MLB umpire camp?
 

I was considering attending the MLB umpire camp...Does anyone have an opinion on the worthiness of this camp?.....Why do they not have any current pro guys on the field staff?....thanks for your input

MLB Umpire Camps | MLB.com: MLBUC

Ok,
 

Here are the facts with no emotion or other details:

Both the Unions for MLB and MiLB selected to not participate in "Camp Compton" this year.

The decision was made by the Boards of both unions for their own reasons.

Regards,

And fine unions they are and have always been.

Baseball first! :rolleyes:

There are still a boatload of big name former MLB umpires there, from Palermo to Springstead to Froemming just to name a few. It sounds like a pretty decent one-week camp.

Definitely, from a schmoozing stand point, it would be cool to meet the legends like Froemming, Springstead and Palermo. But, do you all think that from a standpoint of 2-man umpiring, which is what I do in HS, it is worth it...really...do you think Froemming could add valuable input toward 2man umpiring?...He hasn't done it in a million years and physically he couldn't do it.

Neither can Palermo, obviously, or even Marty Springstead, but they are not the field instructors anyway. However, I think all of these former MLB umpires would be invaluable in the classroom setting and would have a lot of knowledge and experience to pass on.

They bring in local NCAA & former MiLB folks for on field work.

Don't forget the scabs that will be there.

Bottom line, if you want to become a better umpire, attend one of Jim Evans Classics. If you want to hear war stories and shmooze with over the hill umpires who have turned their backs on their former union and partners, attend the Compton clinic.

The legends describe the mechanics and the minor league and college guys demonstrate. It's pretty cool.

Palermo's worth it all by himself.

I dont ever think you can put a price on training and education.

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.

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).

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

You're about the only one, then....
 

Every clinic I have ever attended had a price attached to it.

dude...what im trying to say... is the training will be worth every penny. man some people ...and BTW there is a price tag.. look at the web site it will tell you how much it cost.

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.

Hey,don't hold back, tell us how you really feel. :D

schmoozing
 

Union and management get along like oil and water.
The camp is run by PBUC staff working for MLB.
MLB decides who works and who doesn't.
MLB is pleased with its decision.

BTW, the scabs have no horse in this race.

The camp is run by MLB, coordinated by Rich Rieker. The only instructors they could get, aside from the former ML guys, were some local college instructors, some of whom have worked Single A baseball and some PBUC evaluators who are no longer represented by a union.


Which is why they continued to try to pressure active MLB and MiLB umpires to work the clinic even after being turned down.

True, no horse. But they do have a couple "instructors."

I have attended the MLB camp at the Compton facility, both the 1 week and the one day. They do teach the basics such as the pivot, out call, safe call, etc... so it is not really a great camp for the experienced ump looking to improve. It was worth it to me to be able to hear some war stories from the ol' grizzlies that speak. Also I had Larry Young as the instructor in the cage. After the camp he asked me who I worked for and sent glowing evals to my College assignors. Very classy.

There were no local college umpires instructing at the MLBUC and no scabs. PBUC supervisors covered the 2 man system. I would say they are familiar with that system. Eight umpires went on to their choice of umpire schools. The other 50 or so attendees came out of the course as better umpires.