Not in the casebook .....

[John Robertson]

Am I the only one who would be miffed at a coach interrupting the game to question a swing-or-no-swing situation in a one-umpire system? My succinct reply would be, "Coach, I have no partner to ask. My call stands."

[scottk_61]

Originally Posted by John Robertson

Am I the only one who would be miffed at a coach interrupting the game to question a swing-or-no-swing situation in a one-umpire system? My succinct reply would be, "Coach, I have no partner to ask. My call stands."

Normally I would agree with you but sometimes you have to "show up" the coach when he tries to show you up.

[John Robertson]

These one-umpire tales remind me of a situation where I once actually did ask a coach to help me with a call.

I was the sole umpire in a girls' fastball game. Two outs. Runner at second. Batter lined a base hit into right field. I see the batter-runner attempting to stretch the hit into a double. I move out to make the call at second base. The batter-runner is tagged out. Three out--but I have absolutely no idea if the runner from second base scored ahead of the third out being made. (She was not a particularly fast runner, so a guess would have been really iffy.) I went to the offensive team's coach and said I was in no position to tell if his runner had scored. I told him I was depending 100% on his honesty. He told me his runner hadn't touched the plate when the batter-runner was put out at second. I thanked him and ruled "no run."

Somehow I don't think that degree of honesty would happen in every league.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by scottk_61

Normally I would agree with you but sometimes you have to "show up" the coach when he tries to show you up.

I can see having fun with a coach, but it is not my style to ever try to show up a coach to get back at him. I understand the emotion of it, though.

But I find a quiet conversation a lot more effective.

If the coach is too out of control to have a quiet conversation, then showing him up is unlikely to help, either.

[scottk_61]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I can see having fun with a coach, but it is not my style to ever try to show up a coach to get back at him. I understand the emotion of it, though.

But I find a quiet conversation a lot more effective.

If the coach is too out of control to have a quiet conversation, then showing him up is unlikely to help, either.

Well, I wouldn't advise trying my idea unless you have a good relationship with the coach.

However, there have been those days where a good smart a$$ responce is just what you need to make it through the day.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by John Robertson

Am I the only one who would be miffed at a coach interrupting the game to question a swing-or-no-swing situation in a one-umpire system? My succinct reply would be, "Coach, I have no partner to ask. My call stands."

That (or similar words) is what I would normally do, too.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by John Robertson

Am I the only one who would be miffed at a coach interrupting the game to question a swing-or-no-swing situation in a one-umpire system? My succinct reply would be, "Coach, I have no partner to ask. My call stands."

My thoughts exactly.

I suppose, if I knew the coaches well enough, I'd try one of the humorous remedies listed above... but in most games this line of questioning is going to get a VERY quick STFU from me. And if the coach had left, managing to not eject himself, and then tried to show me up by asking the opposing coach what he saw, he'd have been tossed before he even had a chance to come at me for a 2nd time.