Offseason
 

Many of us will be starting or have already started our offseason. What do you do to stay sharp when you're not umpiring as frequently or for months in a row?

I read every post on this forum because they are all filled with incredible tips, knowledge, and wisdom.

Come to San Diego. There is no off season

I finally renew my MLB online subscription and start watching for some 4 man hints. Oh. nevermind, they usually start with the battery view. Hey I got it, I'll learn about balks from MLB. Nevermind. I just watch it and try to learn something.

I try to read as much as possible.

Just going to be starting my season the first weekend of September.

I officiate basketball and ready the forums regularly (for both basketball and baseball). How does this help me? It keeps me in the officiating frame of mind. And by the end of basketball season I'm looking forward to baseball

-Josh

I play as much golf as I can get away with, and spend time with my wife and kids. Basically, decompress from baseball for awhile. Read the forum(s) occasionally. Watch the pros for mechanics that are sound.

It doesn't take that long to get back in the groove in the spring for me.

Spend at least one night a week reading the rule book and then find a camp in February. You'll pick up great tips and most camps get you into a cage so you will see some pitches before the spring.

About the only time there isn't some kind of high school, wood bat, men's league, scout ball, JUCO scrimmage, etc., is the few weeks before and after Christmas. This makes a year of umpiring seem like two years. I don't even do all I can, and I do over 100 games anyway, just because all the leagues have fall and winter ball, and I almost never lose a game to foul weather (two all year of any kind). Throughout the summer, I'll do two 18-inning doubleheaders every weekend. Throughout the high school season, I'll do a twin-bill every Sunday.

So I guess you can't really go stale here.

This is why I had over 3,400 games between 1986 and 2006.

I don't get near the ball I used to. Getting married and having two small kids have pretty much done that. I used to be a 120 game a year guy, now I'm lucky to get into the 50s. It makes for more not so sharp days than I'm used to and that blows. Maybe when the kids get schoolage I'll be able to get back into a schedule I'm happy with.

Noooo ... then you'll be coaching Little League [or girls' softball--whatever].

I could have that many, but my job got in the way.

I have my first HS football game tonight, another tomorrow, and 4 games on Saturday.

I don't burn out or get stale mainly because I separate the seasons and I don't really cross-over. When football starts, baseball is done. A month after football we have basketball, and I have a month off before baseball starts up here.

Mine didn't. I got off work in time to get to the games, like everyone else. That, or I was working the graveyard shift. Or was self-employed at the time, as I am an entrepreneur. I always do more than one job at a time. I do graphic design, make custom golf clubs, umpire baseball, and work at conventional jobs at times. Contrary to your belief, I haven't always been in front of a computer posting on forums all day long.

And that's only an average of 160 games a year. Sometimes I would work 200, sometimes only 120, depending on the leagues carried by our association. It's not as if I worked baseball 365 days a year.

If you really, truly want to umpire that many games, you'll arrange your work around it. That's what we all do.

Sometimes, by keeping my commitment to do a game means turning down work that would pay three or four times as much as that game, with no expenses.

But the game is usually way more fun and fulfilling, which is why I make the trade-off.

My last game was June 6. I have not worked a single baseball game and will not until March or April of 2010.

I do not know about staying sharp in baseball. I work other sports and that becomes my release. Then again I so not yearn for baseball like many here do. My first football game is tomorrow and that is something I am really looking forward to.

Peace

Ah yes the offseason. While it is just a few weeks away for me, I try to enjoy all my assignments without thinking about the season's end. Once umpiring ends, I:

-First of all, try not to think about umpiring at all, including not even visiting forums. This normally works for a month or two.
-Read rulebooks and positioning manuals.
-Practice plate mechanics indoors. Some people here flame me for it, but I have actually found it to be a great way to work on things. Better to work on stuff alone than to learn through trial and error during games.
-Look at online catalogues for equipment and uniforms.
-Study video taken of me umpiring.
-Wish the season was longer than 4 months.

Not done yet.
 

My last game was July 26th. I have some time now to spend with family and watching son play football until Fall Baseball starts Sept 13th. Five consecutive Sunday triple headers and then offseason until the first week in April (barring snow-covered fields like we had in 2008). I did 78 summer games and should pick up 15 more this fall. Not as many as a lot of you guys. Our assignor racked up almost 200 games in addition to his assignor duties.

Perhaps it's time for a job that allows you a little more freedom?


Tim.