rate of pay for umpires

[David B]

Originally posted by dudeinblue
so I guess in your opinion a "real" game is one with no time limit. I've done plenty. High school, done it. College, done it. Any more brain busters?

Well, If you're making $60 for a HS game in summer ball, that is really high. HS rates are only $45 per game in our area and if I work two games i consider $85 great.

But $60 per game, that's really really high.

I don't do "small ball" guys who don't shave, but most of our regular summer rates are usually around $40 per game plate, $35 for bases for HS kids.

I've done some select ball leagues that pay $40 per game, and they play a two hour time limit, so that seems to fit the area.

Let's see, you've done HS and college ball, and now you're working with 9 year olds - something kind of strange in those words or either you are just one of those who does it only for the money.

I don't have the patience to put up with the parents and I don't like the idea of getting hit every other pitch for $35.

Thanks
David

[LMan]

Dude, what 'college - done that' have you worked? Your "situation question" inquiry shows you do not have the rules knowledge to have worked that level of ball.....unless you meant fraternity intramural


jes' wondering

[Edited by LMan on Jul 12th, 2005 at 09:44 AM]

[dudeinblue]

I guess we all can't be professionals like Tim C. guys. We'll just keep umpiring our "fake" games

[jicecone]

Originally posted by David B

Well, If you're making $60 for a HS game in summer ball, that is really high. HS rates are only $45 per game in our area and if I work two games i consider $85 great.

But $60 per game, that's really really high.

I don't do "small ball" guys who don't shave, but most of our regular summer rates are usually around $40 per game plate, $35 for bases for HS kids.

I've done some select ball leagues that pay $40 per game, and they play a two hour time limit, so that seems to fit the area.

Let's see, you've done HS and college ball, and now you're working with 9 year olds - something kind of strange in those words or either you are just one of those who does it only for the money.

I don't have the patience to put up with the parents and I don't like the idea of getting hit every other pitch for $35.

Thanks
David

HS here in Ct is about $75.00

I know in Long Island, they get $100.00 for Varsity. That is per official.

[dudeinblue]

That is correct, I do it only for the money. There are people in Knoxville that umpire many high school and college games throughout the year, and when summer hits, they do little kids because there are not many opportunites to do the high school and college-aged kids. And by the way, my situation questions were debated by many other people and I am 21 years old and still learning. I've done junior college and 4-year private schools.

[orioles35]

Last time I checked, kids from eight to eighteen still need umpires for games. Not all of them are "inferior", despite the attitude as such here.

[ChapJim]

Originally posted by Tim C
"Real Baseball" is played on 90 foot diamonds, by players of shaving age, and not limited by "time limits". That is really all I have ever said equals "real baseball".
[Edited by Tim C on Jul 12th, 2005 at 09:15 AM]

First, I agree that "time limit" and "curfew" are not the same thing. Beyond that, it is your definition and you're entitled to it, no matter how arbitrary and capricious.

However, if you refuse to work anything that doesn't meet your definition of "real baseball" then you couldn't work very many games over the course of a year.

Here (Northern VA), the only games that have no time limit (other than NCAA and HS) are American Legion, some college age rec leagues, and some men's games during the week. The weeknight men's games tend to be nine inning games with a 8:00 PM start and a "no new inning after 2h50min" provision that is stated as a time limit but is really a curfew. Those same games on a weekend are played on a three hour interval, which is a time limit.

Other than that, seven inning games play on a 2-1/2 hour interval. That includes senior (16-18) AAU, senior (16-19) Babe Ruth, MABA, and some MABL games. Some weekend American Legion schedules are two seven inning games on a 2-1/2 hour interval.

I would consider all of these leagues/games to be "real baseball."

We have lower age group AAU and Babe Ruth that varies in quality from very good to dreadful. I worked a Sunday afternoon 13 YO AAU double about six weeks ago. The first game finished on a 10-run rule in the bottom of the fifth after 1 hour 12 minutes. The second game played seven full in 1 hour 37 minutes. Maybe not "real baseball" but lots of fun to work and watch.

Sorry you never get to see such things, Tee.

[Tim C]

ChapJim:

Good idea defining curfew . . . I missed that reference.

In my area there are very few "timed" games. We have a Legion Wood bat Tourney that limits to 2:15 per game. In the last three years they have never had to use the time limit. I choose not to work that tourney.

Games:

We have just about as many games as anyone would want.

We have a high school association that has about 180 members. This includes about 30 college umpires.

During the school season we work 50 high schools and about 30 to 35 colleges.

We are short umpires all spring and a guy can work just about every day if he selects.

During the summer things change.

We have many fewer umpires and work many, many more teams.

We are short handed nearly every weekend. We have to send single umpires to games that would happily pay for two . . . we do not have the ability to send three man crews when requested.

Just too many games.

I work the number of games that "I" select to work. I work often enough to help the group but not to often to cause problems at work.

As we know, ad naseum, I don't work Little Tyke ball.

Chap, I work High School in the spring (retired from the college group 3 or 4 years ago) and AAA American Legion during the summer.

I passed on working high school playoff games this season.

We (Portland) host the State Championship Babe Ruth (13/15 yr olds) each year, I select not to work that.

We also have MABL and MSBL, I select not to work that.

We have many AAU Travel tourneys that pass through our area. I select not to work those.

So you said:

"However, if you refuse to work anything that doesn't meet your definition of "real baseball" then you couldn't work very many games over the course of a year."

That maybe true in your area but not mine.

I am sure, if I wanted, I could work 150 games per year under my set criteria. I have a friend who has the same rules as I and he works from 125 to 150 games a year (he does do college so that gives him 20 extra games if weather permits).

Jim, I select to work about 50 games a year.

Now, as you are certainly aware, I have worked over 3,700 games over the last 36 years. None have been small diamond.

So in my area an umpire can work a "full schedule" by only working "real baseball."

Hope this clears things up.

[David B]

Originally posted by jicecone

HS here in Ct is about $75.00

I know in Long Island, they get $100.00 for Varsity. That is per official.

Wow, either you guys don't have many games, or there is a severe shortage of umpires.

If I made that kind of money, I could quit my day job and simply work nights and weekends.

I generally work two nights a week and weekends so its about 6-7 games.

That would be $600-700 a week, - my wife would love that instead of the $250-300 that I bring home.

Thanks
David

[gordon30307]

In my area:

Time limit and age limit have no bearing on rates.

Palomino on down. $45 to $55 per game per umpire. Depends upon league etc.

High School $55 single game varsity $88 to $96 doubleheader per umpire per game.

JV, Sophmore and Freshman $55 due to shortage typically one umpire DH $88 to $96 again typically one umpire.

JUCO and DIII $70 for 7 innings $90 for 9 innings per umpire per game.

[Tim C]

David:

HHH has documented the "fee levels" for umpiring in his area.

Peter is a union umpire and they make fees unheard of anywhere else in the USA.

In a national Poll we find that the "average" high school game (varsity) goes at about $45 to $50.

We also find that in "most" areas summer baseball pays slightly less.

Now these are "cross sectional" studies and should not be confused with specific areas that can be considerably higher or significantly lower. This is a true averge.

The study also finds that it does not matter if an umpire is a true independant contractor and must find and book his own games or if an umpire is a member of an assocation that assigns games.

Let's face it:

Many umpires in my area select to work 1:45 games (with time limits) that pay cash and are not part of our assocaiton coverage. These games are usually held on diamonds smaller than 90'.

We also lost umpires this year to lacrosse which is a timed game (they run about 1:10) and again pay cash ($50).

This makes it hard to find umpires.

BTW, in my area we pay middle school, frosh and JV umpires about 72% of a varsity fee. This also makes it difficult to find new recruits.

Also, we pay 11% to our assignor off the gross of the game.

We are paid mileage -- which is divided evenly between the two crew mates.

[jicecone]

Originally posted by David B

Wow, either you guys don't have many games, or there is a severe shortage of umpires.

If I made that kind of money, I could quit my day job and simply work nights and weekends.

I generally work two nights a week and weekends so its about 6-7 games.

That would be $600-700 a week, - my wife would love that instead of the $250-300 that I bring home.

Thanks
David

I don't think so David. Unfortuanetly the cost of housing, taxes, gas ,insurance and every other thing in these areas, almost necessitates that you keep your day and night job.

You may be better off than you think!!!!!

[dudeinblue]

What about the going rate around Texas? Anybody know that?

[jicecone]

Originally posted by dudeinblue
What about the going rate around Texas? Anybody know that?

They get to write article for Carl.

[dudeinblue]

"They get to write article for Carl"


What do you mean by that?