How to Get Yourself in Trouble

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

Hi Garth:

Assuming this was a game that counted, why didn't the coach simply protest the call? By the umpire saying what he did, he just turned a routine judgement call into a rules violation. He admitted to the coach that his runner was safe but called him out "on principal" and while I am all for a rule that says an umpire at his/her discretion can call a runner out "on prinicipal" there presently is none.


Also, suppose this: You are the PU and for sake of argument the crew chief as well. The coach now wants to come to you for a ruling:

Coach says to you: Hey Blue Your partner Joe called my runner out at first base "on principal" He told me himself he was safe but called him out anyway.

We all know that we are not supposed to over-turn our partners calls etc, but now you have a situation where your partner by saying what he did mis-applied a rule. If he wanted to "send a message" he should have simply kept his mouth shut.

What do you do?

Pete Booth

1. First question assumes that we know what the coach/manager did. I don't know what he did. Maybe he did protest.

2. It is still a judgment call. It's a safe/out situation.

First, in all honesty, if a coach/manager comes to me with that story I wouldn't believe him. My initial response is that it's a judgment call and I don't get involved in my partner's judgment call.

Now the coach says he going to protest. I inform him that it's a judgment call and those are not protestable. He continues to protest and won't leave the field. As I was taught at the Desert Classic, when it becomes apparent the coach won't leave the field, at that I point I accept the protest.

I first go to my partner, in private, to find out the call. Then I ask him if he did what the coach claims. If says "yes", I ask him what the f@ck he was thinking and suggest that unless he thinks his job is worth it, he should change his call.

If my partner denies it, I'm going to accept the protest and write down what the the coach said and what my partner said. I'm then going to write down the situation: outs, runners, the play , etc.

I then go to the opposing manager and inform him of the protest and the reasons for it. I then notify the PA announcer and official scorer of the protest and then I get the game back underway.

After the game I notify the proper authorites and forward my lineup with all my notes.