We are starting our all-star stuff now. We have practice tourneys for the 9-10's so they get acclimated to enforcement of balk rules and managers understand line-up cards and such. Most of these leagues play continuous batting, runner can't leave till ball reaches catcher, all coaches yell at umps, etc...

Well, last weekend, I am working a 9-10 tourney, we have portable white fences. I'm sure you guys have seen them(the ones that blow over all the time). Apparently, TD told the managers that any ball that rolls under fence, have fielder hold up hands, BU will go out to see, keep the runners moving.Nobody told us!!

Plate meeting...
Chris: Mangers, you are the team liason with us. We wil answer any rule interp question from you. Judgement calls are that, no discussion. Base coaches come screaming onto field, they will be watching from the parking lot. We deal with <b>ONE</b> person only.

MGRS: Got it

Third inning...

R1 and R3, Br smacks a good one to the LC gap, ball skips on wet grass(YES< FOG!!!! 8 am start) I clearly see ball shoot under fence, kid raises arms up.Bu raises arms, I mimic and call time.We place runners and try to move on, but a scorekeeping dugout coach decides to start riding pard from dugout. I politely tell him to can it and we play on.Inning ends.

Between inning 1/2's...

Pard comes to me saying, "I think they want us to go check on those" I sez, "I saw that clearly under fence, F$$$ em" We both agree, F$$$ em! Scorekeeping bench coach then walks to me, "I got a question for YOU!" ( I heard him whining bout the fence call to anybody that would listen for the last 5 minutes, so I knew what he was gonna cry about) I then say, "What question would you have for me, you are not the manager, go away, hey catch, BALLS IN" I then walked away. 3 pitches later, pard(police officer) sent him packing.

Moral of the story....

Set the boundrys at the meeting with the MANAGERS. And stick to them.....

Moral of this lesson,

A receipt, on how not to get along with players, coaches and anyone else that might approach you during the game.

As an assignor, your games would be reduced until you learned a little respect for the rest of the people on the field.

Yeah, did you really say that? It sounds like an elitist attitude on the field, and as Umpires we are not that, simply arbiters of the rules. I would suggest an attitude change, as it may affect your umpiring.

I know that alot of us have had the "F#R@ them" attitude...and sometimes its too easy to get, but understand we are there for the game.

oops... sorry, cut off my last post...

but what im tryin to say is that...

even though you may have gotten the call right, which im sure you did, then you still have to "sell" it. That means more than a loud voice. When ever im working a two man system, I come out from behind the plate. that "extra" effort makes it look like you care. And who is going to argue with an umpire who is hustling?

Yeah, the call may be good, but did you actions and movements sell the call? its an iffy...

well, I guess...
 

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That you have NO problem explaining every rule interp to everybody that asks? HUH?! Lessee, FBC asks, you explain, then the manager asks, you explain. SORRY PAL, I DO NOT ALLOW tag team action. IF the manager has a beef with an interp, I will be more than happy to explain, TO HIM AND HIM ONLY!!! 6 games to run in a day, I do not have time to explain a rules clinic to every Tom , DICKHEAD, and Harry....BTW, I work extensive PONY division/section/region games...strict OBR, as the FD's demand.....

Mechanics???
 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!
Do not even go there PAL! Read the PBUC manual and come back to me....:(

Hey, no need to get hostile. But in reality you didn't seem like your attitude was mature. And thats what you are there for, maturity. Unbeknownst to the parents and coaches...timmy is not playing in Game 7 of the World Series.

As a result, they are very impressionable, and in MOST cases look to the umpire as a role model. Yeah, being under pressure isn't the easiest thing in the world...but there are ALWAYS ways to deal with it professionally. Taking the "#$@# them" approach, as you described is NOT one of them.

A Manual does NOT have to tell you that. Yes, you are the general on the field...but it is your soldiers(the kids) that look to you for guidance and direction.

and another thing...i have gotten feedback from people, and thats more important then what your manual would say, though I do not say it is insignificant. Actions speak louder than words my friend.

And about your rudeness to jicecone, he's tellin your how it is. 6 games a day doesn't mean anything. I do 6 games on a regular basis. And time is not my concern. Quality ball is. So yeah, you may do the "regional" games...and such...but atleast act like you deserve to.

jmho!

Why take this attitude toward it when you could have just as easily said. "It has been explained to the manager please speak with him if you have problems." It could save you a lot of trouble sometimes. As a coach a parent and an umpire I can tell you that an umpire that brings that attitude on the field tends to get me a little irritated.

And as I look for it I notice that some of them are really good umpires but I have another level of respect for the ones who bring a "for the kids attitude" to the field.

Maybe you could try a new attitude to them and you may notice a lot more respect from parents, players and coaches.

BTW I'm sure you are a great umpire but sometimes attitude is just as important in jobs that have os much communication. Stay firm but be understanding.

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"Deserve to", why should I not? There is 1 minute and/or 8 pitches to allow warm up.I also have changes to record and baseballs to put back in my bags(that is also discussed at meeting)PLUS, we had a time limit(sucks, BIG_TIME) This is not "baby-ball" now, PONY wants things done thier way, just doing what is expected......

personally, that just seems like an endless runon sentence that is attempting to make it seem like the job of a PONY official is harder than it is. (a run-on vs. a run on :) )

I mean really..."baseballs to put back in my bags" please tell me that is not one of your harder tasks. (by the way...what changes?)

Please don't tell me about "Baby Ball," I do both "Big kid" and "little kid" ball, and one thing remains constant...its baseball.

But lets get away from all the heated words...and revisit the topic...


What you keep arguing, the basis of the argument that is...is that it was OKAY for you to get that attitude with the coaches. The fact remains, the attitude should not even be brought onto the field. There ARE ways of handling it. And whether you like it or not, your reaction was wrong.

not jmho, but reality...

A little harsh I would say
 

I don't have a problem with telling them what is expected, but I would think you were a little too harsh.

Unless the coach was cursing you, or calling you a homer then you have an obligation to explain the rules.

It doesn't really matter what you cover in your pregame meeting. They are not listening to you at that meeting anyway, they are just in a hurry to start the game.

So, since you were between innings, you have plenty of time to quickly cover an easy ruling. You have one minute, this explaination should take 20 seconds.

It would keep him quite and it would make you look like the good guy. Now if he persists, then get rid of him, but to just write off a coach with no explaination is too much.

If I were the UIC, you would have some "splaining" to do before I would let you have a big game.

I expect a more from my umpires at tourney time.

thanks
David

The Plate Conference
 

Your original post indicates that for earlier games the Tornament Director told the managers "that any ball that rolls under fence, have fielder hold up hands, BU will go out to see..." I think that with temporary fences that seem ideal for a ball to scoot under that you should bring this up at the plate conference. The fielders "putting their hands up" does not eliminate the need for the umpire crew to get this "right". The appearance is that either BU or PU (depending on your mechanics) actually made a ruling, not the players.

As far as for comments on whether you and your partner had an "attitude" I'll leave that to you to decide but I think after ten years of officiating that I would say that good umpiring is one part HUSTLE, one part KNOWING THE RULES, and one part INTERPERSONAL SKILLS.

Jim / NYC

Re: A little harsh I would say
 

Im sorry, I have to disagree, I clocked it, and it took me 24 seconds...and that was talking fast!

why waste time....
 

#1 Wolf guy, "changes", that is substitutions, ie: #12 for #2, #6 is now our F1.....

#2, No attitude, the F$$$ em comment was very quiet and between partners

#3 The MANAGERS are the guys we deal with, period. Some local yokle with a book in his hand *****in bout dis an dat is not gonna last long, if you read original post, I feel I let him off(pard already had me warn him)

#4 If you guys like discussing interps with the coaches one by one, so be it...I choose not to, you choose otherwise.

#5 I have had 2 ejections this year, first was kid(14), drew a line after getting rung up on called third, he couldastayed, but attitude was the worst.(got tossed from league 2 games later). Second was college kid in semi-pro league, elbow to the F2 with no play even possible, no-brainer.

#6 What do you guys think of the word "NO", pretty simple.:o

Your absolutly right.

"NO INTERPERSONAL SKILLS"

Using numbered lists doesn't make your job seem more important either. I would suggest conceding in the error of your ways.

btw, nice one Jicecone

in regards to #1, I honestly wasn't aware you had to keep track of that in youth ball, round my ways, we have the Scorekeepers and the coaches watching each other like hawks. So if you have actually do that, I commend you for your diligence.

#2. attitude reflects thought...

#3. you're right...but you dont shut them down...if YOU READ an earlier post, someone suggested that you say "I have already explained it to your manager..." Not necessarily in a hippie fru-fru nice way, but a tactful manner that is appropriate.

#4. Its not discussion, you just say what and why you did something. It could be as easy as a "20 second explanation"

#5. How is this comment useful to your argument. If you wanna talk about ejections, I've ejected 2 people in the past 4 years. More or less, it serves as no useful indication of your umpiring skills or otherwise. I tossed one kid for tagging a kid at home saying "You're OUT fat boy!" ...(of course he also dropped his shoulder, flipped the runner and broke his collarbone)

#6. Im sorry, that "no" comment went right over my head...but i'll agree with your eitherways on that. :)

....

finally...this argument is old, if you feel you need the last word on this topic, post away. But regardless, you have gotten PLENTY of feedback saying that you were in the wrong. (Im sure you expected the opposite.) also, I dont think of you as a "Bad" ump either. I know plenty of guys with short fuses, and some that take alot of crap on the fields.

But whenever we make a decision, we should ask ourselves...is this action for the good of the game, and not the game of baseball exclusively, but the game which includes, the community and most importantly, the kids who play the game.