What to say to a coach...
 

I had a one-sided Freshman game a few days ago. After about 4 innings the score was about 18-0 and the losing (home team) coach was getting very frustrated. They couldn't seem to get anyone out. You know the routine... dropped 3rd strikes, dropped pop-ups, dropped throws to 1st base, hits, walks, hits, walks, etc... Finally, after about the 8th hit of the inning, this wild-eyed moron comes charging out of the dugout like it was the 7th game of the world series and points to a footprint in the dirt. He kept screaming, "she stepped out of the batters box!"... "she stepped out!"..."she stepped out!" He must have figured that it was the only way this poor team was ever going to get another out, so he was relentless. I didn't see her step out, and I was about to tell him that I was sorry I hadn't seen it and I couldn't call anyone out based on a footprint. I was trying to think of a good way to say this when I took a look at the smoking-gun footprint. Much to my relief It was smack in the middle of the front line of the batter's box. I calmly told him that if any part of her foot hit any part of the line, she's IN the box, (like a fair ball hitting the baseline). I didn't make a scene and I didn't go out of my way to make him look like a jerk. (He was.) He quietly walked away shaking his head and mumbling. The rest of the game was relatively uneventful.

sounds like you handled it perfectly ...

a foot print (even if it was all the way out) is never proof of anything, because her foot must be on the ground when contact is made.

like anything else, you cant guess an out, even with a footprint.

Coach just needed to frontload his "look girls, you played pretty hard, had some tough breaks, a few bad calls...." speech.

"Coach, I did not see her foot on the ground when her bat made contact with the ball."

That's a little more patience than I would've given him. I've seen some serious spankings on the field, but that's no excuse for a coach popping his lid. At the minimum, I would've said (in a calm manner), "coach, I realize you're upset, but if you want to talk to me, you'd better do it calmly." Depending on his attitude leading up to that point, I'd even go so far as ejecting him.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't stand a coach showing up an ump just for the sake of showing him up.

And speaking of someone trying to show up the ump, I dinged my first player of the season tonight. While batting, his lead foot stepped completely out of the box when he swung, so I "dead ball" the play and call him out. He thought I needed to learn the rules better.

I let him meditate on this thought in the parking lot.

Hasn't been 2 weeks, and I've already got one.

I hope you meant to say "when he hit the ball" as a swing is completely irrelevant to the rule.

"you'd better do it calmly" sounds a bit threatening.

"I've already got one" sounds a bit antagonistic

Oops... Yeah, when he made contact, his foot was completely out of the box.

I can't remember if "you'd better do it calmly" were my exact words, but it was something along those lines ("do it as a gentleman" or something akin to that). This player was just "one of those guys," if you know what I mean.

As for "already having one," why is that antagonistic? Trust me when I tell you that I'm not looking to toss anyone out of a game, but around here, there are a lot of egos. Relative to most other umps, my number of ejections in a given year are about average.

Along these lines, I was ready for one the other night. JV game and lead off and 2nd batter both had a VERY square bunting technique where there feet were close to the plate, still on the batters box lines so still good, but close enough it caught my attention. 6th inning R1 on 3rd trying to bunt her in 2nd batter squares and foot is on the plate when she makes contact with the ball, still a nice bunt....well I kill it right away, announce she is out for foot on the plate when making contact, B2 turns to look at me when I kill it and has this look on her face, 3rd base coach starts walking to me, as I announce why she is out thinking here it comes, B2 looks and says "can't argue that, I slipped all over the plate on that one" coach just walks backward to box smiling.

God... I wish more players were like that. :)

I always appreciate honesty and integrity in a player. When a player "fesses up" that they did something wrong, I always thank them for their honesty. It makes things so much smoother, and it shows that they have good character. Truly makes my day!

In a JUCO game I called a stealing runner safe at 2nd because the SS didn't quite get the tag on her. Defensive coach came sprinting out of the dugout -- at the SS, and yelled, "Did you get her?" SS told her, "No." Coach turns red and goes back into the dugout. SS whispers, "Blue, I'm gonna catch it for that. I'm supposed to say 'YES' so she can come after you."

What a sad little world we live in.

That has to be one of the dumbest coaching moves I have ever heard of. And I disagree with NCASA's assessment of it. What a sad little world she(the coach) lives in!

Well, it takes a village to raise an idiot. Or something like that. ;)