Dude, you wouldn't make a pimple on a real umpire's butt!

Maybe in your little podunk town, where coaches never get ejected, and the home team's uniforms never get dirty, they probably made you a varsity umpire right out of the box. But in the real world you work your way up to that level.

Depends on what part of the real world one inhabits. In my area, the majority of umpires start at the high school level; some of them start at the varsity level.

On this board there are several umpires who started at the high school level. Tee, I know, started at the varsity level.

Point taken.

Never ran nobody either, for that matter.

Where did we go wrong
 

Gentlemen,
I could care less whose is bigger or who got to varsity first. Let's please put away the petty bickering and get back to the subject of baseball. I do not claim to be a great umpire, I am just looking for a little insight into the game and its workings that I can use to improve myself. It is very discouraging to have to sift through 25 posts of endless inane banter just to find one worthwhile nugget. Not every post will please everyone and not everyone will agree on every rule. State your opinion and move on leave the personal jabs at home. It was once written..."An umpire is a loner. The restraints of his trade impose problems not normally endured by players, coaches, management, press and others connected with organized baseball. He is a friend to none. More often he is considered an enemy by all around him - including the fans in the stands who threaten his life." - Art Rosenbaum in The San Francisco Chronicle (1965) The only friends that we have are our fellow umpires who understand what we have to put up with. No sense in beating our own into submission. Just my two cents worth and thats at least three more than I have right now.

Baseball ump fees
 

I dont believe there should be a difference for working the plate vs bases. Both jobs are equally important and she be treated that way. Behind the plate is more action and activity but the big call at first base is just as important.

Wow
 

WOW!!!!!

782 days later. How's that for timing?

Walt

At the local LL, I pay our Junior umpires on a sliding scale, plate/bases, Major/Minors. It creates an incentive to move up, and get better.

But, when I work for the local association, you'd damn well better be able to share the load, with no price differential. Unless a guy is disabled, and can only work one position or another, there's no excuse aside from being a p*ssy. It's one thing if your assignor says he's not ready yet. But quite another if says he only wants to work the bags.

Speak for yourself. I have plenty of non-umpires friends. Hopefully, in the last two years, you do too. If not, you need a new hobby.