Are those bus tracks on my back?
 

I was in "D" last night where I had a delayed OBS call on F5. Trust me, I executed the proper DDB mechanic.

R3 then sauntered home. Both teams thought I was giving an award. No play is made; the run scores.

Defensive Ratso gets upset, appeals at home--to no avail. He is in 1B dugout, by the way.

I succinctly say, "This is a steal of home--there was no award."

I turn to go back to D and I hear something.

Rattus is yelling, his hat is off and ... there's a bucket of balls tipped over--inside the dugout.

I think for .2 sec and decide not to EJ, but give Ratty a terse, long-distance chew-out, somewhat subduing the cretin.

U1 told me after the game that he had seen Raton kick over the bucket and fling his chapeau.

Your opinions--if you are U1, are you excusing the rodent from the rest of the game? Was that a Grehound or Trailways that hit me?

Ace

I don't have anything as long everything he's tossing and kicking is remaining in the dugout.

I agree... until something he throws lands on the field.

No just a bad case of using perjorative terms over and over again, it got old by the second "Ratxxx" comment.

To answer the original question, I'm having a hard time "visualizing" how U1 saw something that you didn't see? I guess you just caught the end of his flare up?

If I were U1, and I feel you, as U3, saw him do the whole thing, I'd leave it up to you as to what you wanted to do with him, as long as his actions weren't blatant 99% of umpires would eject for (because his problem is with you, so if it bothers you, you handle it). If you ejected him for these antics, I'm the first one to play rodeo clown for you and show him the gate. Don't read this as saying I don't have your back, I'm just allowing you to choose if you wish to take the garbage out.

If I felt that you didn't see the whole thing (getting to your next position, etc.) then I may eject, but would probably give a big stare or say something at him, give him one more choice. I definatly wouldn't standby and say nothing if you had your head turned.

Ace, I would have your back and told Ratty to go warm up the bus. It's about game management and control, and that includes the dugouts. Bad behavior is bad behavior no matter where it occurs.

I started this post to get input from peers. Instead, it becomes a polemic on my verbiage.

As much as we tend to disagree, why not reply to the original post?

I think we sling too many arrows at each other on this board instead of providing our learned opinions. "Ace, here's what I would have done" is what I'm looking for.

I think we scare newcomers away. One of my goals is to devleop new officials.

To often we, as umpires, have nowhere to turn. League officials, tourney directors don' t back us up.

Please write your opinions on the origin of the thread. I think this is a reasonable request of sentient people.

Ace

Ace,

To me the answer is going to be age and level dependant. I'm not going to give another thought to a HS manager who kicks over a bucket of balls and throws his hat in frustration, as long as he doesn't throw the hat at me.


Now, if it was a game played by the little guys I'd at the very least issue a warning to the manager that any further acts of unsportsmanlike conduct will result in his immediate expulsion from the game.



Tim.

Suggestion:

1. Let the scorekeeper do his job and you do yours, just call the game.
2. Keep your rabbit ears under your hat.
3. Keep your nose out of the duggout.

Otherwise good job.

ANYTHING comes out onto the field (accidentally or intentionally)...he's done. Otherwise, its a htbt.

I agree with the others that this is likely not ejection worthy.

Again, this is a HTBT situation. I agree that it is level dependent, as I will give a HS and above coach the ability to vent in the dugout. However, I will not accept a stream of profanities or vulgarities to come from anywhere on the field, particularly at the youth level. If an upper level coach wants to trash his own dugout and nothing comes flying out, I say..."go for it".

Like the cliche says...
 

What happens in the dugout stays in the dugout.

Unfortunately, this is sometimes translated as: The umpire has "rabbit ears" if he hears anything said (or screamed) as long as that person is in the dugout.

It's nonsense. If I see (or hear) a bucket of balls rolling around I'm likely not going to let it go.

And that is your perogative Rich however, there are times that "assuming" that bucket of balls is rolling around because of your decision on the field, can get you in trouble.