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.

Trouble? Not in the games I work, trust me. I don't work D1, MiLB, or MLB, though.

I'm not whining, but ...
 

In the original sitch, believe me that the visual and aural displays by coach were huge and loud.

The only reason I missed the kick of the ball bucket was because I was hustling back to "D," thinking the contretemps was over.

It's also small ball [pause for you to come up with pejorative thoughts], plus "dugouts" were at ground level.

I know few umps, at any level, who would have totally ignored this display, IMHO.

Ace

This is a good point, imo.

Too many umpires seem to think that the only two choices are to ignore or to eject. There are a whole range of actions in-between.

Not only that Bob, but it's also small ball.

If I saw it as U1, I would look to you to see if you saw it, simply because his actions are aimed towards you (not that we aren't a team out there). Since you were going back to D, I would have ejected at this point, if his actions were loud and obnoxious from the dugout. Sounds like not one person in the whole park didn't know what he totally did but you, which happens. Thats why we have lots of eyes, our partners. Sorry it wasn't taken care of.

Ace, I guess I HTBT but, as Bob has already stated there are many choices an official has to make between and including ignor and eject.

Whether it is small ball, big ball, little ball etc., I do not go to the games to babysit or teach coaches or players how to play or behave. I am there to officiate the game of baseball. By the same token, I will not fail to handle any trouble that falls within the confines of the rules and will stay within my authority dictated by those rules. I let the players and coaches dictate how and when I will reacte to whatever shenanigans that may happen.I do not need to show them who is charge because I know that in the end, I have the final say and will be.

If that results in their ejection, well that is their problem.

I am sorry, I do not have preconceived ideas about how each game is going to be officiated at any level. I will know the rules , hustle, act professional and treat the players and coaches with the utmost respect. Hopefully I will be able to slip out the gate at the end and they won't even know I was there, which is more of the norm for me.

IMO, each official, has a different approach on how to handle these situations, choose one that works for you and make it work.

CST40 (Bus Tire Size)