[Rog]

Well Steve, I believe the issue I initially addressed was this -
"but doesn't it worry you that a varsity high school umpire even needed to ask for help on a play as simple as this."
Now, given the fact that the poster asked about, a varsity high school umpire needing to ask for help on a simple
play, leads one to believe that this poster is under the impression that all varsity high school umpire's are proficient
in the "vocation" of umpiring.
There is every real possibility that this umpire was either - not certified, and /or trained, or experienced enough to
be doing a varsity game.
If you want me to believe that varsity umpire's as a general rule are competent, I am sorry but that is just a bit
too much BS to swallow from what I have experienced up and down the east coast. Along with having had the
displeasure of working with more than a couple of incompetent varsity officials over the years.
I am sure you know of whom I speak - the ones who admit to not having read over a rule book in ten years but still
know the rules, even umpires who show up for those training sessions but run their mouths through the whole thing
while others are trying to listen and learn, or those who do not get good game ratings and subsequently do not get the
quality varsity games but may at the last moment get thrown on games because there just was no one else available
to call the game, or maybe no one wanted to do that game due to certain "team attitutes" so a JV member is pulled
up from the ranks and put on the game. Then again it might just be that person who says I am only going to get "X"
amount of $$$ for my time, expenses and efforts so why shold I put to much effort into all this. Or maybe that umpire
just flatout boned the call. Could it but? Yes I know, none of this $hit ever really happens - - - or does it.....
Then comes the issue of making some money umpiring during the high school baseball season. I can't speak for
anywhere but where I have worked games, but those schedules were only 8 weeks long, i.e. 28 games. Then those
marvelous playoffs which maybe get you another 8 games. Now add it all up, and we are sure talking about some big
money here folks - not! You then can claim that overwhelming wealth on an IRS Schedule C form.
But as someone else mentioned, when you add up your real costs and time you are not making diddly. A nice second income you say, well I guess if you're an assigner.
So, you really better "enjoy the moment".....