The Decline of Umpiring

[MikeP]

So i read bits and pieces of this post and debated commenting or not. This past year I decided to volunteer to ump for USA tournaments, and our local city league. Having been a FP coach for a decade, it was an easy transition rules wise. Here is what I learned from just one year behind the plate.

1. no matter what call you make one side will be pissy
2. working the slot makes it hard to judge outside strikes. i prefer to work straight up and eat a few balls. i have also used this knowledge to improve my pitch calling noting where the umpire sets up.
3. I hear every little comment behind the plate. gets real old real fast.
4. just because your catcher doesnt move their mitt does not mean it was a strike. it amazes me how many catchers set up in a location that their own coach is clueless about. Example setting up outside for in an inside pitch.
5. i will call the corners if you hit the corners. i dont know how many times i told a coach that.
6. Just because a changeup looks pretty does not mean it crossed the plate in the strike zone.
7. know the actual rules before appealing.
8. we all make mistakes plain and simple, going nuts on a ump in rec league is just flat out stupid. Had a coach put a female field who was only 17 in tears. I promise i will be less than cordial when/if we ever meet again.

The one thing i am starting to notice from a coaching perspective is the lack of strikes being called at belt high. Saying she missed high. Just baffles me how that is NOT a strike. I would post video but it wont do anyone any good. When your pitchers avg 2-3 walks a tournament and suddenly you are seeing 6-7 per game it really makes you wonder. At young ages umps are opening up the strike zone but then tightening it up when pitchers are actually skilled enough to hit corners. That has always bothered me, at this age you throw down the middle and the ball is going for a ride. So our pitch calling is looking for grounders/popups and mis hits vs K's. I see both sides of the arguments, but in general i dont see the umpiring getting better regardless of how far we travel.

I umped for the first time this spring in our rec league and number 3 is so true. Also could hear it from the field. I really struggled ignoring the ignorance sometimes.

 

[erniekru]

While it is true that high-dollar tournaments can afford the best umpires, I have all kinds of problems with the idea that "big org" summer games are the only ones that matter. I'm certain that the "Hitten Kittens" would also disagree. The condescension that some carry about "lower levels" never ceases to amaze. It even appears to extend to college ball where, if you're not P5, you're falling short. At the youth association level, it's exactly the reason that Rec exists as little more than a cash cow, if it exists at all.

If we're really talking about the "grand scheme", NONE of this matters much. Hopefully, it's fun and memorable, but it's ALL short-term "what we did in HS and college" stuff. Even most of those talented kids who play during the summer for the "big orgs" with the good umpires won't play through four years of college ball. Many of those who manage to do so emerge from school injured and under-equipped for the world that confronts them. My direct and first-hand observation

@MikeP and @Strike2

I was referring to USSSA, USA Softball, Alliance, PGF, IDT, etc as the big org summer games. I wasn't referring to the TB Orgs. I also wasn't trying to marginalize friendlies. My referencing the "hitten kittens friendlies", I was directly referring to the weekly ones set up by teams who hire local umps, often using local rec league UIC's as coordinators of the umpiring teams. There's usually no vetting as everyone understands, it's just friendlies. In the summer games and other bigger tourneys, I think it is expected that they provide a higher quality and more vetted umpiring team. It's not a scandalous statement, its just the bigger tournaments have more budget to pay their umps and it is reasonable to expect a better product.

Going back to these weekly friendlies... they are absolutely important to the development of the team and of the players. Both will still develop regardless if there is an atrocious ump who makes a bad call. There can always be something learnt from a bad call.. maybe swing at one of the better pitches the player took for a called strike instead of a backwards K, maybe get a better jump on a called out at the plate play, don't let umpire calls get in your head and ruin your game, etc??? Either way, coaches and parents aren't circling the 3rd weekend in Sept friendlies and saying, "this is our championship, we must win those three games!". That was the only point about these weekly friendlies "not meaning anything"

Again, no marginalizing teams from me. What I've realized, everyone is "lower level" compared to some!

 

[El Oso]

I have three close friends that walked away from umpiring/ref'ing in the past 2 or 3 years. Each cited dealing with parents as one of their biggest issues.

1. What sports did they umpire/ref, only softball? I'm talking strictly softball. I have no exposure to other sports.
2. You say dealing with parents was one of the issues. What were the others?

 

[erniekru]

I umped for the first time this spring in our rec league and number 3 is so true. Also could hear it from the field. I really struggled ignoring the ignorance sometimes.

I've umped for our local Little League that my son plays for. You hear EVERYTHING behind the dish.. My favorites, "Don't worry Johnny, that was strike 4!" I've also talked with one of the tougher coaches to umpire a game for, right after the game. I told him that I umped his game because no one else would and that he should set a better example for his players and parents.. Everyone was chirping.

He response was that he felt my umpiring was biased because between innings, I wasn't over talking with his side as much as I was talking with the other side. "No $h!t, you've been difficult the whole game, why would I want to talk to you!" was my response..

Umpiring is HARD

 

[radness]

I am surprised that there is not more 18 to 25 year old umpires. In So Cal an ump makes minimum $50 per 1:20 DD game. Start at 8:00 am and finish at 5:00 (6 games). $300 tax free cash (mostly). That's pretty good money. Beat the crap out of working at Starbucks........

.......and working at starbucks get lots of customer junk spewed at workers.

 

[ORBlue]

This is not a new issue. Our Umpire Association was predicting this situation back in the late 1990's. The "Boomers" were aging and dropping from the umpire hobby...we did everything we thought was possible to recruit the next generation. Failed!

There many unknowns to the non-umpire community what is required in costs; time; equipment requirements, etc.

This is not a cash deal. Fees are taken from the game fee to pay a variety of people and organizations. A $35 game is NOT $35 for the umpire...fees are deducted..

The cost of required equipment and uniforms is quite large. This was an obstacle for the younger person looking at umpiring. Our Umpire Association often shared "older" equipment with the newbie's until they decided this was for them. Then they can invest between $300 - $500 for gear and uniforms.

Many individuals don't want to spend non-pay time to attend regular weekly Umpire Association meetings to learn not only the rules but proper techniques for effective umpires.

After 35 years of officiating I gave it up three years ago. Could I still do the plate on a high quality high school, travel ball or NCAA game....YES. But, it was time to leave and find other ways to use my "spare" time while I still could enjoy physical activity.

So now I'm cycling; hiking; fishing; golfing; running...all the things I had NO TIME for when I was umpiring.

 

[Anthony Vertuccio]

Why would you even attach that to my post???
Did i say berate the umpires...
NO
Way to ignor the point within my post tho...

Post has to do with people and how people treat people. Umpires are people there are plenty of other people at other jobs that get berated by public stuff.
People still take those jobs!

Btw I have made other good feedback posts regarding the topic that I do not think as a decline of umpires... think more it is a growth of games and need for more umpires.
Called new opportunity because of growth.

so what did you mean be "getting the brunt"?? Im saying its not ok to get berated at any job by the public. Why would anyone take any kind of money to get berated by public stuff?? No amount of money is worth that. And thats what the umpires are telling me.

 

[FP26]

1. What sports did they umpire/ref, only softball? I'm talking strictly softball. I have no exposure to other sports.
2. You say dealing with parents was one of the issues. What were the others?

1. 1 softball, 1 baseball, and 1 basketball
2. They cited treatment as the primary reason. It got to the point that their compensation was no longer worth the aggravation.

 

[radness]

so what did you mean be "getting the brunt"?? Im saying its not ok to get berated at any job by the public. Why would anyone take any kind of money to get berated by public stuff?? No amount of money is worth that. And thats what the umpires are telling me.

Anthony you commented as though you were saying I thought it was okay to berate people and I never did said that.
Did you get the point i made yet ?

Going out on a limb here...Of course you recognize people in other jobs get the brunt of peoples 'stuff' also.

Simply saying umpires are not exclusive to being berated or taking on unnecessary added crap from the public.

Like other employees in society have to deal with also.
There are a heck of a lot more employees in other job categories that take a bunch of crap far more other jobs than just umpires. it happens in workplaces all the time it's not exclusive to umpires.

 

[FP26]

.......and working at starbucks get lots of customer junk spewed at workers.

You are absolutely correct. This is a societal problem that is not isolated to just umpiring. Our society is divided in so many different ways. Understanding and compassion are harder and harder to find.