How would you handle this?

[refump]

The situation happened in a youth tourn. game. Coach that shows up late to the game is coaching at first base. From the time he gets on the field late( 2nd inning) he has had nothing to say about my calls at the plate. The comments are not enough for me to warn him about crossing any lines, however about the fourth inning he ask, "Did you call that pitch a strike?" I replied, "Yes I called it a strike." The emphasis was on the word "called". The coach proceeded to ask this same question several times. I gave the same answer every time. After the fourth or fifth time he asked the same thing I responded that I had already answered his question several times and was not going to go on with this conversation and to play ball. He got very angry and said that I had not answered his question. I said I had and repeated that I CALLED it a strike, and warned him that one more question about balls and strikes would be cause for ejection for questioning balls and strikes. He proceeded to say the same question again, at that time I said he was no longer in the game and had one minute to leave the area or his team would forfeit the game(his team was losing by four or five runs at the time). His behavior after the ejection caused several parents to start in on me from the stands saying that I couldn't throw him out for asking a question. I simply reminded the coach he had a very short time to leave. He then proceeds to get the supervisor(J. Becker)to come over to the field after the game to ask what went on. I told him that he was asking the same question over and over and was disrupting play. Mr. Becker agreed with my decision to eject the coach.
Was there any other way this could have been handled that might have satisfied the coach and let the game proceed without and ejection?

[jbrowar16]

Dear Refump:

In the future please don't respond to the direct question. Balls and strikes are not talked about. This type of situation requires a one on one conversation with the coach. Not talking across the field. In this close, private conversation the plate umpire must tell the coach that balls and strikes are a topic of discussion. It is grounds for imediate ejection. Regardless of the level of baseball. By having a conversation that everyone can hear you are inviting the crowd to get involved. The bottom line is, what he was asking did not deserve a response. You can give a firm warning and still be respectful. But do it one on one.

The end result was correct, just start it off one on one.

Jon

[timcordill]

He was late to the game and thus assumed he had to catch up for lost time! Great god I love little league coaches!

[A Honeycheck NJSBUA]

timcordill said:

He was late to the game and thus assumed he had to catch up for lost time! Great god I love little league coaches!

A private conversation with the coach after his initial request would be the ideal way to handle this coach. In that conversation, remind him that it's against the rules of baseball to question balls or strikes. If he persists in making a mockery of the game then it's time for him to leave at your discretion.

[timcordill]

Sounds good to me!

[AJB]

One thing I often do, especially if I've had a coach before and know he is going to be trouble, is tell the coaches to call time if they have a question and we will talk to them during the pregame.

Personally, I nod to any question regarding balls and strikes. If a coach asks location, I call time, go tell the coach that if he wants to know location to ask his catcher in between innings. This tends to diffuse the situation, as a catcher probably isn't going to recall each pitch.

Just something else that I've found is to never warn a coach about getting dumped. The biggest problem is the one you encountered, if he feels his question/concern wasn't completely answered, of course he is going to keep harping on it and asking.