Geeeze, Coaches

[whiskers_ump]

Two good 5A level teams playing NFHS tournament. I am PU.
Team A's pitcher has probably thrown three actual strikes in
five innings. She is throwing outside and not even close to what
an umpire could call a strike. She has at least 7 K's, and all
the other outs are ground balls to F3 & F4. Team B"s
batters are reaching for the pitches and making weak contact.
One was even called out for making contact while on the plate. Team B's
coach comes up and is making some changes. She asked me
if the pitches being thrown by team A's pitcher are actually strikes?
Did not want to tell her what was happening, so just said, "Must
be coach, your team is hitless?" Well, she now has them taking pitches.
Out of the first four batters, three walk, the other hit to F4. Next batter takes two straight
that are outside for ball 1&2. Now Team A's coach starts yelling about where
my strike zone went and why. Two more balls and she walks in a run, making the
score 3-1. Coach yelling so much, he now has fans behind him getting
on my case. I asked his catcher, "Are any of those balls hitting the
corners?" "Not really she replies." Next batter goes 3&1 and then she
walks. 3-2. On this note coach is at HP. Asks catcher what is going
on, and she says, "He's not giving us the corner." To shorten this a bit, I restricted
the coach to the bench and had a chat with his catcher. Ejection causes too many
problems, so I let him sit on the bench. Since F2 never questioned [she just lied]
my zone, I left her in the game.

BTW, they team A won 3-2. Assistant did a great job of getting things
calmed down.

glen

[oppool]

I had a 4A coach kinda like that tonight myself. When he was in the 3rd base coaches box he wanted to come over in argue a call at 1st on a play where F3 had to jump up to catch a throw but no doubt landed back down on 1st base bag. He try to claim she missed the bag coming down, while his asst and the 1st base coach wanted me to call OBS because F3 came down in the middle of the bag. I just shook my head and told coach that why we dont make the call from the 3rd base box. Another time he came out to whine about a runner that had stolen 2nd but would of been out except F6 dropped the ball while appling the tag never making it to the bag when her hand was clearly on 2nd. Had to inform coach again that I could see the play better at 8' away than he could at 70'. These coaches to me just loose there credibilty when they come out just to argue because the call didnt go there way.


Don

[ronald]

glenn,

which tournament and teams were they? Is Donny assigning your games?

Ron

[whiskers_ump]

Ron,

This was in the Brenham tournament. Temple and Lake Travis.

glen

[oatmealqueen]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by whiskers_ump
[B]Two good 5A level teams playing NFHS tournament. I am PU.
Team A's pitcher has probably thrown three actual strikes in
five innings. She is throwing outside and not even close to what
an umpire could call a strike. She has at least 7 K's, and all
the other outs are ground balls to F3 & F4. Team B"s
batters are reaching for the pitches and making weak contact.
One was even called out for making contact while on the plate. Team B's
coach comes up and is making some changes. She asked me
if the pitches being thrown by team A's pitcher are actually strikes?
Did not want to tell her what was happening, so just said, "Must
be coach, your team is hitless?" Well, she now has them taking pitches.



JMHO, but I don't think that I would have answered a question like that.
Better answer would have been "Coach, I have no comment" or no verbal at all.

[DownTownTonyBrown]

I agree. If the catcher asks where the pitches are I'm going to tell her... a couple of times. If the coach asks in a reasonable manner, I'm going to answer him/her also.

"Coach, I've only made about three strike calls all the others have been your batters swinging and missing." Say it loud enough so both coaches can hear.

And if the opposing team has an assistant, TOSS THE IDIOT head coach. It may have been your reluctance to say what was going on, your secrectiveness, that created this situation. It's not for me to say but take a close look at what your comments were and each coach's statements were.... perhaps you incited him.... he's still an idiot for getting excited at you.

But don't take a coach's crap to the point that the crowd wants to join in. Toss him before the crowd even gets an idea of joining in.

JMHO Tony

[CecilOne]

Just to give the other side of the coin for catchers:
A moment I remember from years ago was being PU and having a pitcher who was having trouble throwing strikes. A fan of the defensive team was in the 3rd base stands, yelling about every 3rd or 4th ball. Finally, the catcher turned her head and yelled "Shut up, DAD, they're outside". Disrespectfully worded, but made the point.

Also, I agree with oq on "I don't think that I would have answered a question like that", probably just shrugged it off.