Catcher Bailing Out
 

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."

My first reaction is that you got to be kidding, but I know that you are not.

I've made the coach replace a catcher before in HS summer league game for the same reason. It was either change the catcher or I was going to call from behind F1.

But to go as far as ejection etc., that's simply unbelievable to me.

Thanks
David

I thought it made it more entertaining.

Jim,

I found it very entertaining with or without the 85mph. comment.

Hmmmm.....9.01(c) to remove a catcher...........priceless.


Tim.

Interesting situation and I imagine most of us have experienced. If I have a catcher who can't catch or block pitches I adjust my normal positioning to protect myself. I don't mind getting hit in the shin guards or chest protector or mask even but don't like getting hit in the arms, thighs, stomach or other exposed body parts.

So, given this situation I adjust to an unnatural position and call the game.

Side subject, but any manager who mentions money they pay to me to work the game is tossed. Mention money - gone. Add it to the list, personal, profane, prolonged, or money.

I have had to stand behind F1 on several occasions where the manager could not find anyone who could not be a catcher.:D

Very interesting report. My question, Jim, is did this umpire still get assigned games with the "big boys" or was he sent to do "kiddie ball" with a raft? :eek:

A couple of years ago my partner said to a coach that he couldn't make the coach change catchers, but if his catcher continued not making any catch attempt on inside pitches and bailing on balls in the dirt, that this would be considered an act of unsportsmanlike conduct and further action would be taken regarding that conduct.

Jim:
 

In our area ejection reports are limited to 25 words or less.

This report would have been returned un-read.

Regards,

This is the part I'm confused with...A JV game being played under OBR? :confused:

When I get a catcher like this (which, thankfully, doesn't happen much anymore) I just bail with him and say ball each time I do. Soon, I'm mistakenly ballin' some boarderline pitches and letting F2 and skip know that if I could stay with that one it might be a strike. Self preservation is key!

Let's see If I can do it for the Original Poster:

Catcher sucked, I got hurt. Coach told to change F2's. He yelled at me. Coach ejected. He wouldn't leave promptly. Argued at my car, too.

(Only 25)

Unbelievable. Using 9.01c as justification for changing a player.

A simpler solution, tell the catcher and the coach that you are going to use the catchers chest protector strap (the one that goes down the middle of the back) as a handle and you are going to use the catcher as a human shield.

I've told a couple of young catchers and coaches this, I gotten a deer in the headlights look from catchers, however, the coach gets the point pretty quick and things change.

I've never had to use the shield yet, however it gets the point across with a little bit of subtleness.

Very good!

[QUOTE]I agree with TEE no thesis on ejection reports.

Most posters seem to be commenting on the use of 9.01(c) I am assuming that this game was played in Massechusets where FED rules are not used otherwise the FED equivalent of 9.01(c) would have been referenced.

I will comment on the following:


Most HS coaches are teachers. Therefore, my question would be

Would you as a parent want this individual teaching your kid?

Even if you think that the actions of the umpire were inappropriate for using 9.01(c) how about a teacher who first and foremost should be buliding character in his/her students is acting this way.

Why follow the umpire to the car and "keep going"

IMO, suspensions for HS Coaches (teachers) should be stiffer. One way to "cool down" these HS Coaches is to have "tenure" involved meaning if a HS Coach acts ballistic perhaps the way to really "hurt" them is in the pocketbook meaning use the tenure card as a means to keep them in line.

Jim what was the final result of this umpires report and did the coach serve any suspension?

Pete Booth

A JV game being played under OBR?

Probably played in Massachusetts.

Had a coach that was a good friend of mine show up short of players; both catchers had HS games and had to miss this Babe Ruth game. So, he put his son in to catch. He did pretty well, except when the batter swung. He would turn his head and take a stab at the ball, but would miss on most occassions. I suffered through and we both finished the game intact; however, I told his dad after the game (jokingly) that if I ever saw his son even touch the catcher's gear that I would eject them both just on pure principle!

Sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do. This umpire completely mis-managed this issue.

However, mis-managed or not, the coach's behaviour is totally unacceptable, especially the post-game conduct, and should be reported.

S

Hmmm,
 

I have never, EVER, considered ejecting a player or forcing a position move because of ability.

Never will.

It is part of game.

Regards,

I wouldn't, either. Please note that I was joking with the kid's dad...all in fun! And, I did say that the umpire mis-managed this issue. And, by saying that you gotta do what you gotta do meant that sometimes you either take the beating or find a way to make it less painful.

Sheesh...

It's no fun if you have to explain it....

:-)

Agreed Tim. I had a varsity pitcher throwing to a freshman catcher (first time catching due to lack of bodies, kids were taking tests or something) who let almost everything get by, mostly hitting the backstop, some hitting me. As soon as the varsity catcher arrived the coach took the freshman out, with apologies to me.

The coach was satisfied letting all those balls go past the catcher?

Hmm,
 

Striker, my bad I WAS NOT referring to your post. Just the general atmosphere of the thread.

Again, sorry.

Regards,

If I'm in Jim's position. All those times he was getting hit, I would have just jumped with the catcher. This way, ball goes to the screen everytime. And automatic ball.

Most pitchers will realize why these are balls, and most coaches as well. If they come out between innings to mention anything tell them "Catcher is taking away strikes".

If he don't take him out, well, its gonna be a long day, but one where my forearms, hands, etc., and integrity, are in tact.

Nope. Rhode Island. Same thing, though -- high school ball is played under modified OBR.

The coach was suspended for one game. He was not hired by that school the following year -- he was a bit of a jerk.

The assignor avoided as best she could giving this umpire anything above freshman ball. He quit umpiring within two years.

We were lucky to get ANY ejection reports from our umpires, even though we required them.

Sounds like a good solution all-around.

same thing happened here except i got hit in the side of the head, i guess it was part my fault in that maybe i turned my head(dont ask why)...I still have a knot and I have decided to use a HSM for the bigger guys(14+)

Not uncommon. You call ball, many times late into the night, you get home later, get up and go to work. An ejection report takes time.

Personally, I do *not* like requiring the coach to change catchers.

Nor the threat to use the catcher's strap as a handle.

But I *do* like bailing with each passed ball, and calling it a ball. Appropriate "penalty".

And umping from behind F1 is a good idea as well.

Shmuel

Had a partner who called one team's pitches from the backstop, the other from the plate after a "plunk the ump" attempt. He threw no one out but it was fun watching him say "Looks like a ball" after every pitch not swung at. :D :D

If it's required, you make the time, not excuses.

It's an acceptable excuse for the ump orgs I run since the reason almost all of our umps can umpire is because they get to keep their primary jobs first. I'm not asking asking an umpire who gets home at 2300 or later, to fill out our ejection report when he has to get up in less than six hours to see his family in the morning and get off to work. I'm certainly not going to have him fill out that report on work time either. What is required is that he call in to the hotline and leave a verbal message on it with some detail. This will suffice until he can make a formal, online report.

YMMV, this may be the primary job for many, especially on this forum. I see a huge amount of the posts coming during the day.

Even the most thorough ejection report shouldn't take more than five minutes to write up. We don't need to write a four page dissertation.


Tim.

Our ejection reports rquire not only a factual account of the incident in question but should also include any previous warnings, citing rules invoked, ....wait, Good God, if you can write an EJ in 5 minutes, then great. :eek:

If I toss someone I can't wait to get the ejection report in while it is fresh on my mind, even if I get home at 2300. 10 minutes tops email a report in. Some are much shorter depending on situation. The last one I filled out took about 10 minutes but I tossed the HC and 2 of his players and forfeited the game so it took some explanation.