I've finally seen it............

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

I've never considered umpiring or officiating a game of survival. Proper game management skills allow the vast majority of games to go smooth.
In the rare case a storm hits then I take it as a challenge to get through it professionally, making proper rulings and keeping my integrity. If the adrenaline spikes a bit it's invigorating.
Never do I take the field with the thought of hoping to survive.
Talk about coaches smelling blood.

Don, it is clear you will never understand anything. I give you a concept and all you do is, "yeah but......" If you umpire and you want to keep umpiring you do things that will keep you doing it. One of the ways is not looking like someone that is not knowledgeable about the job. Now anyone can work a LL or travel league game. Not everyone gets asked to do all levels of baseball.

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

Here's the thing, I'm not new and I'm not inexperienced, there is nothing to take advantage of.
Good game management skills trump bag brushing.

Aren't you the one that says you could care less what others think when you're on the field?

And I care why?

Game management skills are also about perception. If you are perceived to be a rookie, you might not be given the leeway to get your point across or that a coach and players will listen to you when the heat is on. It is clear that veterans that are respected can say and do things that some new kid on the block never will be able to do.

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

No I think everyone else is including yourself.
I have simply said that in order to see the bag at 120' I have no problem brushing it. That was in response to many people on this thread calling anyone who brushes a bag a smitty.
It's ok to kick the bag, but heaven forbid you actually lean down and accomplish something.

Apparently you don't work any high profile travel tournaments. The expectations are as high as any varsity contest.

I work an organization’s World Series that last few years. It is a 15 year old tournament and it is the only youth ball I work the entire year.

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

Does your association take any one with a mask and a shirt to do games?
If that's the case I can see it being pretty easy to get to varsity and college in your area.

It is clear you live under the myth that everyone that works any sport is always the best and brightest. Also I do not work all my games from one source or association as you put it. I work for a lot of people in different situations and circumstances. And I know that in my state baseball is the step child of the three sports I work. It is a lot easier to get certain opportunities because there are not the numbers as other sports to be so selective.

Don, I think if you read Tim's post earlier he pretty much pegged me accurately. I am a person that has been asked several times to teach newer officials in all my sports with either with my associations I belong to or by the state office in which I live. I have recently been asked to run a clinic for newer officials from around my entire state can and will attend in the year and in the future. They could have picked several people to do the things I was asked but consistently I am asked to continue the work that many people find valuable. I am not telling you anything to get you to completely agree with me. I am telling you this to help the reader avoid a perception that might make a situation bad for an inexperienced umpire. I have never tried to equate this one issue with all game management skill or every other aspect of umpiring. But one pebble will make difference in any pond. And usually a little thing like this is followed by other things. If you think this is not a big deal, then what do you think about the detail of your uniform or a specific mechanic? My post is not to convince you, but every time someone tries to make a point to you, you want to magnify this situation more than what it really is.

Peace