From Rob Drake, professional umpire. Please Read!

[RobDrake]

Fellow umpires, my name is Rob Drake and I am a professional umpire. I have been in the minor leagues for 16 years now and have been working in the Big Leagues for 10 years. I have never posted here before, but I know that these umpire message boards are a great resource for everyone that uses them. I know some of you checked out my old basic BLOG site, but the COMPLETLY NEW site is now up and running. I have some great content that I think you will really enjoy, as well as a message board and a daily blog. This blog will become the anchor of this site as the season begins. I want to give everyone a behind-the-scenes look at what the life of an umpire, working in the Big Leagues, is like. I will try to give you an on-the-field perspective that will make you feel like you were there. I hope this is something everyone will enjoy. The message board is also meant to be a sounding board for you guys to ask questions that I will try and answer personally. I know not many professional umpires post on these sites, so I want to give you a resource that can answer professional baseball type questions in addition to other umpire questions. I do not want you to stop posting on this board, but to instead, use both boards as a resource to your umpire growth. This is an incredible profession that I take great pride in. I have always wanted to do something that would help people understand the incredible passion that it takes to do this job. Umpires are umpires, regardless of what league you work in and I want to create a fresh, new place to help take your work to the highest level possible. Thanks for reading this and I look forward to responding to each of you that visit the site over this next season. I think you will enjoy the site tremendously! Any comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Please check us out at www.theumpirelife.com.
Sincerely,
Rob Drake

[Interested Ump]

Welcome, it's good to have an MLB professional on board. You have accomplished a very nice website, videos were fun, best of luck in your pursuits.

WJR

[RobDrake]

WJR,
Thanks for checking it out. I hope you visit often. Thanks for your kind words.
Rob

[Interested Ump]

Originally Posted by RobDrake

WJR,
Thanks for checking it out. I hope you visit often. Thanks for your kind words.
Rob

Sure. If you would, I dropped off an email address in your Guestbook, drop me a line when convenient.

Q. Are MLB umpires receiving any pressure from MLB to physically appear to be slimmer? Do you see prejudices, now or in the future, toward umpires who do not have this "healthier" look?

[Rich]

Rob,

You already have me rooting for you. I wish you great luck and success and that permanent gig you certainly deserve after all these years.

--Rich

[RobDrake]

Rich,
Thanks, I really appreciate it. As for the health issue, MLB has instituted a new set of guidelines for weight. It is a definite issue and they are telling guys that they need to lose weight. It is all about perception. We get physicals every spring and they track everything. So, yes it is a new trend in Major League Baseball that the umpires be more physicaly fit.
Thanks again,
Rob
www.theumpirelife.com

[Interested Ump]

Originally Posted by RobDrake

As for the health issue, MLB has instituted a new set of guidelines for weight. It is a definite issue and they are telling guys that they need to lose weight. It is all about perception. We get physicals every spring and they track everything. So, yes it is a new trend in Major League Baseball that the umpires be more physicaly fit.
Thanks again,
Rob
www.theumpirelife.com

After John's untimely passing, there did appear to be an emphasis on slimmer appearances. Let's not confuse health and (lack of) obesity, but that's another discussion for anopther time.

MLB umpires are on stage, so to speak, and MLB is ultimately in the entertainment business. No surprises by your answer.

Q. Technologies have increased rapidly, the ability to see nearly every aspect of the game more clearly than the human eye has people wondering two things. 1) Why is MLB so doggone slow in implementing technologies that will increase the accuracy of officiating and 2) what technologies would you believe would best enhance this accuracy (and how should they be implemented)?

Thanks,
WJR

[PeteBooth]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by RobDrake

Fellow umpires, my name is Rob Drake and I am a professional umpire. I have been in the minor leagues for 16 years now and have been working in the Big Leagues for 10 years. I have never posted here before, but I know that these umpire message boards are a great resource for everyone that uses them.

Hi Rob,

I checked out your site and it looks great.

As with most message Boards in their infancy they were as you say

a great resource for everyone that uses them.

Unfortunately today, in some instances they have become a form of entertainment and flame wars.

This particular Forum is still a good resource center but not as good as it was in the beginning.

I do not know if you surf the net for other umpire discussion Forums) but McGriffith's used to be one of the best umpire discussion Forums around and now it has turned into the Jerry Springer Umpire discussion Forum.

Therefore, since you are moderator I would caution your new discussion Forum about Flame Wars and things going way off topic. The moderators here have to close threads from time to time because thay get way off topic and add no value.

If possible one of things I looked for in a discussion Forum is a Most Frequently asked question section because some of the same old questions ala are the hands part of the bat keep coming up time and time again and it would be nice to have one section in which a new poster can refer to. Also, perhaps a link for umpires looking to buy equipment.

I know you are Pro Umpire and for the most part the discussion Forums are made up of mostly amateur umpires such as myself. I cannot remember the last time I umpired a game in which we strictly used PRO rules, therefore, do have anyone on your staff adversed in NCAA / FED rules which as you know have different interpretations.


Thanks

Pete Booth

[RobDrake]

Thanks for all the helpful insight. As moderator, I will not let it turn into a circus. That is one of the most important aspects of the board for me. I am working on the FAQ page. That is a great idea. As for the rules of high school and college, I am going to have to see if any of our minor leagues guys are effecient in that area. I hope that all the other issues that are addressed by the Professional Umpires are very helpful to everyone. Thanks for your thoughts. I really appreciate it. I look forward to seeing you posting on the message board.
Thanks,
Rob