I'm having Pro School Problems

[Codyw09]

So I am absolutely dedicated to attend pro school this year. I have been lucky enough to have been trained well and would love to travel the country and work ball. The only problem is I'm stressing out about my options. The association I belong to has a good working relationship with Evans, and I have actually met him twice. On the other hand I have heard really good things about Harry's from former students and this board and also its just my luck PBUC opens there own school making the choice even more difficult.

Any thoughts Gentlemen?

[Stretch]

If you feel more confident umpiring live baseball go to Harry's.

Jimmy's has controlled (fungo hit baseball) situations.

I have no idea what PBUC's school is going to have.

What are you looking for in the schools?

PM me.

James

[sdix00]

So I am absolutely dedicated to attend pro school this year. I have been lucky enough to have been trained well and would love to travel the country and work ball. The only problem is I'm stressing out about my options. The association I belong to has a good working relationship with Evans, and I have actually met him twice. On the other hand I have heard really good things about Harry's from former students and this board and also its just my luck PBUC opens there own school making the choice even more difficult.

Any thoughts Gentlemen?

I can already imagine how this thread is gonna go.

Try defining your goals to reign in the commentary.

Are you going for a job with MiLB?

What level of ball do you want to call in 2012?

What level of ball do you want to call in 2022?

One school is only 4 weeks long. Do you see an advantage here?

One school has PBUC evaluators as instructors. Do you see an advantage here?

One school is brand new this year and may have first year issues to work through. Are you OK with this possibility?

Do you enjoy learning rules over mechanics, or vice versa?

I have wondered how much longer Jim Evans will be actively involved. Is there a limited window of opportunity?

One school has more MiLB placements and MLB promotions than the other. Is this statistic important to you?

Have you attended one of Harry's clinics, yet?

What type of instructors do you want to learn from? Mostly hotshot MiLB guys? Some MLB guys? Some PBUC evaluators?

Do you think there will be more value in doing some live games instruction?

Do you have any specific questions beyond "which is better?"

[mstaylor]

Evans will have no live ball, Harry's will, the new school is a wild card. The new school will be shorter but I suspect longer days, but you will under the PBUC evaluators supervision. Knowing a lot of the instructors at the new school I think they will be fine. The other two are well established with a track record. Dix makes good points to ponder, although I would be interested to know the advancement stats. People always say Evans gives you a stronger rules background than Harry's but I think that is more a product of what you put into it. Mazz went to Harry and he is extremely strong in the rules. I know other guys that have gone to both and some come out strong, others not so much.

[Codyw09]

Ok so here is some of my background and goals. I am going to school with full intentions of getting a job. I have been well trained mechanic wise and have recieved top student at both clinics I attended this summer. I believe this is one of my strongest points, and feel more comfortable working live situations.

BUT with that being said, theres been twice this year that I found myself not knowing how to apply a rule to a certain situation. Of course I looked up the rule after the game, but it makes me aware that I need some help in this dept.

So i guess what am I asking is should I go to a school that highlights my attributes or a school where I can learn the rules?

[mstaylor]

I think you can learn the rules in either school if you properly apply yourself. It is probably a good idea to go where your strengths will show, that way you can concentrate on your weaknesses.

[yawetag]

So i guess what am I asking is should I go to a school that highlights my attributes or a school where I can learn the rules?

Fair warning: I've never been to pro school.

Asking umpires which they prefer is akin to asking whether Coke or Pepsi is better. It's all a matter of choice. The ones that went to Harry's will say Harry's is the best; the ones that went to Evans' will say Evans' is the best; the ones that went to both will say the one they got the "farthest" with. I think it's impossible to find a truly unbiased opinion on the matter.

That said, I don't think (and you can verify this with graduates) either school will "highlight" your attributes. Both take the stance that every umpire walking into the school is a new umpire, and they train that way. They will start with the basics -- your stance, your call mechanics, EVERYTHING. You probably already know the dimensions of the infield, but guess what -- they're going to spend time going over it. You probably know a ton about balks, but I'll bet they spend at least a day going over it. You're probably really good at pivoting from A or taking 3B as PU with R1, but you're going to be taught it again. Everything will be drilled into your head.

[mazzamouth]

If you feel more confident umpiring live baseball go to Harry's.

Jimmy's has controlled (fungo hit baseball) situations.

I have no idea what PBUC's school is going to have.

What are you looking for in the schools?

PM me.

James

Harry's also does fungo's...LOL

If you want to sleep on the beach and wake up everyday and look out your window and see the sun rise over the eastern shores of Florida go to Harrys'

If you want to learn better mechanics go to Harry's

If you want to have fun, learn the rules and become a better umpire.. go to Harry's..

Do you see where Im going with this..

Also are you going to for a chance at a Pro Job? Not sure if James has been to one of the schools, But I have some really good buddies who went to Jim's last year..

Pm me if you have questions

[mazzamouth]

Ok so here is some of my background and goals. I am going to school with full intentions of getting a job. I have been well trained mechanic wise and have recieved top student at both clinics I attended this summer. I believe this is one of my strongest points, and feel more comfortable working live situations.

BUT with that being said, theres been twice this year that I found myself not knowing how to apply a rule to a certain situation. Of course I looked up the rule after the game, but it makes me aware that I need some help in this dept.

So i guess what am I asking is should I go to a school that highlights my attributes or a school where I can learn the rules?

Our rules guy who is our Chief Instructor is believed to be one of the top 5 rules guys in the country, Big leaders still call him to ask him rules..Harry's will teach you how to apply the rules on the field as well and knowing them..

Yea maybe at Harry's we didnt take 700 questions for rules test, cause we spent the rest of our time on the field learning to Umpire and apply those rules..

Also ask the Umpireschool guy on here he will answer any of your questions.

[Stretch]

I've been to both Mazz.

The last week or two at Harry's there was more live games than fungo hitting...

if I remember right.

Both schools have the same mantra of you cannot hide a bad/good umpire.

[Big Al]

Harry's school is very intensive. It is more about live calling and knowing the rules "right now",

than thinking about it. I feel his school emphasizes mechanics more than anything else

which is great because proper mechanics makes all the difference in the ability to

make a call.

They are very tough and you better be in good shape and have a thick skin.....

You will come out of there being amazingly better that you entered.

I would like for them to spend more time on judging the strike zone from

90+ pitching with all types of pitches. This seems to be a weakness

of all umpire schools. Judging a strike on a moving pitch is probably the

hardest thing to do in baseball. The catcher knows what is coming, but

we have no idea until it starts to move and sometimes that's too late to

judge if you are not properly prepared.

I have only seen Harry's school, but from what I have seen, you could not be

trained better by any other organization.

[yawetag]

The catcher knows what is coming, but

we have no idea until it starts to move and sometimes that's too late to

judge if you are not properly prepared.

It sounds like you're bailing out too early on these pitches.