Short Right Field.

[Forest Ump]

I have come to the conclusion that coaches come out and ask questions that they already know the answer to just to get in your head.

I had a coach come out to me the other day. I was working the dish and had just finished ringing up his last batter of the inning. He came out and said, in a friendly tone, he didn't know what to tell his players. He claimed they had never seen a strike zone like mine and didn't know what to do. I wanted to laugh but I just said to him that I call it the same for both teams and they don't seem to be having a problem with it. His team was down by four runs.

I also had a coach come out to me in right field after I had called his player out at 1st on a banger for the 3rd out. He got up close and said to me "What did you see?" I said "I saw the ball get to the base before the runner did." He says "Do you want to know what I saw"? I said" Nope, not interested."

What did he think I was going to say? Like I said, they do it just to get in your head.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

I have come to the conclusion that coaches come out and ask questions that they already know the answer to just to get in your head.

I agree. They can try, but it does not work with me.

Peace

[chartrusepengui]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I agree. They can try, but it does not work with me.

Peace

I agree - I already have so many voices in my head there's not enough room for any more!!

[cbfoulds]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

I had a coach come out to me the other day. I was working the dish and had just finished ringing up his last batter of the inning. He came out and said, in a friendly tone, he didn't know what to tell his players. He claimed they had never seen a strike zone like mine and didn't know what to do. .

"Well Coach, if it were me, I'd tell 'em to swing the bats. Your pitcher seems to be coping OK."

[johnnyg08]

This season on a stolen base attempt that ended the inning...I got a "what happend over there?" and I replied..."other than the ball and tag beating him to the base...nothing" that ended it.

[cardinalfan]

It is odd that the coach waited until the end of the inning to ask about the first out, but I guess if he was not animated and left in a timely manner, I would probably just tell him what I saw and let it slide... once.
If a guy isn't really mad, I'm surely not going to say anything that will make him that way.

[GoodwillRef]

Originally Posted by cardinalfan

It is odd that the coach waited until the end of the inning to ask about the first out, but I guess if he was not animated and left in a timely manner, I would probably just tell him what I saw and let it slide... once.
If a guy isn't really mad, I'm surely not going to say anything that will make him that way.

The positive here is by asking you after the inning the game was not delayed at all. I think sometimes we give coaches way to much credit...some of them just aren't too smart about the rules...shocking I know.

[BretMan]

Had a coach come out to me as I was in short right just three days ago and it was a first for me.

He wanted to give me grief for not having called what he thought was a balk about five batters prior to the last one of the inning. He had run his mouth about pretty good when it happened, but no one from his team bothered to ask for time and come out then to talk about it. Generally, I'll explain a call to any coach who is civil about it, but ignore random yelling across the field about a call.

It just so happens that this particular coach was coaching first base, so he was kind of in proximity to right field to begin with. He was also the assistant coach for this school, though he is a well-known head coach for other area travel teams, a well known pain in the rear and a bit of a legend in his own mind.

Our coversation went like this:

Coach: Are you gonna call that?

Me: Call what?

Coach: The balk.

Me: "The balk" for what exactly?

Coach: For not coming to a stop.

Me: Are you the head coach?

Coach: No.

Me: If the head coach has a question, he can ask for time and come see me.

Coach: Are you gonna call that!?

Me: If the head coach has a question, he can ask for time and come see me.

Coach: Grumble, grumble, grumble...(returns to dugout).

Okay, I was kind of a hard *** and that usually isn't my style. But I don't feel it's appropriate for an assistant coach to come out between innings and vent about a judgment call that happened five batters ago. Maybe if this guy's reputation as being a tool hadn't preceded him, I might have handled it differently.

Same game, a couple of innings later. Following a close play at first, the head coach does request time, approaches me, I walk to meet him hafway (kind of scratching my head as to why he is coming out on a routine- though close- judgnment call where I was set up right on the play and he was in the third base dugout, about 100 feet away).

I then get the dumbest question from him I've had all year- so far.

Coach: (With his best "I'm astounded and shocked by that call" look on his face) Did you call him safe?

Me: Did you see me hold both arms out to my side?

Coach: Yeah.

Me: Did you hear me loudly yell "safe!"?

Coach: Yeah.

Me: Then why are you out here asking me a question that you already know the answer to?

Coach: Grumble, grumble, grumble (returns to dugout).

I'm not really sure what this guy was getting at, other than maybe just trying to get under my skin. Certainly, he couldn't have any real expectation that I was going to tell him anything differently than that I had the runner safe, or entertain any notion that I would possibly reverse the call.

I guess that it was just Stupid Question Day at the ballpark and somebody forgot to tell me!

[johnnyg08]

wonder what he would've said if you'd have answered "no" to his "did you call him safe?" question...it would have to be "well, why did you signal safe?" your answer...grin

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

wonder what he would've said if you'd have answered "no" to his "did you call him safe?" question...it would have to be "well, why did you signal safe?" your answer...grin

Wouldn't that be inappropriate?

Peace

[johnnyg08]

very. but a bit funny

[SethPDX]

Originally Posted by cc6

Well, it can't be a story if I said that I "would". If you don't want to share anything productive, please don't post in this thread. Unprofessional? No. I'm just not going to let a rat argue a judgment call without a little workout first.

I was going to think of something unproductive to say, but others have beaten me to it. The fact that you really would do this speaks volumes about your level of professionalism, something umpires here have tried to point out time and time again.

BTW, wanting to ask about a play does not by itself make a coach a rat. I don't use that term for all coaches because most of them are well behaved.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

very. but a bit funny

Of course it was funny. And if he was going to ask such a stupid question, then he deserved the answer he got. JMHO.

Peace

[briancurtin]

Originally Posted by BretMan

I then get the dumbest question from him I've had all year- so far.

Coach: (With his best "I'm astounded and shocked by that call" look on his face) Did you call him safe?

Me: Did you see me hold both arms out to my side?

Coach: Yeah.

Me: Did you hear me loudly yell "safe!"?

Coach: Yeah.

Me: Then why are you out here asking me a question that you already know the answer to?

Coach: Grumble, grumble, grumble (returns to dugout).

I'm not really sure what this guy was getting at, other than maybe just trying to get under my skin. Certainly, he couldn't have any real expectation that I was going to tell him anything differently than that I had the runner safe, or entertain any notion that I would possibly reverse the call.

I guess that it was just Stupid Question Day at the ballpark and somebody forgot to tell me!

That is way too much talking.


Coach: (With his best "I'm astounded and shocked by that call" look on his face) Did you call him safe?
Me: Yes

[JRutledge]

I think the moral of the story, is do what ever works for you. I hear people say not to say anything, do not piss off the coach, say a lot, do not care what the coach says, be direct, do not upset the coach.

If I have learned anything in my career, what works for me will not automatically work for someone else.

I have learned that my style works for some and does not work for many. I did not give all the comments in this situation and it really does not matter. The coach did exactly what I wanted him to do, go away and know that he could not come out there with some BS. He clearly got the message to the point he had to ask my partner what he thought. I will likely have that coach again and the next time he will know where I stand. And it is also likely he will not be at that school in a year. And what he thinks of me ultimately is not going to change what I have done. I have accomplished a lot despite what one coach that my not even win a playoff game thinks of me. I just do not live in that place where I need to please someone and say all the right things because they ask and behave in what I see as an unprofessional manner. As far as I am concerned if I am not raising my voice, using foul language/curse words, or threatening them with bodily harm, I am not violating any rules or standards. If you ask me a question and you it is a dumb question, I might not say it is a dumb question, but I might make you feel as if your comments are dumb. But this works for me and I am fine with it.

Peace