Yep....

This is a two way street.

If, in the OP, he wants "his" games, then he must be available for any time or date that his game is rescheduled. If he fails to honor the reschedule, then the assignor has cause for action against the umpire.

We all know that's not the way it works, nor should it.

agreed....
 

agreed...............1000%...you have no right to games canceled and rescheduled....hopefully you can be available to work those...but an assignment is a game on a specific day........if it cancels or reassigns its not yours anymore....

This is sort of true. The two groups I'm with (One basketball and one baseball) don't allow us to accept/decline assigned games. We sign in and they're accepted automatically. When they do change things like the time of a game, I'm pretty sure the email the Arbiter sends tells us to sign in to accept the changes.

With that at least in MN, you're more of an employee than an IC. You must have a lot of officials to mandate accepting of game assignments. Good gig for the assigner, that's for sure.

In our basketball association, we have around 200 officials, so numbers aren't an issue. We staff a LOT of schools and our assigner books a ton of games, so I imagine they are avoiding a big mess by not allowing us to decline games.

Let me understand this correctly. The assignor puts you on a game and Arbiter emails you the nice "You have new games" email. You click to login -- and PRESTO -- the games are automatically accepted?

The ONLY time that happens is when I call in for a game. The assignor automatically places me in the game, and it's automatically accepted. I don't know if he does it or it's done automatically, but I don't have to approve those games -- in effect, my phone conversation where I say "Sure, I'll take it" is enough.

They've NEVER done that for games in the future -- those HAVE to be approved, as well as any changes to the game (other than changes to umpires). Having your organization automatically approve your games is dangerous for you and them. What if you can't make that game?

Yep, exactly how it is done. Our basketball group is so big and so many games are assigned that it would be chaos if people were allowed to decline games whenever they want. We are encouraged to block dates early and often. It does pose a problem when legitimate things come up and you have to turn back games and are charged a turnback fee, but that's life I guess. The good thing is that if you're a good official, you'll stay plenty busy.

If I have a date open and haven't been assigned a game for that day within about 4-5 days, I'll usually go in and block it if I've had a busy week and don't want to work that day.

We turn it back. I don't make the rules, I just follow them.

How big? Our umpire organization is touching 200, if not more.

You can't decline whenever you want. You get an email for new games and have 24-72 hours (depending on the time until the game) to accept or decline. If you don't respond, it's the same as declining (game removed and time auto-blocked). Once you accept a game, you have to call to get it removed, and usually for a turn-back fee.

[QUOTE]Did you ever assign?

Weekends are the roughest for assignors meaning many many games.

Once the assignor has ALL games on the weekend covered UNLESS someone gets sick or has an emergency the schedules are "LOCKED" as it is very difficult to change things on "a dime" notice.

It's unfortuante that your DH was washed on Friday but that's the breaks.

If your assignor moved you to the Legion games, he would then have to find umpires to do your games. Not easy on the weekends. The assignor has a "life" to and you cannot expect him to be on the phone all Friday night trying to get someone to replace you and your partner for Saturday's night resumed game and normal game.

Also, giving you and your partner 3.5 games (The 2 legion games plus 3 innings of a resumed game plus 7 of a new game) is not fare to the other umpires who were scheduled as they would be out 2 games. Also, 3.5 or 4 games in a day is rough.

If you work many games throughout the year for the most part things will or should "even out" over the coarse of the year.

Example: Next week comes and for sake of argument the assignor has 4 single games and 1 Double Dip. Since your games on Friday got rained out he might give your crew that lost out the Double Dip next week to make up for it.

NOTE: If you become a complainer and pain in the a** to an assignor it is an easy way to the s**t list meaning you will get the games nobody wants.

I know things are tough but the assignor has NO control over the weather.

Pete Booth

When I'm assigned summer tournament games, they are times and locations. The assigner fills all games the same way. Obviously, if tournament games are washed out, and must be played, everything gets pushed EXCEPT the umpire assignments. That leaves the assigner only games at the end of the tournament to fill. My assigner always calls the crew that lost games and gives them first shot at the open slots.

JJ

+1 Canceled games=tough luck

In our association we get a Rain fee if it gets rained out. If we get the game started and 1 pitch is thrown then we get the Full game fee.

If we get a call on our way to the game that it is canceled then no fee. They have up to 30 minutes before game time to call and cancel.

If the game is canceld it doesn't mean we get the games on the resched.

Wow, once we're on our way, it's 1/2 fee at that point.

Rainouts are often a blessing when you get a little older and not doing this for the money.

Rescheduled game is assigner problem, not mine, unless he assigns me.

Let me know game cancelled before I left home or work = no pay
Left home or work = 1/2 game fee
Put the ball in play = full game fee
1 team does not show up = full game
Assigner messed up and forgot to tell game cancel = no pay, sorry, try to make it up to you down the road

Wow, once we're on our way, it's a full fee at that point.

How do you pull that one off?