Say What?
 

Working a game today (BU), basehit to the RC gap of a 3-man outfield and I come inside, watch BR hit 1B and take him into 2B. I have a great look across the front edge of 2nd watching the throw coming into 2B. Nice throw, but runner gets in ahead of the throw.

After the play, pitcher taps me on the back and asks me to move out of his line of sight so he can properly back up the play. I tell him I'm in the proper position to see the play. He goes, "yeah, but I need to see that ball coming in". So, I ask, "So, you want me to move out of position and possibly miss the call so you can watch the ball come in from the outfield?" Pitcher responds, "yeah, thanks, man!"

Huh?

I've had a F6 fell me that I was setting up too close to her when I was about 5 feet behind her and we were on the outfield edge of the grass. The coach asked if I could back up more. I said, "I go any further back and I may not be able to be in the best position to see a play at first." Coach said, "that's ok."

Holy crap it happened again...so now I have to ask.

Bases loaded, 3 man system. PONY 16U championship game. I'm 1U, in B, behind F4 about 6 feet and over her left shoulder - I'm about half way between first and second. She's playing average depth.

All of a sudden, DC yells out, "Time! Hey can you back up please!" I think he's talking to his F7.

DC: "Give her room, you're making her nervous! You've gotta back up!"

At this point I realize he's yelling at me. I remove my sunglasses and start to walk toward the dugout.

"What?" I'm dumbfounded. He repeats his plea for me to back up. The F4 says, "blue, you're fine. Don't worry about it."

I take a step back. "is this okay for you fielder?"

"Yes, fine. Don't worry about it. You're not even close to me."

PU says play.

DC screams, "Time! Blue move back! You're on top of my player!"

F4 says, "Dad, it's okay. I told him he's fine!"

DC says, no, you let me handle this! I don't want him that close!"

PU now approaches and tells him that this is the proper position for PONY - behind fielder, within an arm's reach. (Though I moved back further than that after his first complaint.)

Me: "Fielder, I don't want your coach to get any more annoyed with you or I. I will back up to make peace."

F4: "sorry blue, it's my dad."


Guess where I positioned myself for the rest of the game when this F4 was in the field and I needed to be in B?


At the edge of the outfield grass (of a slowpitch field) about 50 feet behind her. Hey, if I miss a call because I'm too far away.....

Now, my question....have you ever had this?

Not exactly that. But if I did, I'd be tempted to tell the coach that if he stops telling me how to umpire, I'll promise not to give him any advice about how to coach.

In fastpitch, I'm racking my brain and think maybe once I had an outfielder ask me to move a few steps to the side so they could see the plate.

It's fairly common to get requests to move a little in baseball, usually from middle infielders, where you're positioned inside the diamond. I'm always willing to accomodate a reasonable request.

I know this wasn't directed at me but I'll take a crack at this...


No real problem if the issue was that I be back 10 feet. But I WAS. Now, PONY mechanics state the preferred position is 5-6 feet behind fielder and off their shoulder.

I did what you stated. I backed up. But the big deal is that you are placing yourself in a more difficult position to be in proper position for a play/call. Plus, it's not appropriate for a coach to tell an umpire where he should be positioned. Like it would never be appropriate for me to tell his players where they can stand, so long as they are all in fair territory except for his catcher.

But there was NO NEED for his tort response. In life, you get further by being a nice guy, not an ***hole.

Then it must have been directed at me?

I did say that I accomodate a fielder asking me to move. I don't have a problem with that at all.

What I wouldn't tolerate is a coach interupting the game repeatedly, screaming at me about how to do my job. Especially if I had already moved when requested and the fielder said she was good with it.

Surely you can see the difference between the two...

I won't allow (pay attention to) a coach who is yelling at me when his fielder has no issue with where I am set up.

I will accommodate a player to a point.......but have had some princesses' that will try and direct me off the field. That, I will not tolerate.

I need to be in the correct position to make the call.......that is all.

Joel

This is key, not the coach's wishes. Most umpires, all good umpires, will accommodate a request of a fielder within reason.

Whether they like it or not, the umpire's job can be just as important as that of the player and much of his/her ability to perform their duties is through the prescribed mechanics.

Move to reasonably accommodate a fielder's request, yeah, not much of a problem. Allow a coach to prescribe their positioning? Aaahhh, I don't think so.

Load of crap.