I feel that I have finally arrived as an Umpire........

This Thursday night in my first game ........

I held my pregame with both coaches and was ready to get started when the Home coach comes out and drops a ball right on the foul side of the 3rd base line and asks......."if my 3rd baseman picks up a batted ball right here........what's your call going to be?"

I told him........."when it happens.......I'll make the proper call coach".........

I knew he was trying to get me to admit a blue in a previous game had blown a call...........(our assignor had called me about a rookie who had called a fair ball based on the position of the player (I was scheduled to call with this umpire this weekend) and our assignor wanted me to go over some things with this blue.........

He almost demanded that I make the call........

I told the coach that there were to many what ifs to be considered.........and that I would have had to have been there to make that call..........

He was none to pleased with me.........

Two/Three years ago..........I would have told him........."Foul Ball".......

I have learned.............that coaches always have ulterior motives to questions.........and have learned to tell them...........

"Gee coach......I don't know.........I would have had to be there"...........grin

Joel

Joel:

Good job avoiding the loaded question.

Bob

Great reply Joel....

I made that very mistake of player position vs. ball position last, my first, season. Not that it's any excuse, but it is one of the opposite situations we see in basketball... As player leaves the court, his/her feet last touch in-bounds and no matter how far she goes OOB or he goes into backcourt, the player's position is where s/he was until some part of the player touches another part of the court...

It's nice to see that there are officials out there with foresight, maturity, & integrity to make the right call.... Away from balls and strikes... safes and outs.
cl

Joel,

You need to take just one more step ;)

When the coach demands you give him an answer, just stick out your right hand and ask him/her for $5.

When asked why, your response should be, "We train umpires for nothing, Coach. Until you become an umpire, you will have to pay for the clinics."

You can trust me when I tell you he will NOT be pleased with you after that one! :)

Great comment Mike. I'll have to write that one down!

SamC