, (had to stick around for the check from TD), and a Mom who was sort of riding me from the fence (and the opposing players a bit too, nothing too bad) came up to me and said she was really dissappointed with how I umpired. Partner had already left and I was literally 2 steps away from my door. I say "I'm sorry you feel that way" and continue to the car to try to just drive out.

Get paid before the games.

Normally, partners do not leave until we all are ready to go.

Tell her "Thank you" and move on.

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

She steps in front of the door and continues to talk about how unfair I was. I told her that I'd be glad to give her an email where she could complain to, my assignor. I wrote down my own non-school email and left. Finally.

Run her down !!!!!

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

4 games at the field today. Worked as PU for the last 2.

Everything was going smoothly until the championship game. 2nd inning, pitcher can't find the plate. Couple moderatly close pitches, above the belly button, that I call ball.

Unless that's the accepted strike zone in your area for that level of game, the belly button is not the top of the zone.

[DG]

You don't say what level ball this was, but no matter, I generally head off problems like this by calling a pitch above the belly button a strike, because it is.

I also don't call coaches out of the dugout to have a converstation with them about anything, and I would never say Please or Thank You during the short discussion.

I also don't talk with fans in the parking lot who want to b*tch.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Unless that's the accepted strike zone in your area for that level of game, the belly button is not the top of the zone.

I was just stating thats where the pitch was... not that the belly button is the top of the zone.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by DG

You don't say what level ball this was, but no matter, I generally head off problems like this by calling a pitch above the belly button a strike, because it is.

I also don't call coaches out of the dugout to have a converstation with them about anything, and I would never say Please or Thank You during the short discussion.

I also don't talk with fans in the parking lot who want to b*tch.

What if she's standing in front of your car door when you want to get in it?

No choice, what I said was with the intent of getting in my car ASAP.

I don't feel bad about the parkinglot thing. I found it funny that I gave her MY email adress. Will make for a funny reading tomarrow morning.

As for the please or thankyou thing, I've been critizized by members of this board and partners for being too confrentational. Maybe this time I was too nice?

Thanks DG for the input... I'll store it in the brain for next time!

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by DG

I also don't talk with fans in the parking lot who want to b*tch.

And I don't converse with b*tches in the parking lot who want to talk, either.

Tuss, don't go out of your way to be confrontational, but don't go from one extreme to the other either. You certainly don't owe the coach any explanation as to the strike zone. When he started in with the "I don't know what he's gonna call" crap, I would tell him to stay off my strike zone. Any further discussion of the strike zone would then lead to a quick hook.

As for the lady in the parking lot, I would tell her the same thing I would tell a man in that situation: "Disappear."

I have had a couple partners jump in their cars and split on me as soon as they got to the parking lot. I proceeded to scratch each official with my assignor. That is throwing your partner under the bus, IMO. You should always stay with your partner until it's time to leave the park, unless you tell the other umpire to go ahead and take off.

[DG]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

What if she's standing in front of your car door when you want to get in it?

As for the please or thankyou thing, I've been critizized by members of this board and partners for being too confrentational. Maybe this time I was too nice?

You certainly don't seem too confrontational in this case. I would have ripped my mask off and told the coach to "stop it now coach", or any similar 4word phrase. Anything else is too much discussion.

I generally go to the trunk first, to remove my plate gear and while doing this I go to the back door to get a soda out of the cooler I have on the floorboard. The only time I have ever opened the driver side door and got in and drove off with full gear on it was raining like heck. However, is she is still there when I am ready to leave I would ask her to move so I can get in the car. That would probably be my first words to her, and most likely she has left by then. I probably would be decent enough to not remove my cup while she is still there.

By the way, what kind of games were these?

[TussAgee11]

USSSA 12 year olds....

this is why I like it when I get assigned to the older boys, this s*** don't happen in those games...

But the same guy assigns them all and for fall ball, its the only stuff thats around. And he rotates us all around.

So this weekend was my turn to babysit

Its actually not bad ball minus the uptight coaches and crazy parents.

[DG]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

USSSA 12 year olds....

this is why I like it when I get assigned to the older boys, this s*** don't happen in those games...

But the same guy assigns them all and for fall ball, its the only stuff thats around. And he rotates us all around.

So this weekend was my turn to babysit

Its actually not bad ball minus the uptight coaches and crazy parents.

Call a bigger zone in these games, not as high as the shoulder, but at least 6 inches above the belly button. I have also been called a low strike umpire, but nobody complains they just adjust. It's the hollow beneath the knee thing so I call it.

Be more generous with strikes at this level and the games will move faster, ("he's going to call that pitch every time Johnny, you have to swing the bat"), and there will be no stalkers in the parking lot.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by DG

Call a bigger zone in these games, not as high as the shoulder, but at least 6 inches above the belly button. I have also been called a low strike umpire, but nobody complains they just adjust. It's the hollow beneath the knee thing so I call it.

Be more generous with strikes at this level and the games will move faster, ("he's going to call that pitch every time Johnny, you have to swing the bat"), and there will be no stalkers in the parking lot.

What if you got a hard throwing kid... the batter will never be able to hit a good fastball at the letters... its just not fair to the batter in my mind.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

What if you got a hard throwing kid... the batter will never be able to hit a good fastball at the letters... its just not fair to the batter in my mind.

So let me get this straight: you call the strike zone by the book and age- and league-appropriate, and you get outs faster, and that's UNFAIR? To whom? Do you think umpires ought to ensure as many hits as possible in the game? Do you adjust your strike zone to every different kind of pitcher so that batters have a better shot at 'em?

[tiger49]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

I calmly said time and called the coach over from the dugout for a brief convo. Something along the lines of "Coach, you have the right to talk to your pitcher, but do not question balls and strikes while doing so. Its a slippery slope that you just began to walk. Please refrain from doing so again. Thankyou." all with my mask on, very low voice. When I was done with what I had to say I turned around back to the plate, coach says "I just want a shoulder to knee strike zone thats all". I kept walking

Tuss I will usually take off my mask when I discuss anything with a manager. I have heard stories of guys having players/managers ripping the mask off themselves when things turn sour. Plus it makes sure that everyone knows you addressed the situation.

[DG]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

What if you got a hard throwing kid... the batter will never be able to hit a good fastball at the letters... its just not fair to the batter in my mind.

So if a hard thrower throws a changeup knee high on the inside corner on an 0-2 count you call that a ball too, because it's not fair to the batter? Be fair to the pitcher. Any part of the ball goes through any part of the zone and it's a strike. That makes the zone about 2 inches bigger on all sides and particularly for 12's.

Now I know what the b*tch was b*tching about. You have a hitter bias. Any chance her son was a pitcher, or catcher?

A good fastball above the belly button should be MEAT to a good 12 year older hitter. Call it if they don't swing at it. Coach of the offensive team will be hollering "you gotta crush that pitch Johnny".

A pitch at the letters is too high on most uniforms.