[jkumpire]

The trend looks like that more and more state organizations will mandate testing for all umpires every year.

However, I live in a state that does not have mandatory testing, and I think that is the better alternative. I really dislike testing yearly for several reasons

First, getting 75 or 80 on the FED test is rally not that tough. A Smitty who had 1 year of experience 10 times can get a minimum score to do games.

Second, testing is a governmental device to try and enforce certain outcomes, and so the test determines what is important to know to do the job. Organizations use tests as tools to measure competency, and most of the time it is a very inaccurate measure. Okay, so how many uniform questions matter, and how many field questions matter for umpires who work HS baseball? So, team A is in illegal uniforms playing Team B on a non-regulation field. Does that matter to me as the UIC? No!!! Yes, I need to to sent a report to the state association, but what will happen after my report gets there?

Now Team A and Team B in the same situation are playing, and the BU kicks two big judgment calls at 2B, and calls a balk when there was nothing there. That is what matters, field competence. No test will help with judgment, or seeing situations and responding to them.

Third, the Fed test is a fairly well-done test. Under the constraints FED works in, I would defy anyone (including me since I am not a fan of the test) to find a better alternative for FED to use. My guess is that a 76 question test will get the job done if it is all T/F. But FED will never run one.

Ultimately, it is an internal matter. Good umpires become good umpires because they are internally motivated to study, learn, communicate with other umpires and give 100% effort on the field, and just as much off the field. Testing is for most of us, a waste of time.

Now, what would be a good test:

FED solicits game film from all over the country, or puts people in real world rule situations, videos them, then passes out a test saying: "What happened in this case, and why?" Or, "What is the correct call here, and why?" Or, "How do you as the UIC or Bu respond to this play situation?"

As I am sure you can tell there are several problems already. First, how much tape is needed to get this test set up? Two, who grades the responses, and how do you test people who don't write well? Three, what is passing? If I get 3/4 of a question right, do I miss it?

That is a better test than the current one.

Finally, I would like to see FED do questions like this once in a while.
"F1 stand on the pitchers plate in the wind-up position, both hands at his side. He then goes to his mouth. You then have:"
A. Illegal pitch
B. illegal pitch, or balk with runners on base
C. Nothing
D. Call time and start all over again