Handling Coaches
 

Being new to umpiring, I'm curious to how you all handle a coach that comes out to argue a call with you? What do you say to him? Is there an automatic ejection point (besides arguing balls/strikes) based on what he might say to you, or when he tries to show you up? Any advice or some common phrases to say to the coach?

Coming into my second year, I'm trying to get a better feel for game management.

Thanks in advance for the help!

The great thing about baseball is you can say a lot of things in the middle of the field that no one can hear.

I just usually am straight forward with coaches and tell them what I saw or what point I want to get across. I tend to talk an octave lower than the coach so they will lower their voice. I rarely have to eject coaches because if you appeal to their professionalism and sometimes manhood (the way they treat you), you can squelch most major confrontations. I do not think I ejected a single coach last year. Then again there is an art to what I told you. It took some time to know how to be calm in these situations.

Peace

assuming its high school ball.....

if he walks to you with his mouth shut.. manuever (sp) so your standing side-by-side and you say "whats your question coach?"
if he walks at you already talking... I make him repeat himself once I get him along side me. if it isnt a question I ask "whats your question coach?"
if he is coming at you any faster than a fast walk.. he gets a whoa sign and if he is still coming he gets the go sit in the parking lot mechanic.
if he says "you suck" he's gone but if he adds "but, you are consistent" i might let him stay. ;)
there is no such thing as a "automatic ejection" IMHO, just things that earn a quick ejection.. such a profanity, talking bad about my partner, and not pointing out the hot mommies to me ;)

arguing balls and strikes is not an automatic EJ. leaving your position to argue balls and strikes is a different story...

I picked up something similar to this at my JUCO rules meeting a couple weeks ago. He said that you should try everything you can to avoid being face to face/body to body with a manager because it's a confrontational pose.

The example given is if you're out having a beer and talking, you don't stand like that; one guy's at 90 degrees or so.

Conversational vs confrontational. Then again, you'll get coaches that won't give a rat's *** (sic) and will get in your grill no matter what you do.

blindofficial,

I make it a point to never handle coaches. I mean, you don't know where they've been, who they've been hanging out with, when was the last time they bathed, etc. You could catch something. Plus, they're not supposed to touch you, so it's only fair that you don't touch them either.

As little as possible - without being "rude", of course.

If he calls you a cock$ucker, it's an automatic.

Be courteous, impartial and firm.

A colleague of mine is quite fond of "GTFOMF", but he's fairly experienced, so that may be an "advanced technique".

Game management is an excellent area to focus on improving.

JM

It's a learned art. Good advice given so far. I like what coach, eh-hem, sorry, umpjm said, let them talk. Once they start repeating themsleves, end it.

I had a coach admit to me that he was testing me (after the game). I knew it when he did it and told him so. I passed that test. The next time I had him, he ran over me about balls and strikes. I failed that test.

Stay calm, as polite as possible, and don't yell back at him - talk to him (when you say anything). Nothing pissses of someone more than yelling at someone else and not getting a reaction.

Last but not least, learn something from every situation. You can't be taught game management IMHO, you have to learn it.

Until it gets personal, there is no immediate ejection - even that's not immediate every time.

The first thing that you have to do is not give them a reason to come out! Be in position, get the right angle, pause-read-wait for it-react. Always give 110% even when you only have 40% left in you.

Of course, even doing all this, coaches will find it necessary to discuss calls. I got a chuckle out of the post that CajunNewBlue made and it is pretty close to reality. I can't tell you how many conversations I've had with coaches in the middle of the infield. Everything from "Are you really sure he tagged my guy" to "I really can't stand it here anymore. Can you get me out of here?".

But before you try to employ some of the techniques that you read, you will need to get some experience under your belt. Coaches are a funny group. What they take from me will put you on their $hit list very quickly. It takes a long time to be able to "have your way" with coaches.

Other than balls and strikes. The 5 Ps will earn ejection.

Past- "That's the second one today, Blue!"
Personal- "You're the worst I have even seen!"
Profane- "That's F**in' bulls**t!"
Prolonged- Going on and on after a warning.
Preformance- Acting out what happend, showing you up.

disagree with the bold as "blanket" ejections. again, balls and strikes doesn't do it, leaving their position to argue balls and strikes does it. as for the profanity, at some levels it's auto, at others it's not even a warning. personal profanity, however, is the same different story as the balls and strikes from my earlier post.

I agree, but I would add the "volume" of the profanity. If the cussing was during an argument where only you two heard the profanity, then it's nothing. If it's shouted from the dugout, then yes, that's ejectable IMO.

Again, it depends on the level.

blindofficial,

Lot of great advise here. I would recommend you check out the ABUA web site and review the Ejection Forum. You will find a lot of game situations discussed and the best ways to handle them. Many by the same officials who post here. http://www.umpire.org/

Why do you have a redundant screen name? Aren't we all blind? At least in the eyes of the fans and coaches?:)

Spit out my coffee--Thanks!!