You had to have been there - Story #2

[justcallmeblue]

This is long, but its worth the read and the lesson is: EVEN IF THE LEAGUE IS INSTRUCTIONAL, IMPROPER CONDUCT SHOULD BE HANDLED IMMEDIATELY AND PLAYERS/COACHES EJECTED JUST LIKE REGULAR SEASON. . . .

Again, I know what I SHOULD have done every step of the way, which was eject eject eject.

14U
Game 2: I just called a knee high 3rd strike and 3rd out a batter in a 0-0 game in the 4th inning with bases loaded. . . I hear some angry parent remarks coming from the hill where the parents were. . .the player is not happy and tosses her helmut and throws her bat after she left the field of play. NO BIGGIE. . .happens often enough.

That kid happened to be the catcher in the bottom 1/2.

SITUATION: R1 on 3B. . .sharp line drive to the 3B who throws ball home. . .Catcher misses the ball on what would have been a close play. . .But the catcher decides that she should lower her shoulder, step into the R1, kinda check her and wrap her arm around R1's waist instead of going after the ball. . .anyway, R1 finally touches home. Opposing coach doesnt way anything and I didnt know that R1 was pretty bruised up on the play until after the next inning's incident.

NEXT INNING. . .exact same situation, but this time the relay throw from 3B was spot on AND THE RUNNER HELD UP 5 FEET before the plate. HOWEVER, the catcher in her infinite wisdom, ran up to her and literally shoved her glove in the R1's chest and knocked her back a bit. . .It was a real aggressive play to which yelled "KNOCK IT OFF"- to the kid, then I called time and called for the her coach while the opposing coach was yelling about her conduct.

This kid was unreal. . .I was talking to the coach about the two plays and what I saw. . .AND THE KID KEPT TALKING BACK AT ME. . .telling me that she didnt do it, that I was not right, that I was picking on her. . . I looked at her first and said, DONT YOU REALIZE I AM TRYING TO HELP YOU BY TALKING TO YOUR COACH, CAN YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN. . .to which she kept talking back at me.

I looked at the coach and said "if she keeps on doing this, I would need to eject BOTH OF YOU, but since this is instructional, let me try to help you by telling you what she did wrong and that if this was the regular season I would have ejected her immediately". . . Well, the kid decided she had enough of me and took herself out of the field - I did not eject anyone.

THIS STORY ISNT OVER QUITE YET. . . .

Now, that team is back at the plate. . .Their teammate is on 3B and attempts to steal home on a wild pitch. The ball literally bounces off the backstop and rolls right the catcher who blocks the plate perfectly, puts the ball on the ground and the R1 slides into the tag. . . IMMEDAITELY I HEAR A LOUD VOICE "Why isnt that play aggressive". . NOW, THERE WAS ANOTHER KID GETTING INVOLVED STANDING NEXT TO THE CATCHER. I looked at the two of them, turned to the coach and said to the coach, "if I hear their mouths, they are BOTH gone and you'd have to go too". . .to which one of the kids says "But I am not on the field, you shouldnt be listening to what I am saying". . .To which I said back, IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE EARLY, JUST SAY ONE MORE WORD AND I WILL EJECT YOU, AND YOU AND YOUR COACH. . . .They lost 2-1. . . .

I told the coach that I would report this misconduct and I will request that they NOTE his players involved and if this ever happens again, they will face discipline actions from the league including the possible ban from Spring Play. The coach thanked me for my patience, told me that he would have understood if I did eject him and his player/s and shook my hand

THEN END OF MY CRAZY NITE. . . now LETS GO JETS!!!