Advice for New Umpires

[GarthB]

Never miss an opportunity to learn something.

[LakeErieUmp]

LISTEN.

Listen to older umpires' suggestions

Listen to your partner - your assignor should be pairing you up with someone he or she trusts your first few times out

Listen to your evaluator after the game

And LISTEN to the coaches and spectators. It IS possible you missed something. If so, remember what caused you to be out of position, or to lose attention (it happens), or to make a call you thought was right but not might have been. A lot of the posters here have a "I'm the ump, they're just rats" attitude but good coaches, and knowledgable fans, have quite possibly seen and played far more baseball than you have.

Most importantly, LISTEN to the advice of the respected members here. You'll quickly be able to determine who those are.

Have fun. Good luck.

[btdt]

After listening ... or observing verify what has been shared with you in the rule books, case books, umpires manuels etc.
Plenty of faulty information gets passed on. The person sharing it believes it, but doesn't mean its right ..... no matter how long a person has umpired. Sometimes you can get everyone to agree and guess what ..... wrong