I wanted to kick my assignor this weekend

[Julio Caliente]

This weekend my assignor paired with a guy that needed lots and lots of help for two games out of my 10. My assignor actually said "I am sorry to pair you with guy, but we are in a pinch for umps and I only call this guy when I am short. Keep an eye on him and try to not let him screw up too bad." To my assignors credit he was filling in when we had gaps (4 games rained out the night before caused havoc in the schedule) and he isn't a spring chicken. Anyways, five brief things of some of this guys "issues":

1) I am the PU on a game that was on the field prior to the one I was working with him on and the game was going long and is in the 5th inning. The home team is in the field while the pitcher warms up, I am standing down the foul line with my mask under my arm counting pitches, and this guys walks onto the field, sets his canteen down, and says "You must be Frank, I am supposed to work this game with you. I was told that I had plate but since you are already in your gear you can do it if you want." I bit my lip before I asked him WTF he was thinking when I said " We are still in the 5th inning of the game prior to yours, we are behind schedule and will most likely be another 30-45 min. Please leave the field."

2) Terrible plate work. The only difference between his "ball motion" and "strike motion" was he put a finger out on his strike call. Yes, he put an arm out for "ball". He did yell "STEEEEEEEEERRRIKE" loud enough I am sure people across the parking lot on the LL side could hear. As one coach put it "He sure is enthusiastic".

3) Next game he is the BU, R2 and the F1 picks up and turns on his pivot foot to pick to 2nd; however, he didn't make it around and his foot landed point towards F5. I call a balk and so does he. I think sweet, maybe he may know something after all. Nope, I was wrong. I called a balk because he didn't step anywhere near towards second and it was blatantly obvious from the plate. BU starts to tell the pitcher that once he picks up he has to go to the plate. I stop him before says another word and tell the pitcher that when he picks to a base he must step towards that base. BU says in between innings "I thought you could only spin when you pick at 2nd base."

4) Wanted to come talk to me in between every inning and even proceeded to talk to the fans in the stands behind home plate. When I was a getting a drink from my bottle of water a girl came over to the fence and asked me "Can you tell him to stop coming over to talk to me. He is creeping me out."


Lastly, my favorite.......


5) When he was BU he refused to wear a hat. When I asked him about it he said, "My hair is a too short for a hat. They just don't work for me." I just shook my head and walked away.


When I my assignor saw me at the end of the games he was laughing and asked me "How did it go?" I laughed and told him if he ever puts me with him again I would kick him in the nuts.

* edited because I brain farted on my nomenclature... my bad. It was early when I wrote this

[Don Mueller]

Originally Posted by Julio Caliente

Lastly, my favorite.......


5) When he was BU he refused to wear a hat. When I asked him about it he said, "My hair is a too short for a hat. They just don't work for me." I just shook my head and walked away.

Did he actually refuse to wear a hat after you or the assignor asked him to, or did he just not wear one?
Did you just ask him where his hat was or did you try to impart a little wisdom and knowledge of proper dress code for umps?

When you were first learning your skills as an umpire did the other umps help you out, give constructive criticism, have patience with you during your learning curve or did they talk about you behind your back, make fun of you, report all your bad mechanics or bad rule interps to the assignor and refuse to work with you in the future?

[UmpLarryJohnson]

how can hair be too SHORT for a hat?

P1? P5?????


i think this is a TROLL

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

Did he actually refuse to wear a hat after you or the assignor asked him to, or did he just not wear one?
Did you just ask him where his hat was or did you try to impart a little wisdom and knowledge of proper dress code for umps?

When you were first learning your skills as an umpire did the other umps help you out, give constructive criticism, have patience with you during your learning curve or did they talk about you behind your back, make fun of you, report all your bad mechanics or bad rule interps to the assignor and refuse to work with you in the future?

He said he asked him about the hat, and the guy said he didn't like to wear a hat because of his short hair. He does not sound like a newbie, he sounds like a Smitty.

People like these have an aversion to learning anything about the proper way of doing things. I'm sure this guy has been told time and time again about his mechanics and appearance. The assignor even said that he doesn't use the guy because he sucks so badly. This indicates that the guy has been around long enough to know mechanics, rules, and above all. . .wear a damn hat when umpiring the bases.

There is certainly nothing wrong with not wanting to work again with someone who is totally incompetent, as this guy appears to be.

My instructors had patience with me when I started, but then again, I always wore my hat.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

how can hair be too SHORT for a hat?

P1? P5?????


i think this is a TROLL

nope, not a troll. Just too early in the morning and brain farted. Sorry F5 and F1..... my bad

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

how can hair be too SHORT for a hat?

P1? P5?????


i think this is a TROLL

That is what I THOUGHT of YOU when I read your first POST.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

Did he actually refuse to wear a hat after you or the assignor asked him to, or did he just not wear one?
Did you just ask him where his hat was or did you try to impart a little wisdom and knowledge of proper dress code for umps?

When you were first learning your skills as an umpire did the other umps help you out, give constructive criticism, have patience with you during your learning curve or did they talk about you behind your back, make fun of you, report all your bad mechanics or bad rule interps to the assignor and refuse to work with you in the future?

I helped him whenever I could. When he was in "B" the way he was standing he would have to turn his body 180 degrees to make a call on a pick at first. I told him that in my opinion I would angle my body to where I would only have to move my head and not my whole body.

I also set my mask on the ground in between innings and showed that when he was in A his goal was to get 90 degrees to the flight of the ball so he could see better (he was staying foul territory). I then demonstrated where I would go based on a ball hit to F5, F6, and F4.

It wasnt like I didnt want to help him. He just wasnt very receptive because after I showed him that stuff with my mask he still never left A to make a call.


I also never said a word to my assignor about his balk call. My assignor view is bad enough and he has even sat him down and said "Look, you need to work on this, this, and this. Not worry about this, this, and this" and he never changed it. I tried to show him some things that I feel are correct (even though I am inexperienced and have a lot to learn) but he was dead set in his ways.

[UmpLarryJohnson]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

That is what I THOUGHT of YOU when I read your first POST.

i understand why that would be!! i am trying my best to stop the caps since that bothers. even tho i had to baktrak 3 times on this post bad habits are tuff to break.

i will do my best to post better.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Julio Caliente

I told him that in my opinion I would angle my body to where I would only have to move my head and not my whole body.

Larry MIGHT be right.

Or, it could just be that Julio is not too caliente.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Julio, what Garth is beating around the bush to say is that the proper position in "B" is facing home plate, and when there is a pickoff you step forward and pivot on your left foot, swinging your right foot around and squaring up to the base. You are not supposed to just "turn your head."

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by GarthB

Larry MIGHT be right.

Or, it could just be that Julio is not too caliente.

Yeah, that story comes form a buddy of mine who said I look mexican (even though I am not). Well, long story short....

He started calling me Julio and teh name stuck...

Ontop of that I am overweight but am a happy go lucky guy and so I responded with "Yeah, but I am sexy *****" and the name Julio Caliente has stuck.


As for mechanics in B I like to stand where i can see the pitcher, R1, and the plate all in my field of view. The guy I was working with had his back facing first. His chest was pointing out towards the left field foul pole and there was no way he could turn and make an accurate call on a quick pick. If my mechanics are wrong feel free to correct them.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Julio, what Garth is beating around the bush to say is that the proper position in "B" is facing home plate, and when there is a pickoff you step forward and pivot on your left foot, swinging your right foot around and squaring up to the base. You are not supposed to just "turn your head."

My body does turn, but I don't think I pivot correctly like you say. Well, there is another thing to work on.




For the record, I have never been to a school in my life. I do plan on going to one before next season though (I know I have a lot to learn). everything I have learned I have either been taught from somebody I worked with, or picked up from watching better umpires.

[Don Mueller]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

He said he asked him about the hat, and the guy said he didn't like to wear a hat because of his short hair. He does not sound like a newbie, he sounds like a Smitty.

People like these have an aversion to learning anything about the proper way of doing things. I'm sure this guy has been told time and time again about his mechanics and appearance. The assignor even said that he doesn't use the guy because he sucks so badly. This indicates that the guy has been around long enough to know mechanics, rules, and above all. . .wear a damn hat when umpiring the bases.

There is certainly nothing wrong with not wanting to work again with someone who is totally incompetent, as this guy appears to be.

My instructors had patience with me when I started, but then again, I always wore my hat.

My original point that I was trying to make ever so subtley was "those who live in glass houses........"
We all have an idiosyncrisy(sp) or two that appear to be be smittyish to others, and some simply have not had proper training though their intention may be pure.
Julio seems to be on the newer side of things and was already throwing stones as well as other umps under the bus. Nothing wrong with thinking twice before picking up the stone.

BTW,
If this guy is as incompetent as he appears and as stubborn and unwilling to learn as he appears then perhaps the assignor or assignors in the area that keep giving him work are just as incompetent.
Maybe we should be dissing the ones who hire the Smitties.

[Julio Caliente]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

Julio seems to be on the newer side of things and was already throwing stones as well as other umps under the bus.

Now, i would not say that I threw him under the bus. If I wanted to do that I would have let him explain his balk call to the defensive HC. Instead, I explained the reason for the balk call BEFORE he started to go into detail. I do expect a guy that claims to be an umpire since he was 13 (he is now 27) would have some idea of mechanics / rules. At least he told me thats how long he has been doing when he tried to play the "who schlong is bigger game". You know, "I have been doing this for 14 year sand you have been doing it for 2 years so I know more game".

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

BTW,
If this guy is as incompetent as he appears and as stubborn and unwilling to learn as he appears then perhaps the assignor or assignors in the area that keep giving him work are just as incompetent.
Maybe we should be dissing the ones who hire the Smitties.

Now, I am on great terms with my assignor mainly because I show up, on time, to each and every games he tells to me to do. Like I said before he told me before my game with him that he DOES NOT call him unless he is in a bind. I have never seen this guy all year, not once. Originally he wasn't even scheduled to work this weekend, but due to people canceling and a rain out day the schedule was crazy (I did 10 games in two days).

This guy would be a good umpire if he listened to somebody, anybody at all.

[Julio Caliente]

To give you all an idea of how desperate they are for umpires in my area here is how I got into it.


My boss was on the Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth board and he learned that I played baseball in college, and he said "We need umps, email this guy". I thought what the hell and I did. The next week I am standing on 13 yo Babe Ruth Field not knowing ****, never read a rule book, etc. I am wearing grey docker from Sears, a navy blue collared shirt from Wal-Mart, a black alpinestar hat, and white shoes. Yep, I was awesome!!!!!!!

The next game I was behind the plate. I had never done a game in my life back there and I had to borrow equipment to wear. It was a sad, sad day. I feel sorry for the teams that got me. After that game I realized I had a lot to learn and long ways to go. Over the past year and half I have picked up on a many things. Read whatever I could get my hands and LISTENED and APPLIED what people who knew more than me had to say. Basically, I was THAT guy in my post that we are talking about.