Coach talks about other game
 

3rd of 4 threads from the game last night... figured they all belonged separately. So while we're waiting for the catcher to get her gear on for the top of the first inning :eek:, the OC is telling us how he almost 10 runned the visitors on Wednesday but his baserunners blew it.

So they are up 9 with no outs and the bases loaded. B4 flies out to the OF. The runner from 3rd tags to score but the other two runners go on contact. And the result is a triple play.

Me: So how slow could your runner on third be?

Coach: She scored but that didn't matter because the runners left early.

Me: But that's a time play.

Coach: No, they said it wasn't.

Me: Oh.


So my question is do I have some obligation to my misguided brethren from the other game to not say anything about the call. I figured it was better to get it out in the open that it was wrong in case it happened in our game but it also feels a little wrong to say anything about somebody else's call.

I wouldn't have put myself in that position in the first place. It never ends well. Coaches will always bring up something that happened in another game in order to:

1. Test your knowledge of the rules.
2. Get ammunition against another umpire
3. Learn if they were wrong (rare, but there is such a thing as honesty in this world)

Anytime I'm asked about something that happened in the game, I'll do one of two things: back up my fellow umpires (if they were right), or blow off the question ("coach, I wasn't there, so I don't really know what to tell you").

The last thing I want to do to a fellow umpire is throw them under the bus. Hopefully, they will extend you the same courtesy.

If something like that then happens in your game, all you can say is "coach, I understand you're confused, but this is my call. I can't speak for the ruling from the other night, but if you feel that you were wronged by my call, you are welcome to protest."

Yep, Best advice!

Just want to agree with and add:
Nothing good comes from idle conversations with coaches especially before, during or after a game.

Well, I wouldn't quite go that far. You don't want to be overly-friendly, nor do you want to be overly-standoffish. You want to be approachable and cordial, and some polite small talk is acceptable (kept to a minimum - I prefer talking about how beautiful a day it is, regardless of whether or not it's pouring buckets). :D

If a coach starts to bring up something that happened in a previous game, just say, "coach, I'd love to offer my advice, but I was simply not there. Can't call what I didn't see." Most coaches get the hint after that.

True.
Still, if they do approach me I try to keep to a pleasant brief response.

I don't want the other coach wondering what we are talking about.

Dont believe a coach if he stands there swearing he's lying.

Hes working an angle, the above advise is good. Never address calls made elsewhere.

Agree. I often get these after-the-fact scenarios and they expect me to tell them the umpire was wrong.

However, everyone gets frustrated because I will not give a straight forward, "yep, they/he/she blew it" even if I know there is a good possibility they did.

Chances are that you are not going to get all three sides of the story and I will not intentionally place fellow umpires in a bad light, even if they deserve it.

I will admit that something doesn't sound correct, but will not go as far as stating an outright position on a play I did not witness.

Excellent add on Hugo! Sometimes though, a situation arises where the "chat" comes in handy.

I'm the PU in a tight game with the bases loaded and with a full count F1 walks in the go ahead run on an inside pitch. DC requests and is granted time and comes to me and our conversation went like so:

DC: I’ve only had one defensive conference, right?

I pull out my lineup cards and confirm that she had one defensive conference in the third inning.

DC: By the way, that was a horrible call on that last pitch.

Me: It sure was, your pitchers been missing inside all day, I'm surprised the pitching coach had her go inside on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded.

DC: You're not catching my drift.

Me: I caught your drift and you caught mine. It's time to play ball.

I've used this line: "I can not speak to what other umpires ruled in other games" twice in the past week. Once in an adult slow pitch game, the other to a high school coach.

Later, in that same high school game, the coach (who has been there 20+ years) told me that "the hand is part of the bat". *sigh*

This is in line with the coaching comments, "We've done it that way all season.", "The ump let me do that last game.", and "She's pitched that way all season."

All you can do is -

1) Not discuss what happened at any previous game. You can not know what happened if you weren't there. You can not fix what happened in a previous game even an ump made a mistake in that game.

2) Make sure that you are applying the rules correctly. You should be able to explain to the coach why you are applying the rules in the way that you are. (this is true about every call you make)

3) Make sure you listen to the coach. He just might be telling the truth or have a point. If anything he says raises a flag or causes you doubt about your rules application take the time to talk to your partner about the call in the current game.

I have watched HS umps allow a CR for players other than the pitcher/catcher. I have seen pitchers double and triple touch an entire game. I have watched F3 or F4 obstructing first base on every pickoff play there. These are things I would not allow to happen in a game that I was working.

Tell them "I am applying the rules as written and can't comment on anything that happened in any other game." if the coach makes a "But we ..." comment.

F1 obstructing on a pick off attempt? She must be kinda fast.

Isn't that a balk? :D

OK - F3. Sorry to confuse you.;)

Only if she's on the "mound".