Who Does the Plate?

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by yawetag

Elephant hunting?

Old term from the 70's. When a coach got a reputation for being a real a$$ or bully and would take it out on newer or younger members that didn't know how to handle him, the assigner would send an older experience crew to work his games and put him on a very short leash, dumping him at the first provocation.

Elephant hunting in many areas has been replaced with better training of newer umpires.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

Old term from the 70's. When a coach got a reputation for being a real a$$ or bully and would take it out on newer or younger members that didn't know how to handle him, the assigner would send an older experience crew to work his games and put him on a very short leash, dumping him at the first provocation.

Elephant hunting in many areas has been replaced with better training of newer umpires.

Rat trapping?

[Rich]

I've come to the conclusion (when working with people I don't know well) that if an umpire is trying to ditch the plate job, I'm better off working it. Those that pull out every excuse to ditch the plate are, without fail, crappy umpires who will make my game on the bases a nightmare.

If I'm working with people in my small circle of friends I prefer to work with, we'll simply take turns. If there's a reason one of us needs a day off the plate, we pick up for each other. Except for the guy earlier this season who told me it was my turn and made me drive (driver works the plate) and do the plate after I ran in a 5K a few hours earlier (and I'm not a runner). No heart, that guy.

[DG]

Originally Posted by yawetag

Rat trapping?

One of the two games I have ever worked that ended in forfeit was 4 or 5 years ago. I was assigned the plate and was working with an experienced partner in a 16-17 year old summer game. Game ended after I tossed the HC, the pitcher (his son), the third baseman and a someone else who ran up behind me screaming. I have no idea what position he played, I just knew he wasn't where he needed to be. The game ended due to no asst coach to take over, and lack of enough players to continue.

My partner called the assigner on his cell phone to explain what happened, and partner was told that he had been warned that this coach and team were hot heads, beware. Assignor looked at the assignment for this team's next game, and decided not to even mention it to us, said he knew either one of us would take care of business if needed.

[cbfoulds]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

Old term from the 70's. When a coach got a reputation for being a real a$$ or bully and would take it out on newer or younger members that didn't know how to handle him, the assigner would send an older experience crew to work his games and put him on a very short leash, dumping him at the first provocation.

Elephant hunting in many areas has been replaced with better training of newer umpires.

Or the technique has been refined as a part of the "better training of newer umpires". Don't send a full crew of "hunters" - send ONE, along w/ one of the folks getting beat up, to model the desired game management techniques [and to step in and squelch the offending rat if necessary]. Thus the "purpose assignment".

Kinda hard to "train" someone to deal with stuff without them having ever seen it in person - like training a plate umpire without ever seeing live pitching.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by JJ

If it's not assigned, how do you decide who does the plate - what if BOTH of you want it, and what if NEITHER of you want it?
Flip a coin? Senior umpire decides?
Is there a way to gracefully say "I don't want it tonight?" without the other guy thinking I'm just dodging the dish?

JJ

There is no formula. Someone has to do it so I go to every game being prepared to work the plate and sometimes based on who is playing, if my partner or I had the teams recently or if I will work with or have worked with the particular partner previously we decide based on those things. For example if my partner had the plate 5 days in a row and I have had the plate only once in that same time, I will offer to work the plate. If we worked previously and I worked the plate then I will let my partner work the plate this time. And that is just two common examples, there are often times other factors that it would take too long to decide. As I said before, I prepare to work the plate just in case.

Peace

[IowaMike]

Never a problem with high school games here in Iowa; they're all doubleheaders. The only discussion is whether you take the first or second game behind the plate. Most guys seem to prefer to take the first game; I used to feel that way but generally don't care that much anymore. Sometimes it's nice to have the dish for the second game once it cools off a little and the sun starts going down. Nearly everyone I have worked with rotates first game; if they had it last time you worked, it's your option the next time.

The guys who are already there in full plate gear before you arrive irritate me, it's something that should be discussed out of common courtesy. There is one guy around here who only works soph/frosh level games, who puts on the plate gear at home and gets to the game about 50 minutes ahead of time to ensure he will get that first game behind the plate. He is generally disliked and a pretty crappy umpire to boot. I work nearly all of my high school dates with the same guy now so we just rotate first game back and forth.

I do work a few lower level games that are singles before the high school season starts here at the end of May. I always show up assuming I will work the plate because I figure the guy I will be working with will either refuse, give some excuse about a bad back etc, or say he "forgot" his gear. I don't understand why guys umpire if they don't want to work the plate. I wouldn't want to work every game on the dish, but I would be bored to death working every game on the bases. I like doing both.

[DG]

Plate always assigned and rarely changed. A couple Sundays ago I woke feeling like H*ll and had a DH to do. I knew assigner was out of town so called a few guys trying to get myself replaced with no luck. So I went.

I had been assigned first game but partner said he would do it and I happily agreed. After the game he said he would work the 2nd game too, if it would help. We discussed for a bit and finally I told him I would be eternally gratefull and pay him back some day.

I made it through, went home and showered, and went to bed.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

MTD, Jr. and I have two assigners for H.S. baseball: One for our OhioHSAA sanctioned games and one for our MichiganHSAA games. Our MichiganHSAA assigner assigns the PU and BU; if it is a DH then it really doesn't matter who does the P the first game, but when we are assigned together Junior always takes the P the first game and if it is a single game then Junior usually takes the P for his "old man" no matter who was assigned the P. For our OhioHSAA sanctioned games Junior usually takes the P for his "old man" because he really likes working the P.

If we assigned OhioHSAA games separately then whoever gets to the game first usually works the P because there are far too many guys that like to arrive at the game site about the time the crew should be walking onto the diamond.

Junior is a good son.

MTD, Sr.

[bniu]

where I work, it's usually assigned but there are times where I'll adjust with my partner. One case, I had the plate, apparently he just had knee surgery and wasn't really able to run around on the bases, so I agreed to let him take the plate and I would do my best to cover all the bases and let him stay at the plate the entire game. Another time, I was scheduled for bases, partner shows up without a mask, and it's 95 degrees, I'm not letting someone else sweat into my mask, so I worked the plate.

another time at a tournament, we were running behind and we were trying to finish the games before darkness hit, so we just worked it out that whoever was dressed in plate gear would stay on the plate the rest of the day (one game would start just minutes after the last out of the previous one, the teams were ready to sprint onto the field quickly).

important thing is that you get along with your partner and have a good game.

Originally Posted by MikeStrybel

Around here, almost every umpire I have worked with waits until I have changed from my plate gear and am ready to drive away. I return the favor. It's a good time to post game, discuss upcoming schedules and rule/policy changes. Especially after a tough game, I enjoy the time to cool the jets and learn something about my partners.

isn't this just common courtesy between umpires?

[pastordoug]

In my previous Association it showed up on Arbiter with someone assigned plate and someone field. The decision for who did what came 24-48 hours prior as we were required to contact our partner within that time frame. We also were required to be at field at least 45 minutes prior to game time. Anyone found not following these rules were "fined" accordingly (there were extreme circumstances that were taken into consideration). It's amazing how many made sure to follow these rules once money was taken out of their checks... Really had very little problems outside what has already been mentioned (some not wanting to do the dish....). Be interested to see if any other Association issues fines?

[PeteBooth]

I am assigned plate/base in my association for ALL games whether HS summer or fall ball.

It makes 'life easier" Let's face it unless you work in an elite association there is a handful of umpires that do not mind working the plate. if you do not assign base / plate you will get guys who will say "I left my gear at home". "I am not feeling that good" etc. etc. In other words all kinds of exuses.


If plate / base assignments are NOT assigned then at least have some criteria like number of years at that level etc.

I do not mind the dish but on the same token especially when the weather gets hot I do not want 6/7 dishes in a row which happens when plate / base assignments are not predetermined.

Pete Booth