If I had a buck for every time someone on this board said "if he complains, toss him" I'd be in a totally different tax bracket. My point simply is that I think too many people here spout off about how they'd be a "big man" and toss anybody that questions their calls, but when it comes to real game situations, I think more level heads prevail.

Yes, I had about 8 my first year, when I was 19. Now, 20+ years later I think I've learned more about the game, and more about my own ego. I can admit when I'm wrong, and I can usually turn a coach back around and head him back to the dug-out without much of an argument. I don't mind people questioning what I've called, my line is personal comments and profanity. Usually if a coach is going to get tossed, he'll regress to those pretty quickly.

When it comes to a call my partner made, I'll do what you say you do, sending him in the direction of my partner. If he continues to complain and argue with me...he looks like the idiot on the field, not me!

I think you're reading a lot into my post that isn't there. At what point do you react to the coach's complaining? Surely, there must be a point when you've had enough, no?

I don't endorse throwing someone out as soon as they complain. I said that you should direct the coach to the ump who made the call. If the coach still continues to complain to you then you have to deal with it. If that means ejecting him then eject him.

My mistake. I thought you said that "If he continues complaining to you, then you show him the exit." My bad...gotta get my eyes checked now that the season has started.

This is bad advice. Why would you not just steer the coach to your partner?

Personally, I let the coach have his say, and when he starts repeating himself, I say, "That's my partners call, go ask him."

Actually catch/no catch is a call.

And I have a bit of a different take on this than most.
If it is truly a 'no call' situation I'm not sending the coach to my partner, I'm sending him back to the dugout where he belongs.
One of my jobs is to keep the game moving, I'm not going to delay it by diverting the coach and delaying the game further. If it was a no call then nothing happened to warrant a call and I can tell the coach that as easily as my partner and then get on with the game.
If there's a rules issue at stake that's a different issue, but if it's a 'no call' a simple
"coach that's a judgement issue, let's get on with the game" will suffice 98% of the time.
Now, if you have reason to believe your partner made a bad judgement on the no call then you decide if you want to throw him under the bus, some will call that letting him fight his own battle, or nip it in the bud quickly and get on with it.
I think if you have a good partner and the discussion gets into the 2% range then he'll be out taking responsibility for the no call on his own. But 98% of the time I just made "Miller Time" come a bit earlier. Every minute I cut off the game increases my pay rate. I like giving myself raises.

I'm not advocating this for anything but 'no call' situations


I think commenting on a play is a problem many umpires have. Too many times I hear umpires justifying their call to an irate coach. The less talking you do and the less justifying you do the less trouble you get in.