Bad boys, bad boys...
 

Okay, as the umpire, how would you handle this situation?

You're calling an important game (sanctioned championship play) behind the plate. In the middle of the game, the cops show up and begin speaking to one of the teams. It's clear that the cop isn't just there to say hello, he's actually looking for someone who may have been involved in an altercation the night before. As the cops are talking to the players, it's becoming increasingly likely that this game could get interrupted.

What would you do? Talk with the cops and find out what they want? Suspend the game? Get the TD? Or just start calling outs when guys start missing their at-bats?

For the record, something very similar to this happened in a tourney I was calling, and I wanted to hear what everyone else thought.

Call the UIC (that is whom I deal with when I'm an umpire, not the TD), and let him sort it out. If I'm the UIC, I'm getting the TD involved.

Umpire the game on the field. Should it get to the point of being interrupted, I let whoever is in charge make a decision on how to or whether or not we proceed.

My initial thought was to get both the TD and UIC on the field should it start to impact play.

Fortunately, the plate umpire did not have to take such action, and the game continued without any interruption. However, from the rumblings I'd heard around the campfire, it was entirely possible that someone was going to get hauled off that day.

Just thought I'd see what people had to say on a bizarre situation. I'll be happy to give details, but only in PM.

It is none of my business until there is not enough players left to complete the game, or me or my partner is the one who is being escorted off the field.

Well, if a player gets cuffed and hauled off, I couldn't care less. That's their problem for picking up a player who can't keep his crap together.

My concern was that this was championship play, which kinda counts for something here. It's not league.

Being the son of a retired cop, I absolutely want to let the cops do their job, and I don't want to be a hindrance. At the same time, I don't want to penalize a team's chances at winning if it's just a big misunderstanding (matter of fact, this team DID end up winning the tourney).

Fine line.

"Whatcha gonna do?"

I think I'm in the middle here. Continue umpiring the game until something that's going on over there affects the game... but DEFINITELY make UIC aware (and/or TD if UIC is not nearby) and standing by.

I'm sort of curious why some think it involves the game, or for that matter the tournament/league officials.

This is a team personnel problem. If it delays the game, yeah, I'm going to let the TD/UIC know why, but that is about the extent of any involvment.

I agree we should stay uninvolved until it directly affects the game --- but I think it wise to let UIC/TD know they might want to head over to my field. Just being prudent and proactive - just in case.

In this case, TD was aware that something occurred the night before, and had said that if they find the team involved, they would be out of the tourney.

+1.
I've got enough on my hands calling ball/strike, IP, fair/foul, safe/out.

Certainly, I would alert whoever I report to that something's up and a decision may be needed. Until then, if no players are being pulled from the field, I don't have a call. If one is, and his coach makes an immediate sub, play on. But if a player should be on the field and isn't, the game is paused until the UIC/TD/whatever can get there.

Remove them
 

Kick the cops out of the dugout, cus nobody but team members are allowed in the dugout. Let them know that you are the one in charge on the field, not them. Have the TD escort them off of the grounds. If they don't leave, call the po-po and have them removed. :D

...and whether or not one foot out of the box is "out of the box"! :eek: