Partner Not Willing To Take Care of Business
 

So you are settled in at the plate and your partner has had a few bangers. He seems to be doing fine although Coach PITA has had a few comments on the base calls.

R1 & R3, no outs and both are off with the pitch. There is a hot grounder to F6 who chooses to heave it to F3 and get the BR. You had no choice but "stay home" (you signaled to your partner that you were "staying home") so your partner has all the base calls. He bang out the BR, and Coach PITA starts another disapproval concert from the 3rd base box.

Your partner just goes to his position and says nothing to Coach PITA when the Coach hollers, "Damn, Billy! That's two you've blown so far!". Your partner says absolutley nothing and you are fuming over this Coach.

Now I know that this has happened to all of us and I would like to know what my brothers would do.

Do you dump Coach PITA?
Do you tell Coach PITA "That's enough!"?
Do you do nothing?

You have to give him time to take care of this on his own. I might not like the actions of the coach but he's getting a LONG leash from me before I'll step in.

Depends on partner's experience. With a rookie I'll step in.

I agree with this....need to have the back of a new guy. With a vet....tough one...we've all worked with vets that shock you with their "lack of intestinal fortitude" to take care of business. They just make it harder for other umpires.

I was wondering... this is a routine grounder. Why do you need to signal to your partner that "you" are stayin' home? The only signalling at pre-pitch is a 1st to 3rd rotation. This whole post sounds kinda weird to me.....

What would a good reply be to this coach if you were the BU? I'm always looking for "rebuttal lines."

Nothing wierd, Chris, just trying to get a discussion going.

I added this signaling thing to keep people on the post, not a tangent. In the past, most people would jump on the fact that you didn't let your partner know that you were staying "home". I don't signal this either but as I said, just for discussion purposes.

Rebuttal? To "you've blown 2 so far?" Depending on the circumstances, either:

1. That's enough.
2. You're restricted to the dugout.
3. You're ejected.

The coach isn't making an argument, so doesn't deserve a rebuttal.

1. Only two? I thought it was more.

2. Who's counting?

I used the same one both times it was said to me: "You're gone."

You could give your partner that "look" in hopes it wakes him up. Between innings, especially with a newer umpire, call him down and tell him it's time to start taking care of business, or I will. We've all had to learn the hard way, sometimes a nudge will keep a younger umpire from learning the hard way also. I clearly remember when the light came on for me, the games go much smoother when you stop it quickly.

How about "When the ball arrived the runners foot was 3/8" from the bag." When he asks if you are crazy tell him it may have been 1/2".

If a vet, I'd get to the coach between innings and tell him I'll take care of biz if my partner doesn't.
One trick I've learned is to pull out the line-up card when approaching the coach. That way only he and I know the true nature of our chat.

Rebuttal lines rarely diffuse the situation. Often the opposite.

"Coach, you won't make it to four."