New Umpire School...O.U.T.S.

Bob Bainter

SAump wrote
I would like to throw this info inside.
Umpires work during scrimmage games at local university.
Both clinic and university benefit.

12th Annual South Texas Umpire Clinic

Not passing any assessment. Others opinion may vary. Just making info public.

I'll pass an assessment...with guys like Coffland, Moser, and Wendel...you CANNOT go wrong with going to that school, either!

I have had the pleasure of working with A.J. Wendel in Spring Training, Casey Moser at the AAA All-Star Game, and I knew Coffland...good guys, good program...

12 years...wow...keep it up!

Bainter

Bob Bainter

Hey, have some updated news on our school...

We've been in contact with three independent leagues over the past 72 hours and they have expressed interest in coming to our school to see what we're up to and perhaps...and I stress the word "perhaps"...take a look at our students for potential candidates. I can't divulge the names of these leagues yet because nothing is a "go" as of this post, but I'm confident they will be in attendance, and there is no better way of getting seen if this level of baseball is something you're interested than to have the supervisors of umpires for this league in attendance.

Also, all students who have signed up already and prospective students will have the opportunity to pre-order equipment and gear from Gerry Davis so any items they'd like to have will be ready for them when they arrive at the school. Not sure what the cut off date for pre-orders will be yet, but I will keep you up to date!

See you in February!

Bob Bainter
Oceanside Umpire Training School
Oceanside Umpire Training School - Home
309-363-9995

MrUmpire

Bob Bainter wrote
Hey, have some updated news on our school...

We've been in contact with three independent leagues over the past 72 hours and they have expressed interest in coming to our school to see what we're up to and perhaps...and I stress the word "perhaps"...take a look at our students for potential candidates. I can't divulge the names of these leagues yet because nothing is a "go" as of this post, but I'm confident they will be in attendance, and there is no better way of getting seen if this level of baseball is something you're interested than to have the supervisors of umpires for this league in attendance.

Also, all students who have signed up already and prospective students will have the opportunity to pre-order equipment and gear from Gerry Davis so any items they'd like to have will be ready for them when they arrive at the school. Not sure what the cut off date for pre-orders will be yet, but I will keep you up to date!

See you in February!

Bob Bainter
Oceanside Umpire Training School
Oceanside Umpire Training School - Home
309-363-9995

This is not meant as a reflection on you, but rather on the Indies.

I would be disappointed if they switched from recruiting five week pro school grads and PBUC candidates to accepting two week camp grads. It would seem a step backwards in their endeavor to upgrade their umpiring ranks.

Bob Bainter

MrUmpire wrote
This is not meant as a reflection on you, but rather on the Indies.

I would be disappointed if they switched from recruiting five week pro school grads and PBUC candidates to accepting two week camp grads. It would seem a step backwards in their endeavor to upgrade their umpiring ranks.

I think you misunderstood me...I didn't say they were switching from five week pro school grads...they are just coming down to see what's new at our school, and one never knows what happens after that. I completely agree...I can't possibly teach what the five-week schools can in two weeks...Our school is simply an alternative for those who don't want a career in professional baseball, or can't make the time commitment from their families or their jobs...

PBUC is sending their candidates to the Coastal Plain League from now on...just saw that on the CPL website...interesting concept!

Bob

realistic

MrUmpire wrote
Sounds like Cocoa Expo has found a way to get free umpires.

In the past, new PBUC grads hung out and worked their games to pick up some bucks prior to rookie league start up.

Working "real games" at a camp is not all it's cracked up to be. Some games are really boring and you will get little chance to work on many skills.

The "camp games" used at pro schools allow students to experience many, many more situations and work on a more complete set of skills.

You are probably about 50% true. The benefit of working these games as a newbie umpire, you get to work out alot of kinks in your mechanics and will have a start at developing a style. The camp games are terrible imho because while different things are being thrown at you, an umpire has the tendency to overlook(miss) the basics. It's like trying to do open heart surgery when you are only qualified to do stitches.

I remember when I was at umpire school in the 80's, I was so worried about hustling and getting to the right spot that I missed a catcher's interference on the batter. Working a real game allows instructor's to see who has talent and who doesn't. An instructor won't put their stamp on an ump if they feel that they are ready to work Z ball.

MrUmpire

realistic wrote
You are probably about 50% true. The benefit of working these games as a newbie umpire, you get to work out alot of kinks in your mechanics and will have a start at developing a style. The camp games are terrible imho because while different things are being thrown at you, an umpire has the tendency to overlook(miss) the basics. It's like trying to do open heart surgery when you are only qualified to do stitches.

I remember when I was at umpire school in the 80's, I was so worried about hustling and getting to the right spot that I missed a catcher's interference on the batter. Working a real game allows instructor's to see who has talent and who doesn't. An instructor won't put their stamp on an ump if they feel that they are ready to work Z ball.

Your are probably 25% accurate. 😀

Over the course of a season, actual games are much better. However, over the course of a 13 day camp, one could work daily and never get to work on double play foot work, or calling an infield fly, or seeing type A obstruction, or many other situations.

Pro-schools have progressed since the 80's. Umpiring is not a static activity.

Bob Bainter

MrUmpire wrote
Your are probably 25% accurate. 😀

Over the course of a season, actual games are much better. However, over the course of a 13 day camp, one could work daily and never get to work on double play foot work, or calling an infield fly, or seeing type A obstruction, or many other situations.

Pro-schools have progressed since the 80's. Umpiring is not a static activity.

Yes, pro-schools have progressed a lot since the 80's. Camp games, have not. They're still a bunch of people playing baseball, who wouldn't be umpiring if they could actually PLAY baseball, trying to execute commands from their instructors on how to screw up their fellow students while the guys actually umpiring these camp games are wondering "when is the other shoe going to drop?"

If you really think that in the course of 13 days, working daily, an umpire will not get to work on double play footwork, then I want to come work with you, because I'd love to have 51-54 outs of boring baseball with all strikeouts and ground balls to first. Infield flies??? Do those not happen as much as I remember? Type A obstruction? You're right about that one, as any other screwed up plays...

...Great umpiring is all about handling situations...but what about all those games you work in a year that have none? When you don't know something is about to happen, that's when you see who has what it takes and who doesn't.

Not arguing, just debating my point of view 😀

MrUmpire

Bob Bainter wrote
Wow...that's not very nice.

Really? I expressed an opinion with which you apparently disagree, but what did I say that was not very nice? I was respectful and polite. Was it not nice to disagree with you?

Not arguing, just debating my point of view

I have no problem with that and I don't consider it as not being "nice."

Perhaps MiLB umpires get all of the possible variations of double plays frequently. I can tell you that I have gone a week or longer of seeing the same double play combination over and over in "real games."

Camp games better expose the potential PBUC candidates to the full spectrum of possibilities. The challenges of real games are what the Rookie Leagues are for.

Not arguing, just presenting my point of view, nicely.

SanDiegoSteve

That is so nice, ya know...just so darn nice!!!

UmpTTS43

I attended a clinic this past year where we worked games, three man mechnics. We would rotate and have up to 3 guys doing the plate for one game. Since I had been there before, I gave up my plate innings to a younger ump who was looking to break into college ball. While he was gearing up, I worked 1/2 an inning. There happened to be a DI assignor for 4 or 5 conferences up in the box observing. "My time to show what I have," I thought. First pitch, can of corn to center. Second pitch, line drive to SS. Third pitch, foul ball to back stop. Fourth pitch, ground out to F4. Yippee me, a four pitch inning. That's just the way it is sometimes. Another umpire, while working just 1/2 inning in the same game, had every rotation for a three man game. 1/2 inning took 35 min. Just the way it is sometimes. All I could say is, "great game management, huh." Just thought I would share.

Durham

UmpTTS, you are correct, and that is just the way things go, and I would love to have more sub 10 pitch innings out here on the west coast.

As for the debate about Bob's camp I will share this as someone that has been to Pro school, PBUC at Coco where Ria showered with us, and a teacher with a masters in education.

We have to realize that different people learn in different ways, in fact there are 7 different identified learning styles. Seems like Bob is just trying to add to the pool of available course offerings for people to learn the trade. Also the length of time suggests that they will be exposed to more than they would normally get at a weekend clinic.

There are advantages to camp games and advantages to games; you just have to decide which one helps you learn how to do this umpire thing better.

Bob Bainter

Mr. Umpire, I apologize...and to all the other posters...I apologize...I just meant what wasn't nice was the comment about umpire school has progressed a lot since the 80's...just sounded like a shot to me...but hey, I'm not going to debate it anymore...

I guess that's what they call "flaming" 😀 But seriously...I love every opinion, and every umpire...I've got to stop posting though...I have too much to do between now and school to get everything set up. I wish I had time to sit around all day and post, but when you have a job, it's sort of difficult.

We are going to have a successful camp, in fact, this forum has been wonderful for business...if no one's talking bad, or good, about you, nobody's talking at all! So keep talking...PLEASE! hehehe

Have a great year to all, and we'll mix up our camp games and our real games and see which works better...

...and I can't wait to work on double play combinations...I'm going to have to come up with an Arthur Miller dance step sheet near second base so we can learn how to cha-cha-cha! 😉

Bob

Bob Bainter

UmpTTS43 wrote
I attended a clinic this past year where we worked games, three man mechnics. We would rotate and have up to 3 guys doing the plate for one game. Since I had been there before, I gave up my plate innings to a younger ump who was looking to break into college ball. While he was gearing up, I worked 1/2 an inning. There happened to be a DI assignor for 4 or 5 conferences up in the box observing. "My time to show what I have," I thought. First pitch, can of corn to center. Second pitch, line drive to SS. Third pitch, foul ball to back stop. Fourth pitch, ground out to F4. Yippee me, a four pitch inning. That's just the way it is sometimes. Another umpire, while working just 1/2 inning in the same game, had every rotation for a three man game. 1/2 inning took 35 min. Just the way it is sometimes. All I could say is, "great game management, huh." Just thought I would share.

FOUR PITCH INNING! I LOVE THOSE! LOL...is there truly anything better? I remember, and this is off subject, when I was behind the plate for Bronson Arroyo's 9 inning perfect game, I called the first EIGHT pitches strikes...he threw eight straight sliders on the outside part of the plate, and the boys from Buffalo just stood there and looked at them...finally, he threw a ball, then the guy grounded to first...still, EIGHT straight called strikes??? Still, the strangest inning I ever worked.

Bob

« Previous Page