Sometimes I wonder why I umpire

[John Robertson]

Excuse me while I rant...

Ever have one of those nights when you've put up with more than your fair share of abuse from a whining, losing team and wonder why you ever took up umpiring as an avocation?

Tonight was one fo those nights for me. Women's playoff game. The supposed favorite gets beat badly, 14-6. They deserve to lose, no question. They make at least six horrendous errors. Yet all they do is whine and complain about one call after another all night. The biggest complainers are the left fielder and center fielder who spend the entire game loudly complaining about calls at first base 200 feet away--calls that were unquestionably correct. For good measure they also loudly question balls and strikes from the same distance.

Now, if this game were played in May, someone would have been tossed. Trouble was, it's a playoff game and the complainers have the bare minimum of nine players. If someone gets tossed, the game will be a forfeit. Thus, the umps are in a tough spot. If you don't eject anyone, you have no guts and aren't doing your jobs. If you do eject someone, you "can't take it," you've ruined the game and "become a factor."

So what do you do? Do you put up with this bush-league behavior because it's a playoff game or do you toss the miscreants and have a forfeit?

Your comments, please.

[Alaska Ump]

I would simply take the coach aside and calmly explain that we don't put up with that kind of nonsense and if she can't control her players someone is going to get tossed and, with only nine players, she probably doesn't want to see that and neither does anyone else. If they keep it up after the warning, it's the player who gets tossed who is a factor in the game, not the umpire.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by John Robertson

Excuse me while I rant...

Ever have one of those nights when you've put up with more than your fair share of abuse from a whining, losing team and wonder why you ever took up umpiring as an avocation?

Tonight was one fo those nights for me. Women's playoff game. The supposed favorite gets beat badly, 14-6. They deserve to lose, no question. They make at least six horrendous errors. Yet all they do is whine and complain about one call after another all night. The biggest complainers are the left fielder and center fielder who spend the entire game loudly complaining about calls at first base 200 feet away--calls that were unquestionably correct. For good measure they also loudly question balls and strikes balls from the same distance.

Now, if this game were played in May, someone would have been tossed. Trouble was, it's a playoff game and the complainers have the bare minimum of nine players. If someone gets tossed, the game will be a forfeit. Thus, the umps are in a tough spot. If you don't eject anyone, you have no guts and aren't doing your jobs. If you do eject someone, you "can't take it," you've ruined the game and "become a factor."

So what do you do? Do you put up with this bush-league behavior because it's a playoff game or do you toss the miscreants and have a forfeit?

Your comments, please.

Don't care if it's the first game of the season or championship game, if the player or coach deserves to go, they go.

Yes, as the umpire you try to keep them in the game, but not at the cost of the intergrity of the game itself. "Keeping them in the game" means that the umpire does their job. If someone has a legitimate question or complaint, you don't automatically turn them off, ignore them or dump them. It means you give that person the time of day and then continue play.

BTW, if you want to show the manager/coach how serious you are, you call them to you no matter where you are on the field.

[canump]

I agree with both ALSKA UMP & IRISHMAFIA. I don't take that in May, June, July or Aug., so why Take the extra abuse in Sept. ( The playoffs.) Yes you try to be a bit more open minded in the playoffs so to speak and take a little more when 1 team only has the limit # of players. But John it sounds like you took extra if it was going on thru out the game.

[RonRef]

Originally Posted by canump

I agree with both ALSKA UMP & IRISHMAFIA. I don't take that in May, June, July or Aug., so why Take the extra abuse in Sept. ( The playoffs.) Yes you try to be a bit more open minded in the playoffs so to speak and take a little more when 1 team only has the limit # of players. But John it sounds like you took extra if it was going on thru out the game.

I agree with everyone's comments, it is not the umpires fault you only have 9 players. I talk to the coach and then start jacking people!

[CecilOne]

Outfielders are seen and not heard, they don't exist.

[bkbjones]

The OP got my blood pressure up, which as most of you know is not something I really desire right now.

As Mike and others said, it really shouldn't make any difference whether it's May or September; if someone deserve to get jacked, jack 'em. Yes, I might be a little more lenient in a playoff game, but NOT AT THE RISK OF THE INTEGRITY OF THE GAME.

I would assume you had a plate conference before this game started. Someone would be representing the team as a coach or captain or something. Talk to them (and AS STATED, HAVE THEM come to YOU) in a calm, professional manner.

I think many of us have seen the consequences of too few ejections and lack of assertiveness by some umpires. It can come back to bite you, sometimes in the same game, sometimes months or years later (Dear God, why did you give players such an excellent slective memory?). That doesn't men we have to be trigger happy - but playoffs and having only 9 players be damned. If the situation warrants an ejection, then jack 'em.

[John Robertson]

Didn't mean to aggravate your blood pressure, bkbjones.

I'd say the prevailing opinion here is to eject regardless of the importance of the game or the consequences of having just nine players. Thanks for the feedback.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by John Robertson

Didn't mean to aggravate your blood pressure, bkbjones.

I'd say the prevailing opinion here is to eject regardless of the importance of the game or the consequences of having just nine players. Thanks for the feedback.

I believe the importance of the game and the consequences of having just 9 players should lead you to that conversation with the coach, first. Then, treat the same as any other game, and eject if warranted.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

I believe the importance of the game and the consequences of having just 9 players should lead you to that conversation with the coach, first. Then, treat the same as any other game, and eject if warranted.

Umpire: Coach, if this keeps up, you are going to need a substitute.
Coach: Blue, I don't have anybody to sub.

Hopefully, at this point you hope the lightbulb will go on over the coach's head. If not.........