Umpire "Etiquette"
 

A couple of things I'd like to ask you umpires who've umpiring a long time (way more than my 6 years)

(1) Oftentime upon completion of a game I would shake the hand of my partner as we were leaving the field remarking that it was pleasure to work with him. I was told by a fellow partner after a game recently that it is not proper to be shaking hands until we are well off the field and out of sight of the teams. Is this considered the SOP for you experienced umpires?

(2) Again, as a plate umpire when a pitch eludes the catcher (whether passed ball or wild pitch) or a pitch is fouled off behind us, I usually throw a new ball out to F1 and have the on-deck batter retrieve the errant balls. However, many times this other person will flip the ball to me from 4 to 6 to 8 feet away and I would catch it and stash it into my bag. I was told by a fellow umpire that this was an insult to the plate umpire - a showing him up. The plate umpire should insist that the ball be handed to him for examination and pocketing into his bag. Do you experienced umpires insist that balls be handed to you in this situation and never flipped?

1. I save that stuff for the locker room. If you had a great game, probably no one is going to notice your handshake. If you had a terrible game, the team you screwed isn't going to enjoy your celebration. You might as well stay consistent and save your congratulations for later.

2. To me it's more important when the ball is delivered than how. If I'm carrying 5-6 baseballs, just wait until your at bat to give them to me -- I don't need that first pitch foul ball back immediately. If you want to toss one to me while you're walking across the plate, fine, just hit me in the chest.

1. Yeah, shaking hands as you leave the field looks like you're congratulating each other upon ending the game.

2. I've never heard of that being a taboo. But, I've got pretty good hand/eye. Some guys don't, and probably would look silly trying to catch a ball, so I see where that's coming from. So for fellows who can't catch a ball flipped to them from 6 feet away, that might be pretty insulting. (hunh?)

If you don't want the on deck hitter to throw the ball back to you, either tell them so that maybe they will remember not to do it, or ignore them when they try to get your attention. Usually works for me.

OTOH, how is this showing you up?

1. While we are not automatons, we need to limit our emotions somewhat. Kyle and Brian illustrated why. Besides, if you guys are doing your jobs properly, there will be a postgame where you can do that.

2. Never heard it being described as "showing up," but more a minor no-win situation. You catch it, no one notices. You drop it, you look the fool; it goes by you, it holds up the game.

1) Yes, wait.

2) True at higher levels (where you can keep both ball bags "full" and a ball-person brings out the new balls when you request them. At most HS and below games where you have 3-5 balls for the entire game, it's not as big a deal, especially if the ball fouled to the screen is the "last" one. If you still have a couple, then have the on-deck batter bring it to the plate when he comes to bat.

Both, especially the latter, are soemwhat area dependent -- much like someone calling the umpire "blue" instead of by name.

1. Game is over you should be getting "out of Dodge" noone is paying attention to you anyways. I either wait by the "exit" or I'm meeting my partner by the "exit". I don't think I shake hands I just get off the field.

2. There are games where I'm handed the ball and there are games where I'm handed the ball, they're tossed to me/catcher and they're rolled to me, airmailed to me, mailed to me, FedXed to me quite frankly I really don't care how you get them to me just get them to me.

It amazes me that people make a big deal about how they get the friggin ball.

1. Shake hands when one of you is leaving for home from the parking lot or locker room. It's as good a time as any and cannot be miscontrued.

2. I prefer to have collegiate minders hand me game balls. They are usually bringing three or four out. Varsity ball is a different story. I want the game to move along and have no problem with a coach or player tossing a ball my way, if I'm looking that is. ;)

As an aside, I stopped letting coaches throw balls in to the mound from the dugout last year. Illinois has an official baseball for playoff contests. The pitcher for the home team had a big hook and after repeated foul balls out of play, I was out of baseballs. The HC tossed one in from his dugout and the kid cracked off a nasty deuce for the third out. The catcher rolled it back out to the mound. The HC told the AC to pick it up on his way to the 1B box. He was beat to the punch by the HC from the visiting team who saw it was a high raised seam ball, that is not allowed in HS ball. I am pretty vigilant now.

It was a pretty rotten Spring for baseball this year. We went through a bunch of balls due to the wet conditions. I had coaches toweling them off during many games. With tighter budgets, it was unlikely that we would see a coach crack open a new dozen late in the game. Get me a game ball and let's get the game finished.

I agree, congratulate each other when you leave the field. The losing team can easily take it the wrong way.

As far as having the ball tossed back, just make sure I am looking at you.

I'd like to hear how this situation was remedied?

-Josh

If the next batter isn't going to bring them to me and someone insists on throwing them, I have them throw it to the catcher. He's the one with a glove on.

We had a rough Spring here, Josh. In fact, our playoff games were delayed due to the rain and field conditions. I'm not sure how many baseballs are issued by the state for these contests but they were depleted quickly at our field. It seemed that almost every outfield hit required a new baseball. Between innings, the HC would almost always pick up the game ball and rub it up as his pitcher came out. This hadn't been a problem as the ground was saturated and we did all we could to keep the balls clean and dry. He saw the ball and waved it to me. I figured he wanted another one and flipped one that I had just been given to his pitcher as he came on the field.

After inspecting the suspect baseball, I approached the other HC and asked him why he didn't give me an official ball. He pleaded innocent and said that he just grabbed a ball from the bucket after he saw me show empty ball bags. We had used the supply of new balls and were toweling off others as the game progressed. He knew the opposing HC and apologized loud enough for him to be placated. The opposing team wound up winning so karma prevailed.

1. I do not think it matters as much as people are making this out to be. I am mostly worried about leaving the field first. I have never really thought about where I shake my partner’s hand. People will read into these things even if you do it in the parking lot.

2. Never heard this one before. Usually they flip the ball and if they make me have to go out of my way to get it, I will let it go. That being said flipping it to me is likely going to keep the game moving. Also when I have on-deck batter go get the ball, I do not try to get the ball from them unless I have no baseballs in the bag. Other than that I could give a darn how they give me the ball unless they are making me have to run and get it. I think sometimes people get these "pro" ideals in their head and try to apply it to a level where we do not have the luxury of ball boys/girls or an organized level where there are multiple balls sitting off to the side.

Peace

Thanks everyone for your responses. I will now follow through with a handshake with my partner well off the field for the concerns mentioned above (though I wonder why it has been 6 years for someone to even mention it to me).

As for the 2nd issue, I encountered that stricture during a gathering of umpires from all over the country. It was mentioned to all of us in attendance by an umpire who hails from the West Coast. (Might it might be a West Coast thing??) However, though fully capable of catching a flip, I will tighten up on my practice of it depending upon the situation.

Thanks again...

One thing in your post that no one has mentioned:

I *never* throw a new ball to the pitcher. To my mind, that's the catcher's job. Plus. if F1 happens to be distracted & gets hit with my throw, guess who's going to catch hell for it?

Now if F2 just got dinged, I'll slowly walk the ball out toward the mound & *give* it to F1, but I don't throw.

CT1,

I "rarely" throw a ball to the pitcher because, like you, I feel that's the catcher's job, so I just usually give one to him when a new ball is required.

The exception for me is when I've come up the line on a fair/foul call and the ball ends up foul. If I'm significantly closer to the pitcher than the catcher is, I'll go ahead and toss it to F1.

I always make sure I've got his attention before I release the throw, and, at my age, the velocity of my throw is such that it isn't going to hurt him even if he does get distracted and gets hit. :o

As to the OP....

1. I always wait until I'm off the field and well away from the fans before I shake hands or "fist bump" my partner and compliment him on not sucking.

2. I treat having returning balls thrown to me as a "...when in Rome..." situation. It seems primarily level dependent, somewhat regional, and, occasionally, coach/team dependent.

I like the way Bob Jenkins put it in a thread from last year when this discussion came up:

There are some coaches who make it a POE to teach their players to be respectful to the umpires. While I personally don't find it disrespectful to have a returning ball tossed to me, it is MORE courteous and respectful for a player to hand the ball to the umpire.

Regardless of whether it's tossed or handed to me, I make it a point to ALWAYS say "Thank you" to the person who returns it to me. And if it's a catcher or head coach, I use his first name when thanking him.

JM

It's been long enough since I've worked a game that I can't honestly remember when I shake my partner's hand, but I suspect it was as I left the field. It certainly never caused an issue.

I think the concern is overblown. I referee soccer. In soccer when the match is done, the three referees all congregate in the center circle and shake hands there before heading off the field. No one ever says anything about this because it's done that way all the time (and, let's not flatter ourselves, no one cares much how the officials leave the field, so long as they leave).

Same here. After my shoulder surgery limited my range of motion, I don't throw balls to the pitcher or catch them, either. That's what the catcher is there for, and that way I'm not embarrassed if I zing one to the shortstop by mistake :D

I've never heard of tossing baseballs to be disrespectful. Depends on how hard they throw them, I guess ;)

Also agree with other posters, your only on-field duty after the last out is to leave ASAP. We don't discuss anything about the game until we are at our cars.

Eastshire,

Well, if they do it in so@#er, ...

all the more reason NOT to! http://umpire-empire.com/public/styl...fault/fuel.gif

JM

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

I've hardly ever thrown a ball back to F1 when behind the plate (I might, as JM mentioned, do it when the situation puts me within 10 feet of him), and I can count the number of times on one hand, usually when F2 decides to go pick up a fouled-back ball.

In my second year of umpiring, I was the BU for a youth league (I believe it was 13- or 14-year-olds). After the plate meeting, PU went to throw the ball to AT's F1 to start warm-ups. He got F1's attention, and as he was throwing it, F1's coach yelled to him. There was no time to react, and PU tossed it into F1's "athletic supporter area". Thankfully, he was wearing a cup.

I don't have a problem throwing a ball back to the pitcher if the need arises, typically on a ball that squirts away on the side opposite the on deck batter. As the catcher goes to get it, I can put a new ball in the game. I'm still young enough to throw straight and I prefer to keep the game moving. I see plenty of the best umpires in the world throw one to the pitcher every so often. Most prefer to hand the ball to the catcher, as I do, but it's not a big deal to help the catcher out once in a while. Some actually say thanks.

I do this too. It just depends on the situation. If the foul ball takes the catcher away from the plate or takes me up the line near the pitcher, I will throw it myself. If the ball is just fouled directly back or out of play, I will hand it to the catcher and let him throw it to the pitcher.

As for baseballs being returned to the PU, the only thing I really don't like is when high school coaches throw the ball at my feet between innings. Most will bring the ball by between innings or give it to their catcher, but a few try to long-hop it to me, and I hate it. If it is during the inning, most will just throw it to their catcher and he will hand it to me. If an on-deck batter chases a ball to the screen, I usually tell them to wait and bring it up when they come up to bat. College games are nice because they designate someone to bring you baseballs the entire game and you don't have to worry about getting them from on-deck batters or anyone else.

1. I always wait til we're away from the field before any sort of handshake/"good game" remark or anything of the sort is made.

2. Personally, if the on-deck hitter is within 4-6 feet, sure, I don't mind a toss. But if he's over near the fence and wanting to long-toss it to me, I'll tell him "bring it to me when you come up." I've found it saves a lot of time trying to chase dropped throws/bad throws.

Soccer is different, because it's played with a clock. When the clock says you're done, you blow your little whistle, and except for injury time for the actors, the game is over.

In baseball, the umpires have a lot more to do with how and when the game ends. THAT'S why you don't shake hands, fist bump, (or hug, in the case of soccer) on the field.

Signed,
Archie Bunker

While I know this is meant in jest, I can't help but respond. The truth is actually quite the opposite. Baseball ends when the last out is recorded. Except when that out is a bang-bang play or a called third strike, it's obvious to everyone when it happens (and it's impending nature is also obvious). In soccer, the game is over when the referee says it is and the only clock that matters is conveniently on the referee's wrist where no one can see it.

A soccer referee is far more open to complaint as to when the match is ended than a baseball umpire is.

After the game we gather on the mound and chest bump...is that bad? :p

The professional thing to do is to simply leave the field, hold your conversations and hand-shaking for when you are alone. JMO

When it comes to throwing or not throwing the baseballs - sometimes you should and sometimes you shouldn't. Too many senarios to list.

I have a problem throwing the ball to the pitcher, usually I either bounce it, make him dive for it, or sail it over his head, then I say sorry pitch! I cant throw a baseball any more, embarassing.

Mike C

1) I have never clasped hands with a partner on the field, or anywhere near it. Aside from nodding and saying "thanks" on those rare occasions when participants/parents/spectators say "good job, blue," my partner and I say nothing until we're back at our cars. I shake his hand when I say good night.

2) I'm with BBUMP99. Here, many (not all) coaches guard baseballs like the Hope diamond, so if I'm short, I'll actually beckon the on-deck guy to toss me the ball. Likewise for fouls straight back to the screen; just toss me the ball. If I'm completely desperate, I'll even accept a long toss. I've actually gotten complements for snagging errant throws, which is hilarious, since I'm no athlete. But I sure as hell don't like it.

As to throwing baseballs to F1, I avoid it as much as possible, both for liability reasons and because, after 20 years of playing rubgy flanker, lock, and number 8, I can't seem to throw a baseball properly. No pain, I've just delivered CKS - Chuck Knoblauch Syndrome. Can someone design a colored ribbon for guys like us?

Finally, I had to howl at kylejt's post. How true. I attended a World Cup preliminary match many years ago between Mexico and Columbia. I was young, stupid and liberal (not coterminous) and convinced I just needed to love so@#er (thanks, JM)) when I saw the same player carried off the field three times on a damned litter. He returned after each exit. Feh.

Oh, and Easthire, rugby works the same way. The official timekeeper is the referee, period. Stadium or TV clocks are just best guess estimates. As it should be.

Can't remember last time I shook hands with a partner, but if I did it was right before getting in the truck to go home.

I don't mind having a ball tossed to me from 6-8 feet if done gently, but would rather they walk it up to me and hand off. When I ask for balls, I expect those to be walked up (ie more than one).

I agree, don't shake your partners hand on the field of play. At the start of the game, hit my protector, wish me well and jog to your position, after the game, you can tell me how good or bad I was on the way off the field, save the hand shake for the locker room or parking lot for before or after the game.

As for tossing the ball to me. Depends on the level and situation. Generally as you move up to the higher levels, there's someone there to bring you the baseballs you need. I don't see it as showing me up, I do see it as making me look like an *** when I don't catch the darn thing.

I think it is wrong to have a ball thrown back to the umpire--if it is a bad throw or worse the umpire drops the ball then we have to go and get the ball--might be ok at LL but once you get into school ball the baseball should never be thrown to the umpire.

For me it depends on how the game went. If it was "clean", then most likely everyone is just gathering equipment, shaking hands etc. and not paying attention to my partner or me. If the game were "rough", then we might attract more attention as we leave and be on the end of some non-flattering comments.

As for the ball, it does not matter to me. The one thing I will offer is this - if the ball gets past the catcher (WP or PB), I do NOT toss a ball back to F1. I would not want to get into this habit in the event there is a runner on and I inadvertently put a second ball into play. Then I would have some splainin' to do.

Foul straight back? Sure - dead ball. Toss to F1 and lets keep it going.

Quick story - during a game a couple pitches were fouled back, I tossed a ball in and turned to the catcher as he tossed the fouled back pitch. One time it gets past him and I am looking out at the field when -- BONK!! Right in the back of the head. The catcher expected me to toss a ball to F1 and just turned and threw it back to me before he realized I was not looking.

Next inning ball gets past him again, this time I turn and watch him go get the ball, when he turned back to me I just wordlessly pointed out to his pitcher. Got a little laugh from some of the folks.

FTR - I did explain to him why I threw it in on the foul balls and not the "skip aways".