Incompetent Partner

[Phil Vivenzio]

My high school assignor, called me on tuesday, and asked that I do him a favor. He needed an ump for a sub-varsity game and the scholl would pay varsity rates. I live in the North East and with the weather, I only had one game under my belt, so I agreed to take the game. My only mistake was that I didn't ask who I was working with(I presumed because of the urgency of the call that I would be working solo).

I get to the game at 3:15 for a 3:45 start. No sign of partner, so I dress for the plate. 3:45 no sign of partner, so I start the game After 2 batters in the first inning, my partner shows up. It turns out to be my neighbor. I saw him pulling out of this driveway at the same time that I was leaving. I'm digressing, Their were 1 out and R1 on third, my partner trots onto the field, I update on game. He positions himself on the outfield grass between 1b and 2b. The home team coach(a fellow umpire) asks for time and tells me that I should reposition my BU. I didn't want to embarass him so I went out with my line-up card and advised him that we aren't on a ll field that he should be positioned inside the diamond. He moved this time, but the whole game he was always outside the infield on the outfield grass. I can't tell you how many pick off plays he missed. On 1 sequence, you could have called the out from the parking lot, but he called safe and on the next pitch the f2 threw down and he was obviously safe he calls out. The icing on the cake was in the bottom of the 7th r1 on first. The pitcher attempts to pick him off and does, my partner is calling out before the ball even gets there, so you guessed when the f3 applies the tag, the ball squirts out, my partner verbalized the out call, but when he changed the call to safe just gave a hand signal. R1 didn't see the hand signal so he thinks that he is out walks off the base, so he gets tagged. The fielders are walking off the field, so I stopped them and advised both coaches that due to the mix up I was palcing the runner back on first. The game mercifully ended.

I realize that this is a long post, but I need to vent. This umpire started umpiring the same time as myself. I am by no means the greatest umpire in the world, but I work very hard to improve at our craft. I study the rules, I attend Camps, I always attend my association meetings and I keep up on the internet. So I am a confident umpire. This guy is doing it for the money and on top of it all I smelled alcohol on his breath. He does not attend many association meetings and he obviously has no desire to become a better umpire. Carl calls this type of umpire smitty. I don't ever want to work with this guy again, and I will always ask my assignor who I am working with. I was embarrassed by this game and I never want to go through this again. I take pride in my work as do most of you out there. Any suggestions of how to get this guy off the field?

[JRutledge]

This is going to happen from time to time. Probably not a yearly basis, but there is always stories of this type of behavior. This is why in baseball we need more good people, because in some other sports this would not be tolerated at all. This guy would not get a Little League game let alone a lower level HS game. Just like anything in life, different people have different motivations. Umpiring is no different.

Peace

[Mike M]

At a minimum I would call my assignor back and let him know what happened. Objective reporting of mechanics at a minimum and most likely some mention of possible intoxication is how I would handle it. While we can not control the actions of individuals, the actions of umpires reflect on us as a group.

[bluezebra]

Definitely report to assignor. Also, what kind of association permits someone to ump if he doesn't attend the proper amount of classes and clinics?

Bob

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by bluezebra
Definitely report to assignor. Also, what kind of association permits someone to ump if he doesn't attend the proper amount of classes and clinics?

Bob

I do not know about your area, but in my area, there is such a shortage of umpires, assignors do not have that kind of pecking order. If you are an umpire, you will get assigned almost every level imagined. Now I am not saying that it is always right or fair, but with the low numbers that is availible and the games that need umpires, assignors can be backed into a wall. In my state, basketball is the thing. It is not very hard to find officials willing to do almost any level, but the problem there is would you really want anyone doing varsity or JV games?

Training is very important, but unfortunately with the numbers availible, assignors cannot afford to be that picky. My first game ever was a varsity game. Now was I actually qualified to do it, hell no, but to cover the game, they needed a body. Good for me I did much study before and reading of certain materials, I faked it. And get this, I was behind the plate in my first game every. YIKES!!!!!!!!!

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by JRutledge

I do not know about your area, but in my area, there is such a shortage of umpires, assignors do not have that kind of pecking order.

There seems to be a shortage of umpires in most places. There was an article about 2 or 3 months ago in Referee on this very issue.

My answer to that is WORK THE GAME SOLO
In my area you get a FEE plus 1/2 for working a game solo.

If an individual is incompetent and has a drinking problem (you mentioned you smelled alcohol on his breath), it is better to do the game solo.

This point should be brought up to your association. If individuals do not want to attend the meetings and get proper training - Don't let the door hit you on the way out

Just ask yourself this - In your thread above wouldn't you rather have worked the game solo?

Just because you have a shortage doesn't mean you have to take just anybody.

Pete Booth

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by PeteBooth
Originally posted by JRutledge

I do not know about your area, but in my area, there is such a shortage of umpires, assignors do not have that kind of pecking order.

There seems to be a shortage of umpires in most places. There was an article about 2 or 3 months ago in Referee on this very issue.

My answer to that is WORK THE GAME SOLO
In my area you get a FEE plus 1/2 for working a game solo.

If an individual is incompetent and has a drinking problem (you mentioned you smelled alcohol on his breath), it is better to do the game solo.

This point should be brought up to your association. If individuals do not want to attend the meetings and get proper training - Don't let the door hit you on the way out

Just ask yourself this - In your thread above wouldn't you rather have worked the game solo?

Just because you have a shortage doesn't mean you have to take just anybody.

Pete Booth

Do not miss the point Pete. I am not advocating working with umpires regardless of their behavior. I am not advocating having umpires that behave this way. All that I am saying is that assignors do not turn away people that want to work. In baseball there are so many games, that you need bodies. And because you just need bodies, they are not always going to get the most qualified people doing the best games. I agree, I would rather work alone in that case, but with the shortage of umpires out there, it might be hard to turn away someone that wants to be an umpire unless they do something that is out of line. Basically, assignors in my area do not have privilidge of having his "varsity" guys and his "JV" guys. If you have a license and are availible, you do whatever I can get them to do.

Peace

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by JRutledge

but with the shortage of umpires out there, it might be hard to turn away someone that wants to be an umpire unless they do something that is out of line.

He positions himself on the outfield grass between 1b and 2b. The home team coach(a fellow umpire) asks for time and tells me that I should reposition my BU.

This guy is doing it for the money and on top of it all I smelled alcohol on his breath.

Sure sounds to me if this umpire was way out of line . Surprised the coach didn't call the assignor and complain.

As mentioned, I would guess that a coach would rather have 1 competent umpire out there rather than what your thread described.

Also, at youth sporting events - Alcohol cannot be tolerated from anybody That alone should warrent at least a talking to from the association and if this behavior is repeated - supsension.

Pete Booth

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by PeteBooth
Originally posted by JRutledge

but with the shortage of umpires out there, it might be hard to turn away someone that wants to be an umpire unless they do something that is out of line.

He positions himself on the outfield grass between 1b and 2b. The home team coach(a fellow umpire) asks for time and tells me that I should reposition my BU.

This guy is doing it for the money and on top of it all I smelled alcohol on his breath.

Sure sounds to me if this umpire was way out of line . Surprised the coach didn't call the assignor and complain.

As mentioned, I would guess that a coach would rather have 1 competent umpire out there rather than what your thread described.

Also, at youth sporting events - Alcohol cannot be tolerated from anybody That alone should warrent at least a talking to from the association and if this behavior is repeated - supsension.

Pete Booth

You are talking about after the fact. I am talking about way before that. Before you are even given the game is what I am talking about. Unless someone knows about something that will disqualify you as an umpire, many assignors will want you to work as much as they can get you too. Of course if a umpire is doing things like this you can always report him. But understand, that is a very delicate issue. I know some assignors who do not like other umpires calling them *****ing about their partners. Now if you are sure that it was alcohol that you smell, I would confront the umpire myself and see what they have to say for themselves. Because if you make an accusation that is not founded, you might find yourself the one in trouble.

But again, the screening process is not going to be that extensive if there is a hugh shortage. It is just the reality of the game. At least in my state finding officials for Football and Baseball at the varsity level is almost never a problem. But finding a "good" official is another story all together. And in baseball it is almost impossible. If you have blood running through your vains and breath in your lungs, you are qualified. I see more bad umpires and umpires that just are not ready to do varsity it is not funny. Assignors just cannot afford to get umpires experience before they move them up. At least where I am at.

[bluezebra]

Again. Why was this guy "licensed" or deemed qualified to ump. Most associations have rules as to who may officiate, shortage or not. It's the duty of the Instructional Chairman or the BOD to say who's qualified.

Bob

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by bluezebra
Again. Why was this guy "licensed" or deemed qualified to ump. Most associations have rules as to who may officiate, shortage or not. It's the duty of the Instructional Chairman or the BOD to say who's qualified.

Bob

Probably because he qualified by the standards set. In my state the only thing that can keep you from having a license is, being a sex offender or having a felony of some kind with drugs. If you pass the other background check information, you are qualified. Unless this guy was reported before for this type of behavior and the state was aware, I am sure he might have been held up. But even then the state might never find out about this unless someone specifically reported him to the state as not having good character, and even then it might not have made a difference. It is not any different than looking for a job, unless someone knows that someone is considering you for a job, people are not going to just tell the employer that they should not hire you. You have to have something on your record or someone within the hiring process has to know who you are and what you are doing. It should not be that hard to understand. It is not like ever bad decision you do shows up on a background check.

[bluezebra]

What you are saying is, that in your state, any fool can walk in off the street and says he/she wants to officiate high school sports, MUST be allowed to no matter his/her knowledge or ability? If that's the case, in my opinion, the state may be sued if someone gets injured if an incompetent, untrained official is doing that game.

What state are you in?

Bob

[Rog]

That seems to also be a problem in another association that I used to be affiliated with.
Along with the bogus game schedule by the assignor. It was the board members who got all the cream, and the rest got boned. Continuous game mix ups, i.e. wrong dates, locations, times, position assignment, partner not actually scheduled.
All this fun for a 20-25 HS games, made the decision to drop spring ball easy.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by bluezebra
What you are saying is, that in your state, any fool can walk in off the street and says he/she wants to officiate high school sports, MUST be allowed to no matter his/her knowledge or ability? If that's the case, in my opinion, the state may be sued if someone gets injured if an incompetent, untrained official is doing that game.

What state are you in?

Bob

Do you expect to give a blood test before and after every game? Do you expect the FBI to check everyone background, talk to all your friends and associates and everyone that you worked with in your life time. There is only so much that anyone is going to do to get officials. We already have a shortage of official. You are telling me that everyone that officiates in your area goes through that kind of trouble to officiate one game? It is no different than trying to get a job. You give an employer basic information that can be verified, than you leave it at that. I personally am not a felon, I personally have never committed any sexual crime against a minor or anyone for that matter, but to get any information outside of that is a bit much. You are not going to know someone is an alcoholic unless someone tells you, and even then, most people are not going to know anyway. If you are a drug user or an alcoholic, the very closes people may not know. There is only so far anyone is going to go. If this was the first incident of this person, how would you know unless he had been caught or found out.

I live in Illinois, and I have worked in Iowa too. I really have never seen anything other than a criminal background check done in both states. It is not like the we are talking about the NCAA, states do not have that kind of money, nor would you want to discourage every single person that shows an interest to get paid as little as we do. It is not like being an officials brings us hundreds of thousands of dollars. You might be lucky if you get $40, and you expect everyone to have every little detail in someones background to examined and dissected? Sounds a bit much to me.

[Phil Vivenzio]

I live in central New Jersey. Sub-Varsity ball is assigned by the AD's of each school, my assignor only assigns varsity games. The AD called him because he couldn't get a second umpire.

I called him to advise of the situation, but it will have no impact as this guy is only certified to do Eub varsity ball.
Our association does a wonderful job of explaining the rules and answering questions, but is just now beginning to get into performance. They are starting by adding penalties for not attending meetings. There is no clinic requirement.

Another problem is that the varsity assignor(who happens to be an umpire) is hired by the high school conference. He is not hired by our association. To take it even further, the senior American Legion assignor isn't even an umpire. So our asociation has very little power to clean out incompetent umpires. The only hammer they control is the assignment of tournament umpires.

Since the above is the case, I feel that I am helpless in the above matter. If anyone asks my opinion about this individual, I give a very honest assessment. The good news is that most umpires in the association know him. The bad news is that there is such a shortage of umpires especially at the sub varsity levels, that he will continue to work. I feel sorry for the game because he gives it a bad name.

Thanks for all of your thoughtfull responses