Observations from the Stands

[harmbu]

I was at a tournament that my team had been eliminated from last night. I was simply a spectator saw a couple of things that I did not like.

In the first game PU makes a good call on a play at the plate. The tag was high, but the play was up the line and the runner never got to the plate. The offensive coach got very animated in his box, but never made his way toward PU. After the inning ended, PU picked up the bat to hand to the coach on his way by. As the coach approached, PU opened the door to further discussion by pointing to the spot where the tag had been made on the runner. The coach argued some more and as he walked off, he gesutred toward the crowd and said something. At this point the crowd got riled up and PU turned toward them and began to argue with them. I looked down the line and BU was standing near the first base coaching box with his back to the plate like he had no idea anything was happening. After the game ended and they were waiting for the second game to begin, PU approached me and said, "How's it going Coach? What did you think about that game?" I told him that I thought he nailed the call but that he shouldn't have interacted with the fans. He said that he realized that and wished he had not done it.

In the second game, the two umpires had traded positions. New PU called a strike and the visting crowd let out a groan in unison. PU ripped off his mask, turned toward the crowd and said, "one more word from you, and you are out of here!" One of the members of the crowd said, "Which one of us?" PU said, "I don't care! Any of you!" The crowd kind of laughed it off and the game went on. When the game ended about an hour later, the umpires were exiting through the visiting dugout and I saw the umpires interacting with the crowd. The administrator from the visiting team was in between the two groups telling the umpires to just leave and he would handle the fans. The BU (PU from the first game) was refusing to leave and kept yelling at the fans.

Several things that I did not agree with:

--Coach in first game yelling at umpire from his box. The play could have been discussed in a more calm manner in closer proximity.
--PU in first game initiating further discussion with coach after the inning was over.
--Coach inciting crowd with his gestures and words.
--PU interaciting with crowd.
--PU in second game talking to entire crowd and making a threat that he didn't follow through with when a spectator spoke back to him.
--Both umpires interacting with crowd instead of getting away from the field as soon as the game was over.
--Umpire ignoring administrator who was trying to calm the situation.

I know this is a HTBT situation, but how would you handle these things if you were an evaluator or administrator at these games?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by harmbu

I know this is a HTBT situation, but how would you handle these things if you were an evaluator or administrator at these games?

Options:

1) Discusss with the umpires in private.

2) Post on a discussion board.

I'd choose option 1.

[kylejt]

These are either rookies, poorly trained, or just plain bad umpires. You have to figure out which camp they fall in before you can address the problem.

If these are guys who've been doing this for years, they just don't get it, and probably never will.

If they're rookies, they need some game management guidance.

If they're just poorly trained AND willing to listen, treat them like rookies, and give them that same game management guidance.

[MD Longhorn]

Agree with the above, and you've already outlined the conversation with the bullet points at the end.

Don't interact with the fans. Repeat and stir. One of two things will happen if you do: 1) You'll get away with it with no problems, only encouraging you do to do this again, eventually leading to... 2) Fustercluck like the OP.

Also, if coach didn't come out to complain or argue with your call, let it go. No need to bring him the bat and bring it back up again. That almost always leads to trouble.

And yes, I've been guilty of both.