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Originally Posted by GarthB
This axiom belongs right next to "the hands are part of the bat."
There is a reason we don't start amateurs at the D-1 level and let them work their way "up" to little league.
There is a reason pros don't start at the MLB championship level and work their way up to short season A.
And that reason is that that so called axiom is bullsh!t.
Our association was so short of umpire this year the we had first year rookies assigned to varsity ball. Their record was disasterous. AD after AD called to beg us not to re-assign rookie and one and two year umpires to varsity again.
Upper level games may be easier for upper level umpires to work, but they are not easier games for everyone to work.
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I have never done pro ball so I am not speaking from experience
But
There is a big difference between a first year ump doing competitive varsity games and a seasoned varsity ump doing pro ball.
From my perspective going from one level to the next is not much more than a mindset.
Calls are calls, arguments are arguments, it's a simple matter of knowing what you will tolerate going in, as well as guarding against intimidation. A first year ump has not had the experience of living thru blowing a call, getting blasted for it and the psychological impact it can have on you. He has not been mentally toughened up if you will. A successful varsity ump has the benefit of going thru that learning curve and surviving it.
IMO it has little to do with balls and strikes and everything to do with mental toughness.
Once you have your first good run in with a pro rat and you survive, you realize it's just another baseball game, I'm the boss and life is good, PLAY BALL!
To those who have had the experience am I oversimplifying it?