Players and Umpires - Coaches Action

I saw a game eariler this year in which one of the top players around here got upset about the umpires strike zone while he was pitching. He made a rather large show on the mound about wanting some calls. Eventually he was removed from the mound, but stared the umpire down while going over to his position at third and continued to stare him down at every opportunity from there.

I thought - Well, the coach will take care of that privately later so as not to embarass the young man.

Then I saw him do the same thing again a few weeks later in the season.

Wanted to get some feedback from some of the more experienced TBR guys...
- Is this the precendent you want set for your program? (That if you get enough recognition, you can act this way?)
- What in your opinion should the coach do?
There were a lot of young players watching these games with their little league uniforms on...

 

What in your opinion should the coach do?

I believe that the precedent of how you will play the game must be set early in the year, the fall even. As a young coach, I let my players know that they should only worry about "what you can control." I take care of working the umpires and letting them know when they miss a call. The mindset that I drill into my players is that the last pitch, play, call, at-bat, error, etc. does not matter. All that matters now is what you can control. Control your actions and your next pitch. I've found it to work pretty well, as it is "positive talk." Example: Rather than "Dont lose him" say "Focus on this pitch, one pitch." That way it doesnt add unnecessary pressure to a pressure filled game. Now, players at higher levels may be more apt to dealing with added pressure, or may need it, but the level that my players were at this year, this system worked best.

 

Apparently if this same player does this very same thing next week,,, I agree with Mustang that you would have to question "is there anything trying to be taught besides winning/losing,,, and if so, how does a coach do it nowadays?

My personal feeling here are there are 2 distinct different types of coaches, and they are quite easy to spot, even for the average fan on the sidelines,,,,,,, 1) the coach who because of experience, reputation, how they treat their players,,, these guys garner enough respect from their players that the players don't dare act a fool or show much of an attitude, period. Their players get emotional obviously, but most often channel it the right ways. But 2) obviously some coaches just don't have a good handle on team discipline, never has never will.

I think issues like this is where TBR can really be useful to the younger more inexperienced coaches, if some of our older more experienced coaches would share (without names of course) how you would handle a player's attitude or poor behavior...

Good question Mustang.

 

precedent...

I have watched a coach walk right past some of our "better"
players which just made significant errors in the field to yell at another player that doesn't get much playing time.

IMHO....every player deserves the same treatment! And in some cases, the player should be yanked off the field. Problem is, a lot of coaches don't have the guts to do this to their studs.

If this player gets a chance to play at the next level, this will haunt them!! College coaches don't like the wrong attitude (on, off or around the field).

In this case, I'm surprised the umpire didn't eject the player for taunting.

 

Eject him for staring? I'd like to hear the Ump explain that one to the Coach. "Your kid was staring at me. No he didn't point or cuss. Just stared. So I tossed him." (Just my opinion)

 

Attitudes

A player's attitude is an extension of the program in general and the coaching staff. My simple philosophy ~ Players play, coaches coach, and fans cheer.

If an umpire deems conduct to be "unsportsmanlike" ~ an ejection is warranted. Insofar as an explanation ~ the umpire does not have to give one other than unsporstmanlike conduct. I seriously doubt that anyone witnessing such behavior could effectively argue.

One of my pitchers tried staring down an umpire this season. Ask that player how long it took to get back on the mound. Enough said.

 

This particular player's prima donna attitude ( I am the man, thus you should give me those calls) leads one to believe that this particular player thinks he is bigger than the game. Karma in baseball is thick and swift... his attitude will get adjusted through the natural course of events... most likely in the first or second round of the playoffs... an in a fashion befitting the size of the chip on his shoulder... You want guys to play with fire and intensity, but the way you described the events no...because its not about the game or even team to him...it's all about him...

In the mean time, if the coach is not tring to get him in line, then that player is a DIRECT reflection on the program, of the program and the lack of respect for the game.

 

players staring down umpire

If a pitcher is staring me down after I call one of his pitches a ball, I might step out from behind the plate and stare back. If he keeps it up, I might take my mask off and ask him if he needs a new ball or something like that. I may tell the catcher to go out and talk to him about it before his strike zone starts to shrink.

When he starts asking where pitches are or complaining about strike zone that's when I start thinking ejection. You can't let a pitcher show you up by throwing his hands up or staring you down or shaking his head, but you better be sure he's doing it because he doesn't like your balls & strikes. In most cases in high school, the coach handles it, but if they don't I will handle it quickly.

 

I usually like hearing your explanations on things, however, the bolded part of your quote is what makes me have problems with umpires at times. If you, as the umpire, feels that the player is out of line I would suggest warning the player, or staring down like you talked about. Then eject him if it continues. But to "squeeze" the strike zone isn't helping anyone and what exactly is it proving other than you playing childish games with a child, which is what high school players are. An umpire, in my opinion, should ALWAYS call the game the correct way, no matter what the circumstance. Shrinking a strike zone is changing the rules of the game, and who is any umpire to do that? And not only are you adding fuel to the fire, but you may be costing the other players on that pitchers team by making the game harder for them to win.

 

If a coach does not correct a player showing up an umpire, whether one likes it or not, no matter what level from LL to ML, you can count on that strike zone shrinking until that coach wakes up and corrects the situation. It's been happening since the 1st time Prepster stared down Abner Doubleday