Baseball player ejected...

[UmpireErnie]

I think we can all be guilty of falling into the trap of trying to convince the coach or player that we are right and they are wrong. I find that I can end many “discussions” fairly quickly by simply refusing to argue.

Perfect example happened during first week of high school ball here this year. Batter squares to bunt but the pitch is very high. For some reason she goes after the ball, pushing the bat up in the air to about eye level, and missing. I point at the batter and say “She went!” and signal a strike.

Head coach in 3B coaches box requests time and comes to chat.

Coach: “How can that be a strike, Ernie? It was over her head!”
Me: “The player made an attempt to bunt the ball. That’s a strike.”
Coach: “Ernie, listen, I have studied this, I know.. if she doesn’t attempt in the strike zone it can’t be a strike”. (????)
Me: “OK coach, but I still have an 0-1 count, let’s play ball.”

Off the coach goes and the game continues. I had no need to convince the coach of anything.