Then there's THIS guy...
 

Had a V/JV doubleheader Tuesday. 4:00 start for the varsity and as much as we can get of a JV game before darkness (no lights). We step onto the field at 3:45 and the home team has just started infield practice. Then, visitors take their infield, we have the pregame, and we go. First pitch is somewhere between 4:10 and 4:15.

Varsity game cruises and we're done at exactly 6:00. As we're changing in the parking lot, a guy with home team apparel strolls up and says, "Hey. The teams are ready. You guys are taking a lot of time."

I replied, "We're going as fast as we can."

This guy says, "I don't think you are!"

"And you are...?" I asked.

"Xxxx Xxxx. Superintendent. I'm the administrator in charge."

"Sir, you need to go away," I said.

"What did you say to me?!?!"

"You need to go away."

First pitch of the JV game? 6:16 p.m. 16 minutes from the last out to the first pitch of the next game. That seems rather snappy, if you ask me.

Easily the worst I've ever been treated by a site administrator. Considering sending in a report to the state association. Thoughts?

Absolutely!! Here in MI we have the ability to post a Sportsmanship feedback survey online and I make it a point to submit something on a regular basis to not only comment on the good things I see but also to recognize the bad things that I see. IMO you at least might wanna consider shooting the Varsity coach an email IF you have any type of relationship with him to let him know what you experienced.

Discuss it with your assigner

No assigners here. We get games directly from schools.

"If you'd spend more time raising money for lights & less time berating us, we wouldn't have this problem."

Who in their right mind schedules a DH starting at 4:00 this time of year anyway?

One other thing that I missed the first time through -- set the expectations with the coaches at either the beginning or the end of the first game - "we'll be back in 20."

Other options (neither of which do I like for regular season ball, but the first is workable if the score isn't close):

BU leaves in the top of the 7th to change for the plate and PU works solo. Then (old) BU works solo for the 1st inning of the JV game while PU changes.

BU works the first inning of the JV game behind the mound while PU changes. Then (old) PU works behind the mound for the second inning while BU changes.

Never had a DH with V first game and JV second.

Never had a DH that starts at 4:00 on a field without lights.

Never had a home team take the field at 3:45 for infield for a 4:00 game.

Never had a HS game without an assigner.

Never been approached by a school official in the parking lot between games of a DH or afterwards.

If this school assigns the umpires I assume you have the capacity to deny games at this school.

They routinely schedule games here in NW PA as Varsity with JV to follow starting at 4:00. That being said unless the varsity game finishes early or very quickly if we get four innings in of JV ball we are extremely lucky. If the teams can't be ready on time to start the first game I'm not killing myself to worrying about how quick we start the next one.
The on site administrator needs to worry about the teams being ready for the first game not how long it takes me to change clothes.

The three H.S. baseball and softball assigners in Michigan for which Junior and I umpire assign for leagues that have rules that state that the second game of a doubleheader WILL start no later than 15 minutes after the first game has ended. These leagues are so adorable. I have a DH at one of these schools in late May when I hope that the weather will be in the 80'sF by then and the walk from the baseball diamond to the parking lot is 10 minutes long, :p.

Nobody wants to have games drag on but the 15 minute rule is unrealistic. If you just worked the plate in a 7-inning game in hot weather requires "somewhat" more that 15 minutes to recover and get ready for the next games.

These school administrators do not have a clue. I don't know about other officials but Junior and I do not wear "combo" pants for H.S. games; they just don't look professional. That means changing completely from one uniform to another. I know I am Superman, :p, but one just doesn't jump into a phone booth (can one still find one of those things and presto go from one uniform to another.

MTD, Sr.

Other than the first one, I agree 100%. The procedures here seem weird to me.

(I've had V before JV on numerous occasions - for various reasons).

Yeah, here's my thought: Why in the heck is the same crew working both games?

On the rare occasion that we have a JV/V DH (and in our neck, JV normally plays first since they have time limits), our assignor schedules two different crews. And our umpires for JV are usually the ones who are new and/or need the experience. No sense making seasoned veterans work JV games and take opportunities away from the newbies.

Now, if you have a shortage of umpires in your neck, I can certainly understand. Otherwise, making two umpires work a varsity game followed up by a JV game...ugh!

Wow. Had no idea it worked like that anywhere.

I've NEVER (21 years) had separate crews for JV and V baseball (or softball ... or football) games. Only sport I've been involved with that does that is basketball.

Football does it here. In fact, the JV and Varsity games are almost never played in the same place or on the same day.

I don't think baseball usually does a JV/V doubleheader either.

We always have separate crews for JV / V games (except in rare cases of makeups causing a shortage of crews), and they are almost always a doubleheader, with the JV up first and varsity games usually starting at 7:00 or 7:30.

Then I'd contact the AD and possibly the state (likely depending on the AD's response). Let the AD know the site manager's joke didn't come across as a joke.

RadioBlue,

I would just address this issue with the person that assigned the game. Otherwise, I would not care. Who cares what a superintendent wants when they did not assign the game. And if it is that deep, they can never see me again at that school. In baseball, they will need me before I need them.

Peace

I would let it go. Somebody else will make a scene. No need for it to be you.

Changing takes 15-20 minutes along w/ a bathroom break is a reasonable amount of time.

Personally, I would have looked the stuffed shirt dead in the eye, thanked him for providing the crew such a wonderful place to change our clothes, then asked him where the restroom was due to the impending bodily function I had to execute. (not standing up)

I appreciate the comments.

In this area, there is a shortage of umpires. Additionally, the schools do almost all of their own hiring. The schools also know when the schedule a JV game behind a V game on a field without lights, the likelihood of getting a complete game in is near zero percent. It's an opportunity to get some kids some ABs and some time on a diamond.

I spoke with the AD a couple of times and he talked to the Super. (The Super. was serving as game management which is why he felt the need to come up to us to begin with.) I told the AD that I would like to speak with the Super so we could clear the air.

I had a very good conversation with the Super. yesterday. I explained to him that absent an actual lockerroom, the parking lot and my car IS my lockerroom and I felt he invaded our space. Couple that with the fact that he did not identify himself prior to engaging in a conversation with us, we were placed on the immediate defensive.

He acknowledged that he should have ID'd himself first and that he should have handled the situation completely differently and that the reason the conversation ratcheted up so quickly was on him.

Turns out ... he's got a freshman playing JV ball. I asked him if it was possible if his frustration came more from him being a parent than being game management and he acknowledged that was probably the case. I explained to him that as a veteran umpire with decades of experience, I can deal with what happened just fine. My concern was more for newer officials. If a relative newbie was treated in this manner, I could see this being an incident whereby we lose an official. I told him that with the shortage of officials in this area, we can't afford to lose officials over something of this nature. He agreed.

In the end, it was a very good conversation and understandings were reached which is all I really wanted.

I also appreciate Bob J.'s suggestions regarding ways to get the next game started more quickly. If we know we are only going to get 20-30 mins. of JV ball in, we'll just stay put. In the future during situations where we're gonna play longer than that, we just might have the V plate guy stay back there and start the JV game with him working solo with the BU gets changed. Then, when he's ready, the original PU will go get changed while the new PU works solo.

I explained this to the Super (who himself coached baseball for nearly 20 years) and he was appreciative that we were able to learn something new. He also said he was appreciative of the fact that, despite the run-in between games, we hustled and worked hard in the JV game and didn't short-change the kids. I explained that we don't operate that way ... and most umpires I know wouldn't, either.

Thanks again for all of your input.

I can confirm that all of these things are absolutely, 100% standard in RadioBlue's area.

Not really relevant to the post, but if I'm not mistaken about his identity, RB is one of the best umpires in the area, if not the entire state, and taught me most of what I know (which, granted, is not saying much, but I'm not the only one he's taught!).

I wouldn't bother changing if you're only going to get in 20 - 30 minutes of play.

JV games are schedule at 4:00 around here, Varsity can be anywhere from 4:00 to 7:00 depending on lights. JV might play away and V at home, especially if there are no lights, but it often happens on fields with lights because varsity will play at 7:00. Most of the schools do not play J/V DH even if they have lights and NONE play JV/V on a field without lights. Some will put a time limit on the JV game so the V game can start on time at 7:00.

My assigner used to assign lots of DHs, due to shortage of umpires, not as much anymore, as more umpires allow him to assign different crews if they are playing on same field.