He Really Said It
 

In our FED game last week, we had a runner coming home and the throw was about eight feet up the line. The catcher was moving toward the ball. My runner slid and the ball hit him in the helmet and went to the backstop which allowed us to score another run.

As soon as the play was over, the opposing coach was sprinting out of the third base dugout yelling, "That's catcher's interference!" After the PU asked what he is talking about, he said, "The runner should be out! The ball hit him! He interfered with my catcher. After the PU explained what happened, the coach was still not happy.

How do you guys deal with coaches who seem to know nothing about the rules or terminology when they attempt to argue with you?

I assume that coaches know nothing about the rules, and go from there. It's much easier that way. Sometimes they surprise me, but not that often.

So how do I deal with them? Usually in the most comical way possible.

"That's catcher's interference!"

"Wait.........what?"

""The runner should be out! The ball hit him! He interfered with my catcher."

"Are you talking about the pitched ball, the batted ball, or are you saying the runner intentionally got hit in the head by that horrible throw?"

Listen to him. Explain what I have on the play. Explain the rule if necessary. Let him go back/Send him back to the dugout. Go back to umpiring.

Yeah, don't try to prove to him how many rules you know. Tell him what you have and move on. Send him back to the dugout, coaching box, or parking lot. Your choice.

"That's catcher's interference!"

"Uhmm ... okay?"

""The runner should be out! The ball hit him! He interfered with my catcher."

"In dodge ball, yes but in baseball no. Thanks for the input, coach but now you have to go back to the dugout."

By having a calm, consistent appraoch to game control.
Listen
Explain your call - including rules if required
Listen
Thank the coach but end the discussion.
If he wants to continue, then you can warn before ejection, or eject depending on the situation.

Simple, professional, easy and fair. ;)

Umpires who attempt humor where concentration on game control is the first priority make jokes...out of themselves.:(

I just had the same thing Sat night. Coach, "the other team is re-entering the starter #12 in his original batting position". (No 9 had sub for 12, No 8 had sub for 9 and now #12 was re-entering). "He can't do that" the coach said. Why not coach, it is according to the rules, a starter may re-enter the game once in his original batting order.

Then the good part starts. "Show me in the book where it says that." Coach, I don't carry the rule book on the field but I will show you after the game if you would like because I am well aware of the proper rulling. After a few, "you have to show me" I stated that the game was moving on and went back to the plate.

Needless to say, he became my first ejection in four years, latter in the inning, for misbehaving in a manner not in accordance with good sportsmanship. His team lost the game all because I didn't know the rules and we (the officials) were terrible.

Well done. Takes courage.

A game is not the time for a rules clinic. Five word response, move on.

"That's not catcher's interference, coach"

"Pitcher did not come set."

"Allowed three charged conferences, coach"

I also assume that coaches do not know many rules until they prove me wrong.

How I deal with it is based on the situation and how adamant the coach is about the play. In this situation I would explain more of the rule if the coach insisted that this was interference. It is better to explain thoroughly and be right than let it go and they never understand IMO. But every situation is unique and most of the time it would never come to this or such a rule be misunderstood by a coach. Then again, I had a coach get upset with me last year because I did not give his pitcher another ball on a rainy day after a foul ball and I had no other baseballs to give him. And many of the remaining baseballs were the responsibility of his team to retrieve, but they let them go. I am not surprised how ignorant coaches can be sometimes.

Peace

2 different games:

In the 1st game, I'm BU and the batter hits a liner down 3rd base line, which PU calls foul. 3rd base coach (HC) yells that ball was fair by 1.5 ft (spreads hands). PU says it was clearly foul. HC says"I have a better view than you". I did all I could to not laugh out loud. PU shakes his head and we play on...

In the 2nd game, I'm PU, runner on 1st stealing on the pitch, which was a caught foul tip, then defensive AC loudly complains that the runner cant steal as its a foul ball. I look over and stare at him, then put my hand up, as his HC says something in his ear.....

Hahahaha
 

Arrived at the park, two nationally ranked 18yo teams to play a DH. Home team coach (his park) has sign hung on gate, "Home Team players will be allowed to run on the outfield warning track during the game while the home team is at bat."

:confused:

During the pre-game, I told the HC that would not be allowed, he said it would, I warned him and as soon as the first player ran, I ejected him. The second player. I called the game.

On the way out, the HC caught me and asked me what was my authority on his field. Walking away I told him if he wanted 4 strikes to be an out instead of three, he could post this but I wouldn't call it that way.

When we returned, there was the sign "The home team will be allowed four strikes per batter."

At which point we got in our cars and left.

Yeah, right! What dream was this in?

Agreed.