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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 11:09am
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IMO, Papa C touched on a good topic that could have generated some good and value added discussion especially in the offseason when he talked about Fair and Good. It's too bad it didn't receive more constructive attention instead of what transpired, but that's life in the internet Forums.
I will take it a step further and ask a question that might seem silly but exactly What is a good umpire? It's been said that it is harder to make it to the BIGS as an umpire than a Player. In addition, when comparing umpires, It's not like we are comparing Joe Smo to AROD where there are statistics to back up ones point of view. 1. Is it Hard work and dedication 2. "good ole boy network" 3. Kiss up to the coaches 4. Willingness to travel 4. Luck Exactly what is a good umpire? I can't speak for College and the PROS but at the HS level more often than not it's not the best or good umpires that get the Playoff assignments but those that are ALWAYS available and "suck-up" In a nutshell my opinion of a good umpire is one who is willing to (1) Learn (2) Hustle on the field (3) is not a "Homer" and could't care less who the participants are or coaches. Ok let's see if we can generate some good solid discussion on exactly what is a good umpire. IMO, in your responses it would be beneficial if you could site some actual experiences in which to share and help others. Pete Booth
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Peter M. Booth 
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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 11:31am
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Pete, very good thread starter, here are my responses:
1. Is it Hard work and dedication? Yes - Getting and staying in shape, learning ones trade, staying on top of the rules, attending clinics, watching and learning from others, and teaching up and comers. Being a good team member(your crew on the field, you are a team with your assignor, you are part of a larger "team" with your association), being cooperative and flexible, letting things roll off your back. 2. "good ole boy network" To some extent, yes. - There is a political aspect to what we do, but it is more than that. Do you "fit in"? Do you try to get along with the other's in your association? Are you a braggard "know it all", or do you sit and observe and learn? Are you willing to learn? Have you found a "big dog" or "bigger dog" mentor? Are you willing to "TEACH"? 3. Kiss up to the coaches? Yes, if coaches evaluate. - Remember, if we can spot a kiss up coach from a mile away, don't you think they can too? Like a friend has said, "coaches are smarter then we are". (find the article on the pay side) 4. Willingness to travel? This is a big factor. - Another HUGE aspect is availability and the willingness to take last minute games. Also,the flexibility to adapt to the assignor. Having done that job, when I found someone who was willing to work with me, guess what, they got more work. I worked a youth ball game that got rained out, I called my HS assignor and told him I was available. Guess what, I got a last minute varsity game. He was "very pleased", to say the least. 5. Luck. Of course - Right place at the right time? For sure. You can't say luck doesn't play a part in presenting opportunities to us, but being prepared to seize that opportunity when it presents itself is not luck. It is being good. Bob
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Bob P. ----------------------- We are stewards of baseball. Our customers aren't schools or coaches or conferences. Our customer is the game itself.
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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 11:50am
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Unfortunately, I think there is a significant difference in reality between a GOOD umpire or official (for other sports) and a SUCCESSFUL one.
Hard work and dedication will make any official a better official, and to my mind is the primary requirement in making a GOOD official; but a secondary one for a successful one (although the successfulness eventually tops out for someone who doesn't put in the work). Networking - important to the successful one. Not as important to the good one, although a talented official that doesn't network well will often be passed over for the more important games - and sometimes the only way for a GOOD official to get better is to work more important games. Kiss up - if you change this to "work well with coaches", I believe it is equally important to both. An official that works well with coaches will both help his successfulness AND improve his talent, in that he will not have to deal with as much nonsense as the official who does not handle coaches well. Willingness to travel is a bigger factor for the successful official, although as in number 2 above, a talented official that can't travel will often miss out on working with other talented officials, thus harm his learning curve in the long run.
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"Many baseball fans look upon an umpire as a sort of necessary evil to the luxury of baseball, like the odor that follows an automobile." - Hall of Fame Pitcher Christy Mathewson
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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 11:55am
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Pete:
When an umpire selects to work at the high school level there are several ways he can work his way to the "top."
Every year my association rewards hard working, dedicated umpires by offering them playoff games. We can do that becauee we need about 45 bodies for the first round of playoffs in my area. So if an umpire becomes "good" by working playoff games we expand our "good" list each year. All umpire groups need politically intelligent members. Now note I am trying to separate this group from two others: 1) butt kissers and 2) "good old boys". Non-professional groups cannot work like the old MLB union under Richie Phillips. We need acceptance from administrators, coaches and league organizers and these people always seems to have a good understanding of processes and systems that help our group retain our client list. We also have "less than good" umpires that work varsity baseball simply because they can get off in time to get games. So I guess "travel" has a small tidbit in an evaluation. So what is a good umpire? We can all agree that working the stick makes your name in baseball umpiring. We know that balls/strikes, safes/outs and fair/foul make up 95% of your duties when on the plate. Sadly it always seems that the other 5% of activities dictate if you are a "good umpire". As a plate umpire you need a consistent strike zone and the ability to keep the tempo of the game in perspective. As a BU we know that you are faced with large segments of time were nothing happens and then you are hit with a rush of a work load that exposes you to far more review (since you are in the center of the diamond and are an easy target) since that ONE CALL can be deemed "the most important call" of the day. I think good umpires are identified by the following five issues (items): 1) Hustle. Not, false hustle, but real hustle. Getting where you need to be BEFORE a play occurs. 2) A commitment to the decision. I don't care if it is "safe" or "out", "fair or foul" an umpire has to be committed to getting the information, processing it and living with the outcome. 3) Experience in handling game situations. An umpire must handle the day-to-day boredom of regular paced play but always be ready for the "one off" or "plus one" issues that are bound to occur. These can be rules, game managment issues or even weather related. Good umpires handle this issues fairly, promptly and correctly. 4) A good umpire always has a quest to learn. I have went through my umpire life believing that I knew "everything" about umpiring yet in the last three yearsr I learned that I had three distinct situations that I was flat out incorrect in how I was doing things. Once an umpire fails to learn he has no future in the game. 5) Timing. This is a much more difficult issue to discuss as no one can decide what "correct timing" is -- so let's use the term "pro school timing". A good umpire knows how to take in information, process that information and make a call with PERFECT timing (not too fast that the play did not finish not so slow that people think you are flipping a coin.) Pete, I have seen "good" umpires that eject in a fraction of a second, I have seen "good" umpires that seldom eject at all. I have seen "good" umpires that call more "balls" than I do and I've seen guys that call many more "strikes". I think a good umpire is simply a consistent umpire. Consistent in timing. Consistent is judgement. And, most of all: consistent in attitude. Tee
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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 02:18pm
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My humble observation......
In my area, (central Massachusetts), varsity baseball is assigned on seniority and being a drinking buddy of the assignor.
There are many fine umpires are never allowed to do varsity games, while there is a confligration of poor umpires doing the bulk of the varsity games due strictly to their "longevity". Playoffs are handed out to the best rumpswabs, as coaches are in charge of "nominating" the umpires who do playoff work. We can't grow our associations' membership due to this artificial ceiling. Younger umpires who have worked hard, taken clinics, and worked the dregs of the baseball schedule, have seen no opportunity to advance to do "better" baseball and have taken their talents to other sports. In the past four years, we added 41 new umpires to our membership rolls. Of that number, only 7 remain as of this writing. "Good" and/or "Fair" ? Doesn't matter. Doug
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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 04:31pm
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Quote:
This is an absolutely essential ingredient. I'd say the most important one. Nobody could be good without hard work and dedication, and it can be broken down a lot of different ways, like, a) knowledge of the rules; b) good mechanics; c) games management. My experience coming up and watching others come up is that a) & b) come easy when an umpire works at it, but c) requires experience. 2. "good ole boy network" This is only a factor if the good ol' boys help the up-n-comers get good experience so they can master the intricacies of game management. In terms of being a successful umpire, if measured by post-season assignments, all it can do is get your foot in the door. You still need to BE good. Granted, some networks may be run so that bad umpires get their foot in the door every year, but look at Carbide's post. Does anyone think his is a good association? He may be a good umpire, but it seems clear that his association will turn out far fewer good ones than they would if it were well run. 3. Kiss up to the coaches Fortunately, my association does not let coaches rate umpires. All they can do is blackball us. I can't see that being good is relevant to being able to kiss up. I'll acknowledge that it may be necessary in some circumstances in order to be considered good, but in order to BE good. 4. Willingness to travel You can't expect to get the best assignments if you're not willing to travel. It may not affect being good, but it can easily keep you off the big games. 5. Luck Absolutely. Ask any umpire who finds himself transferred by his real job to Carbide's district. 6. I'd add another factor: Game Sense To the extent that I have continued to improve as an umpire is in a large measure due to what I have observed on the field when I am partnered with really good umpires. They al have different personalities, but one thing they have in common is an ability to flow with the game. They appear to be a part of the game, adapting with it to the particular circumstances of the day. They adjust to different pitching styles, blow-outs, levels of play, and coaches. The really good ones all have it. Mike
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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 07:16pm
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Pete,
Looking for 1,000 words? Sorry, but I only need to add a thought or two about what has already slid on by. "It's been said that it is harder to make it to the BIGS as an umpire than a Player." Please tell me that this was a slip. How many roster spots are available to a MLB umpire candidate? Even if all MLB umpires perished in a freak accident, we need how many to work the season? How many teams are there? How many players on each team? I know you meant well, but this was one of the most obvious statements ever to leave your fingertips. The good ol' boy network exists in anlmost every American activity. The corporate ladder, politics, buying a car, schooling, even finding the right contractor; it has always been who you know rather than what that drives the engine. It is sad but true. That is one of the largest factors of umpire attrition. We've witnessed a half dozen statements to affirm this. I read the posts pretty quickly, but a few alluded to luck and desire as factors. Luck can only get you through the door. Desire and ability keep you there. Good umpires realize that they need all three. Good umpires pass on their knowledge to the next generation of umpires. They stay a few minutes longer after the game or series and they listen. Good umpires know when to let a partner handle a situation and when to assist. They remember what it was like to be the new guy and help them climb the ladder. Good umpires are forgotten while on the field and immortalized around the bar.
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"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions. ~Naguib Mahfouz
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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 07:18pm
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I was just surfing the net when I saw this article pertaining to the subject being discussed
http://www.amateurumpire.com/others/ta/ta3.htm
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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 07:27pm
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Quote:
All of the umpires won't perish this year. In fact, there will be very few openings if any. A talented AAA umpire may never get the chance for want of an opportunity, and end up being released just becuase there is no room. A talented player has a much better chance to find a spot on a roster somewhere. And in 2 or 3 years he may move over and let someone else in. The umpires don't yield to the young too often - once in they may stay 30 years. Mike
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Tue Dec 27, 2005, 09:52pm
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I commented that it was a slip, but may have been better served by writing that it was a departure from his usual skills of observation.
My comment was that it is far easier to become a professional baseball player than it is to become a professional umpire. The numbers don't lie; there are simply more roster spots for players than officials. From what we've read about league consolidation, even fewer minor league brethren will have the opportunuity to prove themselves. I spoke with a few guys that are looking forward to bringing them into the collegiate ranks, while others fear their admission. Becoming a premier D-1 umpire is tough enough without the addition of these robots, they say. I say the more the merrier - they will make us all better. I've learned many new ways to think and move during the last decade; far more that made me better. These new guys are responsible for most of it. To get back to the subject, a good umpire is someone who knows he is. Ego has a very real place in an umpire's psyche. We refer to the field as 'our' or 'my' field. That arrogance drives some to perform and sets an example for others. Good umpires make statements that appear bloated but are part and parcel of their beings. You know when you're good - it's not when others tell you, it's when they don't have to. A couple of you have jumped on Carl for implying this, but let's face it. If you don't believe that you are the best umpire on the field, you shouldn't be there.
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"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions. ~Naguib Mahfouz
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Sat Dec 31, 2005, 07:57pm
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Re: Pete:
Quote:
That's a great combination and you hit the nail on the head. I've saved this explaination to use in my training of new officials - Thanks David
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Sun Jan 01, 2006, 06:51pm
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I've umped a lot of years, and have often thought about what makes a good umpire a great one. Tee has most of the elements well covered, and I agree with what he says. I would like to add one ingredient - something I have discovered doing D1 Regionals the past two years. That ingredient is AWARENESS. I've been fortunate enough to be able to watch some excellent college umpires, and this is the one thing that seems to keep manifesting itself with the cream of the crop. They know what's going on, where the crap is coming from, where it's liable to come from, who doesn't like whom, past history, who the "players" are, who the "rats" are, who they can talk with and who they can go to to get things done. They know what the score is, who is frustrated (coaches AND players), which partners need "guidance", when to listen and when to raise their voice, when to warn and when to dump. They know the direction the game is headed at any given moment. They pay attention to "message" pitches, chirping, bench-jockeying, and even "eye-balling". They watch the weather, the fans, and they know where security and game management is. If you ask them, they can even tell you where the bathroom is, and the best hot dog in the league, the most economical hotel, and the best local steakhouse.
For me it's all about awareness, and in 2006 that's the one thing I'm going to focus on improving in MY umping career. JJ
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Mon Jan 02, 2006, 05:29pm
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Awareness
JJ,
Interesting that you would mention "Awareness." I am going to attempt to add "Awareness" to my games next year. I was talking to a AA umpire last year after one of his games and we were talking about a particular at bat. He mentioned - 1) The game situation - inning, score, outs, runners, etc.; 2) What this batter had done in his previous at bat; 3) Specific pitches that the pitcher had thrown to this batter in the previous at bat (inside, outside, low, high, etc.) and what he, the umpire, had called them (strike or ball); 4) The on-deck batter and what he had done in a previous at bat; 5) Previous at bats during this series of both the batter and the on-deck batter; 6) The pitcher's tendencies; and 6) Both benches tendencies to make comments about pitches (only close pitches, only crucial pitches, hardly ever, etc.) I was amazed. I am usually just trying to get the pitch right and don't even know who the batter is, let alone who is on deck. That's when I decided to see what I could do in 2006. So when I get the line-ups and mark my A's B's and C's on the substitutes (I used to do it when the sub was used - now I am going to try T's method of marking them before the first at bat), I am going to try to keep track of the line-up in my head. It will be an interesting experiment - especially since I am starting to work a new league - where I don't know anybody. Walt
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Mon Jan 02, 2006, 08:20pm
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What is a Good Umpire?
Apparently having the ability to find and post on an umpire board has something to do with it. Have you ever seen anyone on the internet call himself a bad umpire?
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GB
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Mon Jan 02, 2006, 08:41pm
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Quote:
Try: A. Coaches B. Fans C. Players D. Umpires with etc.
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GB
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