Quote:
Originally posted by dontcallmeblue
... but the difference, every single night, for 70 plate jobs, after a 8 hour ride and no sleep, between a slider at the knees and a fastball 2" below them? With 7,000 fans in the stands (in some places) and ex-big league managers shouting at me and $1m draft picks throwing BBs? No way. Let's not pretend here folks, we couldn't do it, it's tougher than it looks.
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D.C.M.B. (I like the name),
Welcome to the board. I definately agree that the pitching is a huge difference. Most DI umpires, atleast in the north and midwest, have never seen splitters, nasty sliders or 90+ fastballs with lot of movement. Also, the accuracy in pro ball (difference between a ball and a strike) is so miniscue and combine that with the strength of the catchers sticking pitches, many NCAA umpires' would be flipping coins and calling balls & strikes.
I also agree that playing in stadiums with 5,000+ people is much different than the typical college "field" with 150 parents in the stands. Moreover, unlike many college coaches, PRO Managers have a "clue" and they can smell when an umpire is struggling. They can get in you head and rattle you very easily if you're not experienced on handling situations. Not to mention dealing with rain situations (gate fee considerations), bean ball (self policing the game) etc., I think many DI umpires would be like a "deer in headlights"