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Originally posted by Warren Willson
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I don't know your level or experience, and my guess is that you probably haven't read my bio at Officiating.com either. If you had then you'd know I've had a lot of experience practicing what I preach. I have seldom called games at Under 16's and below, except for Regional, State and National championships. At such times we are expected to call what we see - except for Under 12's where balks of any type are specifically and justifiably excluded.
You may not agree with my philosophy and that's your right. But to suggest that my approach is impractical just doesn't fit with the facts. I've called 12 Regional and 2 National Championship series, including calling the plate in the Final of the 1998 Commonwealth Cup - the Australian Senior Provincial Championship. I have called the top division of two District Leagues from my 2nd year as an umpire. I have called 5 years of State League at the equivalent standard of AA-AAA Minors in the US. In fact, some of the players I called in State League are now playing professionally in the US, and one is playing Major League for the Mariners. I must have been doing something right in practice to have survived at that level for so long.
Cheers
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Warren;
I am not trying to open old wounds but I feel some clarifications are in order regarding your resume.
In late May 2003, Blaine Gallant wrote me to tell me about a new league that was starting in Canada. Blaine had been selected to assign the umpires for the games that played in his province. He was told that the games would be of AA minor league quality. I wrote him back to answer some questions and what follows is a part of the letter. You might want to substitute the word "Australia", in the letter wherever you see the word "Canada." For my thoughts could just as easily apply down under.
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Blaine;
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"I umpire over an area containing 15-20 million people from North Carolina to southern Pennsylvania. In that area, there are perhaps 10 teams that play ball at the single A level or better, (not counting the Orioles or Phillies). This is in baseball crazed America and I am counting some of the top NCAA D1 teams in order to bring up the total. Even better, there are 50 or so top umpires for me to mentor from, any of which are probably better than the best umpire in Canada outside the Major Leagues. 15-20 million is close the population of all of Canada and the best athletes there play hockey. I still believe that all you umpire is the equivalent of what we call Industrial League Baseball and even with that I am giving you the benefit of the doubt.
Finally, don't let anyone tell you that a AA team is coming to your town unless you have experienced it for yourself. When starting leagues in other countries, the promoters often inflate the quality of the league in order to sell tickets. You need to ask yourself the following question:
Why would a wannabe major leaguer play AA ball in an off label league in Canada, when he could play AA ball in America and get noticed for AAA ball? He wouldn't, that's what. Furthermore, he would rather play single A ball in the US with a chance to move up. Most likely your so called "AA" league is composed of sub-single A players and old has beens on their way down. That sounds exactly like what we call Industrial League Baseball. It's a place for good players to play who don't qualify for single A ball and cannot give up the dream.
Peter
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Near the end of June, Blaine wrote me back to tell me that indeed, the baseball of this supposed AA league was truly awful and he did not care if he ever called a game in the league. It was not anywhere near AA quality which is exactly what I had predicted.
A couple years ago or so, I wrote you essentially the same thing in a public forum and I admit that at the time, I did it for the purpose of stirring the pot. I wrote that "attack" at the instigation of a minor league umpire and an NCAA assignor who had read your writings and had some grave doubts about what kind of baseball you worked.
They were the ones who came up with the idea and the statistics which were the underpinnings of my arguement. They used me as the stalking horse because a minor league umpire and NCAA assignor cannot take a chance in a public forum like this. After all, at the time neither had been to Australia and maybe, just maybe, there is good baseball in Australia. Since then, one of them has been to Australia and reports that the best baseball there is less than single A quality.
Before you respond to his judgement, you need to ask yourself the following question:
Why would a single A or better player play anywhere but in the US? Only the US or Japan can provide him the super salaries or economic payoff. Therefore, that is where he will go to be noticed.
I have talked to several major league scouts since our dustup of a couple of years ago. They assure me that the major leagues travel the globe looking for good talent and if there were any AA players in Australia or anywhere else, they have been offered positions in the American minor leagues. The economic incentives are just too great not to play in America. The toughest challenge facing foreign baseball players in America is the language barrier and that would not apply to Canadians or Australians so your players would jump at the chance.
It is simply not relevant to quote the number of players that you have called for and then seen go to the minor or major leagues. I have called dozens of players that have obtained contracts by the minor leagues but I have never called a AA game. One player that I umpired has even completed his major league career and retired. (Pete Shoureck, sp) I even threw his old man out of a couple of games. So what.
I will grant you one thing however. Australia, unlike Canada) has a reverse season from the US so a few players might travel there over the winter months. However, most US players travel to Latin America for the winter months if they want to keep playing. Many players, however, find that their bodies need a rest and their wallets need replenishing with real work.
Warren, unlike the original discussion of a couple of years ago, I am NOT attacking your integrity. I believe however, that you have been misled by the promoters in Australia. In my letter to Blaine, I encouraged him to come to the US and see real minor league baseball before making any judgement about what kind of baseball he was seeing. I also told him that with the right recommendations he could call ball in the Cape Cod League (a D1 summer league in New England that is only a few hundred miles from where he lives. I know the assignor of the league and have been offered the opportunity to work there so I might be able to put in a good word.) I might encourage you to do the same thing but I recognize that it may not be practical from your standpoint.
Finally, I have read the whole thread regarding balks and I beleive that there is a cultural disconnect between Australia and America. Your observations may not apply here. There is a different level of expectation and informality in America that may not exist in Australia. This is NOT meant to put your country down. It is just to say that we are different.
Peter
[Edited by His High Holiness on Jul 1st, 2003 at 10:48 AM]