an association who accepts less payment for the bases is absurd. implying that plate versus base makes a difference in a two man blows major goats...this is bad IMO for a couple reasons...1. younger umpires might not get a chance to learn the plate due to certain money hungry experienced umpires. 2. to determine that one job on the field is more/less important than the other is just plain wrong...

the varisty games are probably easier than your U9 games. typically the higher the level of game, the "easier" they are to work...

Yeah, that's why we start all our beginning umpires at D-1 and let them work their way up to LL.

I knew you would disagree with this. As soon as I read it, I wondered how long until Garth chimed in.:cool:

Pay difference plate vs. base
 

Getting back on topic, and to address Rich's question about the pay difference, I can't say I've honestly ever heard a reason for the difference. I'm in my 5th year of HS ball, and it's been that way since I've been in this region, and I think all of SC is that way as well. Nobody seems to mind or complain, to my knowledge. My guess is it came about in SC mainly due to the fact you are the UIC and have to wear the gear for the game. But, it is an interesting question, and I'm inclined to try to find the answer. I'm not going to dispute that both umpires are equally crucial to a successfully called game - they are. In all other ball in this area, the rate is the same for either plate or bases, so that also adds evidence to the fact the difference is probably directed by the SC High School League.

In my region, at least, most schedules are pretty balanced - that is, you'll typically get an equal number of plate games and base games, so it tends to balance out, which is probably why nobody minds the difference. Now, I do now some guys who are excellent plate men who tend to do more plate games, but mainly as a result of their skill, not demanding more plate time for the extra bucks. Honestly, the more experienced guys in my association tend to not want to do the plate games to avoid the wear and tear on the knees.

In my association the assignor assigns umpires to their position and the more experienced umpires are generally assigned the plate. If I am assigned bases with someone I know to be less experienced I say nothing to the assignor if he does an average job, but if he does a superior job I will tell my assignor. It don't happen in a conference game between two good teams. And the guys with more experience might say they don't care, but deep down they really want the plate. Unless you are recovering from an appendectomy, who doesn't? Pay is the same.

Nassau County, New York
 

These are the 2-man rates for Nassau County in New York (Long Island):

Game Fee Schedule 2006/2007:
Varsity: $107.12
JV: $86.52
JHS: $77.25
LATE FEES:
Varsity: $26.78
JV: $21.63
JHS: $19.31

Fee and a half for one-man games.
7 innings, JHS has a 2 hour time limit.

What is a LATE FEE?

If they're paying $107 a game they probably expect punctuality.
The late fee is the penalty for being a Smitty.
Not a bad idea!!

We get that for softball also in NY -

Late Fee- when the game starts over 30 min past scheduled time due to visiting team arriving late, etc...We are SUPPOSED to give the teams 15 min to warm up - so if a team arrives at 3:46 for a 4 pm game, we get the late fee!


Looking at some of those game fees, it is no wonder some areas are having trouble getting officials!

by the way in our area of NY (mid Hudson Valley)for softball we get -

$53 for what NY calls 'modified' - 7th and 8th grade

$62 for JV

$72 for varsity

during our last regional contract negotiations, the baseball umps, who have under Title IX always received the same fees as every other sports official, regardless of gender or sport, gummed up the works by filing for arbitration over wanting more!

Are you kidding?
 

$107 for a 7 inning HS game and an extra $30 if they start the game even 1 second late? Juco in CA is $115 and DI is $170-$225 for 9 inning games. I motion that who ever negotiates for you needs to go to work for every other organization in the country. From the sounds of it the MiLB guys would be making 6 figures this year if your guys worked for them.

Garth...you know my point. Overall, it's much "easier" to work a game where both pitchers are throwing strikes, defenses are making plays, and hitters are swinging the bats. You can't disagree with that...that's my only point. There's nothing more mentally tough then working the dish for a game where both pitchers suck, hitters aren't swinging, and defenses are giving offenses 8outs an inning. that's my point.

No, I didn't know your point. I only knew what you wrote, which was far different from your current post.

In your original post on this subject you weren't comparing better players or better teams within the same level. You compared Varsity with U9 and stated the higher the "level" the easier they are to work.

This is simply not true. If it were, LLDan would be a MiLB umpire.

I do agree that for umpires trained for and experienced in any certain level, the higher quality players and teams, WITHIN that level, are far more enjoyable to work and create less stress. But if you put an umpire experienced only at the U9 level in a Varsity game, you'd have one hell of sh!t house.

Not all associations assign base / plate responsibilities. They leave it up to the umpiring crew with seniority being the "trump card".

Therefore, you had a very inequitable plate / base schedule. If you were a first year Varisty Official, you would have something like 15-20 plates in a row.

The vets would take the plate come playoff time because that's where you "earn your stripes" but would do the bases almost the entire regular season yet earn the same pay.

With the aforementioned inequities, some associations then decided to give a pay differential so that one person would not do the plate the entire season.

I do not advocate it but I understand it. In my association you get a mixture of plate / base responsibilities during the season.

Pete Booth

I still don't understand it Pete. First, I don't know of veteran who wouldn't prefer the plate. Second, a BU can screw up a game just as much, and according to some D-1 coaches I know, even more than a PU. The grass is where the snakes hide.

I know of no justifiable reason to pay BU's less than PU's.