Called in TX up til 1990 and that is how we did it. The coaches got to pick one umpire to work the series and then the other two were assigned by the state association.

But, that was a long time ago and you made big money in the playoffs then so it was an honor to work. We got paid fees, plus travel, and then a % of the gate. Was great to work a game and get paid 300+ per game etc.,

Hello, there might be a reason they didn't pick your association to work the playoffs ... :eek:

thanks
David

Yes, you can make big money when you get to the regional finals or higher. However, the same officials make the big money every year. Even had one umpire who is the assigner's son, who gets to work several games, complain that they didn't start taking gate fees until about 10 minutes until game time. Then I've seen umpires who were homers on their calls, probably because they want to be "chosen". I've also seen a four man crew come out in red shirts, and obviously didn't know rotations in the four man.. They also missed several balks when one of the teams pitcher was working from the windup with runners on base. And this was in the later rounds of the playoffs. One coach picked me one year, but for some reason I didn't get assigned. I didn't know until the coach mentioned it the following year.

Funny I had the same thing happen. Ran into coach from local school at the mall and he asked why I didn't get assigned their regional final?

He said I requested you and >>> one other guy, and neither got the game.

Politics play a lot in the assigning I'm sure, but where I am now the state assigns and its even worse - guys calling games that are hardly qualified etc.,

Thanks
David

To be honest, I couldn't care less about the playoffs. The weather plays too much havoc in May. It gets tiresome starting, stopping, and then having to reschedule everything. Texas is a big state, and the travel can be brutal.

Not sure I see your point. Are you suggesting that umpires are biased toward the conferences they normally work in and umpires for a game must be from different association than either of the two teams playing?

What is the clear conflict of interest?

I am suggesting that if the state ran the assigning this would not be an issue. Just like at the NCAA level you do not have conferences assign post season games, the NCAA does. And I think there is something really wrong with coaches directly getting involved in the assigning even if it is one umpire. It just sounds shady to have official's organizations fighting over who works a post season game and cause this kind of conflict. Sorry, it just does not make sense to me because I have never had to deal with this kind of issue.

Peace