In Part IV, I discussed the trick of casually telling the umpire that he was right in a close call that went against your team. I further discussed how to use this to your advantage in the future close calls. As a coach, you must always remember that you have much more influence over the umpire's future actions than he does over the "correcting" of the play just completed.

There is one more advantage in talking to the umpire after a particularly close play that went against your team. If, between innings, the coach of the other team sees you talking to the umpire while smiling and laughing after a call that went against you, you may get inside your opponent's head. He will wonder how you could be on such good terms with the umpire after getting hosed on a call. He will be worried. A worried coach is a vulnerable coach.

Continued...