Burning out..........

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by baldgriff

Two man used for a league game or even tournament games is almost unheard of. I get to do 2 man games very infrequently.

Yeah, single man games are far and away the standard here in MN in FP, too. In the regular season of JO FP travel ball, I might get 2 games that are 2 umpire, and these would be weekend tournament championship games. Everything else, including tournament games below the championship game, is one-man.

The softball people here are more concerned about the cost than the quality of the officiating (IMO), plus on those few occasions when they DO see 2 umpires in a game, unless they are getting a couple of high school umps, the crew has so little practice with the mechanics, the BU is frequently out of position, etc., so maybe they are not really aware of the difference it can make.

In travel ball, we just don't do 2 man until the post season.

Contrast that with high school here, which uses 2 man in the regular season, and 3 man in the post season.

[baldgriff]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Yeah, single man games are far and away the standard here in MN in FP, too. In the regular season of JO FP travel ball, I might get 2 games that are 2 umpire, and these would be weekend tournament championship games. Everything else, including tournament games below the championship game, is one-man.

The softball people here are more concerned about the cost than the quality of the officiating (IMO), plus on those few occasions when they DO see 2 umpires in a game, unless they are getting a couple of high school umps, the crew has so little practice with the mechanics, the BU is frequently out of position, etc., so maybe they are not really aware of the difference it can make.

In travel ball, we just don't do 2 man until the post season.

Contrast that with high school here, which uses 2 man in the regular season, and 3 man in the post season.

Boy the statement about cost is right on! I did a National Qualifier a few weeks back and did the Championship 1 man. I got real fortunate in that game as the team that won was up the entire game.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Yeah, single man games are far and away the standard here in MN in FP, too. In the regular season of JO FP travel ball, I might get 2 games that are 2 umpire, and these would be weekend tournament championship games. Everything else, including tournament games below the championship game, is one-man.

The softball people here are more concerned about the cost than the quality of the officiating (IMO), plus on those few occasions when they DO see 2 umpires in a game, unless they are getting a couple of high school umps, the crew has so little practice with the mechanics, the BU is frequently out of position, etc., so maybe they are not really aware of the difference it can make.

In travel ball, we just don't do 2 man until the post season.

Contrast that with high school here, which uses 2 man in the regular season, and 3 man in the post season.

wow that sucks.. here in CA .. the rec league is one man, but all tourneys and h/s are 2 man..

That really hurts the game, especially in travel ball where it counts, to only have one blue.

[AtlUmpSteve]

If it's a manpower issue, then you have to do what you have to do to cover the games. But, where the manpower exists, accepting one man games as the norm (because they want to save money) is just as mercenary on your part, in my opinion.

In our area, nothing in fastpitch above 8U coach pitch has just one umpire; and many leagues have two for that. When a rec program contacts me for umpires (and I handle just one of ten, or so, associations in the area), the option of one umpire in fastpitch isn't even considered. We charge $36 per umpire per game based on minimum two umpires and two games; if we accidently supply only one umpire, the fee is $54 (150% the individual fee). Very few teams/leagues/programs would even think the option of $108 for one umpire in a doubleheader makes sense compared to $144 for two; and we have zero that request that option.

Accepting one umpire games also kills the possibility of quality experience, or mentoring, during the training process. The worst (youngest and rec level) ball wants one umpire; without an experienced umpire to help, how does the inexperienced umpire learn how to handle game situations, who critiques their mechanics, their positioning, their strike zone? And, what experienced umpire wants these low level games? At least, in two man, the experienced umpire accomplishes something beyond accepting a paycheck; he can help train the less experienced umpire.

I hope I never have to deal with the apparent realities you all have; it just isn't accepted or acceptable here.

[Mountaineer]

All of this makes me feel bad for having 3 quality umpires on one field for our Big League (LL) tournament last night. Actually, we don't have a lot of trouble filling our LL tournaments with free umpires that are qualified. Most of the HS and college umpires view it as a way to give back to the game.

[tcblue13]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

All of this makes me feel bad for having 3 quality umpires on one field for our Big League (LL) tournament last night. Actually, we don't have a lot of trouble filling our LL tournaments with free umpires that are qualified. Most of the HS and college umpires view it as a way to give back to the game.

That is really cool