Seventeen Games this weekend
 

Ties my record for a weekend, and breaks (by far) the latest in the year I've gotten to work. Gonna be cold (well ... Texas cold - 40's to 60's). Just hope we don't get rain. Would be ironic I get through an entire Spring and Fall season with zero rainouts - and lose games to rain in freaking December.

Advil and my backbrace are my friends... said "See ya Monday" to my family this morning.

That is absurd.

Must have short time limits.

Wow....tired much?

Do you feel that you will be giving the players and teams the same quality of umpiring in, say, games twelve through seventeen as you would in games one through five?

What Mike said.

This has been a trend in my area and I have been 'fighting' with schedulers about working too many games in a weekend for a year or so. I was recently scheduled 7 games one Sat after working 2 the Friday night before, and scheduled for 4 on Sunday (all the same tournament). Frankly, that is about 4 or 5 too many games for the whole weekend imo. We don't expect players to play 7 FP games in a day, so why do we think Umps can do a 'good' job either? I think this leads to bad habits and lazy mechanics and have turned back weekend from the assigners who do this. (and last but not least, it could be said it is not fair to the teams who are paying pretty good money to have their games worked.)

Not to mention the softball hangover on Monday.

To clarify on a few of the things said above.

Tonight's 4 games are pool play, drop dead 60 minute time limit. I have 2 plates, 2 bases in that order. Should be about 4 1/2 hours total.

Tomorrow, we're working 3 to a field. Plate, base, off, repeat and stir. I've worked 7 or 8 this way plenty of times, and while it's tiring, it's not a beating and we are all used to this. the first four (I have 2 of them) is the drop dead 60 minute variety. The rest of the day and Sunday is 75 minutes finish the inning, no ties - so at some point we'll get behind I'm sure - especially with teams moving from field to field. Getting behind on one field could put us behind on the other fields. I'll be leaving around 11, 11:30 - hopefully not TOO much later than that.

The main issue for me will be that generally after this sort of Saturday, I'm beat on Sunday. I can do 6 in a row on a normal day. Will be interesting to see how I do working 6 in a row after the Saturday I described. And as we (the umpires) wear down, the level of play is steadily increasing as are the stakes.

I'll let you know. At least it won't be 90 degrees +. I just hope we get to play the last few - looks like serious rain coming in around noon on Sunday.

Curious.....FP or SP?
No matter what the game, I agree that 17 is way overboard, for all the reasons previously posted.

17 games - either there's a half-a$$ed effort or the games are so non-competitive that they don't really need an umpire.
Other then college ball, I'm usually doing a 1-on-1-off rotation. Though there is one time each year in Mike's area where I do more than 1 in a row.

Please note: May be my area, but not my assigning.

As for the other Mike, I'm confident that you are confident in your job. I have no doubt you will do your best every game, first to last. Been there, done that, will never even consider doing it again.

Now the flip side. As confident as you may feel and raring to go, it is too many games. Even with time limits, it is still a steady stream of play with minimal breaks. You believe you are fresh, but if you actually pay attention, I have found myself and others start to check up early on plays and not be even close to where I was on the same play in the earlier game.

JMO, but taken from years of experience. Good luck and take care of yourself first.

I have done thirteen for a weekend.......I think that included Friday........

I did a State tournament in League City that I would have had fourteen.......but there was no IF game.

I used to do multiple cities in one day.........but quit that after I had some gear stolen from my car and I broke a couple of ribs on the same day........I figured that was bad Karma...........I stick to one city from now on........:cool:

Seeing that we are 28 inches behind on rainfall......I would relish it......my yard is dead......my ex wifes yard is dead......my Mother's is hanging on only because it is shaded from some pretty big trees and I watered it a bit during the summer.....

I had to stop that when her water bill go too high..........d;-)

Joel

Most tournaments I have worked have been two on....one off.....but have had a few in the Tx summers where you worked without a break........it sucks.....but it happens.

Joel

Only if you let it.

I know....I know......you can only have someone take advantage of you if you let them.........:cool:

I am older and wiser now........:eek:

Maybe....

Joel