MLB umpire camp?

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

And fine unions they are and have always been.

Baseball first!

You are correct. They are fine unions who believe in placing baseball first, not publicity stunts like the MLB umpire camp. Their members work hard at both pro schools and numerous clinics around the country really educating and training amateur umpires instead of posing for the media in southern California.

[socalblue1]

Compton is an adult umpire fantasy camp. Given that, the ability to spend some time with Bruce, Steve and a few other select folks would be worth the time.

The field staff has improved since I last looked. There a few guys there that can teach (Hiler, Felt & Bauza). Larry Young is very good on rules.

Will it be equal to Evans? No, as they will need to instruct to the lowest level (And it will be really LOW).

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by Ump153

You are correct. They are fine unions who believe in placing baseball first, not publicity stunts like the MLB umpire camp. Their members work hard at both pro schools and numerous clinics around the country really educating and training amateur umpires instead of posing for the media in southern California.

Really? Did you ever go to the So. Cal camp? It wasn't what you describe.

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

It wasn't what you describe.

You are appropriately speaking in the past tense. It wasn't quite like that because in addition to the MLB bigwigs, there were real trained pro instructors there in the past. That will not be the case this year. The pro instructors aren't coming. They are being replaced by the likes of Tom Hiler, some other scabs and some long past their prime former Major League umpires who don't have a clue as to the changes in two man mechanics over the past 20 years.

The reason for the camp, according to Major League Baseball, is to recruit minority umpires to go to proschool. The local papers were full of photos of the MLB officials and some of their prospects. I haven't heard how well they may have achieved their primary goal, but having worked with a couple of their graduates, I've seen that they didn't do much to train the average amateur.