Catcher Bailing Out

[Jim Porter]

I thought the following might make for some interesting discussion. It's an old incident report from an umpire in the association where I was once vice president. The names have been redacted to protect the innocent -- or guilty. What do y'all think?


"The following is to report the ejection of Head Coach ****** ******** on Wednesday, May 15, 1996 from the Junior Varsity baseball game between ******* and ***** ******* played at ******* Field.

In the first inning, *******’s catcher was bailing out any time a pitch hit the dirt. As the plate umpire, I was struck several times by pitches that should have been stopped. I asked the catcher to please stay down and not bail out.

In the second inning, again I took several shots that should have been stopped. I repeated a reminder to the catcher to please stay down. I also informed Head Coach ****** ******** that his catcher was leaving me vulnerable back there because he would jump up and out the way when a ball hit the dirt. Mr. ******** told me it was his catcher's first game behind the plate and that he would talk to his catcher and the issue would be resolved.

In the third inning, I again approached Mr. ******** after taking several more shots. I told him I was getting battered and bruised back there, and I asked him to do something about his catcher. He again said he would take care of the problem.

In the fourth inning, the same catcher came out. After taking a few more shots, I halted the game and informed Mr. ******** that I would not be used as a human backstop. I told him that he needed to change his catcher. I felt, at that point, my safety was in jeopardy, and the ******* coach had shown no regard for my well-being. I then went on with the game.

Between innings, Mr. ******** approached me at home plate. He began by telling me that he was going to speak and I was going to listen. He told me that I had no right to speak to him the way I did, and he told me that I did not have the authority to make him change his catcher. I told Mr. ******** that he would have to change his catcher or he would be ejected. After giving him the opportunity to resolve the issue in the second, third, and fourth innings, I would not tolerate being hit by anymore pitches because his inexperienced catcher was bailing out. I ordered the catcher’s removal as a safety precaution - my own safety - under Official Baseball Rule 9.01c.

Mr. ******** began to holler. He said I was, “nothing but a big whiner,” he told me, “that’s what we pay you for,” and I was told by others on the coaching staff to, “suck it up.” I allowed Mr. ******** the opportunity to let off steam. However, he persisted. He continued to yell loudly, he continued to demonstrate no self-control, and I eventually had little choice but to eject him.

After the ejection, he refused to leave the facility. He continued hollering and carrying on as he slowly gathered his things. Once he left the field, he made his way to the scorer’s booth. While I held up the game waiting for him to leave the facility, he continued to yell. He made his way back into the dugout, and in front of his whole team, he congratulated his catcher for having done his part to hurt me, and told the catcher to keep up the good work. After even more time elapsed, I informed his Assistant Coach that my only remedy if he didn’t leave was to forfeit the game. Only then did Mr. ******** leave the facility.

Once the game was over, I hadn’t yet even reached my car when Mr. ******** pulled up to me in the parking lot driving his red truck. As my back was turned trying to ignore him, he started in on me once more out of his driver’s window. I told him he had no business approaching me in the parking lot, and I repeatedly asked him to drive away. But he continued his arguments. I was stuck listening to him because I still had not taken off my equipment. I cannot drive wearing plate equipment, so I was forced to listen. We exchanged unpleasant words. He continued to persist until the jr. high head coach, who happened to be present, finally convinced him to drive away.

After umpiring in the ******* community for the past 5 years, this has been the first incident where I’ve felt a need to eject a coach. Not only was his disregard for my safety a problem, not only was his attitude poor, not only did he refuse to accept my authority, not only did he persist in carrying on in an inappropriate manner, but the comments he made to his players during the incident provided the poorest of examples.

I also want it to be known that I am no wimp. I work in all levels of baseball where I have taken shots from upwards of 85mph fastballs. I’ve been an umpire for 5 years. I know that getting hit by the ball comes with the territory. Requiring the removal of the catcher is not something I took lightly. It is only something I did because the catcher was too inexperienced for that level, after I had taken far too many preventable shots, and after truly feeling that my safety was in jeopardy. The time to teach a catcher how to catch is during practice, when no umpire is standing behind him. No umpire should be required to be a human backstop.

I ask that you consider disciplinary action against Mr. ******* so incidents of this nature are not repeated in the future. Refusing to immediately leave the facility when ejected, as well as approaching me after the game in the parking lot, are two serious violations that require your attention."