Mr. Umpire

[GarthB]

Robert:

I got home from classes to find your post in a locked thread.

Yes, your memory serves you well. As you and Tee have remembered, I offered to fly at my own expense to San Diego to see what he was so proud of. He ignored the offer at first, then later replied that he had no games and there was no winter ball going on in San Diego. (In case Stevie denies it, the offer was made in post 13 of this old thread from October of 2005 Amateur vs. Pro)

Good to hear from you, but some unanticipated events will keep us from another visit back this year. Hopefully next. Stay well, friend.

[SanDiegoSteve]

I did not ignore the offer, I was off the internet for a brief period. When I discovered it, it was at a time where I wasn't working any games. I did say that if you could find me a game to umpire, you were welcome to watch me work. As I said though, I have worked with, and been evaluated by former, future, and current MLB umpires, and none of them have anything bad to say about the way I umpire. That's good enough for me. I said that I would have done an adequate job filling in at top levels if need be, at least as good as any of the scab umpires did. I stand by that statement. I also think that if I had pursued a career in umpiring, that I would have been successful. There is nothing wrong with having that kind of confidence in one's abilities. I made that statement, because anything I have ever put my all into, I have been successful. I certainly would not have ever made those statements if I had thought a rude, insensitive person like you would belittle me for having those thoughts, and continue to rub salt in my wounds until this day.

And my name is Steven, not Stevie. Get it right.

And now you can go f*ck yourself, because I'm done with you.

[GarthB]

Stevie:

A little birdie sent me an email and told me I had to take a look at your post.

This is just too funny.

In a now closed thread when Robert reminded you of an offer I had made to watch you umpire, you replied:

"You have a horrible memory. Garth never made any such offer."

And, now in this thread you not only admit the offer was made, you offer excuses as to why you didn't accept it.

Rarely has one been caught so obviously in a lie.

This was such a thoughtful gift. Thank you, and Merry Christmas. As much as I have enjoyed it, it's back to to the list for you. I'm afraid I'd be tempted to stoop to your level and language.

[kylejt]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[SanDiegoSteve]

This is what you wrote on October 16th, 2005.

Originally Posted by GarthB

Oh, sh!t, you're serious. I thought you were pulling our chain. You really believe you're that good! Damn.

Okay, let's get to the truth of it all. It'll take some time, but what the hey.

I've seen several internet posters work games and several have seen me. I haven't seen you, but we can fix that.

Proposal 1:

I spend three weeks in Southern California each winter. Just post your winter schedule and I'll come and video one of your games. We can download it to a website and let everyone bask in your wonder.

Proposal 2: I'll be attending Jim Evans' Desert Classic again next year. Come and join me, and, if at the end of the week Jim agrees with your assessment of yourself, I'll pay your clinic fees.

I'll put my money where my mouth is and you put your "talent" where your mouth is. What could be more fair?

Edited to add: BTW, is it true you post at umpire.org as "Augie Donatelli?"

This was my response, the very next day, October 17th. (where did you get that I did not respond immediately?):

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Okay, Garth, here's the deal

proposal #1: If you want to wait until around February, when our high school pre-season gets underway, fine. I'm not going to be working before anyone else here gets to.

proposal #2: Let me get this straight: You mean you want me to subject myself to a strenuous week of running and sweating my old a$$ off in the damn desert, just so you could see if I could umpire around 40 plates a year, work a 4-man crew all season, sit around hotels drinking Mai-tai's till game time, and get vacations during my season? Bring Bruce Froemming with you, not me. My umpire school style boot camp session days are way behind me. Just sign my fat butt up for the show.

You gotta admit, how hard is it to be better than Bob Engel, or Fred Brocklander, a couple of scabs? I never said I was freakin' Doug Harvey, did I? I said some umpires, not the best ones. Lighten up a bit there, sport.

And then I joined a different association for last season, which I wouldn't want anybody watching me work in, since it was small diamond ball mostly. I made this move so I could umpire some of my nephew's LL games last season, which I was able to do. That was my entire rationale for changing groups.

At the time you offered to come video me, there were no games being played, and none on the foreseeable horizon.

HEY, IF YOU ALLOWED PM'S I WOULDN'T HAVE TO RESORT TO POSTING PUBLICLY. YOU ARE A VERY INSULTING PERSON, AND YOU REALLY HURT MY FEELINGS LAST YEAR, AND NOW YOU KEEP SAYING LIES, IN THAT I TRIED TO GET OUT OF YOU COMING TO MY GAMES, WHICH IS BULLSH*T!

[Justme]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

HEY, IF YOU ALLOWED PM'S I WOULDN'T HAVE TO RESORT TO POSTING PUBLICLY. YOU ARE A VERY INSULTING PERSON, AND YOU REALLY HURT MY FEELINGS LAST YEAR, AND NOW YOU KEEP SAYING LIES, IN THAT I TRIED TO GET OUT OF YOU COMING TO MY GAMES, WHICH IS BULLSH*T!

GarthB:

I hope that you can see just how sensitive of a person SDS is and apologize for hurting his feelings last year. An umpire the high caliber of SDS (just ask him) deserves to be respected and admired. It is doubtful that you or I could ever hope to match his skill on the diamond (after all he has been evaluated by past, present and future MLB umpires) and is associated with the SDCBUA (or something like that). Time for a healing hug…. but please, no kiss (this isn’t Brokeback Baseball).

[Dave Hensley]

As an uninvolved observer of this little exchange, I must say the most glaring and opinion-shaping omission to me is SDS's completely ignoring the fact that he initially denied that Garth ever offered to come meet him in San Diego ("You have a horrible memory. Garth never made any such offer."), and, when called on that inaccuracy in this thread, he has, again, completely ignored it, instead of owning up to being wrong in making that statement.

That kind of takes the statement in question from "inaccuracy" to "outright falsehood" in my book.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Dave Hensley

As an uninvolved observer of this little exchange, I must say the most glaring and opinion-shaping omission to me is SDS's completely ignoring the fact that he initially denied that Garth ever offered to come meet him in San Diego ("You have a horrible memory. Garth never made any such offer."), and, when called on that inaccuracy in this thread, he has, again, completely ignored it, instead of owning up to being wrong in making that statement.

That kind of takes the statement in question from "inaccuracy" to "outright falsehood" in my book.

Okay Dave, just for your sake...

Let me address this once and for all:

Yes, I was wrong. I had forgotten about Garth offering to come watch me work at his own expense. When reminded of it by the posting of the old thread, it actually proved my point. Not only did I immediately respond to the offer, I provided a valid reason, not an excuse, of why it would not be possible. So to Mr. Umpire, I apologize for denying the offer, but your assessment of how I responded to it was wrong.

If Garth could have lined up a game for me to umpire, I would have gladly worked it. The fact that there were no games available for me to umpire prevented that from happening until the following January. Then, I decided to join a different association for 2006. There is a non-compete clause in the contract for the high school association here, so I could not be a member of both groups at once.

I also stated that I wasn't about to go to the desert and work myself into a heart attack just to prove anything to Garth. I am in no physical shape to put myself through something like that. Not to mention that I could not afford to make the trip. Garth only offered to pay the cost of the class if Jim Evans was impressed. He never said "all expenses paid" or I may have just took him up on it.

The bottom line is, Garth dismissed my assessment of my skills with haughty laughter, prior to any knowledge to the contrary. To me, that is rude and myopic. JMHO.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I made this move so I could umpire some of my nephew's LL games last season, which I was able to do. That was my entire rationale for changing groups.

Are you serious?

Please tell me that this isn't a common occurance in beisbol. Even at the LL level, no one should be deliberately umpiring a relative's game. That's an absolute no-no in the sports that I officiate, even at the kiddie-ball level. We simply won't assign officials with an obvious conflict of interest like that to a relative's games.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Are you serious?

Please tell me that this isn't a common occurance in beisbol. Even at the LL level, no one should be deliberately umpiring a relative's game. That's an absolute no-no in the sports that I officiate, even at the kiddie-ball level. We simply won't assign officials with an obvious conflict of interest like that to a relative's games.

Given a choice between a competent official or a parent from the stands I think it's best to use the competent official even if he has a relative playing. I don't like to do it, but I've had to umpire games that my sons were playing in because there was no one else to do it worth a darn.


Tim.

[PWL]

You gotta admit, how hard is it to be better than Bob Engel, or Fred Brocklander, a couple of scabs ? I never said I was freakin' Doug Harvey, did I? I said some umpires, not the best ones. Lighten up a bit there, sport.

I'm surprised Steven used the word scabs. When the MiLB umpires were on strike, he vehemently opposed the use of the word. Something about it being derogatory. How about picking a side of the fence to stand on, sport?

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by Jim Mills

I was once recruited to umpire for the U-17 team on which my nephew played. I declined.

His coach said, "Jim, the only guys we could get both $uck! Come on, just this once!" I declined.

They played with the umpires who "$ucked." Guess what? They $ucked.

Guess what else? The sun set in the west that evening, and rose in the east the following day.

Were they umpires who just weren't up to par or were they dads in shorts and sandals who were drug from the stands? I think it makes a difference.


Tim.

[bossman72]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

Given a choice between a competent official or a parent from the stands I think it's best to use the competent official even if he has a relative playing. I don't like to do it, but I've had to umpire games that my sons were playing in because there was no one else to do it worth a darn.


Tim.

Yeah, but steve made it seem like there WAS an association filling his nephew's league and he just wanted to officiate that game. If there was NO officials, then yes, i agree with your assessment.

But around here, that's a no-no. We're barely even allowed to officiate games at the high school we graduated from...

[PeteBooth]

Jim do not know your area, but it's pretty much a given that after you get "your feet" wet you pretty much know most of the participants.

They might not be related, but the players could be kids of Friends you know or friends that have come to your house via your kids.

My son played LL. Many of the kids I umpired for at the HS level also stayed over at my house many a time.

After you umpire a few years, you pretty much know many of the participants. They know you have a job to do.

In Summary: If you are going to be a "homer" then you are a "homer" reagrdless of whose playing.

Pete Booth