The Umpire Life Dream Camp 2010

[dash_riprock]

It's in the center of the page, embedded in the last line of the text. You have to hunt around with the mouse to find the (very small) link to the next page. Once you get there, going to page 3 is a piece of cake.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Thank you, man.

I'm not in some time warp, right? This is damned near 2010?

[Kevin Finnerty]

I saw that embedded link in the last line of text and I've been floating that mouse over it trying to find a live link and click it in time.

Can't do it.

Then it hit me: They're doing this by design to see who the most determined candidates are for their camp! It's brilliant! If a guy puts up with their confounding web site for more than 10 minutes, he's the ideal candidate to stick as an umpire!

[dash_riprock]

Here's a link to page 2.

The Umpire Life Dream Camp 2010

[realistic]

Sounds like a good party for the instructors. 1K per camper will buy alot of booze.

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by realistic

Sounds like a good party for the instructors. 1K per camper will buy alot of booze.

Most, if not all, of the instructors are well known as Christians and profits are scheduled to be donated to a Christian organizatioin.

[realistic]

Originally Posted by Ump153

Most, if not all, of the instructors are well known as Christians and profits are scheduled to be donated to a Christian organizatioin.

I hope that was tongue in cheek. Hey, who said Christians don't drink??? I specifically remember a keg party at a local parish hall for a super bowl game.

Not to take away from any of the instructors named, one was a pro wrestler, one speaks like a sailor and one is a confirmed drinker. NTTIAWWT

I am sure it would be fun but man it's pricey.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

Here's a link to page 2.

The Umpire Life Dream Camp 2010

SWEET!

I should have asked you to do that for me right away.

[tballump]

Seems like this would be an excellent opportunity to ask several of those questions everyone would love to know. Since Joe Brinkman ran a umpire school. What is it that he looks for in a student that will get him picked for the MiLB out of the school. What is that secret formula (if there is one) that will get a person picked. What are the things that definitely get one booted as a potential candidate.

The same question should be asked of Bill Haller who was both an MLB (AL) supervisor and a MiLB supervisor. What was the secret formula Bill looked for to move a guy to AAA, and therefor get looked at by MLB supervisors. What did Bill look for in an umpire at the AAA level to recommend him to the American League as a future AL umpire. What are the things that will get an umpire booted both before AAA and then after reaching AAA. What are some things that an umpire might not even know about both on and off the field that can get him booted out of contention.

Since there are not enough supervisors to attend every game, do they have a scouting system like the players (bird dogs) that they use to compile extra information, since they cannot see every umpire every night in MiLB up through AA, and then again once they reach AAA. Are there some managers at all the levels and AAA that are ever consulted for an opinion and how are these managers chosen. Are there ex MiLB or MLB umpires that sneak in to watch games or are there scouts from certain teams that are consulted. Do league presidents have any input or do owners of teams have any input, both at the MiLB level and the MLB level. Do the MLBU tell the MLB supervisors who to hire after working spring training with the AAA umpires and when working the regular season with the "call ups", so the MLBU are actually picking the future MLBU rather than the supervisors or is it a copulation of both groups?

How will an umpire know if they are "truly" being considered. Shouldn't they go by how quickly they are promoted? It looks like in the International League James Hoye, Brian Reilly, and Takeshi Hirabayashi made it to AAA in their 5th year. Several others made it in their 6th year. Wouldn't this be an indicator that they are being highly considered, at least to the MiLB supervisors who got them there so quickly or maybe not so quickly based on their opinion of their chances?

Just looks like an opportunity to find out a lot about all facets of umpiring in general and the professional system when trying to get to MLB if one would be interested in trying.

[Kevin Finnerty]

I treat umpiring like it's very important to me and to the game for me to be as good at it as possible. I'll go to school for that and for the love of the game and the craft, irrespective of where it would lead. Just getting the first-hand opinions about how things should be done imbues you with a sense of mastery that you didn't have when camp began.

And I have always felt that way about it, because I got into it way too late to have any aspirations beyond the local college level. I can say unequivocally that if I had any inkling at all that it would be this well suited to me and this much fun for me, I would have gotten into it many years ago, but still without the allusion of a major league gig. In the 80s and early 90s, I hung around quite a few NL umpires, and I enjoyed the hell out of the stories and perspectives and other fascinating aspects of umpiring, but I had no idea it would be this enjoyable.