Ejections: The adrenaline, the rush, etc.

[UMP25]

OK, a unique thread I must admit, but I wanted to post it more so out of curiosity than anything else.

Last night I was chatting with a fellow NCAA umpire buddy of mine who lives in southern California. Frank was talking about his first ejection of the season occurring in his Oklahoma St. @ Cal. State Northridge series recently. We got to discussing EJs in general, and the conversation took an interesting path.

We were debating whether, as much as most umpires would prefer NOT to eject someone, that we're all secretly guilty of some kind of instant, twisted pleasure when it comes to dumping an individual. We also talked about how there often seems to be a rush of adrenaline when we eject someone, but not in a necessarily negative sense. Perhaps it's due to what I sometimes call the "totality of the circumstances." Some EJs are instantaneous, done as a direct and immediate result of a transgression, while others may have been building for several innings, etc. Whether there is this weird, internal, sadistic satisfaction from dumping someone ( ), I can tell you this much: I never like the whole situation surrounding an ejection. It creates a tension or other weird feeling that just isn't good.

I generally am not known for having a lot of ejections during my entire season, which usually sees me working 150 games or more, but I've got two already since March 17th, which is more than I've had at this time in years. I'm not worried at all; that's just the way it goes sometimes. Nevertheless, the topic of ejections has always intrigued me, especially, I suppose, as an assignor, where I receive Umpire Reports from those whom I assign and for one of the conferences here where I assist the Supervisor with staffing and observations.

So, what are the thoughts of those here? Who has how many EJs this year? We're among friends here, so I don't think we need worry about the quantity, reasons, etc. As I said earlier, I'm more curious than anything else.

[blueump]

This year - 0
2006 - 0
2007 - 3 (same coach twice in two different games)
2005 - 0
2004 - 1 (malicious contact)
2003 - 1 (profanity)

That's about as far back as I remember.

[UMP25]

I've been running between 5 and 8 each of the last several seasons. For 150+ games a year, that's probably not bad. Of course, quantity is irrelevant. Sometimes it's just the luck of the draw, I guess.

[Durham]

Did he say how Lake E. was this time of year?

I have had 3 at the DI level in the last 4 years, but I have had 5 this year and 9 total in 60-70 games worked this year.

As far as your theory goes, I would say that that use to be the case for me, but now I am all grown up, 30 now.

In all seriousness. I no longer get all worked up over them like I use too, and it has made me a much better umpire and allowed me to handle situations much better. I have become more patient on the little stuff, but allowed me to take the approach to this part of the game that, "He screwed up, he has to go! It's not personal, it's just bussiness." When I was younger, when I was in pro ball, and for a few years after I got out, I think I lived for it, looked forward to it, but times and myself have changed.

[David B]

Originally Posted by UMP25

OK, a unique thread I must admit, but I wanted to post it more so out of curiosity than anything else.

Last night I was chatting with a fellow NCAA umpire buddy of mine who lives in southern California. Frank was talking about his first ejection of the season occurring in his Oklahoma St. @ Cal. State Northridge series recently. We got to discussing EJs in general, and the conversation took an interesting path.

We were debating whether, as much as most umpires would prefer NOT to eject someone, that we're all secretly guilty of some kind of instant, twisted pleasure when it comes to dumping an individual. We also talked about how there often seems to be a rush of adrenaline when we eject someone, but not in a necessarily negative sense. Perhaps it's due to what I sometimes call the "totality of the circumstances." Some EJs are instantaneous, done as a direct and immediate result of a transgression, while others may have been building for several innings, etc. Whether there is this weird, internal, sadistic satisfaction from dumping someone ( ), I can tell you this much: I never like the whole situation surrounding an ejection. It creates a tension or other weird feeling that just isn't good.

I generally am not known for having a lot of ejections during my entire season, which usually sees me working 150 games or more, but I've got two already since March 17th, which is more than I've had at this time in years. I'm not worried at all; that's just the way it goes sometimes. Nevertheless, the topic of ejections has always intrigued me, especially, I suppose, as an assignor, where I receive Umpire Reports from those whom I assign and for one of the conferences here where I assist the Supervisor with staffing and observations.

So, what are the thoughts of those here? Who has how many EJs this year? We're among friends here, so I don't think we need worry about the quantity, reasons, etc. As I said earlier, I'm more curious than anything else.

I've never had to eject many coaches, mostly players.

This season I've ejected no coaches, one player (for profanity and disrespect)

I've warned at least 10 players, and put a stop sign on two different coaches.

Of course, some of this has to do with my experience and relationship with the coaches.

Now that its playoff time and the coaches and players don't know me, it might be a little different.

I never like to eject anyone, and my opinion is that they eject themselves.

I know of other umpires who look for ejections situations and even antagonize the situation to further their purposes.

I have no respect for those umpires.

thanks
David

[UMP25]

My two this year involved a player and an assistant coach.

The former took a belt high fastball on the edge of the plate for strike three, and as he walked away, he drew the traditional line in the dirt to indicate where he thought the pitch was.

The latter involved an assistant coach who was coaching first base. I called a batter out on strikes to end the inning--BTW, the batter didn't say a word--and as I began to walk to my typical between-inning position down the third base line, the first base coach starts running toward me screaming about the pitch. He took a couple steps, and I tossed him. My partner, Mr. Jenkins, BTW, and the head coach, had to restrain him.

It turns out this coach used to be in the minor leagues, and a few of my peers had him there. All of them said the same thing: he was a menace then, getting ejected repeatedly, and is a menace now.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by blueump

This year - 0
2006 - 0
2007 - 3 (same coach twice in two different games)
2005 - 0
2004 - 1 (malicious contact)
2003 - 1 (profanity)

That's about as far back as I remember.

Time travel much? How many 2007's have you lived through?

[UMP25]

mc, how far are you from Mineral Wells?

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by UMP25

mc, how far are you from Mineral Wells?

2 hours. (For those of you outside of Texas, please understand that "How far..." is always measured in hours, not miles, here. )

I'm just east of Denton / Lake Lewisville.

[UMP25]

Was just wondering. A buddy of mine lives and owns his own business in Mineral Wells. He was a partner of mine at umpire school, and I'm godfather to his daughter. He still umpires a lot around those parts.

[blueump]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

Time travel much? How many 2007's have you lived through?

Typo...get a grip

[budjones05]

2005-0
2006-2(player was chewing)
This season-(one restiction so far)

I think this is low numbers, however in basketball, I threw about 4 t's this year alone. In 2005, I didn't have to give a T. In Soccer, I red card a player for fighting. Other than that, I've been pretty good and easy going.

[Rich]

I hit double digits in 2004, had 2 in 2005, and 9 in 2006.

Of the 9 last year, 4 were at the D3 level (2 were for a beanball after a bench warning).

Only have 11 games this season, but nothing even close, although after a head coach screamed "BALK" from the coach's box I read him the riot act.

It's just luck of the draw, I'm convinced. I'm not better than I was last year and wasn't better in 2005 than I was in 2004.

I get no joy out of it anymore, although I frequently am amazed at how much the situation improves when someone (who needed to go) leaves.

[tjones1]

This year - 1 (coach)
2006 - 0
2005 - 2 (coach and player)
2004 - 0
2003 - 0

[TussAgee11]

Last year in probably about 50 games I did there was 3 ejections.

1) Malicious Contact
2) After a called Strike 3, the batter pivoted his shoulders towards me and brought the bat back like he was ready to wind up on me. Daddy made him apologize in the parking lot after game
3) Coach yelled from the dugout at my older base umpire, "Alzheimer's is an awful disease ain't it". Probably out of ear shot for my partner, but well within mine.

Notice my wording, in games I did there were 3 ejections. I did not eject anyone. They ejected themselves.

(edited for spelling)