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Moneygrubbers


blue32
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Here's my rant of the day:

Another thread brought this thought to mind. As a former UIC for a Babe Ruth League, and as a partner to some of these guys on the field, I can't stand working with guys that are doing this solely for the money. You can pick them out a mile away.

They are veterans that are still wearing their faded Logo Athletic shirts that are closer to being pink than they are navy, and wal-mart silver dress slacks that they have to stretch over their leg guards. And both shirt and slacks were first purchased 25 pounds ago.

They wear sneakers when working the plate.

They have the nylon ball bag that they bought at Kmart more than a decade ago.

They wear the same faded hat that has sweat stains from 10 years ago.

When you call to assign them a game, the first question isn't where and when, it's always "How much?"

The next question is, "Is there a time limit?"

When I have the plate during a timed game, they try to ask me several times a game how much time is left.

They show up 5 minutes before first pitch, and are out of the parking lot before the teams have even finished shaking hands.

They ask for advances on games they have yet to work. (yes, i have been asked this on more than one occasion)

They call you back to cancel the day of the game, only to let it slip that they got another game closer to home that pays more.

They have umpired for 20 years, but have never attended a clinic, whether it's free or not.

I guess the positive spin on this is whenever I run into one, and they ask me how many games I have that week, and I tell them, the response is usually "I wonder why I didn't get called for that game, tourney, etc." Gee, I wonder why.

Am I leaving anything out?

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Here's my rant of the day:

Am I leaving anything out?

Oh yea,

They come over to the plate after the first 1/2 of an inning and TELL you to open up the strike zone so we can get out at a reasonable hour. :WTF

They're lazy. God help them if they've got to hustle to a base.:WTF

They whine about the assignor on a) # of games B) distance to games

They'll brag about banging out someone "just so they can this over with".:agasp_:

I have worked with 2 guys in recent years who had behavioral problems in that regard. The one guy (first rant) shocked me so I had no comment at first. I later told him in no uncertain terms would I change my strike zone.:wow:

I won't complain to someone about not hustling because I will pick up the slack. However, I try and avoid working a game with them.B)

Banging out a player to get the game over with? I have gone back to my assignor and told him a will NEVER work with that guy again. He violates MY integrity when he does that. :BD:

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He violates MY integrity when he does that. B)

Integrity? What is that? Do we really have to carry that onto the field with us? I already have enough with the ball bags, CP, SG, and what is that other thing, hmmmmmmmmmm. Oh yeah, cup. Oops. Forgot the mask. Now, you are telling me I have to bring 1 more thing onto the field.

Edited by Mr Umpire
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I won't complain to someone about not hustling because I will pick up the slack. However, I try and avoid working a game with them.B)

How is that possible? If Mr. Tightpants from WalMart is working the bases, and he doesn't hustle on his calls at any of his responsible bases, it seems to me that you could run 'til your tongue falls out, and it won't matter... (unless you're implying that you poach calls... somehow I doubt you're doing that).

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I hate when I work with someone and they brag how much work they have. If I was a coach who would I want umpiring my game, someone who works 2 - 4 games on the weekend or 7 - 10? I just cannot stand when I work with someone and they work 6 games on a saturday and 5 games on a sunday, and complain how much work they have. WELL ISN'T IT YOUR FAULT TO WANTING TO DO ALL OF THOSE?

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I don't get paid. We're almost entirely a non-paying district. I know junior umpires in the next district over (big towns) that get $25 plate/$15 field. But I get compensated with a somewhat light schedule during the regular season. No more than 2 plate games during a week, of course there's not a whole lot of games, lol.

So I take great offense to these type of people. Heck I take in $0 per game and I spent over $600 on equipment/accessories/uniform before the season...

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I got a couple of them too (moneygrubbers)... I rarely use them and when I do its only when I'm in a pinch (and I always pair them together). All they do is brag about how many games they called over the weekend. Whoopie doo... and when I assign them a rec. game during the week all I hear is a bunch of belly aching over how sloppy the talent is. Problem is; they are just as sloppy. What a perfect match...

Blu32... you highlighted all the basics. There is one other key factor that I would add. Your moneygrubbers more then likely never played or coached the game on a competitive level and if they did they were forgettable.

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Another thing these guys tend to do is hang around the concession stand trying to see what they can get for free. I'm thankful when the folks at the concession stand are able offer us a drink, burger or dog, but many places don't and that's fine but after a while you know which sites do what and when you know they aren't allowed, just don't ask.

Around here we have sites/leagues which won't even give you a cup of tap water to a place or two where it's like you have to try and get away with out having 5-6 hot dogs forced on you.

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Oh yeah, the concession bums, I forgot about that. I once worked a little guy tournament with a guy that was at the concession stand before the start of the day getting breakfast burritos, and at the grill between every game. He was also one who would ask for advances on games he hadn't worked yet.

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I had a guy that went to the concession stand between innings and came back with a hot dog and coke and ate the dog while on the field. Needless to say he did not have another dog the rest of the day after I got through with him. Embarassing to say the least. Not sure if anyone has brought this up but normally these guys always show up right before a game and have no intentions of working the first plate and sometime no plate at all.

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We don't have that problem since I work in a local LL (rural community) that only uses volunteers. There are maybe 6 of us, who call games fairly regularly, who have purchased our own gear (not wanting to use the balloon CP or the community FM). Uniforms - well, I bought myself a pair of Flecheimer combo pants (with matching heather gray ball bag) and a powder blue shirt (short-sleeve polo shirt) and a fitted four seam navy blue cap. The few of us that call games on a regular basis, always get the plate and whenever possible, a dad or big brother is pulled out of the stands to work the bases. These BU's are given 1B and 2B as their responsibility for safe-out and leaving early - and that's all they do, with PU working as a one-man crew with those two exceptions.

Come tourney time, most of us are on the umpire roster for the district, which wants us wearing the light blue shirt with Navy pants :) Navy pants, means we have to wear the Wal-Mart "dockers" type of pants and stretch them over our SG's. What a pain THAT is.

I can honestly say that I haven't invested a TON of money in gear and apparal, but everything I have is completely on my own nickel, so I don't feel too bad. In fact, after 15 years of volunteer coaching, umpiring and being on the BoD, I feel pretty darn good about my involvement.

Next year - I'm gonna start money-grubbing a little bit. The communities where our LL plays away games, all pay their umpires. So next year, when I no longer have coaching responsibilities, I'm signing up for those communities. The money I make will go into better equipment and uniforms. After I'm set in those departments, whatever I make will be MY "fun-money".

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Come tourney time, most of us are on the umpire roster for the district, which wants us wearing the light blue shirt with Navy pants :wave: Navy pants, means we have to wear the Wal-Mart "dockers" type of pants and stretch them over our SG's. What a pain THAT is.

If you don't want the stretch leg look, check out the online retailers under the softball section. Some softball leagues require the navy pants, so places like Honigs makes'em. (They are about $50, so sounds like something you might want to invest in before spending all your "fun-money" just don't call it "funny-money" or you might get a visit from the Secret Service.)

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Wait.... Guys, I DO IT FOR THE MONEY.

Lets see, $30 to $75 a game, less gas say $15, wear and tear on car $25, equipment (pants pressed/usually dry cleaned and amortizing over say what? 3 years) $35, injuries (achilles beat up; hernia crap and not that old; bruises say what guys, one good one a game) $25, gatorade (I usually bring for my partner too) $5 and our time (hour before game including pregame with partner of 15 to 30 min) and usually 30 min to 60 min post game $25 (call it $5/hr; we could be paid more at McDonalds and add then the parent stress/coach stress $30 (call it $10/hour)... if i did the math right I only lose $95 to $130 a game.....

sorry, was ranting, it is a Friday....

As one parent, who has seen me do 4 games one Sunday, goes to me at his son's first game (my last), he goes it is nice to see you and you always hustle and bust your tail. He goes, It is so precious that you do this, and I know this is your yoga or your time to put your finance guy hat away and refocus and give back....

That is why we do this, that is why we pick on each other in these forums and are always endeavoring to get better at any levels. It is why Carl Childress or Jim Evans or AJ Lostaglio or Ed Rapuano, will respond to an email or call or question we have or at a camp go, I know you are a rookie, but try this, it might help you, cause they see the fire in our eyes and know we get it.... Or why Warren reaches out a year plus ago and goes, Hey I have a website with a forum, try it, we would be happy to have you....

For the guys that have answered years of my silly questions or poked fun at me and others....whether in Korea; Canada; Colorado or North Carolina, etc. I would be happy to work games with you....and have always appreciated your input and tire tracks, when needed...

NOW, where is my check? lol

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We don't have that problem since I work in a local LL (rural community) that only uses volunteers. There are maybe 6 of us, who call games fairly regularly, who have purchased our own gear (not wanting to use the balloon CP or the community FM). Uniforms - well, I bought myself a pair of Flecheimer combo pants (with matching heather gray ball bag) and a powder blue shirt (short-sleeve polo shirt) and a fitted four seam navy blue cap. The few of us that call games on a regular basis, always get the plate and whenever possible, a dad or big brother is pulled out of the stands to work the bases. These BU's are given 1B and 2B as their responsibility for safe-out and leaving early - and that's all they do, with PU working as a one-man crew with those two exceptions.

Come tourney time, most of us are on the umpire roster for the district, which wants us wearing the light blue shirt with Navy pants :wave: Navy pants, means we have to wear the Wal-Mart "dockers" type of pants and stretch them over our SG's. What a pain THAT is.

I can honestly say that I haven't invested a TON of money in gear and apparal, but everything I have is completely on my own nickel, so I don't feel too bad. In fact, after 15 years of volunteer coaching, umpiring and being on the BoD, I feel pretty darn good about my involvement.

Next year - I'm gonna start money-grubbing a little bit. The communities where our LL plays away games, all pay their umpires. So next year, when I no longer have coaching responsibilities, I'm signing up for those communities. The money I make will go into better equipment and uniforms. After I'm set in those departments, whatever I make will be MY "fun-money".

I wouldn't call you going over to call some paid games money grubbing by any account. You've shown your dedication by your work volunteering on the LL field.

One word of caution. You may get black listed from doing post season LL work once it is discovered you are a paid umpire. I know I've posted this before but will again. I have an umpire in my association who both works paid LL games through our association and the LL organizations our association serves, but also does volunteer umpiring with a LL org we do not serve. This guy is a good umpire and I'd want as my partner. He is a HS post season umpire.

He did the local district tournaments with no problem, but when he got to the state level he got told in a condescending manner "Oh, your a paid umpire" then when he was evaluated he was given unnecessarily harsh criticism and was told he would have to go to LL umpires school in Florida.

This umpire for the love of Little League went on his own dime, and additional time off of work, to this school in Florida which he said was a complete joke and even instructed some incorrect mechanics, but he was a good soldier and played along never letting their instructors know he knew better.

He gets to the regionals (I believe he said they were in Tennessee) and it was already known there that he was a "paid umpire" and he was once again reviewed much more harshly than others. He did not make it to Easley for the World Series.

God bless this guy because he continues to go through this, but never quits because he loves Little League.

So I would caution you about taking paid games if your goal is to move up the LL ladder.

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It's not a problem being a paid umpire in LL as long as you are only paid outside of LL. If you are a paid LL umpire then it will go hard on you and in soem regions disqualify you. In my HS group, we have two guys the have done LLSBWS, one that has done a LL baseball regional, one who has a BLLL regional and one who has a SrLL baseball regional and is doing a LLSrWS this year. They are all paid umpires just not for LL.

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Nah... district tourney is as far as I am willing to go - it doesn't require burning all my vacation time from work since all the fields are within an hour drive - most within half an hour. I umpire because I enjoy it - more of a hobby than anything else. If I can make a few $$ to help get better equipment/stock up on uniforms, so that I won't have a huge expense all at once when I eventually join NYSBUA, then the LL pay games make good sense to me.

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Nah... district tourney is as far as I am willing to go - it doesn't require burning all my vacation time from work since all the fields are within an hour drive - most within half an hour. I umpire because I enjoy it - more of a hobby than anything else. If I can make a few $$ to help get better equipment/stock up on uniforms, so that I won't have a huge expense all at once when I eventually join NYSBUA, then the LL pay games make good sense to me.

lol, almost everything you said in your posts reflects pretty much exactly how I feel. Though I bought my gear with part of my tax refund. Only get one shot at that kind of thing, lol. Plus I don't see why I wouldn't want to buy all the protection I can get. I'm not out there to prove how tough I am. Because I'm not.

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Around here we have sites/leagues which won't even give you a cup of tap water to a place or two where it's like you have to try and get away with out having 5-6 hot dogs forced on you.

Yea, you can tell the places that "force the food" on you. They're the places that APPRECIATE the work we do. There aren't alot of them around here but I've got my little black book notated accordingly.

BTW, who would want to eat a breakfast burrito before a game? Are they nuts or just money grubbing fat aholes. I can't eat before games and NO I'm not $$$ grubbing nor fat.

Lastly, as far as the money goes, about 15 yrs ago I sat down with a CPA and we went soup to nuts on income/expenses for my umpiring. He laughed after all was said and done. We did it on a whim. He said back then there's no way he'd ever do a job like this for $$$. There are none. Better yet, he claimed back then (and subsequently confirmed by REFEREE magazine) that the IRS wouldn't go near us for taxes. Let's hope it's still true. An audit would be an automatic ejection in addition to being a pain in the a**.

Edited by therefump
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While I am doing it for extra money(after it pays for any expenses incurred before the season starts) just like everyone else, I do not like the ones who do it for the money only.

They are the ones who don't care about their appearance on the field. Don't care if they know the rules very well. Don't care if they do the mechanics right. And, don't care to learn anything after the games are over. They usually are the ones who show up to the game in their base gear near game time. :nod:

I have done my share of volunteer umpiring. I haven't done any in a long time b/c I haven't been asked to. There are LL organizations around but I am not part of them. And, the 1 LL program we do, those not affiliated with LL get paid. If I were asked to not take any money for whatever reason, then I would have no problem with that. I don't do enough over there to where that would hurt me any to do some for free.

But, at least some of the LL ones who don't get paid, take the time to get it right(catoblue and willv28). And, for those who don't take the time to get it right, while they are still hurting the kids by doing a bad job, at least they are not being rewarded for doing a bad job. The ones getting paid for doing a bad job are hurting the kids and being rewarded for it. This is where I have a big problem. :clap:

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As the town I live in is in the same district as West Deptford LL (host of the LL SRBB Eastern Regional), I was fortunate enough to umpire a few seasons of the tournament. The DA when I started didn't care at all, nor did his successor. But the present DA is a real hard ass on this, if you take ANY money to umpire ANY LL game you will not be assigned any "District" assigned games. Some early round tournament games are assigned by the individual leagues and they are free to do as they see best. But once you get to semi-final, finals or any games beyond district level, your SOL

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As the town I live in is in the same district as West Deptford LL (host of the LL SRBB Eastern Regional), I was fortunate enough to umpire a few seasons of the tournament. The DA when I started didn't care at all, nor did his successor. But the present DA is a real hard ass on this, if you take ANY money to umpire ANY LL game you will not be assigned any "District" assigned games. Some early round tournament games are assigned by the individual leagues and they are free to do as they see best. But once you get to semi-final, finals or any games beyond district level, your SOL

Hey Neighbor,

Didn't realize you're from the "other" side of the river. Other than "volunteerism" is there any reason they don't want umpires taking $$$. I can't see tournaments saying "he's corrupt because he takes $$$". Seems to me that you get what you pay for.

On the other hand, when my son was coming up through the ranks in Boyertown (they're Midget and not LL affiliated) I volunteered rather than take pay to help the kids in the community. I stopped when my son "graduated" from the program.

Thoughts?

Roy

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Hey Neighbor,

Didn't realize you're from the "other" side of the river. Other than "volunteerism" is there any reason they don't want umpires taking $$$. I can't see tournaments saying "he's corrupt because he takes $$$". Seems to me that you get what you pay for.

On the other hand, when my son was coming up through the ranks in Boyertown (they're Midget and not LL affiliated) I volunteered rather than take pay to help the kids in the community. I stopped when my son "graduated" from the program.

Thoughts?

Roy

The DA believes it is against the spirit of LL to accept cash. I still volunteer for some leagues, but if a league does pay, well, I ain't too proud. Most every league I know has trouble getting volunteer umpires, and most umpires I know move on from LL. Seems silly not get the best available umps for a game, but hey LL does some silly things sometimes.

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Okay well let me tell you, today I was with one of these guys.. I had a game 30 minues away, and I couldn't find the school. So when I called him saying I was going to be late because I couldn't find it, he tells me on the phone: "Don't worry about it, if you don't make it, it's fine." He's bragged to me before about how he does 200 games a year between softball and baseball.

Anyway, so I found the school in the middle of no where, never been there before, and I showed up 3 minutes before game time. I hate being late, but who doesn't? So the first thing he says to me is, "I got screwed out of a game today, and I was hoping you wouldn't come so I could make up from it." I was almost blown away with what he told me.

His is strike zone was from shoulders to toes.. He also showed me his chest protector he made from a lacrosse chest protector he got for $5 a tag sale. The next thing I noticed was the white letters on his hat were brown.. Okay we can't expect everyone to professional I guess..

There was a VERY hard hit to left field, and the left fielder was playing in, so I knew it was obviously a trouble ball. There were runners on second and third at the time of the hit. I ran out so I could get a better look at the catch (he would have to make a diving one behind him to get it) or if the ball rolled into the woods (that's how hard it was hit). So after running back as hard as the left fielder could he just missed it, VERY CLOSE. After the inning, my partner gets pissed at me saying I should never go out on a pop fly regardless if it's a close play or not. I’m the only guy he’s worked with that have run out on a pop fly and I made it difficult for him because he had to look at 2 tags at 2nd and 3rd.. He said you can see everything fine and when he works night games for the "couple" leagues he works for, they can see the ball fine. So he finished up the conversation with "we're not in the major leagues," and I left it as that.

At the end of the game, last batter, pop fly to the third base side out of play, kid caught the ball and he calls him out. The offensive coach comes streaming out saying the kid was out. I was in B position, and I could see it out of play. So he tells the coaches, "He can catch it out of play, as long as he steps into play before he throws it.." he turns around and goes, "Right Nate?" Well at that point I walked away from them and asked him to talk to me.. We talked about it, he realized he wasn't making sense and changed the call. After all that the batter struck out and ended the game.

He’s a nice guy, but honestly.. I wish these people wouldn’t work with me. I rather work by myself than to have someone else make me look bad.

Nate

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