Buying yourself (and your partner) trouble

[canadaump6]

Steve,

Great points, all of which I agree with. Sadly, being new to doing "adult" ball, I've tried the take no crap approach but it hasn't worked out well. With the various politics at some of the upper levels, I have become very unpopular for throwing out rats whom the umpire in chief sides with. It's a catch 22. Should I take abuse and continue moving up the umpiring ladder, or should I toss rats and not be wanted to do their games?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

Steve,

Great points, all of which I agree with. Sadly, being new to doing "adult" ball, I've tried the take no crap approach but it hasn't worked out well. With the various politics at some of the upper levels, I have become very unpopular for throwing out rats whom the umpire in chief sides with. It's a catch 22. Should I take abuse and continue moving up the umpiring ladder, or should I toss rats and not be wanted to do their games?

If I didn't have the support of my superior, I would stop doing baseball for that superior, who frankly is not superior to anyone. Why in the world would your UIC side with the rats? Doesn't sound like much of an umpire to me. You can tell him I said so, and I'll tell him to his face if you'd like. He has you hamstrung to where you can't win. Either find a new group to umpire with, or tell this f*cker that you will umpire the way you're supposed to!

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

Steve,

Great points, all of which I agree with. Sadly, being new to doing "adult" ball, I've tried the take no crap approach but it hasn't worked out well. With the various politics at some of the upper levels, I have become very unpopular for throwing out rats whom the umpire in chief sides with. It's a catch 22. Should I take abuse and continue moving up the umpiring ladder, or should I toss rats and not be wanted to do their games?

It's hard to give say exactly how you should handle something. What works for me may not work for you and what works for you may not work for the next guy. Bottom line is to know where the line is yourself and when they cross it they're done. I've said before, the only ejections I regret are the ones I didn't make.

Final advice, don't officiate any game to please the participants. If they sense that they'll walk all over you. Work hard, do a good job and you'll always have work.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by waltjp

It's hard to give say exactly how you should handle something. What works for me may not work for you and what works for you may not work for the next guy. Bottom line is to know where the line is yourself and when they cross it they're done. I've said before, the only ejections I regret are the ones I didn't make.

Final advice, don't officiate any game to please the participants. If they sense that they'll walk all over you. Work hard, do a good job and you'll always have work.

I generally agree.

I would add, though, that you do need to work to "please the participants" -- not necessarily just those involved in the current game, but the league overall.

You need to figure out *why* you're getting so much crap and figure out *if* you can address is. Some things that I've seen in other leagues (and, I'm NOT saying that any of these apply to you):

1) Umpires worried too much about things that don't matter (bats in the on-deck circle, uniforms, players mingling about outside the dugout, the pace between innings) to the participants (iow, being an OOO)

2) Umpires not calling the strike zone expected IN THAT LEAGUE

3) Poor umpiring / judgement (including the proper / expected application of the neighborhood paly and the "expected call" for that league) / hustle (including "over hustle" or "false hustle")

4) It's the nature of the league to ***** a little and the umpire doesn't distinguish between what's "allowed" and what's "too much" (let me add that if what's "allowed" is too much for a particular umpire, that umpire should choose not to work that league)

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I generally agree.

I would add, though, that you do need to work to "please the participants" -- not necessarily just those involved in the current game, but the league overall.

You need to figure out *why* you're getting so much crap and figure out *if* you can address is. Some things that I've seen in other leagues (and, I'm NOT saying that any of these apply to you):

1) Umpires worried too much about things that don't matter (bats in the on-deck circle, uniforms, players mingling about outside the dugout, the pace between innings) to the participants (iow, being an OOO)

2) Umpires not calling the strike zone expected IN THAT LEAGUE

3) Poor umpiring / judgement (including the proper / expected application of the neighborhood paly and the "expected call" for that league) / hustle (including "over hustle" or "false hustle")

4) It's the nature of the league to ***** a little and the umpire doesn't distinguish between what's "allowed" and what's "too much" (let me add that if what's "allowed" is too much for a particular umpire, that umpire should choose not to work that league)

I generally agree with this post. I think the key point is figuring out if there is something YOU can be doing to cut down on the *****ing. It is not like these guys are ALWAYS wrong about the strike zone!

I also agree that you cannot enforce all the ticky tacky stuff about equipment on the field in foul territory, mingling outside the dugouts, etc... Hey, these guys pay their own hard earned money to play in this league. If those are the things they want to do, let it go until it becomes an issue somehow. Then, you should "suggest" that they do something about it. If the other team is complaining, remind them that you will have to enforce the same thing on them. Usually, cooler heads will say "Hey blue, never mind. No worries".

Did a NABA league semi-final game tonight on the dish. The winning teams starting pitcher had a perfect game thru 1 out in the bottom of the 6th, then gave up 3 hits and 3 runs. Anyway, the opposing teams catcher, an ex-D1 player was at bat, and looked at an 1-2 that was a ball width inside at the belt. A strike on anybody else, but not my catcher! The pitcher couldn't get over it. I finally, in a low voice as he walked by after one of the hits told him to quit arguing balls and strikes. Not another word from him, and he actually went out of his way to approach me half way to the car to apologize and shake me hand.

I don't know how I do it sometimes, but I DO know that the D1 umpire who presented Verbal Judo to me claimed that guys I would normally have had to eject in the past, and would be huge problems in a game would probably start apologizing for their behavior if Verbal Judo was applied correctly. Guess what? He was right!

[canadaump6]

Originally Posted by rei

I generally agree with this post. I think the key point is figuring out if there is something YOU can be doing to cut down on the *****ing. It is not like these guys are ALWAYS wrong about the strike zone!

I also agree that you cannot enforce all the ticky tacky stuff about equipment on the field in foul territory, mingling outside the dugouts, etc... Hey, these guys pay their own hard earned money to play in this league. If those are the things they want to do, let it go until it becomes an issue somehow. Then, you should "suggest" that they do something about it. If the other team is complaining, remind them that you will have to enforce the same thing on them. Usually, cooler heads will say "Hey blue, never mind. No worries".

Did a NABA league semi-final game tonight on the dish. The winning teams starting pitcher had a perfect game thru 1 out in the bottom of the 6th, then gave up 3 hits and 3 runs. Anyway, the opposing teams catcher, an ex-D1 player was at bat, and looked at an 1-2 that was a ball width inside at the belt. A strike on anybody else, but not my catcher! The pitcher couldn't get over it. I finally, in a low voice as he walked by after one of the hits told him to quit arguing balls and strikes. Not another word from him, and he actually went out of his way to approach me half way to the car to apologize and shake me hand.

I don't know how I do it sometimes, but I DO know that the D1 umpire who presented Verbal Judo to me claimed that guys I would normally have had to eject in the past, and would be huge problems in a game would probably start apologizing for their behavior if Verbal Judo was applied correctly. Guess what? He was right!

I wish I knew what verbal judo was.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

I wish I knew what verbal judo was.

Hint: google is your friend. so is amazon.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by canadaump6

I wish I knew what verbal judo was.

If you are really a psychology major, you probably do...just not under that label.

It's been around for decades and recently repackaged and sold to the gullible who just discovered the sun comes up in the morning.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Just watch out for the verbal Tae Kwon Do.

[SethPDX]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

If you are really a psychology major, you probably do...just not under that label.

It's been around for decades and recently repackaged and sold to the gullible who just discovered the sun comes up in the morning.

Really? From what I've heard it seems to be helpful.

So people who don't know as much as you are now gullible? Hmm...

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

If you are really a psychology major, you probably do...just not under that label.

It's been around for decades and recently repackaged and sold to the gullible who just discovered the sun comes up in the morning.

So again, I ask the fair question, was this post just an attempt at starting a flame war? I am not sure how this post was constructive in the conversation that was ongoing, and seemed to be going along great until this post. You see, people were just discussing how to do game management for adult leagues. I brought up Verbal Judo. You post this stuff about it being recycled stuff for the "gullible who just discovered the sun comes up in the morning".

Tell me, do you bait coaches like this? My bet is you do.