The System for selecting umpires for MLB is flawed.

[ump570]

After seeing some of the obvious bad calls in MLB the last few days, I cannot help but think that maybe the system MLB uses to select umpires is flawed. The only way you can get on the field in pro ball is to go through one of the two umpire schools that currently exist. Right now, it's the Evans School and the Wendelstadt school. These schools can be prohibitively expensive for talented young umpires so I know that there are some great umpires all over the country who never get a shot because they can't afford the cost or the time required to attend the schools. Don't get me wrong, these schools should be used to pick umpires. But they shouldn't be the only pathway to the pro ball. The schools do a great job of teaching proffessional umpires who work amateur ball. Why not scout for umpire talent the way that they scout for player talent? I know why. Baseball doesn't want to spend the money to find the best talent. They just don't value or respect umpires as much as they should.  Right now, I am mentoring an 18 year old kid and he is getting better and better with each week. I told him he should consider attending one of the schools, but he said he just can't afford it. What do you guys think of the current system, and do you think that MLB is finding the best umpires out there?

[scrounge]

Fascinating

[BigUmpire]

Sadly no more Evans.

The grueling trip through the minors is what makes or breaks an umpire. 

[cyclonehokiece]

I see this as no different than a career in most professional fields, you have to attend an accredited school and then work for a number of years, taking exams along the way to reach the full potential.  All of this is not free.

 

If the kid has potential and cannot afford it, maybe your group could set up a scholarship fund to help him and others like him.

[ump570]

Sadly no more Evans.

The grueling trip through the minors is what makes or breaks an umpire.

 

What happened with the Evans school?

[ump570]

I see this as no different than a career in most professional fields, you have to attend an accredited school and then work for a number of years, taking exams along the way to reach the full potential.  All of this is not free.

 

If the kid has potential and cannot afford it, maybe your group could set up a scholarship fund to help him and others like him.

I don't know that this analogy fits. Umpiring is a unique profession. And unlike other proffessions that offer all kinds of options, there are only 2 schools, and you can't get financial aid unless you have an association that's willing to help you out. Plus, I do see some nepotism at work here. Aren't there quite a few father-son combinations in the bigs? That doesn't seem right. I want to see the best umpires on the field. Not just the guys with the best connections. It  should be a meritocracy. Here is another way your analogy doesn't work. There is no standard to reach the school. If you can write the check, you're in. In order to get into a good college, you have to show some promise in high school.

[VAUmp]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/10/sports/baseball/umpiring-school-loses-baseball-relationship-over-behavior-at-party.html?_r=0

[LMSANS]

 

I see this as no different than a career in most professional fields, you have to attend an accredited school and then work for a number of years, taking exams along the way to reach the full potential.  All of this is not free.

 

If the kid has potential and cannot afford it, maybe your group could set up a scholarship fund to help him and others like him.

I don't know that this analogy fits. Umpiring is a unique profession. And unlike other proffessions that offer all kinds of options, there are only 2 schools, and you can't get financial aid unless you have an association that's willing to help you out. Plus, I do see some nepotism at work here. Aren't there quite a few father-son combinations in the bigs? That doesn't seem right. I want to see the best umpires on the field. Not just the guys with the best connections. It  should be a meritocracy. Here is another way your analogy doesn't work. There is no standard to reach the school. If you can write the check, you're in. In order to get into a good college, you have to show some promise in high school.

 

Yes getting to the school is really a matter of registering and paying (AFAIK).  However, moving beyond the schools is serious competition.  There are a few guys on this site that have gone to the schools and then some.  There are also guys that have gone to the schools without the intention of working pro ball.

 

If you're really interested in the process, read the book "As They See 'em".  It gives you great insight into the world of becoming an umpire in the professional game.

 

 

p.s. Nepotism is present everywhere.  Is it because the offspring has the advantage of early exposure to the inside world?  Or is it because of the parental connections?  I think it's a little of both.

 

p.s.s. The schools do provide financial aid ( at least Evans did).

Edited May 14, 2013 by LMSANS
add p.s.s.

[Stan W.]

Thank god it only takes a check to get into umpire school or the vast majority of those that attend wouldnt get to go......its only about the TOP 10 percent that get to go to PBUC right?............so the other 90% get to go home being better umpires....... 

 

I would love to go to pro school, and I would go without  any false impression of me getting selected....I want to go, because I know I would come home a better umpire......but the time committment required would not go over well with my "real job" employer...... 

[Gavenp24]

Thank god it only takes a check to get into umpire school or the vast majority of those that attend wouldnt get to go......its only about the TOP 10 percent that get to go to PBUC right?............so the other 90% get to go home being better umpires....... 

 

I would love to go to pro school, and I would go without  any false impression of me getting selected....I want to go, because I know I would come home a better umpire......but the time committment required would not go over well with my "real job" employer...... 

I completely agree. If I could find the time to take a month off I would go to the school, just for the experience. 

[HeadHunterLA]

If you're really interested in the process, read the book "As They See 'em".  It gives you great insight into the world of becoming an umpire in the professional game.

 

That is a great read and does offer tremendous insight into the world of professional umpiring.  The system is flawed and needs to be changed.

[scrounge]

If you're really interested in the process, read the book "As They See 'em".  It gives you great insight into the world of becoming an umpire in the professional game.

 

That is a great read and does offer tremendous insight into the world of professional umpiring.  The system is flawed and needs to be changed.

 

Just to play devil's advocate, let me ask this:  why? From MLB's point of view, is there any material benefit to changing it? The supply seems to be vastly in excess of demand, their needs are in the handful of new umps at most per year, they're getting an acceptable performance in the minor leagues for the compensation and investment being made. The system might suck....but every year, hundreds line up and dutifully pay for the small chance of being considered for this awful system. So again....without saying it's right or preferable or what I'd like to see...why should they change?

[Umpire in Chief]

I honestly don't think the system is flawed, an I think to say so after a week where we had 2 highly publicized umpire errors is not fair.

 

I think having 2 schools is just fine. From what I know most of the people at either school aren't necessarily seeking a PBUC invite. And that's great for them. But you still end up with probably over 100 between them that are. Then the top grads from each get a PBUC invite. The top performers from each of those get a spot with MiLB, then there is a second tier of guys who get sent to the CPL. Some who get the CPL will get their shot at the minors. 

 

But the end story is every year you have a hundred or so people every year vying for these coveted jobs. Remember in the entirety of professional baseball there are only 295 spots (68 MLB, 225 MiLB). For you to move up there needs to be a vacancy ahead of you.

 

So lets start at MLB. We had only 3 retirements so Carpazza, Porter & Gonzales got the knod. - The past few years there have been a pretty high number of retirements. Some years there won't be any MLB openings,

 

That by itself created 3 AAA openings, in addition there were a few resignations/releases that created I believe (and dumbdumb will correct me if I'm wrong ) 14 AAA openings.

 

Continuing on those 14 promotions plus resignations/releases created  18 Spots in AA.

 

18 guys being promoted to AA plus resignations/releases left High A with 23 openings

 

23 Low A guys were promoted plus resignations/releases leaving Low A with 30 openings (an entire new staff)

 

I don't know all the details for Short A or Rookie league since their seasons just started but you can see the effect. 

 

So they have all the applicants they need to get the jobs done without scouting each and every year and they have the luxury of  being able to work guys through the system and continually evaluate them and make their decisions on who to hire,keep & promote.

 

Another aspect on why scouting is not practical is once guys have the experience to standout as good college umpires, they are making more money at their level than they would in MiLB, and if that wasn't a factor for them the money would probably be. The better NCAA umps they would want to scout would generally be older than the guys coming out of PBUC, have pretty good day jobs, families and may not have much interest in the time it would take to rise through the minors. 

 

The down side is that yes they do lose some potentially excellent guys in the process. The time & travel wears on you and your loved ones, the money isn't incredible and then the aspects of umpiring we all deal with can cause some guys to not chase the dream any longer. 

 

But overall I think the process works. If you have the talent and ability, you may make it. But some will depend on luck too. You need enough openings above you to keep you moving. If there is a bottleneck at the top you could be one of the best and not get a shot, those are the breaks. 

 

The way I see it (my best guesstimate) there looks to be some continual retirements the next few years, but sooner than later the class of 1999 will be among the most senior followed closely by the hires since then. I think this would create a pretty large bottle neck of younger umpires who probably won't be going anywhere anytime soon. 

 

On the flip side there is always talk of league expansion - which would mean more umpires. Adding 2 teams generally means adding another umpire crew. Plus any expansion teams would need to create a farm system adding to the minor league head count. 

 

So the system is not broken. It's imperfect. 

[Umpire in Chief]

One other thing about scouting umpires. 

 

You could say in a way that they are scouting as at times they are making decisions on umpires based on their perceived future potential, very much like scouts do. Some guys who may not currently rate as high as another can get the nod, because they are seen has having greater potential than someone who is higher than them, but is perceived as not going to get much better. 

[BigUmpire]

One other thing about scouting umpires. 

 

You could say in a way that they are scouting as at times they are making decisions on umpires based on their perceived future potential, very much like scouts do. Some guys who may not currently rate as high as another can get the nod, because they are seen has having greater potential than someone who is higher than them, but is perceived as not going to get much better. 

Deep thoughts.

[HeadHunterLA]

You want to know why I am 100% sure that the system for selecting and rating umpires is seriously flawed and needs to be totally revamped?  I mean 100% sure?? ....... C.B. Bucknor, that is all.

[BigUmpire]

You want to know why I am 100% sure that the system for selecting and rating umpires is seriously flawed and needs to be totally revamped?  I mean 100% sure?? ....... C.B. Bucknor, that is all.

That might be more of a retention question.

[HeadHunterLA]

 

You want to know why I am 100% sure that the system for selecting and rating umpires is seriously flawed and needs to be totally revamped?  I mean 100% sure?? ....... C.B. Bucknor, that is all.

That might be more of a retention question.

 

Potentially, but certainly a selection question at the beginning, right?  I mean he didn't go from being an amazing umpire in school and on the way up to being the "worst umpire in the league" as chosen by 21% of MLB players.   

[ump570]

Yes, I have read "As they see 'em." It's a great read. The author really did his research and he even umpired some games. Great book.

[James Walker]

I think the process of getting there is right. Work hard, learn, improve... Get rewarded. At the top is where the problem is. I can understand one bad year. But mulitiple years of poor work should get you the axe. Once these guys make the the show, they become content. They stop trying to improve because no longer forced to improve.

[sdix00]

I think anyone who has been to a few umpire clinics with MLB instructors would disagree with the assertion that these guys are content and choose not to improve themselves.  For example,  in the last 6 years, the MLB Umpire Corps has lost more weight than it has gained, not even counting attrition. 

 

There are exceptions, of course. 

[James Walker]

Didn't mean to imply they all get that way. A majority don't, but a few do.

[mstaylor]

I don't see the process as being horrible. I have a friend that is a decent college football ref. He says given an opportunity to become a NFL ref. The problem was he had a pretty good job on the banking industry, to land the job he had to go to Europe for a year to train. He just couldn't do that.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

[UMP45]

The problem with scouting, IMHO, is that what "we" call and MiLB is two different animals. Different mindset and different game management skills.

[MB_Ump]

You want to know why I am 100% sure that the system for selecting and rating umpires is seriously flawed and needs to be totally revamped?  I mean 100% sure?? ....... C.B. Bucknor, that is all.

That might be more of a retention question.

Potentially, but certainly a selection question at the beginning, right?  I mean he didn't go from being an amazing umpire in school and on the way up to being the "worst umpire in the league" as chosen by 21% of MLB players.

Not making excuses for anyone who sucks, but there will always be a best and a worst. Let's face it, you can make the argument that half of the MLB umpires are below average. MLB is not just about quality baseball, but ENTERTAINMENT! Think about all the publicity MLB has gotten in the last week-think it is a coincidence that the plays were so obvious? How many people have said that everone could see the HR or "even they knew" a new pitcher has to face a batter.