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Recommendations
for the Rookie Umpire
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By Lawrence Dorsey
Recommendations for the Rookie
Umpire
It seems like yesterday since my
rookie season. Well, truth be known it was 8 years ago. I can vividly
remember many of the mistakes I made and all of the things I wish I
knew now. I will never say that I have seen everything, but I have had
my fair share of "situations" just like any other umpire. Since my
rookie days, I have umpired from ages 9-10 all the way up to the high
school ranks. I decided that during that time, I’ve learned a lot that
I feel like others could benefit from. So here goes my attempt to
provide some insight into the "art" of umpiring for those of you
"rookies".
There are many standard
recommendations for anyone starting out in umpiring. Suggestions like
attending clinics and seminars as well as reading instruction manuals
are excellent for developing into a good umpire. However, many of the
things that older umpires take for granted are unwritten. I’m hoping
this article will touch on a few of these items.
If you are not willing to make
mistakes, then umpiring isn’t for you
Just like everything else in life,
the men in blue are going to make mistakes. You see it every day in
baseball from little league all the way to the majors. Before you step
on the field for the first time, realize you will make mistakes and
odds are someone will let you know about it. What is important to
remember about mistakes is that you must learn from them and move
on. After every game, I give myself a self-evaluation on the ride
home. I remember what I did wrong, what transpired before the mistake,
and how I could handle the situation better in the future.
The clothes don’t make the man,
or do they???
During my first season of umpiring,
I wore what was the accepted "uniform". It was a blue hat (not a true
ump hat), a powder blue shirt, blue shorts and my old baseball cleats.
There are days I can’t believe that was me. Then one day towards the
end of that rookie season, one of my supervisors approached me about
working a fall developmental league. The one stipulation was that I
had to get a "proper " uniform. Suffice it to say I have never looked
back.
Currently, I am working in a league
where almost every umpire doesn’t wear a proper uniform. You wouldn’t
believe how little flak I get for close calls. I’m not sure there is a
direct correlation between my uniform and respect, but I’d say it is a
big part of it.
I know clothes aren’t cheap, but
spending a little on a serviceable uniform will save you a lot of
grief down the road. Most umpire outfitters sell clothes that are
permanent press, and wash-n-wear. Keep your uniforms clean and ironed.
Keep your shoes shined. It doesn’t take much to look like a real
umpire, because if you look sharp, you’ll feel sharp, and in turn
you’ll be sharp.
Learn from your peers, good and
bad
I can’t tell you how fortunate I
have been over the years to work with some darn good umpires. Early in
my career, I was fortunate enough to work with a few guys who had
college and pro experience. The things I learned from them will never
be found in any book. The one aspect of umpiring that veterans can
teach you the best is game management. Game management is simply the
skill of keeping the game moving along, anticipating problems, and
handling those problems as they arise. I have often found it helpful
to ask for a critique after a game. It may sting a little if you got
some work to do, but it sure will benefit you in the long run.
Well, sometimes the things you learn
from others aren’t things that need to be repeated. Sloppy mechanics,
poor attitude, and lousy appearance are all things I have seen in my
career. Don’t let this get to you. All you can do is support your
partner and do the best job you can with what you have. For everything
I have learned to do from a fellow umpire, I can think of at least one
thing I have learned not to do.
Keep your eyes and ears on the
field
One of the worst experiences I ever
had with a fan happened earlier in my career. I gave my partner an
assist (he asked) on a hit batsmen call. This one particular lady
starting berating me. I looked over at her, thinking at the time she
was in the dugout (turns out she was just outside of the dugout), and
yelled back" Hey it didn’t hit em, OK". She read me the riot act after
the game and I was green enough to stand there and try to reason with
her. Wow, what a bad ride home that was. Well she never did anything
about it, so it all became a moot point in the end.
The important lesson I learned that
day is this: If it is outside the fence or the dugouts, ignore it. You
will have more trouble than you ever wanted if you start a dialogue
with those outside of the fence. If you confine your observations to
those actions and protests by the participants, you’ll keep the game
in control and keep it from dragging along.
This does not mean you will not have
trouble with spectators. But, you need to learn how to handle them
without direct interaction. Use your field managers, scorekeepers, and
even the coaching staffs to handle people who are "crossing the line"
by threatening you or being just a little too belligerent. Sometimes
calling police or park rangers will be necessary; unfortunately this
evolution is probably here to stay.
The bottom line is fun
As long as you aren’t in the major
or minor league system, and this is the case for the vast majority of
us, umpiring is a second job. You have to be serious about striving to
be the best you can be everyday and you have to be willing to learn
constantly. Also, you need to carry a professional attitude onto the
field. More than anything else, you need to have fun being an umpire.
For me, who wasn’t a great player, but has always loved the game,
umpiring is my way of staying active in the game. I enjoy working with
kids and helping "young" (hey I’m not that old) umpires develop. I try
to have fun every night I’m out there and I can honestly say when it’s
not fun anymore, I’ll probably hang’em up.
I’m sure I have left a lot of things
out. I am hoping this will help anyone thinking about umpiring or even
someone who has just started. As you go through your career, remember
the mistakes you made, the lessons you’ve learned, and the people
you’ve worked with. All of these will help make you a better umpire ! |
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Some Commonly Misunderstood Rules
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Some Commonly Held
Misunderstood Beliefs Here, in
no particular order, are some beliefs about the game of baseball and
its rules which are surrounded by misconceptions and misunderstanding:
All of these statements are false.
1. When a batter is hit by a pitch,
the hands are considered part of the bat.
2. If a batted ball hits the plate
first, it is foul.
3. On an illegal pitch or balk, the
ball is dead immediately.
4. The batter cannot hit a pitch
that bounces first.
5. A runner must turn right after
overrunning 1st base.
6. On an overthrow that goes out of
play, each runner gets the base he was going to, plus one.
7. A runner may crash into a fielder
in order to try to make him drop the ball.
8. A fielder may never be blocking
the path of a runner trying to reach the bag.
9. It is a catch if an outfielder
holds the ball "long enough" before tripping, falling
or colliding with another fielder
and dropping the ball.
10. Runners cannot advance on an
infield fly.
11. The runner is automatically out
if a base coach touches him/her.
12. A runner stealing on a pitch
that is foul tipped by the batter and caught by
the catcher must return to his/her
base.
13. If a batted ball hits a runner,
the runner is always out.
14. Tie goes to the runner.
15. Runners may not run the bases in
reverse order.
16. When fielding a batted ball, the
fielder must yield to an advancing runner.
17. A batter who runs up in the
batter’s box should be called out.
18. A batter who is standing in the
batter’s box cannot be called out for interference.
19. It is a strike on a check swing
if the batter breaks his/her wrists.
20. An umpire who is hit by a thrown
ball has committed interference.
21. The fielder must tag the base
with the ball in his possession in order to record a force out.
22. In order for interference to be
called, it must be intentional.
23. On an attempted bunt, it is a
strike if the batter holds the bat across the plate as the pitch
crosses.
24. You have to touch the base
involved while holding the ball to make an appeal.
25. A throw to a base to try to
retire a runner who left that base on a caught fly ball is a force out
if the ball beats the runner to the bag.
Did you immediately recognize these
as being false?
How many of these false statements
did you question in your mind?
Make sure that you do not fall
victim to these mistaken ideas.
By: Joel Balberman |
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Handling Situations and Ejections
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Handling Situations and Ejections
By Greg Howard
Greg Howard is a veteran umpire who has
worked all levels of baseball up to small colleges. He was a Gerry
Davis Golden Mask winner at the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in
2002. He has trained beginning and intermediate umpires for more than
a decade. He also has worked at youth regional playoffs and "World
Series" going back to 1977.
Many times has the question been asked of me, "How do I move up as an
umpire?" Well, I'm still very much in the process of "moving up" and
consider myself to be very much in development. So, I can only impart
what I have learned to reach my current level. Hopefully, my
hard-earned lessons will be helpful to developing umpires. Mistakes
are our best teacher, and I've made at least my fair share.
Many umpires, far more experienced and wiser than I have said things
to the effect of, "Anyone can call a game; it's how you manage the
game that will set you apart." Nothing could be more true. This
article could never cover all situations and ejection causes; that
could fill a set of encyclopedias. Hopefully, however, you will find
some general guidelines and methods to control unwanted behavior on
the field.
Setting the Tone
From the moment you enter the field, you (and your partner) set the
tone of how you will be perceived and how players and coaches will
react to you. If you are slovenly in your appearance and grooming, you
show that you do not take the game seriously, and neither will you be
taken seriously. Let's face it, if your uniform is rumpled, dirty, and
looks like you threw it in the trunk of the car the last game and put
it on again for this one, what possible images does that convey?
Nothing good, to be sure.
Also, remember that not all communications between people are verbal.
From the moment the participants catch sight of you, they will be
picking up conscious and unconscious cues from your body language and
manner. You are being probed for any signs of weakness and indecision,
or possibly worse, any sign of arrogance and officiousness. Do you
adopt a "neutral" body posture and convey confidence in yourself? Or,
do you saunter casually around? Are you joking and laughing with
players and coaches before the game? If you are attempting to
ingratiate yourself with the participants before the game, you will
often find yourself achieving the exact opposite effect of what you
had hoped. Handle all necessary pregame communications in a
courteous, confident, and efficient manner.
Once the Game Begins
From the moment you take your position on the field, be ever vigilent
about your body language, positioning, and demeanor. Hands in pockets,
not coming to a proper set position, poor positioning (plate and
bases), sloppy and casual mechanics, all will work again to convey the
image that you are not to be taken seriously.
Instead, hustle from one position to another, whether you are on bases
or plate. Get into a proper set position before each pitch or play.
Make your mechanics and your use of voice clear and confident. Do
everything you can to actually "work" the game. Remember, the players
might or might not be giving their all, but there is absolutely no
room on the field for an umpire who is not. We are expected to be
perfect and only get better.
Warnings
Try to never eject someone from a game without a warning. There are
some obvious exceptions, of course. If you have malicious contact or
acts against opposing players of any kind, there is no room for
warning. This is a safety issue and can lead to serious problems later
in the game if not addressed immediately and firmly.
Some "old school umpires" will say that it is best to let the players
take care of it themselves. I strongly disagree. What happens when the
retaliation against a player takes place at his next at-bat? Depending
on the level of pitching, you could have a career- or life-ending
injury. Another example would be a malicious slide to retaliate for an
earlier malicious slide. Very serious injuries can and do result in
these situations. Make a firm and decisive ejection against the first
player to initiate malicious contacts or acts, and you should put an
end to it for the rest of the game.
(If you are ejecting a player for malicious acts, depending on your
level of baseball, you might want to consider quietly going to the
coach and asking him to remove the player from the game before you
have to. Usually, faced with this option, the coach can comply, and
you don't have to show the kid up. Let the other coach quietly know
what you have done, and let him know you expect there to be no
retaliation. This is a clear, implied warning that you will not
tolerate this activity.)
What exactly constitutes a warning? That varies from umpire to umpire
and from situation to situation. A simple, "knock it off," can be a
warning. Sometimes, your warning might be more formal, along the lines
of, "Coach, this is your warning for arguing balls and strikes."
Another way of giving a warning is to simply say, "Coach, I think
we've been over this enough. Let's play ball."
If the warning is a prescribed warning under the rules, such as
arguing balls and strikes or failing to keep helmets on, step away
from the action, and write the warning down. Don't be overly dramatic
about it. "Coach, that is your warning for arguing balls and strikes,"
turn the lineup card over and record the warning. Give yourself
specific information on your card about the batter, count, and inning
in case you need it for a formal report if an ejection later ensues.
Once you have given a warning, stick to it. Warning after warning,
after warning, will only make you look weak. Trust me on this one. My
first game in a JuCo conference in Alabama went this way. I let myself
get run over, time and time again. I didn't want to look like a
"red-ass" with an ejection in my first game. This was a collosal
mistake. The only thing I accomplished was make myself look weak and
incapable of managing the coach.
Head Coach Only
Never let yourself get sucked into a discussion with anyone other than
the head coach. If an assistant coach or player wants to argue, let
them know right away that you will be glad to communicate with the
head coach only. (Warning.) A smart head coach will know this and will
come out and take up the cause for his team.
Give the head coach a moment to get out to talk to you and take his
personnel away. Your partner should immediately move in to make sure
that the conversation is "one-on-one" with the calling umpire and the
head coach. If the player or assistant coach refuses to leave the
conversation and you or your partner has asked them to leave
(Warning), this is the time for an ejection. Cover this situation in
your pre-game conference with your partner, and make it clear that
your roles are to keep the conversation limited to two people. Your
partner should stick around, back from the conversation but within
earshot, in case they are needed as a witness to what ensued.
If your partner is in a discussion, do not enter the discussion at
all, unless asked to by your partner. This should almost never happen.
There's an old adage about "throwing your partner under the bus."
Don't be this most despicable of umpires. If your partner kicked the
call, let him deal with the coach. Don't chime in and say, "I had him
safe," if your partner called an out. There is plenty of stuff for you
to be watching on the field to not have to make your partner's calls
for him. Only if your partner asks for help do you give any
information, and this should always be done "one-on-one" with your
partner, with no one else listening.
Here Comes the Coach
You have just
called a "whacker" of a play and made a strong, confident call.
Nevertheless, here comes the coach out of the dugout to question you
or possibly to just vent. Your demeanor and what you say will either
lead to an ejection or a situation will be defused in a professional
manner.
If he is walking toward you, take a step or two towards him when he
gets about 10 to 15 feet away. Do this unconfrontationally, but in
such a way as to show him you are going to not back down. However, be
very careful to be completely stopped before he reaches you. Under no
circumstances is it justified for an umpire to initiate or return
contact. Just stand your ground, and do not back peddle.
If the coach is charging at you like a mad bull, do not move toward
him at all. You may misjudge his speed and actually step into him.
Simply hold your hand out in front of you like a traffic cop, and say,
"Coach, slow down. Don't charge out here." (Warning.) He should get
the message. Whatever ensues, get your hand down so that you do not
touch the coach.
Remain calm at all times and stand absolutely still. Try to put your
hands and arms into a neutral posture, neither defiant or
authoritative (hands on hips) nor submissive (hands behind your back).
Some umpires say to fold your arms across your chest and keep them
there. I can't argue with what works for others. I prefer to keep my
hands down at my sides. Whatever you do, try to avoid hand gestures.
And absolutely never, wave your finger at or point directly at the
coach.
The coach, however, is waving, pointing, and yelling. Never, ever,
yell back. In a low, calm voice, ask the coach to calm down, and just
talk to you. "Coach, if you calm down a moment, I'll tell you what I
had on that play." If necessary, repeat yourself. People tend to match
the tone of the person with whom they are in a conversation. If you
keep your voice low and calm, you should be able to calm most people
down, even if they initiate the conversation in a very loud manner.
Give the coach a little bit of rope. That play could have resulted in
a serious turnaround for his team. He might be more angry at his
player than you, and he just wants to vent a bit. He knows you are not
going to change your call without a very good reason. (His argument
is not a good reason.) When you can get a word in edgewise,
you can give him an explanation if he really wants one. If he
obviously doesn't want an explanation and you've given him a few
seconds to say what he has to say, simply tell him, "Coach, I heard
your point. Now, let's play ball." (Warning.) At that point, turn and
walk away. If he follows you, he just ejected himself.
Explaining Your Call
Never use rule numbers to cite your authority on a play. Give a
direct, courteous, rulebook explanation of the play, such as, "Coach,
I had the ball foul when it bounded past the bag in foul territory."
Another example would be, "Coach, I had a balk when the pitcher, in my
judgment, failed to step directly toward the base before his throw."
"Coach, I had him safe when the fielder failed to have secure
possession of the ball, touching the bag before the runner got there."
You hopefully will notice several things about these explanations.
First, the use of the words "I had" is very important. This tells the
coach what you saw on the play and made an interpretation and judgment
of what you just saw. Second, you should notice that the words used
are good paraphrases of the appropriate rules. Don't quote the rules
verbatim. Just cover the pertinent points of the rules. Third, there
is a clear statement of how the rules apply to the play in question.
And finally, there is sometimes a need for the use of "in my
judgment." Although this is implied in all examples above, it
sometimes doesn't hurt to throw in this subtle reminder to the coach
that he is questioning a judgment call.
When you use the words, "in my judgment," you will occasionally have a
retort to the effect of, "Well, your judgment sucks." At this point,
he just ejected himself. Be prepared for this, and try to limit the
use of "in my judgment" to only those situations that really need it,
thus, avoiding stupid ejections.
Showing an Umpire Up
If the coach insists on pointing and waving, he might be considered to
be "showing you up." One example would be that he is pointing to a
spot on the field from which he thinks you should have made the call.
Immediately, tell the coach in a calm voice, "Coach, don't show me up
out here." (Warning.) If he has been around baseball for more than a
couple of years, he knows what you mean. This also is a clear and
unmistakable warning. If he does not get the message, let him know
clearly, "Coach, if you continue to show me up, I'm going to ask you
to leave." (Second Warning.) If he continues, he's done. Don't let a
coach come out and show you up. But always get in a warning or two
before ejecting for this cause. Now, he's being ejected for
failure to heed your warning(s), not just for showing you up.
Other examples of showing an umpire up would include gestures to
indicate where a coach thought the pitch was. Don't permit this. This
is showing an umpire up, and it constitutes arguing balls and strikes.
Give a quick and direct warning on both counts to let the coach know
you will not allow either.
"You"
When a coach in a discussion about a call or at any other time uses
the word "you," directed at you as an umpire, perk up your ears and
listen carefully. Hopefully, the next words out of his mouth will be,
"...are the finest umpire I've ever seen." Unfortunately, this does
not occur in real life. The next words are directed at you personally,
and will possibly result in an ejection.
Never tolerate a personal, verbal attack. "You are a crappy umpire,"
means the person saying it is gone. That's it, no two ways about it.
Never tolerate a
question of your integrity. "You are giving them the game." If that is
said, I will immediately clear the air with a quick response along
these lines, "Coach, are you accusing me of cheating?" (Warning.) If
he doesn't get it and continues, dump him.
Judgment and Experience
Don't be a quick trigger on all comments by coaches. For example, if a
coach says, "That's terrible," I will normally let that slide, a
little. If he continues, tell him you've heard enough (Warning), turn
and walk away. If he persists, then send him to the locker room or
parking lot. If you are too quick to eject on this comment, you could
find yourself trying to explain how you read the coach's mind about
what was "terrible." You should be ejecting for continuing to
argue after a warning, not for saying, "that's terrible."
Not all comments are ejectable offenses, and not every technical
infraction of a rule or customary treatment of umpires requires an
ejection. Use your judgment and experience to determine whether or not
the situation warrants a good explanation of what is not allowed or if
an ejection should follow right away. Sometimes, you might be dealing
with a coach who simply does not know any better. If it is a college
coach, he most certainly should know what is not allowed, but not
always. As you move down in the ranks of baseball, you find more
inexperienced coaches. Use your judgment and experience to make the
right decision on how to handle them. If you make a wrong decision,
chalk it up to experience, and learn from it.
If you don't have a lot of experience, just get out there and work as
many games as you can. Your judgment and experience will increase,
giving you more control of situations. Talk to other good umpires who
genuinely care about this avocation. Learn from them. A wise umpire
learns from the experience and mistakes of other umpires so they do
not have to learn it all "the hard way." Much of my own experience is
from the school of hard knocks, but even more of it has been gleaned
from listening to umpires that I would wish to become more like.
Walking Away
Many times in this article, the words "walk away" have been used. It
means simply what it says; walk away from the discussion or situation.
Do not insist on having the last word. Leave that to the coach.
They'll normally insist on having it anyway. If you continue to
respond to each retort, you probably will only escalate a situation
that might have been dying down. If the coach walks away, saying, "I
still think that's terrible," and keeps going, let him go! Be willing
to let him have the last word. Who cares? Just tell yourself that you
have agreed to disagree, and let it go at that.
If you have had to make an ejection, that is your last word
on the subject. Immediately, turn, walk away, and let your partner
take over. Your partner should know exactly what to do if you covered
this as you should in your pre-game conference. Your partner can take
responsibility for seeing to it that the ejected party leaves the
field. You don't need to do anything else but get yourself calmed down
and back in the game. Don't dwell on the situation; just bear down and
give your very best for the rest of the game.
Never "carry it over." This is a tough one. We are all human and have
feelings. However, we are umpires, and we are expected to be above all
this. If you have to see the coach again for another game, don't let
the prior situation creep into your mind. What's done is done. Let it
go.
Reporting
Finally, just a few thoughts on reporting ejections are in order.
Learn before you have a problem what form of reporting, if any, you
must do in the case of an ejection. Familiarize yourself with the form
or method in case you need it. Sitting down for the first time with an
ejection form prescribed by your association and conference and
realizing you don't have all the information for all the blanks on the
form is a lousy time to try to recreate the missing data. Record all
the information you are going to need for your report at the time of
the ejection.
Be objective in your report. State only the facts, and leave your
personal feelings out of it. If you have to quote foul language in
your report, use the complete quote and don't edit by saying, "The
coach used the 'F word.'" Your assignors or supervisors are grown ups
and have heard it all before. Only if you give them complete
information can they back you up.
Be honest in your report. If you did or said anything that could have
escalated the problem, you'd better tell it now. The other side is
going to be told sometime, count on it. Don't forget that video
cameras are everywhere, and you can bet Johnny's daddy who was there
to tape his son's hitting caught the incident with the umpire on tape.
If you bumped or "chicken-pecked" the coach, it's all going to be
there, in living color. If the play was close, make sure you point
that out, also.
Be complete in your reporting. Make sure all blanks are filled in, so
that your assignor or supervisor has all the facts they need.
Never collude with your partner to cover your tracks. This falls under
the category of "throwing your partner under the bus." If you screwed
the pooch, be an adult about it. Don't take your partner down with you
by asking him to lie to save your skin. Most mistakes can be used as
training material and cause for further work with you by your
supervisor. I have found them willing to help me learn from mistakes
instead of taking me out and shooting me.
Finally...
Think back on the situation a few times throughout your career. Be
honest with yourself. Did you do your very best, or was there
something else you might have done to keep everything and everyone
under control. If you can honestly say you did your best, accept that.
If the experience pointed out a hole in your knowledge about any
point, seek advice and improve yourself. Never stop trying to improve
or get better at handling situations. You'll always be a better umpire
for it. |
