Field Decorum

[BigUmp56]

Hello all!

I'm new to this forum and have been trying to get a feel for what type of umpires post here. So far I have seen some excellent advice handed out by quite a few individuals that would appear to be very accomplished amatuere umpires.

I would like to hear from other officials who post on this board. What are some of the unwritten rules of umpiring you consider to be a critical part of proper field decorum?

I am interested in hearing about the intangibles.

A few examples IMO might be:
1)Keep indicator in your left hand.
2)Call balls and strikes with your right hand.
3)Don't be a thumb sucker when signaling an out.
4)No flying albatross on safe calls.

The list goes on and on, I'm just curious as to your opinions and would like to hear from you.

Edited to add: The reason I am asking this of you, is that I am compilng a list for the association I belong to.

Tim.
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As umpires, we are the only ones in the world expected to be perfect on our first day on the job, and improve from there!

[Edited by BigUmp56 on Jul 27th, 2005 at 11:29 AM]

[officialtony]

Ok, from an unending list, in no particular order, I'll start:

Support your partner at all times;
Praise them in public, criticize them in private;
Ignore fans unless personal threats or physical violence occur - then call police;
Don't get " rabbit ears " - hear what you need to keep the game under control;
Sell all calls- can eliminate a lot of criticism;
Be polite - but firm;
Don't go looking for trouble - but don't turn your back to it. It hurts;
Forget previous incidents and start every game with a fresh slate;
Let people believe that you really do enjoy what you do;
Don't be overly efficient - deal with the aspects of the game that matter;
Don't be intimidated into changing a call, if you are sure you are right;
Be willing to correct a correctable mistake;
Be willing to ADMIT you made a mistake.

The list goes on and on. Much of it is common sense - or so we think. But some umpires don't understand or agree with some of these philosophies. That is OK. You decide what is right for you.


Disclaimer:

*The above philosophies are mine and not necessarily the opinions of anyone else on this forum.

[jicecone]

Couple of picky things that stick out like a sore thumb, before you use it to call someone out.

Buy a new hat, more than once every 5 years. Pink is not a approved color in any association I have worked for. Neith are pink pants acceptable.

Just because you don't get your shirt and pants cleaned and pressed for each game, doesn't mean that you should throw it in a ball in your trunk and put it on before each game.

Clean your uniform at least ONCE per season.

Shine your shoes at least once per season. Putting shoe polish over dust, doesn't make you shoes look any better.

If you can't get the above things correct for the games you do, well then you don't have to worry about what you do during the game because their already mentally prepared, that it won't be that good anyway.

[Edited by jicecone on Jul 27th, 2005 at 12:30 PM]

[GarthB]

This thread reminds me of a debate raging in my association.

We began to intensify our training program this year and to enforce our uniform policies. We also are evaluating more often and in those evaluations we include appearance and presence as well as peformance.

This has led to some in our group to complain that we are "trying too hard to be professional." They explain that they are umpiring "for fun" and the emphasis on professionalism is taking the fun out of it.

One member told me: "Umpiring for me is a hobby like my piano playing. I play piano for myself, not to be a professional." Being a musician, I had to think about that, for about 2 seconds, before I replied, "When you can umpire for yourself in your basement, you won't have to worry about professionalism. However, we don't apply our craft in a vacuum. We work in front of fans and parents and we work for plauyers, coaches and administrators to deserve to have our best efforts. Our best efforts require continuing education and training and an effort to look and act professionally.

All this is prelude to a question to any here who agree with my friend and others who balk at the word "professional" or who dislike an emphasis put on professionalsim.

Exactly what part of this bothers you? Getting better? Looking better? Performing at a higher level? Having less problems with game management?

Tell me, exactly where is the downside to attempting to perform and look professional?

[Edited by GarthB on Jul 29th, 2005 at 05:00 PM]

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by BigUmp56


I would like to hear from other officials who post on this board. What are some of the unwritten rules of umpiring you consider to be a critical part of proper field decorum?

1. GET TO THE GAME SITE at a minimum of 30 minutes prior to the start.


2. Look the Part, meaning if you have the Plate have Plate pants conversely base pants for the bases. I have worked with guys who used plate pants for the bases, white-sox - you get the picture.

IMO, no matter how much rules knowledge you have if an umpire does not follow numbers 1 and 2 you are already off on the wrong foot.

3. Goes hand in hand with number 1 - have a SOLID PRE-GAME with your partner especially if you are new to an association and have not worked with your partner before.

4. Do not go "crazy" in the Pre-Game Conference with the coaches. Some umps like to give a uligy during the plate conference. the Plate conference goes something like this

Skip what rules today
Take us around
Teams properly equipped
Cash or Check before game starts
Let's play

5. MOVE THE GAME ALONG - Here's one thing that I have done to move the game along. When there is a foul ball behind F2, I take a ball from my bag and throw it to F1 and simply take the ball F2 retrieved and put it in bag. This might seem trivial but it speeds things along. Also, do not wander to far from the plate area during inning exchanges in case during warm-ups the ball gets past F2 you can again help move the game along by giving F1 a ball to continue throwing.

6. Hustle


Pete Booth

[LilLeaguer]

Originally posted by GarthB
All this is prelude to a question to any here who agree with my friend and others who balk at the word "professional" or who dislike an emphasis put on professionalsim.

If you don't mind an outside viewpoint, anybody that gets paid for an activity looks like a professional to me.

Just about anybody that is just umpiring for fun, unfortunately, is probably welcome at the local LL. I know that I cannot be very choosy in finding recruits, and I sometimes personally certify folks without any more training than a 10-minute conversation in a parking lot and handing them a rule book. As for uniforms, my league has been providing hats for the last few years, and we occasionally pick up some blue shirts, but I've got "certified" umpires wearing shorts and sandals on the bases.

If you want to be a Real Umpire(tm) and work Real Baseball(tm), and especially if you expect to be paid, it certainly isn't unreasonable to meet the expectations of the employers and the association that they deal with.

Again, from the outside, I sometimes think that Real Umpires(tm) are amazingly picky on appearance, and may even put too much stock in it, but umpires that don't want to live up to the local standards have other choices.

-LL

[EMD]

A) Be professional, dress the part, clean clothing, sharp cress in the pants, clean hat (keep one for the field & one for bases)
B) Give respect when it's due, be courteous, polite and be an authority figure. This may the first and last time a player or coach sees you (how do you want to be remebered?)
C) Call your partner the night before, discuss your responsiablities, show up early, dress early, take the field early. BE PREPARED!
D) Do not leave the field during a game for non-life threating reasons, if you ever light a smoke, I will continue with out you and request we never umpire together again.
E) Know the rules, know when to smile & when to be an red*ss, for example, when a 15 yr pitcher does not come to full stop, tell him to do so, tell him why and that next time you will call a balk. Let his coach know between innings, not durning the inning with runners on bases. And never call Balk when the score is 10-0 in the thrid inning when the temp is over 100. Just let it go.......
F) Call strikes and be consistant.
G) Never talk to the caoch unless it is important to the game at hand.
H) Bring you own water, do not mooch off the players - be prepared for Petes Sake.
I) DO NOT BRING THE RULE ON THE FIELD WITH YOU!
J) If you call a balk, you better be able to expalin to the coach, If you say "It looked ugly" you are on your own.
K) Park in the parking lot stall next to your partner, if you are early, try to find shade.
L) Never ask the coach "What do you think of my zone?"
M) If you bring a beer for after the game, bring one for your partner. I bring 4 beers, two each. Threes get you trouble around here.
N) Do not make empty threats, caoches & players are like children, if you make a threat and do not act on it - then you are in for one hella' long season.
P) Do not hold a grudge
O) Do not be lazy
Q) Do not make up for a blown call, be a man and move on.
R) Have a sence of humor, smile, enjoy the game because our wives and/ or girlfriends are not there. If they are, we do not want to umpire together. DO NOT BRING A FRIEND, YOUR PARTNER IS THE ONLY FRIEND YOU HAVE THE FIELD.
S) Read, pause, react - slow your timing down, be sure and make the call. One blown call will not make or break a game. It is not a strike or an out until you say it is. If a batter walks to first befor you call it a ball and it's close. Call it a strike, you call the pitch, not him.
T) Be confident in what you do.
U) Be able to admit mistakes, ask your partner "What could I have done better?" Find the umpires you respect, work with them and ask for advice after the game. Take nots if you need to. Strive to be better.
W) Ask you partner(s) for help when needed.
X) If it your responsiblity to cover thrid during a rotation, then get there and make the call. Put a little effort into the game.
Y) Remember, the game is between two teams, umpires have no intrest in who wins.
Z) Do not project yoiur personality into the game, let it flow, if it does not flow find a way to make move along.

Just some quick thoughts from working with a few new guys. I have more but I think this might help.

[LDUB]

Originally posted by PeteBooth
5. MOVE THE GAME ALONG - Here's one thing that I have done to move the game along. When there is a foul ball behind F2, I take a ball from my bag and throw it to F1 and simply take the ball F2 retrieved and put it in bag. This might seem trivial but it speeds things along. Also, do not wander to far from the plate area during inning exchanges in case during warm-ups the ball gets past F2 you can again help move the game along by giving F1 a ball to continue throwing.

You know it is even faster if you give the new ball to the catcher and the on deck batter go to the backstop to get the old ball.

[mikebran]

Wow... this list covers it ALL! I mean, if you can manage to do all these.. in a game...in the SAME game.. you'll be a BIG DOG that day!

I'm gonna work on holding my indicator in my left hand now.. and try to call some outs with my right hand (I gotta tell you, I was getting comfy with the LHed out call though.)

And it's soooo hard to keep that thumb in.. but I'll try...

finally.. what the $F$ is a "flying albatross"? Is that the same as my "Wicked Witches' Flying Monkees" safe call? You are taking all the fun out of my game!

Originally posted by BigUmp56

A few examples IMO might be:
1)Keep indicator in your left hand.
2)Call balls and strikes with your right hand.
3)Don't be a thumb sucker when signaling an out.
4)No flying albatross on safe calls.

-
[Edited by BigUmp56 on Jul 27th, 2005 at 11:29 AM]

[Tim C]

I didn't know you actually called anyone out . . . in those low level games you work.

T

[jumpmaster]

Originally posted by mikebran
(I gotta tell you, I was getting comfy with the LHed out call though.)

don't laugh. I had a young ump calling outs with his left hand. I cringe to think about him doing it...

[mikebran]

Actually, that's right.. we don't. We just call "SAFES" (via flying Monkee mechanic) until the 2:30 minute time limit is reached... Outs! make the players feel sad...

Originally posted by Tim C
I didn't know you actually called anyone out . . . in those low level games you work.

T

[Tim C]

Over my best judgement I am going to join the fray.

When this was first posted I thought: "Cripes aren't we past this type of stuff."

I mean I have never seen an trained umpire wear his cap backwards, have his thumb out when making a call of "OUT" or call strikes with his left hand.

Then some of you jumped up and commented.

Guys I really thought we were past this.

I get used to talking about "last time by", type "A" and "B" obstruction and much more advanced issues.

I guess we're a little lucky that there are only 26 letters in the alphabet.

T

[jicecone]

Originally posted by mikebran
[B]Wow... this list covers it ALL! I mean, if you can manage to do all these.. in a game...in the SAME game.. you'll be a BIG DOG that day!

I'm gonna work on holding my indicator in my left hand now.. and try to call some outs with my right hand (I gotta tell you, I was getting comfy with the LHed out call though.)

[Edited by BigUmp56 on Jul 27th, 2005 at 11:29 AM]

Nay, when you learn how to not use an indicator at all, then you can be a BIG DOG.

[EMD]

We are past the little stuff and issues that seem to come with new umpires, however, as new umpires begin to ask questions it's our responsibility to answere them. Colin Powell is quoted as saying "When they stop asking you quesitons you are no longer leading."

This is the site for unpires to ask questions. I've surfed other sites and found this forum and it's members more open & honest to questions that seem elementary to more senior umpires. That, in my opinion is a good thing. To be honest, there are good memebers on this forum and I suggest to new umpire to check it out and ask questions no matter how stupid they think it is. We can ignore them but, if we do, then how can think of ourselves as professionals? Weather we do MLB, Legion or PONY, we should behave like professionals and answere honest questions in a responsible manner.

As of the A to Z list, that comes from the yahoos I got the pleasure of baby sitting this summer. Some listen to advice, some do not, and I always enjoy the game.