San Ramon
Umpires Association


Game Management

For our Minors/Majors umpires SRUA recommends the following
procedures when dealing with Manager appeals and requests to
reverse your call.

Please read the entire procedure and if you have any questions about
the procedure, or you have had to deal with a manager or fan that
made you unconformable during a game send your questions and
comments to srua@srua.com

First, in order for a manager to properly appeal a call, they must call
time out after the play has ended, and be given time out by you.  You
should do your best to get the call correct, and you shouldn't be afraid
to reverse a call if your partner saw it differently.  The right call is the
agreement of the call between you and your partner, not what a
Manager says is the right call.  

1. The manager has explained to you that he believes the call you made
is wrong, and asks you to change your call. You will explain to the
Manager why you made your call. If the Manager continues to argue
you will tell him that you will talk with your partner to get his opinion
on the call. You will then get together with your partner away from the
Manager.

2. If you and your partner decide that the original call should stand,
both umpires should walk back to the manager, and the umpire who
made the original call should tell the Manager that the call stands.  If
you decide to change your call based on what your partner saw then
you will tell the Manager the reason you changed the call. You and your
partner should be together when speaking with the Manager, but all
discussion should be between the original umpire who made the call
and the manager. If the other manager comes out to question your
reversal you will explain your reasoning behind your reversal.

3. If the manager continues to argue, you can say "Coach, I have made
my decision.  You may play the game under protest if you wish, but I
am not going to change the call".  If they protest the game, tell the
scorekeeper to note the point where the game is protested, then tell
the other Manager the game is being player under protest. You will stay
together with your partner until the Manager goes back to the dugout.  
After the game, the umpire who made the call should send an e-mail to
the UICs describing what you saw (srua@srua.com).

4. If the manager declines to protest and still continues to argue, or
continues to argue even after the protest has been made, you can say
"Coach, I am going to have to give you a warning.  If you continue to
argue the call I am going to have to eject you, so please return to your
dugout"  

5. If the manager still continues to argue, you will eject the manager.  
When you eject the manager, the game does not continue until he
completely leaves the field (he may not sit in the stands).  If you eject a
manager or player, send the UICs an e-mail
(srua@srua.com).explaining what happened after the game.