Lesson learned today

[johnnyg08]

Unfortunately, the schools are unable to pay $146 for two umpires for JV and below.

I want work where you live!! We get $ 35 a game anything under Varsity. Granted it's an 1.5 hr time limit or 5 innings.

Wow, that's pretty low pay for HS. I get $60 for 10U Pony games. All HS games are $73 whether it be frosh/soph (solo), JV (solo) or Varsity (2 man). In Varsity, each umpire gets $73. Some of the private schools pay for three man crews here.

Rolando, they could try to negotiate a lower rate, but they aren't going to get to less than $73 and since JV and below are essentially glorified scrimmages, why should they care about providing two umpires? It's just the reality of the situation.

I am moving to where you are! The most I have gotten payed for a HS game is $68 and that was with milage Money.

I believe we get:

45 for Middle School

50 for JV

and 55 for Varsity.

Plus Milage.

Game fees are always tough because some sap will always work for $20.

[umpire78]

So its only my 3rd JV game ever today (3rd in 4 days). First inning, first hitter singles, Next pitch, stealing second, I break out to the left of the mound to get the angle. Ball just beats the runner at second, I'm delaying my call looking for the ball. Shortstop raises his glove, I bang him out. You guessed it, When I turned my back to go back to the plate, he reached down behind the bag and picked up the ball. VC comes roaring out of the dugout. Crap. "You didn't see him? He didn't have the ball!" He's right, but I didn't see that. So I stuck with my call because I truly didn't see him pick it up. Inning ends and I go over to the VC, he's pretty mellow about it and I explained that I guess the shortstop fooled me too, he won't do that again (or me). It ended up a moot point cause his team got waxed 11-1 in 5 innings.

I certainly learned the hard way to make the player "SHOW" me the ball. Dang I felt bad about that. My zone was good today so that helps, but geez I hate that.

The thing is: you learned the lesson. Sometimes, they come the hard way (like your example). Over a 32 year amateur career, I've learned my lessons, too and, I NEVER STOPPED LEARNING, which made me a better umpire.

[treydawgmt]

Woah - 2 person JV's, $74!!

In my area, almost all HS Sophomore & Freshman games are 1 man, $57, no mileage pay. Many schools barely have enough money to buy 3 new baseballs per game, I often use the same 3 for the second game of a double header. No way are they paying for 2 umpires!

As for one man mechanics, I'll echo the always keep the eye on the ball. One time, runners on 1st and 2nd, 2 outs. Grounder hit to deep infield, right behind 2nd base. F4 goes for it and all the coaches/defensive players are yelling to throw it to first. He sets, looks like he's gonna go to first, so I look at first. Ball doesn't show up, so I look back at 2nd. F6 is trotting towards mound with ball in hand, runner is walking off, I call him out. Coach complains for a few seconds that I can't call the kid out, I didn't see it, but not much complaint. I think most of the coaches here understand with only one of us occasionally things will get missed, even if it is totally my fault, just the way it is.

They usually argue the steal at 2nd call for about 2 seconds until I say, "Coach, he was OUT/SAFE from here" at the start of his argument, and then they shut up.