Partner and Coach discussing a call

[CajunNewBlue]

Obstruction awarded to a runner advancing on a hit from 2nd the third.... partner on bases gets a "time" request from OC and they proceed to "discuss" this on the third base line behind third base. I proceed about 2/3 up the line and go into stand-by for trouble mode.
Birds are chirping.... clouds are lite and fluffy... i do my grocery list in my head. I look at partner and point at my wrist, he turns his back and continues talking. I recheck watch in my bag and its 7 minutes into this discussion... Coach starts YELLING at partner.... I move closer. Coach hushes, I stop. 3 more minutes pass. Coach yells some more... I walk up to them and I am getting a little miffed. Ohhh yeah, this is a 1 hour time limit tournament. I mention it to them and partner looks at me like WTF did you just say? So now im close and coach starts in on me, I give him 2 or 3 sentences and say ok i heard you coach... lets play ball, and we proceed to do just that.
I really think (know) I handled this poorly.
What would or have you guys done in this situation?

[NCASAUmp]

Sounds like your partner needs a few more clinics. There's absolutely no reason the discussion should have lasted more than a minute.

You were smart in not jumping in there right away - that would've undermined his authority. The whole wrist-point was good, because you're communicating to your partner without interrupting the discussion. However, roughly how long did you wait before the wrist-point? Was it the 7 minutes you mentioned

If anything, my only contention with how you handled it would be that you had waited too long to remind your partner to move it along. However, your partner never should have put you in that position to remind him, "hey, we've got a time limit here." Your partner lost a lot of credibility after going past the first minute, thus forcing you to undermine him.

[Skahtboi]

Sounds like you were working with some wacky umpires this weekend. Is this the same one in the incomplete call post, or a different one?

[CajunNewBlue]

Same... different game. And to answer NCASA about 3 minutes till wrist point.... once he turned his back, I thought ohhh well (hope the coach doesnt punch him, because im not running over there).... cleaned the plate... drank some water... looked for a HLM... adjusted cup . then checked watch. ;-)

[NCASAUmp]

Then I think you handled it as best as YOU could. Your partner, on the other hand, needs a few lessons in game management.

You gave your partner plenty of chances to retain his authority on the field. You didn't butt in right away. You gave him time to explain the ruling (maybe a little too much time). You didn't undermine him.

He undermined himself, and you had no choice but to nudge the game along.

[BretMan]

TEN MINUTES of standing around watching two guys talk? That's insane. Heck, two minutes seems like an eternity when you're just standing there doing nothing.

And two minutes- tops, probably closer to one!- is just about how long I would have let this go on. You are the UIC for this game and you have the duty to keep the game moving along.

I would wait my minute or two, give my partner the chance to do what he's supposed to do, then if has has not, I'm heading up the line and asking, "What's the hold-up, fellas?".

They get about eight seconds to explain, it will take me about eight more to respond and, assuming there is no further need for me to interject, we get, "That's the call, the play stands. Back to your dugout coach, so we can play ball".

Sure, there's a such thing as not stepping on your partner's turf, but he had his chance. As the UIC your turf is keeping the game moving along without delay.

[NCASAUmp]

If you dive in there too soon, you insert yourself into a situation you may not want to be in. What if your partner blew the call? Even if your partner is right, now you have a coach asking you the same 50 things he's asked your partner.

If your partner doesn't have the fortitude to address the situation (for example, if your partner is a rookie), then s/he needs to be the one pulling you into the conversation. If you butt in there, you may be moving the game along (which it should be moving along), but you're taking away your partner's authority.

Your partner dug his own grave on this one. He should have stopped the coach after the first minute, gotten into his next position, and signaled to you that he was ready.

As far as the HP umpire being UIC, well... That's just plain silly.

[BretMan]

You're going to stand there for TEN MINUTES and watch this go on? Now THAT is just plain silly!

What if he wants to stand there and talk for 15 minutes? A half hour? At what point is stepping in "undermining his authority"?

If he has allowed this farce to go on for ten minutes, he himself has undermined his own "authority" long before that point.

Waiting a couple of minutes is not "diving in too soon".

Straight from the book- Section 2: Pre-Equisites For Good Umpiring: 8) Game Management: Keep the game moving.

If my partner will not- within reason, and ten minutes is not within reason- then I will.

What if my partner did blow the call? That doesn't give the coach free reign to stand on his soapbox for ten minutes. Note that in my post I said that, after waiting a few minutes, I would ask what is the hold-up, then IF THERE IS NO FURTHER NEED FOR ME TO INTERJET (ie: the coach is just arguing some invalid point), I get him off the field and on with the game.

If, on the other hand, there might be some legitimate problem with the call, my partner and I will discuss it- alone, away from the coach. We'll hash it out just like you're supposed to, and then the game will proceed.

And it won't take us any ten minutes.

[NCASAUmp]

First, I'm not saying that you should never butt in. What I'm saying is do not be too quick to butt in. 10 minutes is, of course, too long, and I stated that in my original reply. My statements were meant to be food for thought anytime you feel like your partner is in trouble, and you feel compelled to jump to the rescue. While you may be moving the game along, you've now taken your partner down a notch, which could undermine him the next time he calls a game for either of those teams.

And if a partner of mine undermines my authority, I'd be certain to have a little chat with him after the game's over. And by "chat," I mean "reaming."

[DaveASA/FED]

sounds like someone has an inferiority complex I look at this in another way, I am not going over there to undermind anyone, I am going over there to remind them there is a time limit, and we need to start playing again. Sometimes people get started in a discussion, coach might even be civil but asking too many questions for that place and time, the what ifs etc. and an umpire can get sucked into trying to explain things and lose track of time. There are also umpires who like to stand there toe to toe and argue that coach back into their dugout no matter how long it takes (sounds like this ump fit into this catagory) and there is no time for that in any game, let alone one with a time limit. It is not fair to the players to have their playing time taken away from them. You are a team out there and nothing like working like one, keeping your partner on track to get this game moving.