Warn First? Or Just Eject?

[chymechowder]

I'm a 5-year USSSA umpire in a men's league. Something happened last night that I'd never seen in 5 years of umpiring (or 10+ years of playing prior to that).

2nd inning. Home pitcher is airmailing; everything is coming in decidedly high. Visitors are just taking pitch after pitch.

After another such ball he snaps at me, "Where was that? High or inside?" I calmly replied "Both." He's shaking his head, holding his hands apart, gesturing for the what the strike zone is.

Next pitch crosses the plate at the batter's eye level. Ball two. He puts his hands up again, complaining, "Where did THAT miss?!" I said "It was high. Now let's go."

One of his teammates told him to just pitch. He angrily responded (loud enough for the whole infield to hear), "This guy's strike zone is the size of postage stamp! It's been that way all year!" I stepped out sideways from behind the plate and silently put my hands out in a firm, but nonconfrontational pose to suggest OK, that's enough.

He fired the ball into his glove and yelled "You. Are. AWFUL!"

I calmly pointed towards him, then the bench, and said "That's it. You're out."

First time I've ever been at a game when someone was ejected for arguing balls and strikes.

Before my question, quick background: the teams know they're not supposed to argue balls and strikes. Sure, we get the occassional batter rolling his eyes and stepping out of the box on a strike call he didn't like. Or the pitcher shaking his head and walking around the mound after one he thought he should've got. (These guys think they're in MLB sometimes, haha.)

And little stuff like that is fine with me. It never goes further than that. Also I never go "looking for trouble." Like if a runner's called out on a close play, he might spout off a bit on the way to the bench. Fine with me so long as it doesn't continue. I'm not down there to argue with the players. If they want to mumble something, I'm not going to ask them "What was that??"

So my question: was I too quick with the hook?

The way I saw it--there were four, separate exchanges, each louder and more combative than the last. I've now got a pitcher on the mound during the game barking at me. In my opinion, he'd gone WAY over the line, and it was too late to issue a warning.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Oh one more thing that added to the absurdity of the situation. This was the last reg. season game. The home team had already clinched the #1 seed! This game meant nothing to them. And league rules say that any ejection automatically carries a suspension for the next game, which will be their first playoff game.