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Quote:

Originally Posted by GarthB

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.

I usually don't get but one copy, which is fine by me. I ask the coaches if their players are properly equipped, remind them that sportsmanship is expected, and then ask the home team manager to cover the ground rules. I don't think I have wished anyone good luck, but I am sure I have said "have a good game".

To steer this ship back into the channel

The topic originally was "arguing"- the length and breadth of the plate conference developed as what I like to call in my business a "tangent."

OBR 9.02 does say (my paraphrase) "Don't argue."

What's an argument? Here comes the proverbial cutter pitch. You ball it. F2 asks you, politely and so only the two of you can hear, "Hey, blue, where was that pitch?" I'm likely to tell him. If on the other hand, his coach (around here, we don't usually call them skip or manager) asks the question from the dugout, he now has my attention. He may or may not get run, depending on a lot of factors. We all have different tolerances for BS. Knowing where to find and draw that line is an art- one I'm still working on myself.

Strikes. Outs. Beer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueLawyer

Actually, counselor, the OT was a question asking when and why limited arguing became allowed. A couple of posts answered those questions directly. If you have something new to offer in regards to the OT, feel free.
If not, feel free to post whatever you'd like, as you did above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPatrino

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.

My plate meeting takes such a short amount of time, I simply don't care where we have it. Lineup cards, properly equipped questions, ground rules, done. I will (probably) suggest us taking it to the side in a non-school game and get it over quickly.

In a HS game, they shouldn't even be on the field.

The Argument about the Argument

Quote:

Originally Posted by GarthB

And my point, Garth, was that the first step in deciding how much argument to take is defining an argument in the first place.

Most of us remember the days when MLB umpires acted by the philosophy "I am God here. Dare not question me." That is not what is taught in modern camps and schools, and in fact, I have been told by every MLB instructor I have had that you should respond to a reasonable question with a reasonable answer. Discerning the "argument" from the "question" is not always easy.

Strikes. Outs. Beer.