Ichiro's first ejection

[RPatrino]

Tball, are you afraid of a coach calling your assignor and effecting your schedule? In all my years of umpiring I have never heard such a ridiculous assertion, that someone would ignore a situation that needed handling, because it might make a coach angry. Unbelievable, as it just doesn't happen where I am.

[tballump]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Tball, are you afraid of a coach calling your assignor and effecting your schedule? In all my years of umpiring I have never heard such a ridiculous assertion, that someone would ignore a situation that needed handling, because it might make a coach angry. Unbelievable, as it just doesn't happen where I am.

I will let all the others on this board chime in about situations in their area where "drawing a line" and other situations that were ignored and "why" it was ignored by their partners. You are telling me it is never because it would make the coach angry and would get them reported and a downgraded schedule. I hope this is true and all the responses say this has never happened. Glad this is not a problem in your area, and after hearing from 1,000 others that it is not a problem anywhere, I will stand corrected.

[ozzy6900]

Draw a line on me, you're gone!

Call my assigner and he will tell you that I was right!

[TussAgee11]

Yup, draw a line, you're gone.

I ran one, and had to wait another season before I got an assignment in that league.

[dash_riprock]

EVERYONE knows you can't draw a line and stay in the game. It's universally understood. You MUST eject. You will be branded a pussy if you don't.

[RPatrino]

I work for 3 different organizations, and in each one if a coach calls to complain about a player being ejected for 'drawing a line' the assignor will just tell the coach that they should have known better. In one organization the assignor will more than likely come and ump their next game.

If I ever get an inkling of a feeling that the coaches were beginning to run our associations, I'd be gone in a heartbeat.

[kylejt]

Wow, Brian has put on some weight this season. He came to a clinic I was teaching at in February with only one chin. Road food is not kind, and we all know. I didn't recognize him in the video.

Yeah, no drawing lines in the Turface. Nice, or not, you're leaving.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Flippant? One has and exhibits integrity and he has to be referred to as being irresponsible and disrespectful of umpiring?

I would assume that most umpires would indeed place their integrity above their wallet, and not swallow their integrity for a half a buck as you would. That, of course, makes them more respectful of umpiring, not less.

You can be as mercenary as you choose. Just don't ascribe your own shallowness and cheapness to everyone.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Tball, are you afraid of a coach calling your assignor and effecting your schedule? In all my years of umpiring I have never heard such a ridiculous assertion, that someone would ignore a situation that needed handling, because it might make a coach angry. Unbelievable, as it just doesn't happen where I am.

Coaches have virtually no pull with the assignor in Southern California, either. That coach rating input and coach preference stuff is a thing of the past. My main assignor couldn't care less about what any coach or AD thinks.

And if they did, I would still stand up the same way I do all the time, because I think respecting the game is paramount, and respecting oneself is up there pretty high.

I've had to run a few players from the 18-U and 25-U wood bat leagues, and one came in a game with my assignor (who's also my high school assignor). Another came in a battle-for-first-place game, in which I was lightly assaulted (bumped, beaked, mildly butted, shoved) and the president and assignor immediately agreed to kick the guy out of the league. He was suspended before I got home, and banned before I finished my report.

The result of standing up and respecting The Game and demanding respect for it: The assignor gave me two championship games with his own crew. That's how that guy backs his umpires, and that's why I drive farther to work for him. Every now and then, you get to drive to some stadium for a championship game.

[Rich]

I stood up to a bully HS football coach 5 years ago and I haven't gotten a game in that conference (football or basketball) since. I do work baseball since another guy assigns that for the conference.

While I regret that the assignor is a small minded man who has no clue what makes a good official, I'll simply have to make do not working his conference. There are plenty others.

Funny thing - I work non-conference games football/basketball games at those conference schools since those area assigned by the ADs and schools themselves. I'm good enough for them, I guess.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by Highest Quality

Depending on the city, county or state(s), there may not be another conference or opportunity, good on you that you are so lucky. Still in my experience I have seen many, many more umpires lose their integrity to the paycheck when they had other opportunities. Sad but absolutely and unequivocally true regardless of the protestations of a few who disagree loudly and are most probably lying about their own character.

This guy makes another statement that further cements his low-level umpire characterization.

Mercenary umpires are indeed rare to those of us actually active in competitive baseball umpiring. It was my contention, as well as the contention of other established actual umpires. It's the way true umpiring is with actual umpires.