[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Rich Ives
Tee wrote:

The higher the level of players in the game, the EASIER umpiring becomes.

Do you agree or not?

IMO, this is a 2 part answer, meaning yes and no.

To the YES part.

The mechanics in a high level game are easier because for the most part as a BU you can anticipate where most plays are going and get the proper angle.

Example; R2 you are in "C" ground ball to F6. Since the ball was hit to the left side of the infield as BU you can now cheat more towards first base because R2 is NOT going anywhere unlike a low level game.

Also, the games are much quicker meaning NO marathons. The players "pcik up one another" in between innings and for the most part the game has a nice flow to it. When you have 2 studs on the hill unless we go to extra's you will be done in under 2 hours.

Now to the NO part.

In high level games, coaches are looking for "angles" or to get calls in their favor so they will "bait you more" meaning if a lefty is on the hill has a good move, the coach will try and bait you for a balk call.

Also, as Rich mentioned, there is more pressure behind the dish where lets face it you make it or break it as an umpire. I saw a film on ESPN about 5/6 yrs ago on the life of minor league umpires and you could see the stress on the face of the umpire who had the dish that day. In fact he wouldn't hardly talk to the other crew members and pretty much kept to himself until after the game.

Mistakes are less tolerable and at that level some coaches think they have "carte blanche" and can behave the way they see managers on TV when a call goes against them.

You need to keep control in every game we umpire in but IMO more so the higher the level especially if they are rival teams.

Pete Booth