Ejections Up 35% In NCAA Division I Baseball

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George Drouches NCAA DI Baseball National Umpire CoordinatorBy LOU PAVLOVICH, JR.
Editor/Collegiate Baseball

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Head coaches in NCAA Division I were ejected 35 percent more during the 2015 season than the year before, according to records tabulated by George Drouches, NCAA Division I Baseball National Umpire Coordinator.

It may have been the biggest spike in head coach ejections in the history of college baseball from one year to the next as 150 coaches were tossed last season.

Speaking at the American Baseball Coaches Assn. Division I Business Meeting, Drouches outlined an alarming lack of respect for umpires.

“Quite frankly, many of the ejections were caused by bad behavior from baseball coaches,” said Drouches.

“Arguments with umpires have escalated to being laced with profanity. All umpires try to do is call games to the best of their ability and enhance the game. And they aren’t perfect. But when a coach confronts an umpire with profanity, he isn’t leaving that official much of a choice other than ejecting him.

“Nobody likes to see ejections. It isn’t good for anybody. Umpires have been at fault too because in many cases they didn’t know how to handle situations that keep escalating. We are all in this together, and our goal is to minimize ejections in the game. I used to coach, and I understand when a coach gets ramped up because of a questionable call.

To read more of this article, subscribe to Collegiate Baseball or purchase the Jan. 29, 2016 edition by CLICKING HERE. Drouches explains a plan of action that should cut down on the alarming number of ejections for the 2016 season.