Getting Your Point Across

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by DG

Funny story, maybe. My last forfeit, about 3 years ago. Summer league recreational game of 16-17 year old players.

The team on defense is winning big, like 14-0 in the 4th. After I call ball 4 on the batter the pitcher comes off the mound with his hands spread wide and says "where was that pitch". I turn to coach and say "you need to talk to your pitcher" He says "he deserves an answer" and I say "you need to talk to your pitcher". So he does. A couple batters latter same thing happens, this time the coach is proactive, he calls him to the foul line and he, the catcher and pitcher have a discussion. As they are breaking up I tell the coach that is two trips and who is he putting in for his new pitcher (OBR rules). He goes on a rant, about how this was not a trip, he did not cross the foul line, ask my partner, etc. I tell him he has to change his pitcher and if not his assistant will have to do it. He hollers out to F5 to take the mound and then heads toward the dugout and says something about "you making all this money you should know the rules". Good bye.

I turn to look at the pitcher who is hollering "you can't make me leave". Good bye. I start walking toward the official scorer/league administrater and I hear footsteps behind me and turn to find another player in my face. I don't know what he said because... good bye. Before it was all over I got about 3 more and my partner, who was also district commissioner comes up to me and says "I think we need to forfeit this game". I agreed, they did not have enough to play now anyway.

My partner called the assigner. He said he had been warned that this team was nuts and when he looked at the schedule he saw me and the district commissioner working the game so he did not bother to call us to clue us in. He figured we would handle whatever came up.

I found out later that coach and pitcher were father and son. Go figure.

Funny story. I love when they think they know the rules and you don't.