Am I too thin skinned?
 

Varsity game, I'm on the bases in the C. Play at the plate and my partner rules out. There is some disagreement with his call and after some complaining the first base coach chimes in with "Get a clue!" to my partner. I tell him "that's enough" and watch to check for understanding. He takes a step in my direction (I'm still in C) and crosses his arms at me as if to say what are you gonna do about it. I restrict him to the bench.

Was I too thin skinned? I felt, and still do, that I did the right thing. I wouldn't let my child do that to me without consequence so why woud I let an adult? If it were basketball I would have T him up.

If that's all that happened then I wouldn't have restricted.

Unless the first base coach is also the HC, I don't have a huge problem with what you did there. Would I have restricted him? Based on your description, possibly not, but I wasn't there and don't know if there were other issues that led up to this. That level of disrespect from an AC probably needs to be dealt with. You have him baseball's equivalent of a "T". The answer to your question can often be answered by a different question, "Did the game get better after the restriction?" If it did, then it was probably the right move. If things got worse, then perhaps you should've tried a different approach.

I have nothing. There's nothing to address here and I certainly wouldn't give a technical in basketball for this offense either.

The reaction of "get a clue" is simply an excited utterance out of frustration, it really is not directed at any one person.

First of all, this is not Basketball. I don't officiate it so can't do any comparison.

He openly challanged your authority after you gave him a warning and that was justification enough to restrict him to the bench. Some times you just have to umpire. Good work.

Honestly, on "get a clue", I likely do nothing assuming there's not more preamble to this story.

On the "what are you going to do about it" stance ... I think you did exactly right.

You guys "got nothing", seriously? I would have definitely sent him packin. For an AC to imply that I am clueless with an explicit "Get a clue" then he gets a free pass to the dugout. Comment on the action involved in the call, fine but don't come with some BS comment that is personal. You want respect, then earn it....I know I do.

To each his own, but I do want to ask ... the OP said "that's enough" when AC said "get a clue" to HIS PARTNER.

Would you eject, warn, or do nothing had you been in his shoes and that was said to your partner?

He was the assistant.

Had the complaint been only about the call, I would have done/said nothing. When he implied that my partner was clueless, that was what I had a problem with. My partner was dealing with happenings around the plate and was focused there so was not aware of the AC. I was in the C, probably between the C and B to be exact, so I heard it. I felt he was trying to show me up when he assumed the stance. I wouldn't accept that behavior from my 5 year old daughter, so I figured that I shouldn't accept it from an adult.

I have nothing but an excited utterance. Are you going restrict every coach who yells come on blue, call it both ways?

Stuff like this hasn't bothered me in years, why make a scene out of nothing. The umpire who does anything with this looks like the aggressor.

Smile and play ball and don't take everything so seriously.

Put the rabbit ears away and don't expect the behavior of adults and juveniles to be comparable or handled in the same way.

In this scenario ignore the coach, let him vent and move on. "Get a clue" means Mr. Umpire, you did something I didn't like and don't understand and I don't know how to process it so I'm going to insult you.

Chances are the only one who is still thinking about this call and this scenario is you.

I didn't restrict for the comment. Just told him it was enough, after he complained long enough about a play that was over.

Another incorrect use of the term "rabbit ears." Congratulations.

If I can hear a coach from my position, then he's going to have to deal with the consequences. Too many officials, these days, would rather ignore than deal with unsportsmanlike behavior.

Great Response

The assistant coach has no business opening his mouth, to start with. the comment "Get a clue" needs to be addressed and you did that. I wouldn't make too much of a forceful thing about it, I would just make sure that he hears me.

As far as his stance with his arms folded, it means nothing to me and I would let it go. Mind you, he's probably going to go later in the game but for now, the folded arms don't bother me.