Some advice, perhaps?

[chris s]

Originally posted by Patrick Szalapski

Thanks for the legal advice, guys, but I'm really looking for more practical advice. Should I join this association with these terms? I want to umpire high school, but I feel like I'm being stepped on here with low pay and high penalties for likely events. Fines like Mike stated seem to be much more sensical. I'm a person and I have a life outside of baseball; I cannot make umpiring my number one priority insofar as being rigidly committed to my availability written three months ahead of time. I would gladly accept and excel at any reasonable expectation of the type that most of you have now. Any more advice?

P-Sz [/B]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!
Patrick, unless you are really hot after this deal, tell them to pound sand. They must have a ton of available umps to impose those types of penaltys. I am on the local area emergency list(our assc. covers well over 100 miles each way) I have gotten calls an hour before a game I can get to in 15 minutes, assignor will pay more, but it does not come out of cancelling umpires money! Last season, I was out of work for a month(reg job). I called assignor and told him to fill me up, he did. I then secured new reg job which did not allow me to get off in time for FED ball, I cancelled about 8 games AND my playoff games, no penalty, just a bummed out assignor. If these guys can't understand conflicts and surprise crap(kid gets sick, you get sick, etc)screw em. Plus the pay you mentioned just plain sucks.
How long before you get 40 games in? I have never done 40 games in FED ball in a season, aint possible.10 week season, 2 games a week= 20. Might happen this year as we have a shortage of umps, so FED ball will be played 5 days a week here, instead of the usual wed/fri.
JMHO....chris