Umpire ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ratings

[RADcatcher]

At the different age levels and competitive levels of softball. It's possible we may see different levels of umpires at separate softball events.

If you were to compare the quality of umpires to the different softball you know of,
how would you rate the umpires 1 2 3 4 5 stars?

Example
Is it really the case that we get the worst of umpires at say the rec ball level?

Does High School have better or worse umpires than say pgf or Alliance?

How about the different tournament venues who has better or worse umpiring?

How do you think college softball is umpired compared to say Major League Baseball is it the same quality?
How do you think college softball is umpired compared to travel ball umpiring?

 

[_MIA_]

They are all great, I love them all like brothers.

 

[El Oso]

High school quality is definitely worse than Alliance and that is saying something.
College much better than travel ball.
College nowhere near as good as MLB. Not even close.

 

[LEsoftballdad]

It depends on the area. On Long Island, the umpires we see in softball all cross over USSSA, HS, and our local D3 colleges. Some are good, but some are just awful. As for the top-level travel, I've seen both good and bad.

Nobody at any level is worse than Angel Hernandez...

 

[Gtrips07]

It depends on the area. On Long Island, the umpires we see in softball all cross over USSSA, HS, and our local D3 colleges. Some are good, but some are just awful. As for the top-level travel, I've seen both good and bad.

Nobody at any level is worse than Angel Hernandez...

From God's mouth. Mr. Hernandez would be bounced from Rec ball.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

 

[Gtrips07]

If Florida High School ball it is a mixed bag. There's not nearly enough umpires for the games they have. And a lot of umpires who would have retired are still working to help out.

In travel ball, you've got more organizations doing more and more tournaments every weekend, so there's less to go around.



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[RADcatcher]

Nobody at any level is worse than Angel Hernandez...

Dont look Here's some visual...

Both Yankees and Astros announcers were fed up with Angel Hernandez

During Sunday's Houston Astros-New York Yankees game, both team's announcers were fed up with Ángel Hernández and his antics behind the plate.

awfulannouncing.com

 

[Vertigo]

Dont look Here's some visual...

Both Yankees and Astros announcers were fed up with Angel Hernandez

During Sunday's Houston Astros-New York Yankees game, both team's announcers were fed up with Ángel Hernández and his antics behind the plate.

awfulannouncing.com

Hahaha - dd and dh were at that game yesterday - they kept texting me telling me how terrible he was.

 

[marriard]

At the different age levels and competitive levels of softball. It's possible we may see different levels of umpires at separate softball events.

If you were to compare the quality of umpires to the different softball you know of,
how would you rate the umpires 1 2 3 4 5 stars?

Example
Is it really the case that we get the worst of umpires at say the rec ball level?

Does High School have better or worse umpires than say pgf or Alliance?

How about the different tournament venues who has better or worse umpiring?

How do you think college softball is umpired compared to say Major League Baseball is it the same quality?
How do you think college softball is umpired compared to travel ball umpiring?

I am going to give you my view...
First - it is all the same umpires for all the games. The pool is VERY small considering the # of games being played.

I have done everything from rec to D2 this last season. So you never know when I might turn up at whatever level game

Rec is a mixed bag leaning towards newer and bad umpires - but it is really who happens to be available. During HS season the pickings are SLIM to NONE on weeknights as HS games are getting scheduled first. Weekends maybe a little better... not much though depending on what else is being played - especially travel..

HS is a mixed bag... for the best games you are getting the same umps that are doing the best travel and college. If you are losing 22-0 you are sometimes going to get the same people who do rec. And if you play at 4pm because you don't have lights, well only the retired and unemployed are available and that cuts your pool down even if you are a good team. Had that conversation with a coach last season :"Why do I always get Pete and Joe?" - "Because Pete and Joe are the best two umpires who are available for a 4pm start time and live within 30 miles of your field"

So HS has the SAME umps as all travel and college and even rec, but who you get is often in line with your team level and who is available and how many games are being played that night.


In Florida, PGF locally continues to treat their umpires best, so they regularly get the best group of umpires, but not all the best because distance and travel and hotels for that week. Local tournaments get a mix of the best umpires who didn't want to travel for PGF, some good umpires and depending on how many games and tourneys there are - whoever is available (including some baseball umps). I like to sleep in my own bed as much as possible. I hate sharing hotel rooms with anyone and I don't want to drive 3 hours home after umpiring for two days straight. So unless PGF is close to my house that weekend, and I want to umpire,, I will often pick up the best games at the local USSSA tourney 20 minutes from my house.

College softball is a lot of the same umpires. Some are very good, some are political and some I have no idea why they are still being assigned. But in general it is mainly the better umpires available. It is a BIG time commitment which is why turn it down often - it is minimally travel + 2 hours + game(s). And it often involves 1pm or 4pm weekdays games which again limits hugely who is available.
It is not MLB level even in Power 5 D1, because there is just not the money being paid to make it a full time job which is why college umpires are doing travel and HS games (and often baseball as well - and other sports). There may by only 10-20 people nationwide making softball officiating a true full time job - and a lot of retirees working a lot of games. There are some great umpires in softball - but none of them are working at it full time like the MLB and MILB umpires are.

 

[marriard]

How little money for D1?
One of my partners does D1 and is in pretty high demand. It is a clearly a status thing for him ("I do D1 college softball") but he is also a tremendous umpire.
I remember he did a weekend series out of state as part of the Power5 conference he officiates in... 3 games - 1 game Friday night, double header Saturday. I think the pay was $2000... which sounds good but that included everything. So paid for his own flights, hotel, transport, meals, etc. plus he had to leave work early Friday to make sure he could get to he Friday night game in time (7pm start - have to be AT THE STADIUM by 4:30pm - 5pm latest)

So figure it ended up clear $800 before taxes (yes taxes in college umpiring). 12 hours of work plus travel time... and you can't live on that. If it is local they don't give you the travel money - it is still a better deal, but it is no living wage money.