Umpires accosted off the field following Midwest Collegiate League Game

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I was told this by a D1 conference assignor himself. In addition, 2 veteran D1 college umpires whom I assign to spring college ball (D3) and summer college ball made this same statement. Quite interesting.

One of the comments was, "Why do you think that there has been only one CWS Umpire to have come from the Chicago metro area when there are many very qualified college umpires living here?"

Could that be because we have very little good baseball in this area of the country? I would not think for one second that in the overall picture we see nearly as good of baseball as those see in the south and the western part of the country. Now "qualified" is always going to be a judgment call. And I do not sit around wondering why guys from this area are or are not in that pipeline. Unless I am missing something, there are not many Midwestern teams that make it to the College World Series as a norm and I would think the fact we do not see that kind of ball might not help either. I am not saying he is not right, but that is my first guess based what I see.

Originally Posted by UMP25

The discussion further touched upon his observations that in the Chicago metro area, there are probably some 70 or 80, give or take, college umpires. Of that number, only an estimated 8 umpires receive a consistent D1 schedule in the spring. Of that number, only 1 has received any D1 post-season assignments (I'm referring only to Regionals/Super-Regionals/CWS) recently (meaning this year and in immediate preceding years). Only 1--a different person who no longer gets such post-season assignments--has been to the CWS.

It isn't difficult to notice something here. BTW, I am absolutely NOT complaining or whining about anything. I am simply stating observations made by one of my partners, observations echoed by a couple other veterans as well.

Isn't that on the assignor or supervisors of those conferences? They can only work games they are assigned. And I do not know many that are getting a shot realistically than what is going on here. It is the same issue that we have had in other sports at the D1 level. If the assignor are willing to hire and use people here they can. If they choose not to or limit the number they will. I do not attribute that to just what people think here. Heck the one guy I know that is working NCAA D1 Post Season is not even originally from here. I honestly do not know anyone that is really that influential to who gets hired from this part of the state in the first place.

Peace