Partner not wanting help
 

I worked with a new partner today. He was PU. In the pre-game he said that he didn't want me to go out on anything hit to the OF, he would take all catches and F/F.

In mid game, nobody on base, a ball is hit hooking hard into foul territory in RF that I can see right off the bat is going to be foul, and if caught, the catch is possibly going to be made against the fence (in foul territory) or running into it about 175 feet from home plate.

What the heck, I turn and go out thinking I will be right on top of this play if the F9 can get to the ball. F9 gets her glove on the ball, but can't hang onto it. I put up both arms.

As I turn around to come back in, he is pointing at himself and I'm reading his lips saying "mine."

After the game, I bring up the play and he's reminding me that he said he'd take all catches and F/F. I said that with no runners on base, if I can give you some help on a trouble ball 175 feet away, why wouldn't you want the help. He reminds me that he was almost all the way to first base when the ball came down.

Of course, he's still well over 100 feet away from F9 and I'm right there.

I'd like to get any comments on this experience.

Find another partner. No matter what you do or say, reasonable or not, this guy doesn't sound like he is going to listen.

I wonder if this comes in powder blue...

http://images7.cafepress.com/product...x350_Front.jpg

That is good.:)

i agree, just get a new partner. Usually as a plate guy, I'll let the BU do whatever he feels comfortable doing, go out or not go out, I don't really care. The majority of plate umps I work with usually could care less if I want to go out. I sometimes jokingly tell them that I want to go out "just for the exercise."

If it was discusseed during pre-game and apparently agreed on (you didn't say otherwise), you should not have gone out.

Actually, I understand why you did (out of instinct), but in the end, all you should have done was apologized for stepping on his call.

All the stuff about how it should be handled and why is part ofthe pre-game.
All things being equal, since he is the PU, I will give him the final word...


(added) I don't disagree with the others who suggest finding another partner in the future.....
My answer was geared to the situation you presented...

I agree. While your partner was clearly being pigheaded, the two of you did pregame this situation, and you went back on your word with him.

In a two-umpire system, once the BU goes out to make the call on a caught or foul ball, the PU is then responsible for all runners, tag-ups, etc. The BU, for that play, is done. Maybe your partner had a legit reason for not wanting you to go out (bad ankle, bad hip, etc.). If that's the case, it would have been more professional for him to have simply said so, instead of "this is how it is, and you're going to like it, period."

Still sounds like he went about it in a rather a$$hole fashion.

OK, just to be clear, nobody was on base.

If there were baserunners I would not have gone out.

I have no physical limitations, other than the fact that I'm older than I used to be.

Tangent:

If in pregame and you have one of those pigheads, can you go tell him to take a flying leap (diplomatically of course) cuz you are going to use proper mechanics (ASA ones). This presupposes no valid reason for wanting to deviate from fundamentals.

Thanks

I think you missed my point.
During the pre-game, you agreed not to go out....

I wasn't talking about you, my agile compadre. I was referring to your partner. Maybe he had a physical issue that prevented him from being able to switch to single-umpire mechanics.

I agree with your points. Only problem is that I don't see where DTQ agreed to anything. Actually, it didn't sound like much of a pregame.

Then again, we are not privy to any other info. Maybe the partner is a putz. Maybe DTQ is a putz :D

Nonetheless, unless dealing with a rookie, I'm not telling my partner they cannot go out if they think it is necessary.

I extrapolated a little to make the point...;)
What I meant by agreeing was that (from what we were told) he didn't disagree.


To be honest, I'm guessing it was the partner that was the putz.

Hopefully this was a lesson learned.
Sure it's nice to say, "I'll never work with that guy again", but sometimes that's not practical...
In fact I had a partner yesterday (but that's another thread)........................................... .................................................. .

DTQ went out and put his hands up, but didn't call "Foul". I don't think he even stole the partner's call, as much as he assisted the call. [shurg].
No problem at all. :)

Except if he had turned to go back in and his partner was pointing FAIR..:eek: