Im gonna stir the pot a little...

[Andy]

Originally Posted by azbigdawg

...If you call me Andy again...we will have issues...Andy is the tall, ugly WHITE guy from Phoenix.....

Now I'm insulted!!! Darrell is the tall, ugly, BLACK guy from Phoenix!

My guess is that it wasn't either of the ASA sanctioned tournies in CO, but the other major organization we deal with here in AZ.

[mcrowder]

Back to the actual OP ... if umpires were contracted to work a tournament, and tourney officials decided to change the rate of pay contracted, I have NO PROBLEM at all with any umpires who decided to simply go home. Heck, I wouldn't have any problem if the whole lot of them up and left on Saturday when they learned of the issue.

[azbigdawg]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

Back to the actual OP ... if umpires were contracted to work a tournament, and tourney officials decided to change the rate of pay contracted, I have NO PROBLEM at all with any umpires who decided to simply go home. Heck, I wouldn't have any problem if the whole lot of them up and left on Saturday when they learned of the issue.

and you would be wrong.....

[bluezebra]

Originally Posted by azbigdawg

and you would be wrong.....

NO!!!. Because the tourney officials BROKE the contract with the umpires when they lowered the agreed-upon fee(s).

Bob

[azbigdawg]

Originally Posted by bluezebra

NO!!!. Because the tourney officials BROKE the contract with the umpires when they lowered the agreed-upon fee(s).

Bob

The contract is NOWHERE as near as important as the teams and the games.... Finish up..dont go back next year....

[scottk_61]

Originally Posted by azbigdawg

and you would be wrong.....

I disagree with you Darrell.
I have been at a tournament more than once where the TD decided to change the pay rate.
I have to say that at BB tourneys, we walked. en masse. After we told the coaches and parents why.

Never had a walk out of a softball tourney, but we did tell the coaches and parents why there would be no umpires for future tounaments under that particular TD.
And the umpires stuck to it, together.

I have been at a tourament where the umpires walked out en masse after learning that the UIC for the tounament was cheated out of his pay and had paid us (the umpires) out of his own pocket.

That tounament, by the way, is now non-existant as even the complex won't allow the organizer in.

I normally say that we should honor our committment no matter what, but.....there is a time and a place for a walk out.

I do think if the situation is so bad that you have to walk or decide not to work in the future, let the coaches and parents (if youth) know why it is the way it is.

This is a slippery slope that could damage your reputation for many years or it may solidify your umpire association and its credibility.

In my view, there is no correct answer to this situation.

[CecilOne]

How bad was the OP case?

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

How bad was the OP case?

Yeah how much was the change? Was the fee droped $5, $10, $15? Personally, I wouldn't quibble much over $5 - but with the price of gas today I wouldn't be judgemental if someone did.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Yeah how much was the change? Was the fee droped $5, $10, $15? Personally, I wouldn't quibble much over $5 - but with the price of gas today I wouldn't be judgemental if someone did.

I dont' know. Fifteen games at $5 is a decent amount of money to some folks. Then again, there is the principle of the issue.

How would a tournament director like it if after pool play, the umpires decided the money they were getting was only worth five innings a game and wouldn't work any more innings than that? You don't think the TD would be jumping around, screaming and hollaring about that? You don't think he would be calling a manager's meeting to make them aware of the situation?

There are probably some TDs that would just cancel the tournament.

[Al]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

Back to the actual OP ... if umpires were contracted to work a tournament, and tourney officials decided to change the rate of pay contracted, I have NO PROBLEM at all with any umpires who decided to simply go home. Heck, I wouldn't have any problem if the whole lot of them up and left on Saturday when they learned of the issue.

Hey mcrowder,

I still smile every time I think of that call you made looking at the wrong first base line after getting up from a slip. That was the clear winner in the "what was the worst call you ever made" thread.

We have it pretty good here in TN. For one thing it's very rare, even in rec ball, to go with only one umpire. And as far as pay goes...in the baseball tournament I was in we got paid 32.50 per game. We had one game rained out, but the tourney offical paid the umpires $20.00 for that game anyway. I didn't expect that but I know some of the umpires had to drive in from a pretty good distance so I think that's why he paid for part of that game. ...Later, ..Al