Loud Coach Acting the Fool

[Chess Ref]

Pretty decent team versus bottom , and I mean bottom of the rung opponent.
After the 1st ing its like 12 -0 . The bad team can't throw stirkes, catch or basically do anything softball related. So we actually make it to the top of the fifth. It is now a gazillion -0. Good team puts in their ace and I ring up a girl on a called 3rd strike. Bad team coach is 3rd base coach and just starts screaming at me about my strike zone. Apparently forgetting the broad side of a barn I have been giving her girl. So I called time and requested her to stop yelling at me. She finally quieted down and 1 pitch later starts in again. So I calm her down again. And we actually finished the game .

could I have restricted her to the bench ? Ejected her ? Or what, She needed something but I was unsure of what to do at that point .

Feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[ASA/NYSSOBLUE]

Sounds like you did the right thing....at that point of the game, why bother???

Did you do the five (ok...four and a half) in under three hours??

My worst one last year was a JV 'contest' where NEITHER team had any talent...was there three and a half freaking hours (behind the plate of course!),it was 27-26 at the end,and there twerent nothing anyone couldve done about it - if there had been 30 WPs/PBs/HBPs,there mustve been 40....god...my partner was pooped just from walking back and forth on the bases from all the walks and stuff...It was entirely appropriate the winning run (by the visitors of course)came in as a result of a HBP....I got a pretty good rep in my associations for nice,quick games, but even I couldn't do anything about that one.

The funny thing is that the next day I had a 7th/8th grade game between two small schools on the schedule...with me behind the plate,and a newbie as my partner..you think I was dreading that game?? Turns out the one team is from a small christian school in the area,and they have exactly ONE bat for the whole team...game was over in an HOUR...and...it was the ONLY time you will ever see a game end on a triple play off an infield fly...told my partner that that is why you ump..you will NEVER see that again ANYwhere.....

The final coda to this story is that I had to go back up to where I had the horrible game before....same partner..same positions..only this time they are playing a team from a much superior program.....I go....'uh-ohh'....thank GOD that other coach massaged that mercy rule like a PRO....letting his kids score 3-4 runs an inning,then holding back..never making the other team feel real bad...and we were OUTTA there in like an hour and change....

[Edited by ASA/NYSSOBLUE on Mar 15th, 2006 at 10:24 PM]

[SC Ump]

Originally posted by Chess Ref
Feedback would be greatly appreciated.

There's a local high school coach that loves telling the story of one our umpires who in a similar situation walked up to the coach and quietly said, "Coach, you can act up all you want. If I gotta stay out here and watch this crap, you gotta stay too. There's no way I'm ejecting you." The coach couldn't help but laugh at himself.

I think you handled it fine. Remember that this type of thing is not complaining but just misdirected frustration.

[greymule]

In my many years, I have seen a triple play after IFF was called--twice.

On neither occasion would I say the teams involved were, uh, top level. On one of the occasions, it took about 5 full minutes to get the third out.

[Andy]

I'll agree with the rest of the group on this particular situation. With the circumnstances of the game at that point, it's probably not worth it to toss the coach.

However, had this been a closer, better played contest, the coach gets a maximum one warning. After that, the next time they start in on the strike zone, adios!

Generally, I allow some chirping about the strike zone, particularly on close pitches or if I am struggling with the zone myself (yes, it has happened! ). If the chirping becomes contant or if it becomes loud and boisterous - then I address it.

[bkbjones]

Originally posted by Andy
I'll agree with the rest of the group on this particular situation. With the circumnstances of the game at that point, it's probably not worth it to toss the coach.

However, had this been a closer, better played contest, the coach gets a maximum one warning. After that, the next time they start in on the strike zone, adios!

Generally, I allow some chirping about the strike zone, particularly on close pitches or if I am struggling with the zone myself (yes, it has happened! ). If the chirping becomes contant or if it becomes loud and boisterous - then I address it.

I am the same way to a degree...it depends on what the chirping is about and to the degree I might be stuggling with the ol' zone. At the same time, I have discreetly told the coach that I know and they know it and everyone in the same ZIP code knows it and I would really appreciate s/he not giving everyone a reminder. Done in a professional way, it can help put a stop to it.

We do, however, have some rather OOO and a couple egomaniacs who allow no chirping whatsoever...IMHO all that does is make a bad sitch much worse.

And I, too, have had the IFF for the triple play. If they wanna give outs away, I never ever stand in their way.

[Chess Ref]

So can I restrict a coach to the bench for ,lets say chirping of a personal nature ? Things like youe strike zone sucks ?

[SRW]

Originally posted by bkbjones
We do, however, have some rather OOO and a couple egomaniacs who allow no chirping whatsoever...

A certain person comes to mind...

[JFA67]

Originally posted by Chess Ref
So can I restrict a coach to the bench for ,lets say chirping of a personal nature ? Things like youe strike zone sucks ?

Abosolutely. If that doesn't get his attn, nothing else will.
I have done it and thankfully both times the coach got the message. One could have been the fact their AD arrived at the game moments later too.