I would have called the game and left at the point the board member refused to leave the field. They also wouldn't have had a chance to suspend me as I would have turned in any assignments with the league before I got home.

This league doesn't want umpires so don't bother with them.

For rules that are not covered within their rule book, OBR rules apply. My interpretation and the one that has always been given to me in regards to a catcher is that either a mitt or nothing at all shall be used. The mitt can either be a first baseman's mitt or a catcher's mitt but has to be a mitt.

Once again Tank, these are 10 yr olds, use some common sense.

I brought up the situation of the coaches wanting to be outside the dugout after I saw the trend develop. The response I received was that we as umpires are not there to play baby sitter to the coaches. I asked about what the rule states, and the response I received was that the coach goes out of the dugout at their own risk and that there are more important things for us to worry about but if that is a rule I wanted to enforce so be it.


You were given a choice, and choose to pick a booger that was'nt necessary.

To me, no one rule is more important than another. If I as the umpire let this rule slide, why should I enforce other rules? The main concern for me though, is that there is not a lot of foul territory and there are 5 buckets sitting in the filed of play that poses a safety concern to the players. I do not know about you all, but I do not feel like seeing a kid crash into one and hurt themselves.


This is the first time you have mentioned buckets. I do a very competitive 11-12 yr old league and at the first, I asked each coach not to bring buckets out for safety reasons, in case there is a foul ball the players don't trip. They are out of the dugout all the time, but not the buckets. We compromised.

It seems as if the game is more about the coaches than about letting the kids play and it is sad to watch at times.

That was your choosing Tank. You stated above that the league gave you the opportunity to enforce or not.

I started off umpiring in this location as it was the closest to my house. I have since started doing games at a location ~20 minutes away, however the UIC supports the umpires and the coaches are a bit more tame.

Coaches are like every other person in life, they will try and get away with anything they can. Sometimes umpires have to learn when to enforce all the rules. This is a 10 yr old league.

Youth baseball is for the kids, not the coaches.
And not the umpires either!!!

I always get a kick out of a coach who will delay a game, argue, and then say, "It's not about you" to the umpire. My first thought is, "Well, it's not about you, either."

In my opinion, there's two big lessons you can learn from this:

(1) When it's you against the world, back the world.

(2) Life's too short to umpire for idiots like this.

We umpire 9-10 year olds during the District and State LL tourneys. The coaches are expected to stay in the dugout -- it's mentioned at the coach's meeting and, guess what, they *stay in the dugout*. If they don't, a quick reminder from us yields a quick apology and life goes on. Of course, there's no doubt whatsoever from day one that the inmates aren't running the asylum.

At this point, I'd have removed the baseballs from my bags, handed them to him and left.

They did you a favor by telling you not to come back.

They effed up, you effed up, it's their league, move on.

For those of you that believe I should have ignored the coaches on the field I have just one question. What do you say when a player becomes injured due to these coaches being out of the dugout? There is no reason why they should be on the playing field. They do not need to be and the reason they are is because umpires let them. In my case these were 10 year olds. At this point they have the basic fundamentals and do not need a coach standing beside them giving them directions. I have umpired youth leagues before where a coach is permitted outside the dugout and no issues have arose. The difference though is that those leagues allowed it within their rules and it was 1 coach and not 5. I have also seen a lot of situations develop that would not have had the coaches been in the dugout where they belong.

Thanks for reminding me why I don't work levels below high school.

You don't seem to get it. This is not your decision to make.

I would've done the same.

I remember working a basketball scrimmage (for free, as was the practice in that area) and the coach was acting like a jerk. When I told him to knock it off, he told me that I couldn't T him up, it was only a scrimmage, that I couldn't do anything.

I walked over to the bleachers, grabbed my shoes, and started for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

My partner tried to stop me. I kept going. When the assignor found out the story, *my partner* was reamed out for not walking out with me.

You don't need this league or anything like this. They don't want you. Perfect solution, win-win.

LL allows multiple coaches outside at this level. However, if the league does not permit this in their rules and wants you to ignore it you might ask if their insurance carrier wanted it that way.

What is there not to get? Their own rules clearly state that the defensive coaches must remain in the dugout. The rules of a good majority of youth leagues state the same.

In regards to the insurance, I am almost certain that is why their rules are worded the way they are. It seems like half the league is comprised of attorneys so they are versed in this. From watching the way they coach I would also venture to say if a situation were to arise that they would quickly throw the umpire under the bus.

Too much drama injected by everyone involved.

Tank, you are not a good fit, for whatever reason, with this league. That's probably a good thing for your style of officiating. I wouldn't be a good fit, either.

Huh? Why is it not his decision to make?

+1

Okay, first of all, you were enforcing a safety rule so you were doing the right thing. But some things were messed up.

• Coach leaves the field then returns with a board member - No, unless the coach leaves to take care of an injured player (or something to that effect) or get equipment - he is not coming back to the field.
• Board member calls you to the backstop - Politely tell him that you are umpiring a game and if he wishes to talk, you will gladly meet him after the game. Return to your position.
• Coach goes to mound and board member joins him - eject both the coach & the board member as your last act because they have now taken over your authority. Hand them the balls, wish them good luck and leave!

You are better off not working for a chicken$hit outfit like this.