I know, I don't usually do 10U, however was the
last game of the night and the base umpire wanted
to take his wife to dinner since it was her birth-
day, so I, being so a nice guy, said I would fill
in.

Pitcher for team A was not agreeing at all with my
partner's strike zone. In the 3rd inning, after a
pitch PU called a ball, F1 calls time, approaches
me, BU.

"Mr. Blue, your partner needs a new mask, because he
cannot see out of his." "Do you have one he could
use?"

When I stopped laughing told her to play ball.

Between innings told partner of our conversation. He
asked why I did not eject her. I told him, "She was
not questioning my zone". <img src=http://www.spao.de/pict/smilies/icon16.gif>

glen

Too Funny
 

I hope your partner laughed also but I suspect he did not.

Too often I see umpires (I recognize it because I've done it myself) retaliating for situations we ourselves create.

The pitcher has got to have a fairly good idea of where the zone is and where her pitches are when arriving at the zone. The PU establishes this communication with the pitcher by making appropriate calls and being consistent. I suspect your partner's zone might have been a little shakey... and therefore not understood by the pitcher. This likely prompted her attitude and that fantastic comment. :)

He probably didn't laugh at your comment either... "She was not questioning my zone."

It's too bad if the PU was not enjoying himself. Sounds like it was a spirited group of girls.

A little humor can smooth over so much "attitude." :D

I agree with DTTB Humor helps alot! Way too often I see people officiating that aren't having fun at all. Why do it then?? The money is not that good!! If you can't get a laugh or smile out of it then it isn't worth it!

I did a triple header yesterday, local fall ball league I knew a lot of the girls from our school as they had played for me or at least I had umpired them in ASA growing up. One girl had been struggling hitting and she swung at a low and inside pitch for strike 2. After her coach(dad) got done giving her a hard time I simply said "Not only was that low and inside, but you were an hour late!" To which she responded with a line shot between SS and 3rd for her best hit all fall season. After the inning she asked me if I could tell her that every time she was up to bat it seemed to help! Not something you would say to many players agreed but knowing the girl as good as I do it was a real funny moment especially with the nice hit she got after it.

"Young lady, I'll go to your dugout with you, and explain to your manager why I've just ejected you, and to have a new pitcher warm up".

Bob

It's funny
 

but it's not the humor I was talking about, Bob.
:D

Obviously humor can also upset people... when they don't see the reason for humor!

Bob wrote:

"Young lady, I'll go to your dugout with you, and explain to your manager why I've just ejected you, and to have a new pitcher warm up".

Bob

Bob, Bob, this was 10U and even had she told me as the PU,
I am sure, in fact I know, I would have found it humorously
funny. That is pretty cool for 10U, upper age, they would
have gotten an escort.

glen

That may be true, Glen. But if this kid was this much of a smart-*** at 10, just think what she is going to be like it 4-6 years. I doubt, quite seriously, that she picked this up on her own, home cooking probably helped a bit.

I do understand the humor, but I don't know if I wouldn't have felt compelled to take some type of action. After all, isn't this where the AA's come from?

Mike,

You are 100% correct. However,
This happened so fast and after she said it,
I just could not help but laugh. It honestly
never entered my mind to eject her for her
actions.

glen

10U? At that age, they are little mimics. This girl thought that was acceptable behavior because an older sibling, or parent had said that. Funny, at that age yes, older no, but at 10U does it warrant an ejection? I think not, BUT now is the best time to teach that young lady what is proper. Maybe a warning to her, and coach would teach her more than an ejection. Smart.***, yes but she learned it from adults, and Im sure didn't realize she was acting improper.

There will be plenty of time to eject this player if she says similar things when she is 14. But, now, she is 10 (or 11). Art Linkletter got rich off of cute kids saying outrageous things.
I seriously doubt letting this slide put this kid on a slipperly slope to disaster (or AA-dom). http://www.click-smilie.de/sammlung0...l/Fool/tit.gif

I keep wanting to break out into

"We got trouble.
Right here in River City.
With a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool."
http://www.click-smilie.de/sammlung0...smiley-026.gif

She could probably benefit from an umpire using this as a "teachable moment" - but ejection? Nah.

Hey,

If it's 10U, did you want her to do this>>>>http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk...e/whinging.gif by ejecting her?

I think it was a teaching moment! Unless her tone and
demeanor looked like this:
http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/whip.gif

Hey Tom and Glen!

I've got the hang of the smilies! http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/cheers.gif Time to party!! http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/boozer.gifhttp://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/boozer.gif

http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/band.gif

http://www.spao.de/pict/smilies/biglaugh.gif You definitely, certainly, and without a doubt
have it. http://www.spao.de/pict/smilies/rolling_eyes.gif

glen

Ditto! Good job, Elaine! http://www.click-smilie.de/sammlung0.../Fool/appl.gif

http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/bangin.gif
Smart butt,

Knew you would have a better one. E-mail me some
new ones.

glen

Eject a 10u for saying this never. Talk with the coach after the inning , Yes. Laugh my *** off and tease my partner for the next year or so, Yes.


Have Some Fun Guys

Don