My typical plate conference:

I first collect two copies of the lineups from both head coaches and scan them for obvious issues. I hand one copy of the lineups to appropriate head coach.

Turning to home head coach: "Coach would you take us around the field?"

After he covers the ground rules, I ask: "Is everyone legally equipped?"

After receiving a positive response from both coaches I wish them luck, shake their hands and move away from the plate to allow the catcher to set up.

If you want to piss off the manager at the plate conference - issue warnings for something that hasn't yet happened. Having then gotten off on the wrong foot, be prepared for a bad experience.

Great plate meeting! I do the same but I don't wish anyone luck. I tell them, "Have a good game". That's just me being me!

The only thing I do in addition to these items is to ask them if they have any questions.


Tim.

I don't know when the first time you ejected someone during your umpiring career, but I felt my first came very soon. Like I have said in other forums, I just started out. I did 85 games last year. I only had 1 ejection, and that was because the coach argued every single call. Finally. I told him complain again and your gone. Well, 10 pitches later he complaiend about a strike being a ball so I gave him the hook. This probably isn't on topic, but I don't understand how coaches in the 8-12 year old range can honestly be arguing balls,strikes, or anything for that matter. 95% of the time when there is a play in the infield the ball won't get to the firstbaseman. And even when it does I'd say they only convert the play 1% of the time. And with the strike zone you have to be very lenient because of the age I am calling.

I don't take **** from any of the coaches. Especially, since half the coaches don't know anything about the rules of their age group. And plus there has to be an embarassment factor when a person half their age is giving them the boot. My opinion though.

Just an old habit. I tried to break it but have given up. It doesn't seem to have affected my career negatively.

95% of the time when there is a play in the infield the ball won't get to the firstbaseman. And even when it does I'd say they only convert the play 1% of the time.

Your league must be really really bad. Heck, Tee-Ball teams get outs at first more than 1% of the time.

OK, you just started out so you're still learning. Make sure you understand that you are still learning.

I don't understand how coaches in the 8-12 year old range can honestly be arguing balls,strikes, or anything for that matter.

Arguing is easy - though perhaps unwise. BTW, it's very easy to see high/low from the dugout.

And with the strike zone you have to be very lenient because of the age I am calling.

There's a big difference between lenient and inconsistent. Inconsistent will get a lot more comments from the dugout. And don't become so lenient that unhittable pitches are called strikes. Perhaps your "very lenient" falls into the later.

i don't know how kids that age can be any better though. This was fall ball so there were 8 years old preparing to play 9 year old ball next season.

That was the only coach the whole year that said there was a problem with my strike zone. And just to let everybody know, our association will NOT let him coach again this year. What a coincidence.

Never give an ultimatum to a coach! If you say to a coach "One more word and you are gone", and he says "Sorry, Blue", you have to throw him out! If you don't, you haven't kept your part of the ultimatum! Pretty silly, isn't it?

In your situation, just go to the coach and say "We are not going there today, coach! Do I make myself clear?" and do it early on. Don't allow pi$$ing and moaning about balls and strikes. If you let it fester for 3 innings, you can only blame yourself!

Be careful here. Make sure you know who the manager is and make sure that he is the only one who talks to you. He gets a little tolerance so let him have his say to a point. If he gets personal verbally ("You are horrible" as opposed to "That's a horrible call"), abusive or makes any physical contact, he's gone.

As far as who talks to you, here's the general rule of thumb I was taught:

Players - They get a smile and not much more. I'll talk to them politely about the weather and stuff like that but if they start arguing, they will be dismissed.

Base Coaches - They have no business arguing calls with me. The only discussion I want with them is "How's the wife & kids". Their job is to coach the players. If they start arguing, they usually are not long for the game.

Manager - He has the right to confront me. He is my contact to the team and he and only he speaks for the team. I will give him my undivided attention should he want to discuss (and I mean discuss) a call or decision. When he starts to repeat or when I feel he has had his say, I tell him that we are done and we are getting back to the game. I then hustle back to my position or the outfield. If he follows me, he's more than likely getting an early dismissal from the game.

Scorekeepers, Tournament Directors - Not one word is allowed! If they have a comment, they are gone - period. I've tossed 5 tournament directors in my time that thought they would intercede on an ejection or a ruling. I do not allow them on the field - period!

Fans & Parents - Not my problem. If they become a problem for me, the game is halted until someone with authority remedies the problem. If the problem doesn't go away, the game is over!

I do not and never recommend an umpire dealing with anything outside the fence. Only NCAA has specific rules that cover an umpire's legal power outside the confines of the field.

I do just the opposite -- ask the "legally equipped" question first, then ask the coach to cover the ground rules.

The point is, that's enough.

In more rec/ informal league play, I run into the problem of walking onto the field with my partner, and having the home team already throwing the ball around, ready to go, and on the field warming up. The pitcher already has the game ball (even if its 5-10 minutes before game-time). It's like when they see us starting to walk from the field they just get ready.

So then I have to play a game with the home team coach. "Hey, lets do pregame over here". What should my response be to that?

I know it should be done at homeplate, but when the pitcher has the ball, am I going to just stand there and piss off a coach for a logistical reason?

This only pretains to games where there isn't a TD, because they will provide the balls of course.

Where do you find coaches that young ? :eek:

I believe you can find them in the same league in which Garth found the 12 year old using the GD stance.:D

I used to be concerned about pissing a coach off for logistical reasons too. Not anymore. I guess you have to make a personal decision about where and when you assume control of the game. My choice is to take control as soon as I set foot on the field. If you let the coach control when and where you have your pre-game meeting, whats next? He determines the time between innings, the number of warm-up's??

My response to the situation that Tuss mentions is simple. " NO coach, get the player's off the field and we will have our plate meeting at the plate". If he doesn't like that, so what.

Well,
 

Under NFHS rules the plate conference occurs at the plate (that is why it is not called "hey let's have a meeting over here by the screeen meeting") and the defensive team is not allowed to take the field until that conference is complete.

One Rule ~ One Interpretation ~ One Mechanic