Championship game behind the plate

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by FVB9


Happy Holidays to all.

Normally I refrain from responding to these, but I can't resist this one because Jeff gets his College BB from me.

Jeff, be careful about the above quote. You contacted us in the right year, when we had several new College opportunities. To say you didn't have to prove yourself is so not true Jeff, so be careful. You got a couple of very low-key JUCO games unseen, you did well, and you got more. To continue working College level ball (whether it be JUCO or D-III), we are reproving our commitment every year. There are too many new College umpires knocking at the door that it pushes all of us to work harder each year, each game.

And ohhh...you don't go past DeKalb for College games? Dude, I'm finishing up the schedule this week. Can you say Kishwaukee?!?!?

Merry Xmas to all....all we want for Xmas is Mark Prior to stay in our rotation!!

Kishwaukee is about 7 miles from DeKalb. That would be like me saying I am not going to go to Macomb and I end up in Good Hope. They are right next to each other. Malta and DeKalb are closer to each other than I actually live from Chicago. I am not wasting a whole tank of gas to go from DeKalb to Malta.

Let me put it this way, I am not going to Kenosha, Wisconsin or Davenport for a college baseball game. I have gone to both for college basketball games in recent years. I would also not likely be able to go to those places very often for baseball games for job reasons. That is why I try to stay very close to my house as possible.

So I understand what you are saying, but I am not going to knock someone out over the head for a college baseball game. I also have not had to pay the money to work a college baseball game as I have to work a college basketball game. And I went to relatively cheap camps to get evaluated to get hired in college basketball. Now for those that want to go in the middle of the afternoon to get to South Bend (Notre Dame) or try to go 4 and 5 hours to Michigan to work a game, more power to you. That just is not going to be me right now. I would not go to Bloomington, Illinois for a college game at this point. Just not something I am thinking about doing. Sorry, it just is not. I was not very up for going to North Park this past year on a Sunday.

You and Windbag do nothing else but work baseball. For you baseball is a big part of your officiating life. For me the spring is a balance between all sports. I have the potential to go to Basketball and Football camps at this time of year. When the summer hits, the only thing I am really going to make a commitment to things like Basketball camps and summer HS Basketball leagues. Why, because I know they will not get rained out and I am trying to advance in my college career. I have already done a college game in the middle of this Midwest winter in Galesburg and Kewanee, Illinois and went to Davenport, Iowa to work college basketball games with the weather really sucking. Each trip was well over an hour (and some cases 2) just going one way. Now it helps that I have family less than in many cases close to those places, but I would not even pursue such a baseball opportunity.

Peace