Future of Officiating

[cpa]

Being a senior official working with a younger (less experienced) person can be very rewarding and fun, if you approach it with the right attitude -- and the younger person does also. One of your first responsibilities, if you're gonna facilitate umpire development, is to try and avoid all the crappy, negative things mentioned about seniors above.

Every danged one of us owe -- if we are senior enough to be senior -- our development to the previous generation. Somebody mentored you and took an interest and helped you get where you are know -- and it's time to pay it back by developing umpires who'll still be working in 2050.

A rookie cop on the street has the same authority as a 30 year veteran working beside him -- so does a rookie teacher or a rookie judge or many ofher authoritative positions. It would be ludicrous to believe that because the they are in equal positions that the rookie cop should perform all his duties without benefitting from the veteran's experience.

Likewise, when I work w/ a rookie, I often learn new ways of looking at things, occasionally a new mechanic -- things that they have been exposed to.

Really, it comes down to the attitude of the senior and the junior -- either one can defeat the whole learning experience by coppiing an attitude.

[UmpJM]

In my first season umpiring, I have worked a total of 39 games with a partner so far. In 21 of those I worked the plate, the other 18 the bases. I always offer the choice of plate/bases to my partner and am always happy to work either one.

Since the majority of the games I do I'm working solo, I feel like it's good for me to get the experience on the bases. I probably have a little more fun working the plate, so that's fine too.

Over the course of the season I've worked with partners as young as 18 and as old as 75, and all ages in between. Virtually every umpire I've had as a partner has more experience umpiring than I. Some of my partners have truly been excellent umpires, others not so much.

I always show up at the game site a minimum of 1/2 hour before game time to do a pregame, and I always ask my partner for a postgame critique. If asked, I will offer my partner a postgame critique.

I make my own calls and handle my own situations. Three times during the season I had partners come to me for help on their calls and twice over rule situations. In each case I gave them what I had and left the call to them.

The only time I ever went to a partner was when the defense appealed a check swing (in which case I will pretty much always go to my partner).

JM

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by UmpJM

The only time I ever went to a partner was when the defense appealed a check swing (in which case I will pretty much always go to my partner).

JM

Pretty much always?

[RPatrino]

Somewhat definitive!!

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by cpa

Really, it comes down to the attitude of the senior and the junior -- either one can defeat the whole learning experience by coppiing an attitude.

That was rightly said and when I was a rook, and some Old Guard wanted to have an intensive pregame and concentrate on him trying to teach me how not to het him in trouble.

It was alike a long, boring lecture, Old Guuard bables about his being avaialble to me, any questions or if I'm getting in trouble (Translation: "Move over, Sonny, we don't want this to get out of hand"). Followed closely by how he will to speak in low tones over behind the water coolers when he thinks (knows) I have screwed the pooch. He will be there for me on judment calls ( yeah right) if I ask his advice.



Of course, if things (iho) might get out of hand, he will calmly whisper to me how to control all. Old Guard wants to control everything. Of course there is this litany of things where he just has to stick his nose in "for the good of the game and for your safety".

Then the 8 yos would take the field.

[JJ]

As the senior umpire in almost every game I work, I always offer my partner his choice of plate or bases. If he wants the plate it tells me he is aggressive and eager to show me what he has. If he wants the bases it tells me he is either unsure or he wants to watch (and learn from) me. If he has no preference, I do NOT automatically take the plate (though I do very much enjoy working the plate). I tell him I don't have a preference either, and pull out a coin. "Heads I do it, tails you do it". That removes "choice of the winner" which we've already gone through. I don't offer insight during the game UNLESS it's a major problem "Oh, you DON'T wear a ballbag on the bases?"... but I will ask after the game if he'd like feedback. If he says "No", we part ways. If he says "Yes" I give it to him straight. If I see several things that need work, I will tell him what I saw and I will always suggest he "work on ONE thing at a time" when making changes to the way he works. I say the same thing at clinics - work on ONE thing at a time. It's easier to master one thing and get comfortable and move on to the next item than it is to experiment with a bunch of changes.
That's me rambling....

JJ

[Ump29]

In my area the games are assigned by an assigner who designates who does the plate. As one of those assigners I go along with this. If I am working with a less experienced partner I will offer advice on his/her work. Also there are very few solo games in this area - only if there are shortages on a particular night and only one is available to work that game.

[DG]

Originally Posted by JJ

I don't offer insight during the game UNLESS it's a major problem "Oh, you DON'T wear a ballbag on the bases?"... but I will ask after the game if he'd like feedback. If he says "No", we part ways. If he says "Yes" I give it to him straight. If I see several things that need work, I will tell him what I saw and I will always suggest he "work on ONE thing at a time" when making changes to the way he works. I say the same thing at clinics - work on ONE thing at a time. It's easier to master one thing and get comfortable and move on to the next item than it is to experiment with a bunch of changes.
That's me rambling....

JJ

I got feedback once from a D1 umpire working bases with me in a HS game (he had undergone surgery and had not been working lately). He gave me 5 things. I went to work on 4 of them and ignored the 5th because I couldn't agree on that one. My point is you should work on what needs working on, however many it is.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by JJ

As the senior umpire in almost every game I work, I always offer my partner his choice of plate or bases. If he wants the plate it tells me he is aggressive and eager to show me what he has. If he wants the bases it tells me he is either unsure or he wants to watch (and learn from) me.

Might be reading a lot into that JJ. I always prefrred the late plate. Easier to stay awake.

If he has no preference, I do NOT automatically take the plate (though I do very much enjoy working the plate). I tell him I don't have a preference either, and pull out a coin. "Heads I do it, tails you do it". That removes "choice of the winner" which we've already gone through.

What happens if HE wants to do the flip?

I don't offer insight during the game UNLESS it's a major problem "Oh, you DON'T wear a ballbag on the bases?"... but I will ask after the game if he'd like feedback. If he says "No", we part ways. If he says "Yes" I give it to him straight.

If I see several things that need work, I will tell him what I saw and I will always suggest he "work on ONE thing at a time" when making changes to the way he works. I say the same thing at clinics - work on ONE thing at a time. It's easier to master one thing and get comfortable and move on to the next item than it is to experiment with a bunch of changes.
That's me rambling....

JJ