New Umpire School...O.U.T.S.

[realistic]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

Sounds like Cocoa Expo has found a way to get free umpires.

In the past, new PBUC grads hung out and worked their games to pick up some bucks prior to rookie league start up.

Working "real games" at a camp is not all it's cracked up to be. Some games are really boring and you will get little chance to work on many skills.

The "camp games" used at pro schools allow students to experience many, many more situations and work on a more complete set of skills.

You are probably about 50% true. The benefit of working these games as a newbie umpire, you get to work out alot of kinks in your mechanics and will have a start at developing a style. The camp games are terrible imho because while different things are being thrown at you, an umpire has the tendency to overlook(miss) the basics. It's like trying to do open heart surgery when you are only qualified to do stitches.

I remember when I was at umpire school in the 80's, I was so worried about hustling and getting to the right spot that I missed a catcher's interference on the batter. Working a real game allows instructor's to see who has talent and who doesn't. An instructor won't put their stamp on an ump if they feel that they are ready to work Z ball.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by realistic

You are probably about 50% true. The benefit of working these games as a newbie umpire, you get to work out alot of kinks in your mechanics and will have a start at developing a style. The camp games are terrible imho because while different things are being thrown at you, an umpire has the tendency to overlook(miss) the basics. It's like trying to do open heart surgery when you are only qualified to do stitches.

I remember when I was at umpire school in the 80's, I was so worried about hustling and getting to the right spot that I missed a catcher's interference on the batter. Working a real game allows instructor's to see who has talent and who doesn't. An instructor won't put their stamp on an ump if they feel that they are ready to work Z ball.

Your are probably 25% accurate.

Over the course of a season, actual games are much better. However, over the course of a 13 day camp, one could work daily and never get to work on double play foot work, or calling an infield fly, or seeing type A obstruction, or many other situations.

Pro-schools have progressed since the 80's. Umpiring is not a static activity.

[Bob Bainter]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

Your are probably 25% accurate.

Over the course of a season, actual games are much better. However, over the course of a 13 day camp, one could work daily and never get to work on double play foot work, or calling an infield fly, or seeing type A obstruction, or many other situations.

Pro-schools have progressed since the 80's. Umpiring is not a static activity.

Yes, pro-schools have progressed a lot since the 80's. Camp games, have not. They're still a bunch of people playing baseball, who wouldn't be umpiring if they could actually PLAY baseball, trying to execute commands from their instructors on how to screw up their fellow students while the guys actually umpiring these camp games are wondering "when is the other shoe going to drop?"

If you really think that in the course of 13 days, working daily, an umpire will not get to work on double play footwork, then I want to come work with you, because I'd love to have 51-54 outs of boring baseball with all strikeouts and ground balls to first. Infield flies??? Do those not happen as much as I remember? Type A obstruction? You're right about that one, as any other screwed up plays...

...Great umpiring is all about handling situations...but what about all those games you work in a year that have none? When you don't know something is about to happen, that's when you see who has what it takes and who doesn't.

Not arguing, just debating my point of view

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by Bob Bainter

Wow...that's not very nice.

Really? I expressed an opinion with which you apparently disagree, but what did I say that was not very nice? I was respectful and polite. Was it not nice to disagree with you?

Not arguing, just debating my point of view

I have no problem with that and I don't consider it as not being "nice."

Perhaps MiLB umpires get all of the possible variations of double plays frequently. I can tell you that I have gone a week or longer of seeing the same double play combination over and over in "real games."

Camp games better expose the potential PBUC candidates to the full spectrum of possibilities. The challenges of real games are what the Rookie Leagues are for.

Not arguing, just presenting my point of view, nicely.

[SanDiegoSteve]

That is so nice, ya know...just so darn nice!!!

[UmpTTS43]

I attended a clinic this past year where we worked games, three man mechnics. We would rotate and have up to 3 guys doing the plate for one game. Since I had been there before, I gave up my plate innings to a younger ump who was looking to break into college ball. While he was gearing up, I worked 1/2 an inning. There happened to be a DI assignor for 4 or 5 conferences up in the box observing. "My time to show what I have," I thought. First pitch, can of corn to center. Second pitch, line drive to SS. Third pitch, foul ball to back stop. Fourth pitch, ground out to F4. Yippee me, a four pitch inning. That's just the way it is sometimes. Another umpire, while working just 1/2 inning in the same game, had every rotation for a three man game. 1/2 inning took 35 min. Just the way it is sometimes. All I could say is, "great game management, huh." Just thought I would share.

[Durham]

UmpTTS, you are correct, and that is just the way things go, and I would love to have more sub 10 pitch innings out here on the west coast.

As for the debate about Bob's camp I will share this as someone that has been to Pro school, PBUC at Coco where Ria showered with us, and a teacher with a masters in education.

We have to realize that different people learn in different ways, in fact there are 7 different identified learning styles. Seems like Bob is just trying to add to the pool of available course offerings for people to learn the trade. Also the length of time suggests that they will be exposed to more than they would normally get at a weekend clinic.

There are advantages to camp games and advantages to games; you just have to decide which one helps you learn how to do this umpire thing better.

[Bob Bainter]

Originally Posted by UmpTTS43

I attended a clinic this past year where we worked games, three man mechnics. We would rotate and have up to 3 guys doing the plate for one game. Since I had been there before, I gave up my plate innings to a younger ump who was looking to break into college ball. While he was gearing up, I worked 1/2 an inning. There happened to be a DI assignor for 4 or 5 conferences up in the box observing. "My time to show what I have," I thought. First pitch, can of corn to center. Second pitch, line drive to SS. Third pitch, foul ball to back stop. Fourth pitch, ground out to F4. Yippee me, a four pitch inning. That's just the way it is sometimes. Another umpire, while working just 1/2 inning in the same game, had every rotation for a three man game. 1/2 inning took 35 min. Just the way it is sometimes. All I could say is, "great game management, huh." Just thought I would share.

FOUR PITCH INNING! I LOVE THOSE! LOL...is there truly anything better? I remember, and this is off subject, when I was behind the plate for Bronson Arroyo's 9 inning perfect game, I called the first EIGHT pitches strikes...he threw eight straight sliders on the outside part of the plate, and the boys from Buffalo just stood there and looked at them...finally, he threw a ball, then the guy grounded to first...still, EIGHT straight called strikes??? Still, the strangest inning I ever worked.

Bob