Which PRO School?

[PAT THE REF]

Hey everyone,

In a previous post I asked everyone’s opinion on whether it is a good time to attend a pro school. I am still in college and I can afford to take a semester off to attend the school. I currently am taking summer and round the year courses so that I can do this.

The question is: What Pro School is “better”? or if you attended one of them, please give me some feedback and some pro/cons on them?

Thank You

[mbyron]

It is difficult to get the kind of info you're looking for in a public forum like this. Graduates of each school are quite loyal to their schools, and they usually won't give you any "cons" about the other school.

The most important thing to know is that, from the standpoint of getting a job, there's nothing to choose between them: over the years, they have placed grads equally into pro ball. The major problem, of course, is that such a small percentage of each class (about 10% from each school) get offered contracts for the following season. But that's no reason to choose between them, once you decide to go for it.

I had a guy from Harry's tell me that his grads stay in pro ball longer, but he might have been making that up (or have been told by someone who was making it up). As far as I know, no statistics are available about, for instance, the relative percentages of AAA umpires who went to the different schools.

I attended one of Jim's week-long clinics, and it was terrific. He worked with us every day, which, according to Jim's grads, is unique to his school. I have not confirmed this difference with any of Harry's grads.

Another difference (suggested by one of Harry's grads) is that Harry's spends more time on mechanics, whereas Jim spends more time on rules. This difference can't be that significant, however, or it would show up in differential hiring by pro ball. Probably just slightly different emphasis (which is not that surprising, considering that Jim wrote the book on the rules).

Hope that helps. It's a life-changing thing, whichever you choose.

[Justme]

Originally Posted by PAT THE REF

Hey everyone,

In a previous post I asked everyone’s opinion on whether it is a good time to attend a pro school. I am still in college and I can afford to take a semester off to attend the school. I currently am taking summer and round the year courses so that I can do this.

The question is: What Pro School is “better”? or if you attended one of them, please give me some feedback and some pro/cons on them?

Thank You

It is my understanding that the top 25 grads from each school were picked this year for additional umpire training/working MiLB BUT I'm not sure if that's 100% accurate.

The Jim Evans' Academy of Professional Umpiring operates in Kissimmee, Fla. and the Harry Wendelstedt School for Umpires is located in Ormond Beach, Fla. These are the only two umpiring schools approved by The Professional Baseball Umpire Corp. (PBUC), which oversees all professional baseball umpires.

The Jim Evans web site says "Since Its Inception in 1989, The Academy Has The Highest Percentage Of Actual Placements In Professional Baseball Of Any Umpire Training Program".

Check out the web site below.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/of..._to_become.jsp

[PAT THE REF]

Thanks everyone.

[Durham]

Pat,

Both schools are very good and doing well at either will get you to the next step, as an equal number are sent to the evaluation course from each school. Harry's school has you work both camp games and innings in real games from what I have been told, and Jim's is all camp games, or controlled situations. So I would pick the one that better suits your learning style. They both have cage work and classroom time for mechanics and rules. I went to Jim's and loved it, but have friends that went to Harry's and loved it. So the right school is the one that is right for you. Good Luck!

[pingswinger]

I am going to Jim Evans in January. From all the professional umpires that I have talked to told me to go to Jim Evans. They told me there that the instructors care a lot more about making you better not just pushing you through, even if you are not there to get a job, they will work just as hard with you. I just graduated from college last week, which was something the instructors from Jim Evans suggested to me years ago. IF you were to get a job, having a college degree would expand your job opportunities in the offseason, so I would suggest that you complete the degree before going to pro school.

[BenedictArnold]

Both schools can help you acheive your goal if you are dedicated. Do not put any stock in one school's instructors caring more than the others. Both schools have a tremendous staff. The instructors are current professional umpires that are climbing through the ranks. Harry's has some MLB instructors, but that doesn't result in them wanting to push you through and not caring as mush as Jim's school. That is a load of crap.

I personally know instructors from both schools. Jim's is a little more emphasized on rules and Harry's a little more on the field. I think Jim's has over 600 rules test questions and Harry's around 250. Don't get caught up in the hype about which school to attend. Everyone is going to tell you to go to the one they went to. Try to find a guy that went to both. But try to keep things in perspective. When you are talking to someone, know what their goals were in attending school. If it was to get into pro ball, ask if they we selected. If not, you can bet that they will give a negative report on their time there...and vice versa.

Both Jim and Harry MiLB instructors are dedicated to training you. They travel down to umpire school each year because they believe in their profession. Do not believe a word of the comparisons betweenthe two instructors. Both school have the best teaching you. In the end, you will make it if you are good enough. Getting a college degree first is a sign that you are smart enough to realize the possibility of making it to MLB. But don't get blinded by the hype. That is my advice.

For the record, I went to neither Jim nor Harry's school. So don't think that I am contributing to the hype I am talking about. Bottom line...if you are good enough, both school will find you in their mix and send you to the evaluation course.

Best of luck!

BA

[JIGGY]

Email both Jimmy and Harry. They both will be more than willing to talk to you. The schools do have their differences (and no it isn't really true that Jim focuses more on rules and Harry mechanics- they both teach it all). I could tell you which one I would send my son to (if i had a son), but I think it is a decision you should make after talking to Jim and Harry (and any instructors you can get a hold of from either school). They all will be more than happy to talk to you about it.

[socalblue1]

Write the names down on slips of paper. toss in hat. close eyes & mix around. Pick one, go & work hard.

[lawump]

Unfortnately for you, you won't be able to attend the greatest umpire school of all time, the Brinkman/Froemming School. Greatest of all time because the Brinkman/Froemming School placed more umpires in pro ball on even years when the average temperature in Florida during school was 75-degrees or higher and a National League team had won the previous World Series...then any other school.

Seriously...Jim does have a reputation among the pro guys as being more "rules-oriented" with more classroom tests.

Harry has a reputation of being more on-the-field oriented.

I will also add...I've been told (to my face by a MLB umpire) that Harry has a reputation of telling students that "if they come back next year they might make it," when in reality they have little to no shot at ever making it.

I've also been told stuff about Jim, but I don't want to be sued for defamation.

[TCump84]

Well, Even though I am a Harry's Grad this past year, i will try and be as honest about the schools. I was priveleged enough to attend PBUC evalutaion this year and got to talk to some guys from Evans.At Harrys, you do umpire live games as well as camp games. They told me that they umpired all camp games and had a range of 800-850 test questions . At Harrys, we took 25 tests of about 10 questions each. Also, they spent about 5 hours in the class each day, to our average of about 3. I know that I had a blast, learned more than I ever thought possible, and like the other guys on here I do reccommend finishing your degree. I hope this helps, and which ever school you choose just work hard and Good Luck.

Travis

[PAT THE REF]

Thanks TCump84,

I am planning on it. During the PBUA, what did they have you do? Drill type stuff? Officiate real games? mock games?

Thanks,

[JIGGY]

Originally Posted by PAT THE REF

Thanks TCump84,

I am planning on it. During the PBUA, what did they have you do? Drill type stuff? Officiate real games? mock games?

Thanks,

The PBUC eval course is 11 days- there is "classroom" each morning followed by college spring training games all day long. It is designed to be an EVALUATION course, so it is not geared towards instruction very much. If you made it to Coco, you should already know what you need to know.

Again...I would encourage you to talk directly with Harry and Jimmy. Ask them the tough questions (i.e. I hear your school doesn't do real games Jim, why is that?) they WILL have the answers. I will tell you that you are forced to work harder at one of the two schools versus the other; that is not a bad thing at all.

[PAT THE REF]

It seems that Harry's school is more laid back and a small class size then Evans. Therefore, do you have a better "chance" to make it to the PBUA evaluation?

Just my $0.02

[mrumpire11]

Originally Posted by PAT THE REF

Thanks TCump84,

I am planning on it. During the PBUA, what did they have you do? Drill type stuff? Officiate real games? mock games?

Thanks,

PAT...They are real games, either high school or college (naia, d-3, juco). There are a couple days of on field instruction where they modify some umpire school mechanics. You also spend a couple afternoons in the cages. Other then that, you work about 6-8 live games and evaluated on your performance. Every morning you spend about 1-2 hours in the classroom going over different situations and proceedures. The evaluators also go over some notes from the previous days games.

With the school aspect, Harry's instructs using both live games and control situations. While Jim's only spends timie with control situations. Whoever you ask is going to be biased to the school they, or someone they knew went to. Gather as much info as you can about each, and make your choice. Just remember to go into it ready to learn, neither school has the time to waste with students who "know it all."