Umpiring is not that difficult
 

In light of the recent thread on "real umpires" I thought I would start a topic on Umpiring in general.

If you surf the net on the various Umpire Discussion Forums one would think that being an umpire is akin to learning how to be a heart surgeon. There is also talk about what is a 'Real Umpire" etc.

IMO, the best team wins no matter how "bad" or good the umpiring is.

Don Doniker got crucified for his blown call in the World Series. However, the last time I checked the World Series is the best 4 out of seven games. IMO, that one call wasn't the REAL reason why the Cards lost. They lost because they didn't hit a lick in that series.

Even if there is a "Smitty" doing the game the ultimate result will be "The best team wins". IMO, too much is made of officiating these days. It seems like every blown call is shown on ESPN these days.

Case and point: In the Giants / Colts game this past weekend, with about 4 minutes and change left in the game, the Giants got a bad interference call which negated a first down.

Was that the reason they lost? - NO The Colts moved the ball at will against the defense. They made key third and long plays all game long.

We can all think of bad calls in all the sports, but ultimately if you look at all the Champions in each of the respective sports, the best team emerged.

Here on the internet, we tend to complicate umpiring. Also, from my experience, even if you "suck" as Garth puts it. As long as the coaches (even if they are upset) see you hustling and being "into" the game will give credit.

IMO, what upsets Coaches more than anything is an umpire who doesn't hustle no matter how knowledgeable he/she is and gives the appearance they are there for a paycheck and paycheck only.

Therefore, IMO Umpiring is not that difficult. Yes one needs to do his/her homework. Generally speaking

1. Take pride in what you do even though we are amateurs. If you take pride in what you do the "other stuff" will come.

2. Look the part. Do not show up in pants that look like you slept in them or shoes unpolished, etc. etc.

3. Read the Rule-book However, Do not worry about those third world type playes that are discussed ad nauseam on the internet sites. In FED they have a nice table on base-running awards, and when the ball is dead vs. delayed dead. For OBR I recommend making your own table as these are important to know. In other words study and learn those rules which you will see in just about every game. As mentioned do not "rack your brain" on those which will hardly if ever happen or if you do not fully understand the concept of "last time by"

4. Work on your mechanics

5. Dealing with coaches comes with experience but do not worry about that either. The Coach isn't putting food on your table. Remember it's a game no more no less meaning do not take what the coach says personal.

Ok time to end on a note which will probably get me in trouble but what the hey it's a rainy Friday here in NY.

<b> ANYONE</b> can umpire, however, not everyone can play shortstop for the NY Yankees.

Pete Booth

With apologies to Tee, this ties for the dumbest post ever.

I agree, but I think one thing that you may be missing is that umpiring is a profession. Being a doctor takes training. Being a teacher takes training. Umpiring is the same way.

Sure, I can know where muscle groups are, cool latin names, etc. but that doesn't make me a doctor.

Just like anybody can know the rules of baseball. That doesn't make them an umpiring.

Umpiring is a complex profession which is very difficult to master, just like any profession. Perfection is what we strive for, just like any other profession. Anybody can try to do it, but to get there is near impossible for most jobs, and for umpiring, it definately is impossible.

I don't think Pete meant they all had to meet your lofty standards. Rather, I think he's saying that anyone who is inclined to give it their best effort to become an umpire can umpire a baseball game with a fair degree of competency.


Tim.

It isn't?


Wait Pete, they have to blame someone

Maybe being a heart surgeon isn't that difficult, generally speaking (if you have the talent). Depends on a persons ability too, doesn't it.

Being a pilot isn't that difficult, generally speaking. But not everyone can do it.

The list goes on.

Anyone can do anything.....but can they do it well? Being a good ball/strike caller doesn't come naturally to everyone....sometimes it never comes to an umpire.

I'm not going to attempt to compare the complexity of being a surgeon with being an umpire (I'm married to a physician and know only too well what it takes to be a good surgeon). It's true the everyone can umpire ................ But not everyone can be a good umpire.

While it's true that there's only one F6 playing for the Yankee's there's only 28 umpire's working all of MLB full-time and only 220 in MiLB hoping for a shot at the Bigs. So obviously not everyone can umpire!

Are you that dense?
 

Nope...you just topped it with this one. One of the biggest attributes of internet umpires that think very highly of themselves and overrate their importance to the actual game is their lack of common sense. You, with this post and many others, have proven that stereotype to be completely and utterly true.

You have missed Pete's point entirely, mainly because of your own arrogance.

There's a couple ways we can look at Pete's statement: "ANYONE can umpire, however, not everyone can play shortstop for the NY Yankees."

First, taken your way, Pete would be comaring anyone off the street who is willing to give his best effort at umpiring with a professional baseball player with inordinate skill and years of training. Ridiculous.

Taken another way, Pete would be suggesting that ANYONE could make it through proschool, PBUC, short season A, long season A, Double A and Triple A and then take the field in the majors. That long road is littered with enough bodies of those who didn't make it to demonstrate that, this too, is ridiculous.

And lastly, (for the purposes of my post) is the possibility that no comparison, though made, was intended, and that, rather, Pete was saying 100% of the population (as in ANYONE) was capaable of becoming a competent "average" amateur umpire. As a trainer of youth and HS umpires, I personally know this to be patently fase. There are some people who just never "get it". There are some people, no matter how many clinics they attend, understand the concept of, or can perform proper mechanics. There are some people who have no concept of calling strikes, and I've seen some trainees who were so afraid of the ball that they backed out from behind the catcher on every pitch, even after four week ends of training and half a dozen game.

Taken at any level, and without consideration to whatever you believe my standards to be, the statment was ridiculous and certainly at least ties for the dumbest ever made on the internet.

Yak yak yak, I'm starting to understand how Tee and garth became so Jaded. Moron's like this spouting retardation. I know a lot more people who have played shortstop than have or could umpire. Yes not for the yankees, but lets compare apples here. Not everyone could umpire the Game 7 Plate of the world series in New York, no matter what some morons on here might think.

Also I think ANYONE could play shortstop for the yankees, just could they do it competently? NO, I think the same goes for umpires. Anyone can buy grey pants and a blue shirt and step on the field to adjudicate the game, but not as many can do it competently. There is a huge difference.

Don't simplify what we do, Don't devalue the service we provide and make us seem unimportant. That is what the fans and coaches do all the time, That is why the number of umpires is DOWN everywhere. And this is what causes the vast number of umpires to be useless, by saying anyone can do it shows that doing it right and getting better at it is a waste of time. That is not the case. Your post was a supreme insult to those here that attempt not only to UMPIRE but to UMPIRE WELL and PROPERLY.

No, I didn't miss Pete's point, but you apparently missed mine.

I am arrogant enough to believe that when one becomes an umpire, he owes it to the players, coaches, fans, partners and the "game" itself to be the best he can be at the level he is working. Unlike some here, my moto is not "dare to be adequate."

I have done this long enough to have seen the results of "ANYONE can be an umpire." They can be tragic for the game and for the umpire.

At the most basic level. umpires must be capable of good and quick judgement, physical agility, rule memorization and understanding, and game managment skills. If you've lived on this planet longer than ten years, you must have come across someone who does not fit this discription. Hell, you can see them on some youth fields every weekend. I've seen a LL umpire walk out of a game in the second inning out of frustration, not to return. Does he fit your expectation of an umpire?

Garth is right, but I'll take it one further.

This will be the post against which all the other dumb posts will be compared.

I've tried to forget most of your post, but in response to the last line,

NOT EVERYONE can work the plate at Yankee Stadium.

Who is Don Doniker ?

Bob

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser Garth is right, but I'll take it one further. This will be the post against which all the other dumb posts will be compared. I've tried to forget most of your post, but in response to the last line, NOT EVERYONE can work the plate at Yankee Stadium.

Rich you and Garth can you have your opinion but Major league baseball agrees with my statement.

Who has more power

The Players Union or the Umpires Union?

When the Major league Umpires did go on strike did major league baseball really care?

Also, look at this years debacle in the minor leagues. Again did Major league baseball really care. The games were being officiated and if the Minor league Umpires Union didn't "bend" in their original negotiations, Major league baseball would have continued to fill in the gaps.

Major league Baseball KNOWS they can get anyone to umpire their games.

For some strange reason IMO you and Garth seem to be on the "Richie Phillips" camp when it comes to umpiring, thinking that Umpires are a Critical part of the game. I know the game is not about us. It's about the participants. People do not come to the game to watch us.

Richie Phillips and the Umpires Union called Major league's baseball's bluff and got burned.

Therefore, you might think my last statement qualifies as one if not the dumbest statements ever but major league baseball doesn't think so.

And you talk about Dumb. What about your last statement

NOT EVERYONE can work the plate at Yankee Stadium

I can get a Zillion guys to work the plate at Yankee Stadium and guess what, it will not impact the game as much as if Derek Jeter was not playing Shortstop.

Pete Booth

Don Doniker is Petespeak for Don Denkinger, the infamous umpire who blew the call at first base in the 1985 World Series, which really had no bearing on the final results, but everyone blames him for it anyway.

Wow, another contender for the dumbest post ever, and in the same day.

What the hell does the power of unions have to do with the ability to umpire?

MLB agrees with you?!?!? Sure, that's why they take folks out of the stands to work Yankee Stadium and no longer require that uimpires attend proschool, PBUC and work their way through the minors and vacation relief. Everybody knows that. I must have forgotten. ANYBODY can umpire. You're absolutely right. Why, my mom is working the Dodger game later tonight.

Pete:

Let it go. It seems as if some umpires were to admit that this isn't rocket science their sense of self importance would suddenly be diminished.


Tim.

But is she working the plate?:rolleyes:

What the hell does the power of unions have to do with the ability to umpire?

It's very difficult discussing something with someone who simply doesn't get it.

You talk about ability in umpiring etc. and my point comparing the Players Union to the Umpire Union was this.

If Umpiring was the "be all and end all" and you need a certain amount of ability to call games, then why wouldn't Major league baseball go out of their way to settle Umpire Union Strikes - Why!

because Major league baseball can go to the Minors Leagues or PRO Schools and get anybody (and by anybody I mean anybody who attended and graduated from PRO Schooll - Geeze I feel like I am talking to my kids) to umpire their games.

Let's assume right now the Major league baseball Umpires went on strike. MLB would simply bring up the guys from the Minors to do their games.

There would not be a Work stoppage because the umpires went on strike.

Of Course one has to go to PRO School in order to be eligable. My point was that Anybody in PRO School or in the Minors could work those games.

Perhaps I shouldn't have used the term Anybody to make my point because you seem to be dense in my usage of the term and the illustrations I gave.

Learn to think "out of the box"

Pete Booth

Hmmm,
 

Let's see:

For 10 years on the internet I have said:

"Umpiring ain't that tough . . . balls/strikes, safe/out, fair/foul equal 99% of our game."

I do think Pete that you have a simplistic view of something you have never done:

Example:

After umpiring seven days of the dish for the Mariners in inter-squad games (2 of the games had attendance of about 40,000 and two had attendance of about about 6) both Jerry Naron (current Reds manager) and Bud Bulling, Seattle catchers, came to me and said: "Your balls and strikes were as good as we see every day in the Major Leagues . . . but don't get to cocky . . . we would like to see what happens when you are working in front of 55,000 fans in Yankee Stadium!"

So Pete, MLB players might not agree with your statement that "ANYONE can . . .".

I feel your post is silly at best and and nearly criminally wrong at the worst.

You have attempted to "socialize" umpiring and that will never work . . .

Pete, we know by experience, that when an umpire works over their head and choke that their strike zone resembles a pea. There is a difference my man and I am sorry that you can't see that . . .

It is truely sad that someone that appears to know as much as you about umpiring can be so tragically wrong on this simple but important issue.

Not all umpires can work all levels of games.

Regards,

So by your own analogy PETE, If Jeter were to go on strike, Retire, get injured the Yankee's would no longer play. Seems to have a few flaws in that there logic stuffs.

I think we all know that without players there is no game, So when they go on strike and the entire union the minor league players are in the same union for the most part goes on strike THEY ALL GO ON STRIKE. The owners as we all know, would never even consider using REPLACEMENT PLAYERS. Why they wouldn't hold a training camp with them or anything. NEVER! THE GAME WOULD DIE!

Pete you have tried to over simplify, you are wrong, condesending and ignorant. The comments are inane and downright wrong. So much so that now you are changing from anyone - to those few who have attended PRO SCHOOL, you already drummed out 75% of umpires out there are unable to do what you claimed ANYONE CAN DO!

TTFN
Andy

P.S. You *** called it wants your head out by Sunday.

P.P.S - Tee we have to stop agreeing this is getting creepy.

Pete

You are confusing politcs with ability. Don't do that. One only needs to look to Washington for the results of that.

I never argued that it takes the equivalent of a heart surgeon to do this. But you DID say that ANYONE could.

That simply is rubbish.

Then you said that any minor leaguer could. Obviously that isn't true and there are a number of released minor league umpires to attest to that. Some even were release when they attempt to fill in at the MLB level with disasterous results.

Then you tried to excuse your position based on a work stoppage. Equally ridiculous and more importantly, irrelevant. As soon as the stoppage was over, what happened? The "real" umpires came back.

What to compare silly arguments? What about the replacement players during the last NFL players strike? I guess the "real" players weren't all that important, eh?

Face it Pete, at best, you misrepresented your position by a poor choice of words. It is proveably not true that ANYONE can umpire.

Tee,

And despite the rocket science accusations, you and I have agreed on this. Umpiring is not tough. But over simplifications such as "anyone can be an umpire" are ridiculous and untrue.

Many, many people are simply not cut out to be umpires. Some do not have the physical coordination to be umpires others do not have the attitude and skills necessary for game and people management and still others have difficulty interpreting rule situations. To think otherwise, one would be delusional.

Pete, Way to go!---another great post thread!
The season is over for most of us, things quieting down, so what can I (Pete) do to liven things up again, get the old blood pumping? I know-be my consistent self and throw out an outragious opinion/sarcasm that will have most up in arms...
I can just picture you now...a small gnomelike creature, sitting there, giggling while wringing your hands, reading the posts....
Thanks for the laughs, cause you cant be serious...

Umpiring is not rocket science!

Anyone can read a rulebook but it takes inquisitiveness to find out what the rules mean.

Anyone can wear a uniform but it takes pride to make crisp creases and shine your shoes just right.

Anyone can stand there and let a manager ream you a new a$$hole but it takes control to talk him down and get the game going again.

Anyone can run a coach but it takes experience to know when to let him speak.

Anyone can call a swing but it takes understanding to know if that was a offer or not.

Anyone can call balls and strikes but it takes a certain drive to do it over and over until you get it right.

Anyone can call a runner safe or out but it takes a person with knowledge and a set of balls to call the interference or obstruction.

Anyone can walk onto a baseball field dressed as an umpire with everyone expecting him/her to be perfect but it takes an umpire to get better from there!

No, Umpiring is not rocket science but it is not for everyone either.

Pete,

Not everyone is cut out to be an umpire, so not just anyone can umpire. I have to agree with Garth on that point.

You said that anyone out of pro school could step right in to do the Yankees game. You must mean the Penobscot LL Yankees, because you certainly can't mean the New York Yankees.

I know lots of pro school grads that I would have a hard time putting on a Varsity HS game, much less anything close to a pro game. That's why PBUC only takes the top graduates out of every pro school class, and sends the rest home to terrorize the local diamonds with their new-found power trip.

It surprises me that I seem to be the only one, so far, who is willing to try to see what Pete is saying without rushing to the insult bucket. (BTW, "ties for the second dumbest post ever" is getting REALLY, REALLY trite.)

Pete is saying anyone can be an umpire, if they're willing to be a bad umpire. That's not too far from one of my standard sayings, which is "the only way to become a good umpire is to first be a bad one."

He goes on to point out, with validity, that the non-umpiring world is really, demonstrably, pretty tolerant of substandard umpiring. It wasn't substandard umpiring that resolved the MLB strike in the 90's, and it damn sure wasn't substandard umpiring that resolved the MiLB strike earlier this year. In this year's strike, it was pretty obviously the failure of the substandard replacement umpires to have any kind of noticeable impact on anybody except other umpires, that caused the MiLB umpires to settle and come back to work.

So what I took from what Pete was saying was simply that umpires are kind of like Rodney Daingerfield (RIP) in that we don't get no respect, in particular from the rest of the non-umpire baseball world. That ain't right, but that's the way it is.

I don't think he was claiming that there's no difference between a veteran, trained, diligent and dedicated umpire, and a dad out of the stands. I think he was claiming that, within reason, the dad out of the stands can walk on the field, wing it, and 99 out of 100 of the players, coaches, and spectators probably won't notice how bad he sucks, compared to a "real" umpire.

I don't know why those rather simple observations elicited such a visceral reaction from everybody.

I don't feel so out there alone then, Dave. I didn't have a problem with his analogy. It isn't rocket science and anybody can do it, although not everyone can do it well.


Tim.

Umpiring is not that tough: If you have

*excellent training
*outstanding mechanics
*sound positioning
*comprehensive rules knowledge
*proper use of the eyes
*sanity in game management
*common sense
*a well-developed idea of fairness
*a grasp of baseball tradition
*an unusually thick skin
*a good sense of humor
*some political savvy

If, I say, you have all of these things, then 99% of baseball calls itself. The ONLY hard part of umpiring is acquiring items 1-12.

I see that point!
 

I see the point, but part of his analogy was just a little shaky.

As umpires I (we) see it more than anyone everytime we attend a baseball game as fan or umpire.

Its very obvious that anyone "can" be an umpire. However, when there are 1000+ in the stands, or when its a one run game with bases loaded, or when the pitcher is throwing it 90+ - that's when we see that not everyone is cut out to be an umpire nor should everyone be an umpire.

Umpires don't cost games is great to say, but what about the Braves/Marlins in the playoffs.

And I know of several games that I've umpired or attended in which an umpires decision (based on lack of experience) made a tremendous difference in the game. You can play the song that it didn't win or lose the game, but who is to say that it didn't??

We'll never know because you can't replay history.

Thanks
DAvid

Umpiring is not that difficult but I don't think anyone can do it. It takes dediication, rules study and lots and lots of games at various levels to get good at it. The key is to get the participants to believe that your judgement is excellent. Not everyone can do this.

I'll agree...to a point. I reffed city league co-ed volleyball once. I'll never make that mistake again. I learned that officiating a sport wasn't for me. It is just not in my nature. So out of respect for the sports world, I stepped away from it.

My father officiated various sports for years until back surgery put him on the shelf. He was a good one, IMO, from what I saw. He was also a TI at Lackland AFB. Though he never sought out a confrontation, he didn't back away from it either.

Yes, anyone can find work as an official at the lowest levels. Just like anyone can find work as a broadcaster at the lowest levels. But not just anyone can do the job right and well enough to be around long.

There are qualified AAA umpires that could work the game behind the plate at Yankee Stadium just as there are qualified AAA shortstops that could play SS for the Yankees. A beginning umpire (little league) could not handle the umpiring any more than a beginning SS (LL) could handle Jeters job. It takes a lot of work and a lot of repetitions to do either at a high level. Yes, anyone can stand there, but can they handle the required situations, of course not.