Outstanding point. I'm sure we do.

Amen brother! Not too much ball around here, unless you're willing to do MSBL, playoffs no less. Usually start the season with thity or so willing umpires, that number is down to about twelve to fifteen by the time playoffs role around. Always like to trade MSBL war stories!

At least you don't have to deal with their parents, also !

I've found the best way to manage adult leagues is to treat the players like children, because most of them still are children. Laugh when they complain about something stupid, or even chirp back at them. Now if they do something really aggressive like chucking a piece of equipment or anything else that the whole ballpark sees, they've got to go, but a lot of them are a lost cause and an ejection won't make things any better.

Yes, sometimes they do stuff that warrants an ejection. But young one, you probably have quite a ways to go to understand what you can do BEFORE that to keep the peace.

I can tell you this. You go into any adult game with "authority issues", you are going to have a long day! If you are even a little bit pretentious, they will grind away at you. That is the way it is, and it took me too many seasons of jacking a bunch of them before I figured out who the real problem is. Once I got myself in check, I found the adult leagues a LOT easier to game manage and hear a lot less crap.

I just have fun with them while still giving them excellent focus and a impartial job.

What should I do to keep the peace?

Six Shooter anyone?
 

I've always thought Mr. S. Colt made a great peacemaker...:D

Actually, keep in mind that you can happily interact with certain players who will 'watch your back' if things explode. It's important to know the personalities in the Men's league you umpire so you don't get sucked into playing their game. Keeping the peace is easy - be consistent and keep your answers to any questions short...I look at a six word max before I get myself into trouble...

Wise post! :)

I work a "fall ball" mens league. It's the only really bad baseball I'll do. The field is a few miles from my house they're DH's and the pay is good. A good number of the players only play in the fall. The quality of play well let me put it this way a good freshman team would beat most of them and a good sophmore team would dominate. The only good thing is that they're 7 innings with a time limit. Most of the players have an attitude that I would describe as: It's great to be out with my buddies and I'm just happy I can still play. If you have two teams like this the evening can be OK even though the quality of play leaves much to be desired. You have trouble when you run into a team or player that thinks they're good. When this happens I'll use all my tricks to keep them in the game. If that doesn't work enjoy the view from the parking lot.

This describes most of the 28 and older men's teams I have done. Except, some of these teams in our area are quite good! Also, it seems that the 18 and over and the 38 and over leagues whine less. Something about those mid-30's guys that make them whine more. :)

Anyway, most of them just want to have a good time. I go out doing these games realizing that the quality of the playing is not going to be that great, and that there is not going to be any hustle between innings, and that they are going to complain a bit. What the hell, my strike zone gets a little bigger, I don't have to super hustle to next positions, and I see it as an opportunity to work on keeping guys in the game. I almost always walk away from adult league games feeling appreciated, and feeling like I had a pretty good time. If I handled the ejection(s) right, usually guys from that players teams are thanking me for "putting up with us today".

You can't be a control freak and do adult ball. It just don't work. If you approach umpiring these games like you would a high school game, you are not going to get along too well out there.

I look at it this way. Adult leagues are where I DIRECTLY service who pays me. I approach that with a certain amount of respect. In turn, I seem to get a good amount of respect in return. If I am not playing games out there, they don't play them with me.

When you say that you directly service who pays you...are you referring to trying to keep guys in the game...not asking them to hustle, etc...

I guess I'm just asking for some clarification. I work quite a bit of adult league ball...so I'm curious as to some other game management strategies that might be out there.

Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. When I used to toss quickly, have that "attitude", and try to get them hustling, it was met with a lot of animosity. Once I accepted that they will get along at their pace, and that most games will go to the time limit, things improved!

You just have to relax a bit more on adult league games. Have fun with them. But, you still have to focus and be consistent. I think a lot of guys can't stay focused with all the distractions, which is why I say that not everybody is cut out to do adult leagues. You have to have your stuff down PAT and no how to turn it on and off quickly. Some guys just can't deal with that, and they usually have problems doing adult leagues. It is the same in every sport.

It's all fun and games with these guys...until they disagree with a call...

Usually happens around here because games are 9 innings - with no mercy rule.:mad:

Usually one or two a-holes on a team spoil a decent game.

21+ leagues have decent catchers...but watch out for those old farts...

I did an adult game tonight. The same batter went 0 for 3, with three called strikeouts. Every time he said something objectionable, getting worse on every strikeout. Finally I just said "goodbye" and tossed him, not knowing that the game was over. Oh well, hopefully he gets a game suspension. Baseball doesn't need players who refuse to swing the bat and then yell at the umpire when they have a sh1t game at the plate.

As for keeping people in the game- good luck trying to do that while keeping the game under control. I had 3 people arguing with me at once over an interference call, personal comments all over the place and of course acting out the play the way they thought it went. Sometimes you've just got to mouth off right back to them, because ejecting people will only give you a bad reputation.

*tisk tisk* You didn't read a word I wrote in this thread did you? ;)