Hi from Jacksonville, Fl

[JaxRolo]

Hi,

I am in Jacksonville, Fl

I umpired for several years with B.L.U.E (Big League Umpires Enterprises) from about 1995 to 2002.

Now I started backup and have to take that dumb Babe Ruth exam again! (yuk)

[widac]

Hi,

I am in Jacksonville, Fl

I umpired for several years with B.L.U.E (Big League Umpires Enterprises) from about 1995 to 2002.

Now I started backup and have to take that dumb Babe Ruth exam again! (yuk)

I don't know what B.L.U.E (Big League Umpires Enterprises) is, but why wouldn't you just do HS ball instead of Babe Ruth?

[actvii]

welcome to the site the guy's here are great,and good luck on your exam.:GL:

[mstaylor]

Welcome to the site and good luck on your test. If you have any refresher questions feel free to post. We are chomping at the bit for the season to start again.

[JaxRolo]

I don't know what B.L.U.E (Big League Umpires Enterprises) is, but why wouldn't you just do HS ball instead of Babe Ruth?

BLUE was one of the Local Umpire Associations at the time.

I will be doing some HS Ball but since I am new to this new association I have to prove myself all over again.

[yawetag]

I will be doing some HS Ball but since I am new to this new association I have to prove myself all over again.

I haven't been around long, but this irks me, and your organization isnt the first I've heard of this.

Personally, if someone comes to your org with experience, he shouldn't be forced to start again at the bottom. If I were involved with those decisions, I would contact the previous org and ask for some informaton. If the ump had been doing varsity-level ball for several years without any major incidents, I see no problem putting him in a varsity-level game in my organization -- even if I have to pair him with more-experienced umps for the first few games.

[Umpire in Chief]

I haven't been around long, but this irks me, and your organization isn't the first I've heard of this.

Personally, if someone comes to your org with experience, he shouldn't be forced to start again at the bottom. If I were involved with those decisions, I would contact the previous org and ask for some information. If the ump had been doing varsity-level ball for several years without any major incidents, I see no problem putting him in a varsity-level game in my organization -- even if I have to pair him with more-experienced umps for the first few games.

Yawetag, I can understand your point, but I have to agree with testing the guy out first. No offense to Jax, but as an assigner I want to make sure the new guy meets the associations standards because standards vary so much from association to association. I'd have some of my better evaluators watch him for a while and them move him to the level where he's fit in our organization.

I've seen first hand the variance in qualities of associations and have read many things online about how different ones work.

But this tryout period should be brief and not a start from scratch.

[JaxRolo]

Yawetag, I can understand your point, but I have to agree with testing the guy out first. No offense to Jax, but as an assigner I want to make sure the new guy meets the associations standards because standards vary so much from association to association. I'd have some of my better evaluators watch him for a while and them move him to the level where he's fit in our organization.

I've seen first hand the variance in qualities of associations and have read many things online about how different ones work.

But this tryout period should be brief and not a start from scratch.

I take no offense. The way I see it is the younger kids get an experienced ump for a few games.

I see many times the really new umpires get thrown in to officiate by themselves and thats not good for the ump or the kids.

By the way I got my Babe Ruth Test Score today. Got a 90 without help from anyone! I wish they would tell em what I missed.

Next is the Softball Test.

[mstaylor]

I agree with UIC, I have been told by too many that they have varsity and college experience and then struggle on a JV field. What is wrong is making a guy start at the bottom just because he has moved. I have seen guys come to my group and move right into college, even MiLB replacement when needed. I have seen others that stink and don't realize it.

[yawetag]

Yawetag, I can understand your point, but I have to agree with testing the guy out first. No offense to Jax, but as an assigner I want to make sure the new guy meets the associations standards because standards vary so much from association to association. I'd have some of my better evaluators watch him for a while and them move him to the level where he's fit in our organization.

How quickly would you allow the move? I've heard of some organizations that won't think about it in the first few years.

AFAIK, my organization doesn't have evaluators -- I assume they get feedback on newer umpires through partners in their games.

[JaxRolo]

Just Got my Assignment for Saturday.

3 games 10 year olds B) yuk

[mstaylor]

How quickly would you allow the move? I've heard of some organizations that won't think about it in the first few years.

AFAIK, my organization doesn't have evaluators -- I assume they get feedback on newer umpires through partners in their games.

I make the move as soon as we feel he is ready. I have seen guys that come in and move right into decent varsity quickly. I have seen others that stay in JV and low varsity for a while.