Umpires: Pay Policies?

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Apr 28, 2019
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We are not public address announcer, we call balls and strikes, not high, low etc.
Obviously it’s not a requirement but it makes the game easier to follow and more enjoyable for me.. Some umps give locations. Some are very demonstrative, energetic, and easy to follow. Others are meek and quiet and you have to guess or ask somebody what the call was. Not as enjoyable.
Like anything else personal preference. Some people go above and beyond and some do the bare minimum.
I would hope most umps enjoy the sports they choose to participate in. It’s a way to stay close and still be involved in the sport.
It seems there is a percentage of umps out there with control issues looking to supplement their income.
Always great to see umps that are approachable and willing to teach and learn themselves.
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
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Where I am, for tournaments it's $50 a game with two umpires, $55 by yourself (10u). They say that's the pay, but then we have to pay 10% to the assigner so it's basically $45 or $49.50. If we work only Sautrday or Sunday, we get paid at the end of the day by check. If we work both Saturday and Sunday, we get paid after our last game on Sunday.

Working Rec games or Summer league, its the same rate, but takes longer to get paid, (I'm still waiting for to be paid for a few summer games due to some "mixup" between the teams and the league)

As for Perks where I work, there are none, zero. Not even a bottle of water for the umps on a hot day.

I've only been doing umpiring and tourneys since April, but I have never seen my UIC at the fields. Maybe he's there, but never visited my games, never heard any input about my games, (maybe that's a good thing).
 
Last edited:
Oct 16, 2019
3
3
When discussing when and how umps are paid you might be ignoring the elephant in the room. Bi-weekly pay is generally 199ed. Paid at the tourney is general a check or cash. It boils down to some if they are going to report it or not. One system pretty much guarantees it and generally that is the disliked system.
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
113
When discussing when and how umps are paid you might be ignoring the elephant in the room. Bi-weekly pay is generally 199ed. Paid at the tourney is general a check or cash. It boils down to some if they are going to report it or not. One system pretty much guarantees it and generally that is the disliked system.
We get a 1099 at end of year, unfortuantely.
 
Jul 6, 2016
5
3
OK, I may have done something I will regret ... I agreed to be a UIC for 2020.

One of the things I want to bring to the table for this organization is written policies for our umpires. I believe it will help improve the expectations (and thus the results and relationship) between umpires and the organization.

First up on my list is pay policies. I have a draft based on what I would like to see, but I would like to benchmark it against policies in other places. I’m not asking how much you get paid, but I want to know what policies you encounter with getting paid.

For example ...
*When do you get paid?
*What are the policies for cancellations and delays (weather related and non-weather related)?
*What happens when you are forced to work solo?
*What “perks” does the facility provide?
*Anything else you can think of!

Even if you aren’t an umpire, what are your experiences or expectations of the umpires?
• It’s customary to pay umpires after their final game of the day.
• Most umpires work solo unless it’s a tournament.
• Game fees in California are $40-$50 for rec and travel ball.
• Perks would include providing bottled water. A meal is optional, but if the umpire is working 2 or more games, a meal is suggested.
• if the game is canceled for any reason, and the umpire was not notified, via text or email, full game fee is due.
 
Jul 6, 2016
5
3
1) Consistency (especially with balls & strikes)
2) Be Loud- I want to hear balls and strikes ( go the extra mile tell me where it missed (high, low, inside, outside)
3) Don’t get defensive when asked to explain a call.


1) Every umpire is trying their best with consistency.
2) The umpire should be loud enough for the batter and catcher can hear the call. Everyone else can see the umpire call a strike.
3) Umpires are not running a clinic during games. They should explain a rule, if necessary, but not be expected to explain a call.
 
Jul 6, 2016
5
3
Nope... Sorry, but this doesn't stop any future questions - it adds to them. Because now the coaches (and crowd) think that you are going to answer them and will openly question them.

If you start to indicate where you think pitches missed, then you are going to get asked every single pitch. And then everyone goes nuts every time they disagree with you or on close calls or worse case if you happen to miss one. It spirals quickly - not every time - but it is a known situation that you want to actively manage away from.

Umpired with a newer umpire on a game this weekend and he totally fell for that trap. Then he got flustered and lost his zone for a bit which added to the chirping and the quetions and the crowd and... He never really recovered but he did learn a lesson.

I think it was MTR (maybe Comp) who told me "You job is not to commentate the game".

PERFECTLY said!
 
May 22, 2019
15
3

"( go the extra mile tell me where it missed (high, low, inside, outside)" --- that's not the mechanic umpires are taught ... you should be able to tell if it was hi lo in out, even from the dugout
I've found that most of the time in upper level fastpitch (14-18U), when the catcher asks "where was that one?" or "blue, how close was that?", they're asking because their coach tells them or even gives them a signal to ask. The catcher knows where it missed, but this is the coach's indirect attempt to show displeasure with the call. Depending on the situation, I'll answer once, maybe twice, then very politely let the catcher know to stop asking. She is most often relieved; because then her coach will stop asking her. Occasionally the coach will yell the inquiry (where was that one?) at me and my response is "outside of the strike zone". At the next half inning, I then will quietly and privately tell the coach that I will consider anymore questions regarding pitches, arguing balls/strikes. I've never had an escalation after that. I never offer pitch location at any level of bb or an, with possible exceptions for very young new pitchers/players/coaches. Pls know that this is how I work due to my experience and how I was taught. I realize there are many schools of thought on this and everything else.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
When discussing when and how umps are paid you might be ignoring the elephant in the room. Bi-weekly pay is generally 199ed. Paid at the tourney is general a check or cash. It boils down to some if they are going to report it or not. One system pretty much guarantees it and generally that is the disliked system.

A little late catching up ...

Technically the time period and pay method have nothing to do with a 1099. A 1099 must be issued if that school/organization paid a contractor more than $600 for the year. They can issue one for less, but are not required to.

That said, a place paying cash and/or paying immediately is less likely to issue legal documents. Doesn’t mean they aren’t supposed to though.
 
Nov 22, 2019
194
43
Minnesota, USA
Any suggestions on how often to pay umpires for weekly league games? We have limited field availability so our softball association and baseball switch off home games each week. We have to supply umpires for our home league games.

Would you suggest paying at the end of that week of home games? I think in the past they have done bi-weekly but I don't think that is appropriate for them to have to wait that long to get paid. On the other hand, our association treasurer can't be at every single game location to cut a check at the end of every night.
 

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