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Pete, we've all discussed errors we've made on the field.
It's happened before, and it will continue to happen. Errors occur in different magnitudes.
Sometimes these errors may have caused a $hithou$e to erupt. You, as an umpire, may not be knowledgeable about the game last week or 2 weeks ago where this occurred. You may not be aware of the details of the entire situation. When you replace yourself, you may be putting last week's cause on the same team(s).
What I'm saying is that as an assignor, I am aware of many things regarding the schedule that umpires are not aware of: umpires being scratched for various reasons, how many times an ump has had the same team, past personality problems, balancing overall crew strength, etc. Too often when I've allowed someone to fill their own vacancy, their primary concern is just putting a body in blue on the field. That may satisfy some assignors; it does not satisy me or the league that chose me to assign.
I am responsible for putting qualified and capable umpires on the particular contest. When I ask others NOT to fill their own vacancy, that leaves me in control of my responsibility. If you fill it, I'm not in control of my responsibility. It's very embarrassing to an assignor when the league commissioner calls up to discuss a problem that occurred on a field, and as the assignor you're not aware the ump involved in the problem was even assigned to the contest.
Additionally, as an assignor I have made "commitments" to umpires to use them within their parameters. If you fill that vacancy, then I may have lost an opportunity to keep my commitment to someone else. I've also had some umpires attempt to take games with the idea they'll "give them to their buddy." Well, it may not be "buddy" that I want on that game.
First and foremost, Pete, and unlike our democracy..........
Not all umpires are created equal.
I'm very honest and fair with the umps that work with me, I expect the same in return. Dealing truthful and honest upfront minimizes many of the problems of having vacancies to be refilled.
Just my opinion,
Freix
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