6 in a row in 100+ ???
 

We have a rookie UIC for this 10U VTD trny in North Texas. Temp Saturday will be 100 with 108 THI.
He scheduled an umpire for 6 games in a row ... the guy agreed ... he is one of the $$$ chaser umps. Yeah he'll be sharp on those 5th & 6th games.
UIC is also using an ump who only works the bases - well that screws everyone else. I urged him back in Feb. not to use base only umps - he didn't listen.
He also has umps doing base games then a plate game immediately following ... yeah that will keep us on schedule.
Gonna be interesting ............ ugh.

Shame on that UIC. Don't care if the umpire agreed or not, the teams are being shortchanged

The UIC better hope that the ump in question doesn't have some sort of medical issue doing games in those temps. If he does, the UIC could very well be in for a legal battle as a result of his scheduling, even if the ump agreed.

Not good... but has all the signs of an umpire shortage.

To me, that is the bigger issue. There is a huge difference between scheduling someone 6 in a row and using "base only" umpires if you are doing it by choice when you have other options available, and doing both of those because they are the only people willing/able to work the games.

I have too often been the person trying to find the appropriate staff to do perfect rotations, but, when you only have limited availability, you have to do the best you can with what you have. There is no point in deriding the UIC if he has no other options; it isn't any real option to simply refuse to deal with the schedule.

On the contrary, I have umpires looking for a paycheck, needing the money, but unwilling to do the job. Someone needs to step up and be willing to work, so that UIC has realistic options. Blame him if he refuses the rotations; blame others if he is doing the best he can with what he has.

Are the games time limited? Will this umpire be working the plate for all 6 games? Also, is there any kind of break between the games?

While I agree that both scheduling and accepting 6 games in a row seems a little foolish because it probably isn't necessary, I can't say that it is something that should be condemned. If the games are time limited to an hour, 6 games in a row would be comparable to a MLB double-header (3+ hours per game). Admittedly there is a substantial break between the games of a double-header, but there is single plate umpire for each game of the double header meaning 1 guy stands behind the plate in his gear for 3+ hours. If the umpire working 6 games in the OP probably rotates between bases and plate, he might spend 3+ hours cumulatively working the plate but he is getting a break from it every other game.

My 2 points are 1. that it may not be as bad as it sounds, and it certainly isn't unthinkable. It isn't something that I would encouraged, but some people can handle it. It beats a day in the sun/heat doing manual labor like construction or roofing or something like that, and we aren't running around worried that our roofers and landscapers performed terribly during the last couple hours of their work day. And the important point 2. regardless of the circumstances, take care of yourselves out in the heat. Hydrate before, during and after the game. Water is best, but remember hydrating isn't just about liquid intake. We also have to replace other nutrients lost in sweat. Sodium and potassium are two of the big ones, and eating fruits and nuts prior to and during prolonged activity can help maintain the proper balances.

If it gets to that point, the UIC needs to inform the appropriate commissioner that s/he will have to authorize bringing in umpires and assume the necessary costs. But then you run into another problem of availability when that doesn't happen until a couple days prior to the tournament.

I was lucky enough to always have umpires who would step up and help when necessary. It may have involved some serious patchworking of the schedule, but the games would get covered without any emergencies. Same group would also jump in when they would see someone struggling, often without even being asked.

Disagree. You cannot compare a softball game with 1or2 umpires to an MLB double header with 4 umpires, longer breaks between innings and often not the entire day in the sun.

And the stamina isn't necessarily the issue as some umpires can handle it. But what does it cost? There is no way an umpire will be 100% from first to last pitch. I've seen it too often where the guys who brag about how many games they do in a day, don't come close to showing the hustle necessary to properly cover all the calls. Many, if not most, will come right out and state they have to pace themselves. I've also heard umpires use it as an excuse to a coach as to why s/he couldn't get to a decent position to make a call.

Point is it is not healthy for the umpire or the game and certainly not fair to the teams.

Vtd??
 

Key word in the OP is VTD!!

it would have been the same whichever acronym it was .... the fact its a VTD trny is irrelevant.

I would guess its a combination of the above cases.

4 would be my limit at that temp.
A month ago, Friday 83 -- 4 straight, Sat 81 -- 6 straight, Sunday 90 -- 3 games but no if.
Two weeks ago, 4 plates on Sunday at 86, with one off in middle.
Older than most, but conditioned and hydrated.

No point or disagreement with any above, just sayin'. :)

Correction from original post --- THI only 104 today. :cool:

Makes all the difference! :p

LOve those cold waves. :D