How to question a call or choosing your battles.

Ive been reading some of the posts here regarding "getting tossed." There are times when to do it right and there are times when you are just plain dumb. "Choose your battles" as is said.

If there are Umpires or former "callers" on here, could you oblidge us on how to get "tossed?" What is the most appropriate way to do this respectfully leaving the Coach or Asst Coach and the Umpire with dignity entact.

GS

 

Getting tossed

I would think that getting tossed only hurts your team. It keys the ump to focus on your team more. Tighten the zone, not realeasing a call, ect.. Yes, there are times when you need to argue a call. I think that it is in the approach of the coach to the ump. As said in another thread, some of these meeting of the minds is just for show. But, in my opinion it teaches nothing.

 

I agree with Platedad, there really is no good time to get tossed, because it DOES hurt your team. Regardless of what "some" may think how it may supposedly fires up your own players, its also a panic move and the umps are now watching with all eyes on your team, so the negatives far outweigh the positives. Like baseball, its a game of percentages, and the percentages are not good that it will work. A good coach simply knows HOW and WHEN to question a call.

Ex 1: Coach sprints out across infield and gets in ump's face, throwing his arms around pitching a little trantrum. Good show, but accomplishes nothing.

Same call...

Ex 2: Coach calls time, "walks" out to the ump, (ump now knows with the walk that coach disagrees, but he's going to do it respectfully, theres no need to sprint). Coach walks up to ump and just asks him, "what did you see"? Coach may express disagreement (what he himself saw), but without raising his voice, returns to dugout.

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While Coach #1 gave entertaining show, he's not taken serious. I GUARANTEE that Coach #2 will get next close call because he gave and commanded more respect.

 

To sprint and rant and rave does nothing but make things worse. Umoires are humanand they will make a mistake from time to time. Case in point, We had a fly ball to deep LCF, both outfielders had their backs to me and the infield. Bal is seemingly caught and then dropped. Before the catch is made the umpire says "catch", then the ball drops out. He then signals "safe". I questioned the call on the field, but of course got nowhere. as I thought he was calling that the ball dropped on transfer. Later in the game teh ump approached me and said he messed up the call by calling the catch too soon. I can respect that, though I still disagreed with the call, and we had a respectful disagreeing conversation... It helped out much better than any yelling I could have done.