What would you call this guy?

[Forest Ump]

I'm working the plate tonight on a 13-15 year old game. My first sign that the base guy was not up to snuff was when he took a cell phone call during the plate meeting. Actually my pre-game meeting with this guy told me all I needed to know about him. It only got worse from there. Here are some examples of the craftsmanship or lack there of that this gentlemen showed.

1. Standing in the A position on all calls at first. I don't mean rotating in to get the angle. I mean standing in foul territory on all calls at first.

2. Staying in same position sited above when anything was hit deep and the B/R was going beyond first. He was usually talking to the base coach at the time of the hit. I legged it out to second on more than one occasion in case I had a close one at second.

3. He carried a soda bottle out to the B position with him and proceeded to drink from it.

4. He called time twice in the first inning to ask me what count I had. I told him between innings how I give the count and to be patient and he would soon hear it.

5. Last inning, getting dark quickly, I hustle the visiting team out so the home team can get their last at bat. I'm moving everyone along so we can get going. The pitcher says" Blue, we can't start yet. He then points behind me. Base guy is leaning up against back stop shooting the bull with some one.

I swear I am not making any of this stuff up.



Thanks, I needed to vent.

[Welpe]

Yeeowch, sorry to hear about that. Reminds me of the ASA Fastpitch softball tournament I worked with a guy that carried a water bottle with him during an entire half inning. First he kept it in his hands while in A, then he went to putting it in his back pocket.

The rest of the guys were having a grand old time watching this from the snack bar.

[canadaump6]

Reminds me of the one time I was doing a tournament at a park with three diamonds on it. I'm doing the bases on the middle diamond. Between innings I watch as the home plate umpire runs, in his equipment, from parking lot to ball diamond, because he's late. Once he arrives at the diamond he finds out from his partner that he is actually doing bases.

Or of course the time an umpire in my league was completely baked when he did a game.

[sargee7]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

I'm working the plate tonight on a 13-15 year old game. My first sign that the base guy was not up to snuff was when he took a cell phone call during the plate meeting. Actually my pre-game meeting with this guy told me all I needed to know about him. It only got worse from there. Here are some examples of the craftsmanship or lack there of that this gentlemen showed.

1. Standing in the A position on all calls at first. I don't mean rotating in to get the angle. I mean standing in foul territory on all calls at first.

2. Staying in same position sited above when anything was hit deep and the B/R was going beyond first. He was usually talking to the base coach at the time of the hit. I legged it out to second on more than one occasion in case I had a close one at second.

3. He carried a soda bottle out to the B position with him and proceeded to drink from it.

4. He called time twice in the first inning to ask me what count I had. I told him between innings how I give the count and to be patient and he would soon hear it.

5. Last inning, getting dark quickly, I hustle the visiting team out so the home team can get their last at bat. I'm moving everyone along so we can get going. The pitcher says" Blue, we can't start yet. He then points behind me. Base guy is leaning up against back stop shooting the bull with some one.

I swear I am not making any of this stuff up.

This is what I get for working with volunteers.

Thanks, I needed to vent.

Sounds like this guy needs some retraining. But, I individually, do resent the comment about you working with volunteers. I don't think it is fair or appropriate to use such a blanket comment.

I know a whole bunch of guys/gals who volunteer and do an excellent job, I have also worked with guys/gals such as you describe.

[LMan]

RE: #4, well at least he wanted to know the count.

RE: #5, I'd have started without him. Doesn't sound like you were missing all that much, and the embarrassment might have done some good.

[Ump29]

I would not call this guy an umpire although I have worked with/seen many like this, maybe not all in the same game but over time everything, yes.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by sargee7

Sounds like this guy needs some retraining. But, I individually, do resent the comment about you working with volunteers. I don't think it is fair or appropriate to use such a blanket comment.

I know a whole bunch of guys/gals who volunteer and do an excellent job, I have also worked with guys/gals such as you describe.

This behavior isn't isolated to volunteer umpires. I had a HS JV game that was scheduled to start at 4:00. I'm assigned to work the bases. I arrived at the field at about 3:25. Both teams are already there and are throwing.

I sat and watched from the car as both teams went through fielding practice and you could see the coaches starting to look around for the umpires. It's about 3:45 and I'm starting to worry about my partner's whereabouts.

At 3:50 I open the trunk and start to put on the plate gear. Just as I'm pulling my shirt over my head a van comes around the corner and parks next to me. Out jumps a fellow whose wearing a wrinkled shirt, dirty pants and sneakers. Around his waist is a fanny pack.

Without saying hello he announces that he hopes I have a big f*cking strike zone. I should have taken off the gear right there but I knew the teams were itching to get the game started. My partner grabs a small gym bag and tells me he's ready.

He's still wearing sneakers and hasn't put on a hat so I assume that this stuff must be in his bag. We walk to the field and I watch in astonishment as he simply drops his bag along the fence and joins me for the plate conference.

Sneakers. Fanny pack. No belt. No hat.

And those were his positive attributes! His mechanics and positioning were terrible and I have some serious questions about his judgment.

To complete the picture, he came to me whenever he had a chance between innings to complain that none of the assignors will give him a varsity game.

As soon as the final out was called he literally grabbed his bag and ran to his van. Good enough for me, I had in his company for long enough on that day.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by Forest Ump

2. Staying in same position sited above when anything was hit deep and the B/R was going beyond first. He was usually talking to the base coach at the time of the hit. I legged it out to second on more than one occasion in case I had a close one at second.

I would talk to him between innings and let him know that that's the last time I would cover for him. And then it's sink or swim. JMHO.

To answer your question, I don't know what I would call him, but it wouldn't be "an umpire."

[Forest Ump]

Originally Posted by sargee7

Sounds like this guy needs some retraining. But, I individually, do resent the comment about you working with volunteers. I don't think it is fair or appropriate to use such a blanket comment.

I know a whole bunch of guys/gals who volunteer and do an excellent job, I have also worked with guys/gals such as you describe.

Hey Sargee, point understood. Didn't mean to denigrate volunteers. That's how I started. Heck, I was a volunteer in this game. Comment removed.

[bellsjc]

I am somewhat confused. First, I don't understand what a volunteer umpire is and why a volunteer umpire would be working a game with a paid umpire. Secondly, I quess in different parts of the country there are groups of people who call themselves umpires but actually don't belong to any kind of association. My association does not tolerate behavior that isn't totally professional and consistant from any of our umpires. We are all trained not only the rules of the game and the mechanics, but also where to go and what to do between innings. We all must also pay the utmost attention to our appearance. We cannot ware anything that is not association approved, and we also have a grooming policy that prohibits long hair and facial hair (Like the NY Yankees). If we don't follow policy, we are fined and of course don't get assigned games. We cannot work any game if it is not assigned by the commisioner of assignments, and we are required to contact our partners at least 24 hours before the game to make sure we are on the same page. I do volunteer my umpiring services on my own. During summer ball, I am assigned by my association as usual. I then choose to not accept payment from a certain number of games from a certain number of teams. It is my way of helping out the various youth leagues that are seeing rising costs hurt them. I guess not all areas are the same as mine.

[Rcichon]

Pardon the flip response but I think a Volunteer Umpire is an Umpire that does not receive remuneration for games he/she officiates.

Facial or long hair? While I understand that some associations may have this policy I disagree with it. What the he!! does facial hair or long hair have to do with anything? And if I worked in MLB maybe I wouldn't CARE if I had to remove long or facial hair since I might feel well compensated for that.

When you refuse payments from those Leagues that you choose to 'help out', does your assignor still make his 10%-20% anyway?

On those days you are 'Volunteering', do you feel less about yourself?

[bellsjc]

I don't neccessarily agree with the grooming requirements of our association however, it is made perfectly clear to all members and it is enforced. In fact, I where a goatee whenever I am not umpiring. Day before my first game... off it comes. The thought process of the association is that it wants all its umpires to look professional. Same thought process as the Yankees. I have to say that it does look kinda bad when you see an umpire with hair down to his shoulders or a day old beard. As far as our assignor getting his fee... he gets his $ regardless of whether I take $ from the teams or not. I live in a small town... my kids all played little league, Babe Ruth, American Legion, ect. When I do games in my town, I sometimes choose to donate my fee back to the organization. Its an uncomplicated thing.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by bellsjc

I don't neccessarily agree with the grooming requirements of our association however, it is made perfectly clear to all members and it is enforced. In fact, I where a goatee whenever I am not umpiring. Day before my first game... off it comes. The thought process of the association is that it wants all its umpires to look professional. Same thought process as the Yankees. I have to say that it does look kinda bad when you see an umpire with hair down to his shoulders or a day old beard. As far as our assignor getting his fee... he gets his $ regardless of whether I take $ from the teams or not. I live in a small town... my kids all played little league, Babe Ruth, American Legion, ect. When I do games in my town, I sometimes choose to donate my fee back to the organization. Its an uncomplicated thing.

Now you had to make me go grab my soapbox.

I am a professional; I am a controller for a multi-million dollar non-profit organization. I wear a mustache & goatee combo (whatever you want to call it. Believe me when I say there is nothing unprofessional about properly worn facial hair.

The conceit that any and all facial hair is unprofessional is rooted in a 1950s mindset (that or just jealousy from people who cannot grow a reasonable beard). All that banning all facial hair gets you is the loss of a good portion of qualified umpires.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

The conceit that any and all facial hair is unprofessional is rooted in a 1950s mindset (that or just jealousy from people who cannot grow a reasonable beard).

If I ran an association, I would not allow facial hair either. Why? Cause I'm a guy who can't grow it...



Serious about the second part, not the first....

[bellsjc]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

Now you had to make me go grab my soapbox.

I am a professional; I am a controller for a multi-million dollar non-profit organization. I wear a mustache & goatee combo (whatever you want to call it. Believe me when I say there is nothing unprofessional about properly worn facial hair.

The conceit that any and all facial hair is unprofessional is rooted in a 1950s mindset (that or just jealousy from people who cannot grow a reasonable beard). All that banning all facial hair gets you is the loss of a good portion of qualified umpires.

Don't get on the soapbox. You don't have to convince me that you can't be a pro and were a mustache & goatee. I wear a mustache and goatee as I said and I am business professional for a 3 company llc. My mustache and goatee are always trimmed very short and always looks neat. I think the association banning all facial hair is the easiest way to assure the neat look they are trying to portray. It would be far more difficult to have someone say... gee, Joe your beard is nice and short and trimmed its ok, but you Charlie need to trim that up a bit before you can do a game. No wiggle room is easier to enforce with less problems or arguments.