Rain-outs and reschedules

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

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.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by zm1283

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.

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?

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by yawetag

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?

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.

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?

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

[JaxRolo]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I think you're wrong. The friday games were cancelled. THose were your games. That's tough luck, of course, but that's baseball.

Sometime, you will get a call to go work games you weren't scheduled for because it rained the night before. It all evens out.

+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.

[johnnyg08]

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

[DG]

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

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

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

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

[johnnyg08]

How do you pull that one off?

[Matt]

Originally Posted by eagle_12

Just wanted to run a situation by the board that happened to me this weekend in which I don't think was handled approprietly by my assignor and in which I lost out on $45 and my partner $70.

My original schedule was Sr. legion tourny DH friday night, 3 inning continuation and full 7 adult league game on Saturday in the early evening.

My Friday games were washed out due to rain and rescheduled for the next morning. These were the opening games of the tournament. My assignor removed me from these Sr. Legion games because the following day, I had 1.5games in the evening.

My arguement and beef comes from the fact that Friday night Team A was playing Team B (Game #1) and Team C vs. Team D (Game #2) and that they have to play these games in this order because of the league tourny, and therefore, because its would be the same game, it still is rightfully mine. My arguement is that even though I had the games in the evening on Saturday, all 4 games (orginal two from Fri, and the 2 adult games) are my right to work and I should be able to choose which ones I work.

My assignor said that I don't get the Sr. Legion games, the rescheduled ones, becuase he already assigned two other umpires to work games on the next morning at the times that the Friday games were being made up. (games starting at 10a and noon)

My arguement to that was they were assigned to games not times and they should be moved to the later games they were originally assigned to (Game #5 and #6). In essence, each crew is bumped later just like the bracket.

Like I said earlier, this ended up costing me $45, and it shouldn't be about the money, but right now I'm working PT in my real job and looking to move, so every little bit helps.

Thoughts?

A thought that I haven't seen yet...and this is me as a former assignor talking...

Unless I absolutely have to, there is no way I'm having one of my guys work 3.5 games in a day. That's just asking for problems.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Matt

Unless I absolutely have to, there is no way I'm having one of my guys work 3.5 games in a day. That's just asking for problems.

I agree Matt. This isn't good for anybody. Too much baseball.

[IowaMike]

Originally Posted by Matt

A thought that I haven't seen yet...and this is me as a former assignor talking...

Unless I absolutely have to, there is no way I'm having one of my guys work 3.5 games in a day. That's just asking for problems.

I know guys who will go out and work 6 games each day on Saturday and Sunday for youth tournaments. I think they're nuts. All of our high school games are doubleheaders here and that is the most I will work in one day; two games. For me it just isn't any fun if I work more than that, and if it isn't enjoyable why do it?

I think someone else made a good point that you are scheduled for a time and date, not necessarily a game. I know that the guy who assigns the varsity games for the primary conference I work in usually reassigns you rainouts if you don't have the date blocked. My varsity game got rained out tonight and the AD told me they are going to try and make it up tomorrow, but I haven't heard from the assigner yet so it could be he gave the game to someone else. If so, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. I picked up someone else's rainout earlier this year so I probably break even over time. It sucks to lose out on a payday but such is the life of a baseball umpire. That's one thing (of many) that makes me prefer officiating basketball. Unless there is a major snowstorm and the schools are closed, you always play.

[DG]

Originally Posted by eagle_12

Thoughts?

I appreciate rainouts now and again, and also when assigner calls with unscheduled games I can work. It all works out in the wash.

[PeteBooth]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by eagle_12

My original schedule was Sr. legion tourny DH friday night, 3 inning continuation and full 7 adult league game on Saturday in the early evening.

My Friday games were washed out due to rain and rescheduled for the next morning. My assignor removed me from these Sr. Legion games because the following day, I had 1.5games in the evening.

My arguement is that even though I had the games in the evening on Saturday, all 4 games (orginal two from Fri, and the 2 adult games) are my right to work and I should be able to choose which ones I work.

My assignor said that I don't get the Sr. Legion games, the rescheduled ones, becuase he already assigned two other umpires to work games on the next morning at the times that the Friday games were being made up. (games starting at 10a and noon)

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

[JJ]

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