When did they change the balk rule?

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Based on the level of acumen you have displayed here, you must lose a lot of five-dollar bets.

You'd be wrong, but that's nothing new.

Maybe you should wonder why so many coaches swear at you...

"So many"? Who knew that a mere two (and both coaches this year just happened to be coaches who were very frustrated with their teams' performances, each coming off lengthy losing streaks*) in the last 4+ years would be "a lot"? I see mathematics wasn't your strong suit either.

*Of course, this playing a part is something you wouldn't understand, I'm sure.

[Ump Rube]

I just feel the need to thank everyone who has been posting in this thread. It is a long day at work (the "real" kind, not the "fun wearing blue" kind) and this back-and-forth is just humorous enough to keep me going until the close of business.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by Ump Rube

I just feel the need to thank everyone who has been posting in this thread. It is a long day at work (the "real" kind, not the "fun wearing blue" kind) and this back-and-forth is just humorous enough to keep me going until the close of business.

Glad we can make your day that much more enjoyable. It's easy to do when one debates bland, humorless individuals. It's kinda like when my mother and I talk.

[cardinalfan]

I have been trained as a trauma/crisis counselor and facilitate debriefings for police & fire depts after shootings, accidents, chases, etc. In tense situations, each word can literally be life or death, and I have learned to choose my words carefully in that setting (but not always in this forum!).
Since my training, I have tried to use the same tactics in umpiring, and that is when my ejections ebbed.

There has been some good points brought out in this discussion.
No umpire should let a player or coach swear at them. Anyone who does and doesn't take care of that won't be respected.
Coaches can't argue balls and strikes. If they do, they are looking to be shown the gate.
Umpires should not bait coaches into an ejection. If an umpire craves the adrenaline rush of an ejection enough to bait a coach into it, he has crossed the ethical line, imho.

As far as all the other accusations in this thread... if this was a real game, somebody would have been ejected by now.

[Ump Rube]

Originally Posted by cardinalfan

As far as all the other accusations in this thread... if this was a real game, somebody would have been ejected by now.

I think the umpire in Major League II said it best, "That's it you're outta here! All'a ya'!"

[SanDiegoSteve]

My only point was that if you have umpired for any length of time, an ejection of a coach would be inevitable and unavoidable. This leads me to believe that Kevin has not worked as many games as I previously thought. And for the record, I usually agree with what he says, as I think in most cases he is right. But, I still stand by my comment that never having ejected a coach is most certainly not something to boast about, or be particularly proud of. If you are a new official, then I can understand that statement, but not from a veteran of many a season. Either the coaches in Kevin's area are all gentlemen and scholars, with never a harsh word uttered, or someone's not takin' care of bidness. It has to be one of the two.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

...Either the coaches in Kevin's area are all gentlemen and scholars, with never a harsh word uttered...

Probably the former, which would explain this utopian world in which he umpires. Where IS this place? I'm booking the next flight out!

[Tim C]

"My only point was that if you have umpired for any length of time, an ejection of a coach would be inevitable and unavoidable."

Let's step back and look at Kevin in a slightly different light:

As I have posted over the years in my first 3,000 games I have 314 ejections.

No one can say that is too few or too many . . . you had to be there.

In my last 1,000 games I had fewer than 10.

Let's look at me as an example:

Over the last 6 season I have had two ejections (the same assistant coach twice).

Other than that I have maybe had ONE COACH perseason even come out to argue (the say talk) with me.

Am I that much better of an umpire.

Heck NO!

As my friend Mark puts it: "Tim you can get away with stuff just because who you are . . . all the coaches know you and recognize that to come out to talk to you will not get them anywhere AND they respect you because your OLD!"

Maybe Kevin has work A LOT of games (not a few) and maybe he is the kind of guy that coaches recognize because they have seen him often.

Don't just toss him out (pun intended) because he has little action in on field arguments.

Kevin could just be good, respected and known as a guy you don't go after.