Good EJ?

[TussAgee11]

Over 30 League - Actually known to be a pretty level headed league (compared to the stories I read on here of other adult league games). Mostly good guys just having a good time on a Sunday morning away from the wives and kids.

R1, 0 out, fly ball to right, and they end up doubling off an idiot R1.

After a pause following my initial call (which was a no doubt about it 100%) R1 says turns to me, located about 5 feet inside the cut-out, as he is walking back to 1st base dugout.

former R1: He was off the base (calmly)
Me: I had him on the base
former R1: He was off the base
(here's where I may have erred, I thought perhaps he didn't hear me the first time: but perhaps repeating the same thing baited him a bit)
Me: No, I had him on the base (now starting to walk back to A)
former R1, at top of his lungs, viciously, ready to pop a vain, as loud as possible, looking right at me, now somewhere between 5 and 10 feet away (and when I say screaming, I mean, SCREAMING): HE WAS OFF THE BAG!

Bam, gone.

Did I jump the gun? Any more info you all would like to help determine if I did? Anything I could have done to prevent it? If no EJ, what would you done instead?

In hindsight, I kind of wish I had gotten in one parting shot at him before I dumped him, but for my own perverse sense of humor - not because it was the right thing to do as an umpire.

I thought it was a good EJ, just wanted some thoughts.

[dash_riprock]

Of course the EJ is warranted. Do you think that if you had passed on the second "I had him on the base" R1 would have stayed in the game?

We always have the last word. That doesn't mean we must always utter it.

[tcarilli]

No question asked, no response needed.

I don't understand WHAT you ejected him for. So he yelled at you. I would have just walked away.

Now, if he would have followed you and said the same thing in the same manner, that would have been justified.

But tossing a guy because he screamed his arguement towards you as you were walking away from him? I don't get it. If they did that in pro ball, every other batter would be ejected.

[Adam]

Hmmm. Even I saw that one coming.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by rei

I don't understand WHAT you ejected him for. So he yelled at you. I would have just walked away.

Now, if he would have followed you and said the same thing in the same manner, that would have been justified.

But tossing a guy because he screamed his arguement towards you as you were walking away from him? I don't get it. If they did that in pro ball, every other batter would be ejected.

I'm amazed that you'd allow a player to scream at you and not end up with an out of control game. Well, maybe not..........

Tim.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

I'm amazed that you'd allow a player to scream at you and not end up with an out of control game. Well, maybe not..........

Tim.

The shouting dies down eventually. And the assignor is much happier if he doesn't have to deal with an ejection report.

OTOH, why should umpires go on the field and tolerate getting yelled at? That's NOT what we're getting paid for.

My question is this: If a high school player were to scream at your back like this (loud enough for others to hear) would you tolerate it?

Just cause the players are in their 20s and 30s doesn't mean that the team now has 20 "managers" who can scream and question every possible call in every possible way.

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

I'm amazed that you'd allow a player to scream at you and not end up with an out of control game. Well, maybe not..........

Tim.

I don't get it. A guy screams "He was off the bag" at you and you dump him? When I was a new umpire, yeah, he is gone. THEN the games got out of control.

Not sure what to say to that. My games don't get out of control, and I don't eject an ADULT player because he screams something. I think I developed a bit thicker skin than THAT!

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

And of course this is because you're just that good....................


Tim.

Yeah, I think so!

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

My question is this: If a high school player were to scream at your back like this (loud enough for others to hear) would you tolerate it?

Just cause the players are in their 20s and 30s doesn't mean that the team now has 20 "managers" who can scream and question every possible call in every possible way.

You've hit the nail on the head, Rich. 16 or 40, I'm not going to allow a player to scream at me like this without running him. I wouldn't take it from an assistant rat, so why should I even consider taking it from a player. I don't mind letting a manager get his say, as long as it's not prolonged, profane, or personal.......


Tim.

Originally Posted by RichMSN

The shouting dies down eventually. And the assignor is much happier if he doesn't have to deal with an ejection report.

OTOH, why should umpires go on the field and tolerate getting yelled at? That's NOT what we're getting paid for.

My question is this: If a high school player were to scream at your back like this (loud enough for others to hear) would you tolerate it?

Just cause the players are in their 20s and 30s doesn't mean that the team now has 20 "managers" who can scream and question every possible call in every possible way.

Were we talking about high school players? No, I guess not.

Adults.

We are definitely not paid to be yelled at, but it comes with the job. I don't recall reading any rules in any adult leagues that say only the manager can argue a call. Again, this ain't high school or college ball.

I see a pattern forming with you....

[aceholleran]

Ain't it great how well we lose sight of the original topic?

IMHO, good EJ, Tuss.

I'm running the jerk, too. This is not a "disagreement"; it's someone showing you up with bile and vitriol.

Ace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by rei

Then let's address your use of terms towards players. You refer to guys as "human garbage", "rats", etc... $100 bet that you could have met any of these guys at a social gathering and hit it off just fine, and thought "highly" of them.

Maybe you should examine how pretentious you are! The pattern forming (well, let's face it, you formed it LONG AGO) is that you feel you are more important than the game. It is human beings out there playing sports. In adult leagues, they also happen to be the guys paying for you! These are guys getting up early every day, going to earn a buck, spending those bucks to join a league.

While I am not out there to be a target for them, I am also not so thin skinned that I am going to toss a guy just because he voices a disagreement about my call. THAT is a good way to piss people off and seek retribution.

There is absolutely no harm in allowing people to expel a little emotion on the field. There is about a 90% chance that if the guy in the situation wasn't ejected, that the next inning he would have apologized to the ump. Ok, it could have gone down this way provided that the ump is hustling, doing a good job, appears ENGAGED in the game, not standing around with the "important" look in-between plays and pitches, etc...Since I lost that body language, I quit getting the big blow ups like that.

My description of the player came after he thought it would be cute to let a pitch hit me and think he was going to get away with it because "I can't prove it." Although I know his history, I didn't even realize who the catcher was until I looked at the lineup card in the car after the game was forfeited.

The players get respect until they show that they can't return it. They don't get free shots at us on the field, just like we don't get free shots at them (nor would we want to take them). It's a two way street.

Before I think of myself as hired help, I'd quit officiating.