A Hypothetical Question

[BillKen]

I think this question is great!  And for me, it gets to the very heart of what works.  Is it better to have quality stuff and look 100% professional and serious about this craft, or is it better to be perceived as the expert because of your knowledge?

 

For one thing, I feel that if I were to get a call today asking me to fill in for a sick umpire at the next level...I better have the equipment to handle that assignment.  You don't want to go work college ball with a single bar Champro and a $40 ribbed All-Star CP from Academy.  So equipment is your lifeblood.  You have to have ONE good mask, etc. This investment is first and foremost the most important.  That said, you don't need a $90 throat protector from Japan.  Those are just worn by people who can afford to keep up with the Jones'.  It doesn't get you college games if you aren't currently working college games already!

 

However, if you have quality gear, people you call with do notice.  They talk to you...get to know you...ask you questions.  You begin to network and when you go call a game with a guy that works at the next level, he notices that you are serious about it.  He might notice some flaws in your mechanics, but to him, you have some potential.  He begins to talk to others about you in his circle of influence and soon, they invite you to an evaluation camp or to work as a 3rd or 4th official and get you into the club.  At that point, you need to invest in yourself and work on those little things that move you into the NCAA/NAIA/JUCO games.

 

I really don't know anyone who moved up because they wore the best equipment.  I also don't know anyone who went to a clinic and impressed someone so strongly that they got picked up on the spot without knowing anyone.  To me...the single most important thing you can do to get a better schedule is to network yourself with the people who are already there.  If they know you can call, they will do more for your future than you could ever do for yourself.  It isn't what you wear or what you know, it is WHO you know that moves you to the next level IMHO.

[Thunderheads]

My first real clinic was February of 2013, ... the SEMUC, and I attended it again this past February, and will again in 2015.  You should never stop learning, IMHO.   Actually, I personally feel that it depends on where you are in your career, and how far you want to take yourself in umpiring. 

 

$500 for umpiring needs?  I'd definitely go to another clinic, and if I needed something equipment wise, ...I'd pick it up.

 

These 2 subjects, even though they're both umpire related, are VERY different.  Let's take a look at Ken .... @Fittske_24 for example .........there's the gear whore of all hear whores, but an umpire TOTALLY committed to being a great umpire.  

 

What's my point?

 

Just because there's gear talk doesn't mean these people don't care about getting better.

 

Let's be honest, ... there are very important factors about having the proper gear.  But, for the most part, ..look at umpiring as a car ............gear talk is the "paint, and pinstripes" of the umpiring community.  Whereas, .... rules, mechanics, game management, etc is the "engine transmission, and gears"  

[sdix00]

But, for the most part, ..look at umpiring as a car ............gear talk is the "paint, and pinstripes" of the umpiring community. Whereas, .... rules, mechanics, game management, etc is the "engine transmission, and gears"

So gear talk and the gears are NOT the same? I need a pen. . .

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk

[GerryB]

@Majordave

 

Sorry to hear of your frustrations! I’m one of the 3000 that Jason mentions and I have been known to CC at that level. My sentiments run along side Jason’s, and I felt his views are more authoritative, so I didn’t post.  But no identity hiding here, so let me add my two cents.

 

I joined my HS board in 1985, accepted to the college board in 1991 and my first D1 Conference weekends were in 1996. So I have a similar time frame to Jason’s. Yes, when I work with “newer†guys they are also “youngerâ€. For me the hard reality is that almost all the coaches I work in front of are younger than I am! On the other hand I know of newer, but around my age, guys who have gotten regular D2 conference work recently. Keep at it!

 

In this region I think fall ball is less important (a number of D1 guys up here also do high-level football). I didn’t do fall ball. Right now there is a direct line between clinics and getting on the field. But clinics will only get you on the field. When you get there you need to have your A-game right from the start.

 

I like Jason’s toolbox analogy. This board is a good source of tools. But keep an ear for what tools supervisors want to see. What may be a shiny good one for you may be a brick for the supervisor. I’ve made that mistake myself. Find out what gets said at NCAA “clinicsâ€. Those are the approved tools-of-the-day like them as not.

 

I know your comment about talking was about talking to other umpires, but it made me think of talk between the lines, so this is my advice for anyone – nothing makes an HC’s skin crawl like seeing an umpire talking to his or the other team's players or coaches. Up here talking to your partners during a game, unless it is to “get it rightâ€, is strictly forbidden. It is the same but more so for talking to participants. Sure, veteran guys can and do get away with it but they are the veterans. In advancing to D1, D2 or D3 the umpires you are competing with have similar skill levels; don’t give the coaches something to notice negatively. Take your position between innings and don’t hob nob, be quiet. There is plenty of time after the game for talk with your partners, who are the only ones that really matter anyway, over cold ones.

 

Hang in there Dave!

[MikeSafari]

I know your comment about talking was about talking to other umpires, but it made me think of talk between the lines, so this is my advice for anyone – nothing makes an HC’s skin crawl like seeing an umpire talking to his or the other team's players or coaches. Up here talking to your partners during a game, unless it is to “get it rightâ€, is strictly forbidden. It is the same but more so for talking to participants. Sure, veteran guys can and do get away with it but they are the veterans. In advancing to D1, D2 or D3 the umpires you are competing with have similar skill levels; don’t give the coaches something to notice negatively. Take your position between innings and don’t hob nob, be quiet. There is plenty of time after the game for talk with your partners, who are the only ones that really matter anyway, over cold ones.

 

This is something I've noticed a lot recently: my partners always want to gab between innings. Unless we have something specific to discuss, I go to short right field or P15 (not sure what you guys call it in the States) and simply watch. There's no reason to talk about anything, so why talk?

[Majordave]

@GerryB

 

Thanks man.  Great advice.

[RichMSN]

I'm happy for anyone who puts in the time and effort to get where they want to go.

 

As someone who's 45 and lives in Wisconsin, I know my career probably isn't going any further than the HS and D3 I'm working now.  Having finally worked a HS state in my 11th season here, I have to adjust my goals somewhat and see if I can put together a great 5-10 years and get into the D3 postseason before I get too old.  But it's a huge time sacrifice and a lot of BS, working 2-man games 18 innings in a day for less than $200 at schools 2-3 hours away.  But that's my decision that I'll have to make at some point.  I'm really not sure if that's worth it, to be honest.

 

For those of you who have aspirations to move ahead, I think the OP's advice is sound.  Getting better and getting seen are the only ways to get there, especially if you didn't enjoy a stint in MiLB.  Many of us think we have the ability (and we probably don't) but just don't have the desire to put in the time and effort.  In the last few years, I've really gotten comfortable in my skin and in who I am.  I'm thankful for that.

[MidAmUmp]

 

These 2 subjects, even though they're both umpire related, are VERY different.  Let's take a look at Ken .... @Fittske_24 for example .........there's the gear whore of all hear whores, but an umpire TOTALLY committed to being a great umpire.  

 

What's my point?

 

Just because there's gear talk doesn't mean these people don't care about getting better.

 

Let's be honest, ... there are very important factors about having the proper gear.  But, for the most part, ..look at umpiring as a car ............gear talk is the "paint, and pinstripes" of the umpiring community.  Whereas, .... rules, mechanics, game management, etc is the "engine transmission, and gears"  

I agree there is nothing wrong with being a "gear whore" and I'm in no way saying that "gear whores" don't care about getting better.  But I think everyone needs to understand that decorating your cubicle to look like the corner office won't get you to the corner office.  Education and experience will.

 

When you are getting started you don't need top of the line gear.  There are better places to spend your money.  Identify where you want to go and map out a route to get there.  From a clinician's perspective, I have had guys show up with the best of everything and they can't get a pitch or call right.  I've had guys with ribbed CP's and heavy masks who were hired to work at the college level.  Why?  We're not as concerned with what you have as much as how you work.  I've never heard an evaluator say, "Man, that guy is wearing a Power, we need to hire him."

 

It's fine for you to have 4-5 masks, but a while back I said I didn't see the point of having a backup mask, the question was posed to me - "What would you do if you took a shot during the game and your mask broke?"  My response was and is, "I'm leaving."  I have one face, I need one mask.  If I get hit hard enough for my mask to break, I'm not finishing the game.

 

So what is my point?

 

It is that Umpire-Empire is a broad community when it comes to years and levels of experience.  Some of the most lengthy (popular) topics are things like Mask Porn where guys are posting pics of their multiple masks and how they've customized them & one about a damn bucket with so much crap in it that you're prepared for the Apocalypse if it occurs during your game.  There's nothing wrong with either of the topics, but neither is going to make you a better umpire.  Neither is going to get you better games.  And when newer umpires start getting involved and they see these popular topics they immediately think - I've got to buy another mask.  I've got to send my mask somewhere to get powder coated.  I've got to get my CP retrofitted.  I need a 5 gallon bucket.  I need to buy some tampons just in case my partner forgets to bring one with him and he starts his cycle in the 3rd inning.

 

Obviously I love the positioning and mechanics discussions.  That's the nuts and bolts of umpiring.  I don't get involved too much with the rules discussions because the rules vary so much from level to level and league to league.  It's fun to read about equipment.  Yes, I have a powder coated mask and some top of the line gear.  But it's just cosmetic and it doesn't make you any better of an umpire.

 

I understand there are guys who play golf and don't care about getting any better, but swing Callaway clubs because they can.  So similarly I understand everyone umpires for different reasons and have different goals.  My purpose is to simply put in perspective what's going on in the umpiring world and open the eyes of those who want to get to the next level, yet they can't seem to find the funds when it comes to jumping through the hoops and bitch about guys passing them by, but they always seem to find the funds when it comes to looking cool.

[umpstu]

These 2 subjects, even though they're both umpire related, are VERY different.  Let's take a look at Ken .... @Fittske_24 for example .........there's the gear whore of all hear whores, but an umpire TOTALLY committed to being a great umpire.  

 

What's my point?

 

Just because there's gear talk doesn't mean these people don't care about getting better.

 

Let's be honest, ... there are very important factors about having the proper gear.  But, for the most part, ..look at umpiring as a car ............gear talk is the "paint, and pinstripes" of the umpiring community.  Whereas, .... rules, mechanics, game management, etc is the "engine transmission, and gears"  

I agree there is nothing wrong with being a "gear whore" and I'm in no way saying that "gear whores" don't care about getting better.  But I think everyone needs to understand that decorating your cubicle to look like the corner office won't get you to the corner office.  Education and experience will.

 

When you are getting started you don't need top of the line gear.  There are better places to spend your money.  Identify where you want to go and map out a route to get there.  From a clinician's perspective, I have had guys show up with the best of everything and they can't get a pitch or call right.  I've had guys with ribbed CP's and heavy masks who were hired to work at the college level.  Why?  We're not as concerned with what you have as much as how you work.  I've never heard an evaluator say, "Man, that guy is wearing a Power, we need to hire him."

 

It's fine for you to have 4-5 masks, but a while back I said I didn't see the point of having a backup mask, the question was posed to me - "What would you do if you took a shot during the game and your mask broke?"  My response was and is, "I'm leaving."  I have one face, I need one mask.  If I get hit hard enough for my mask to break, I'm not finishing the game.

 

So what is my point?

 

It is that Umpire-Empire is a broad community when it comes to years and levels of experience.  Some of the most lengthy (popular) topics are things like Mask Porn where guys are posting pics of their multiple masks and how they've customized them & one about a damn bucket with so much crap in it that you're prepared for the Apocalypse if it occurs during your game.  There's nothing wrong with either of the topics, but neither is going to make you a better umpire.  Neither is going to get you better games.  And when newer umpires start getting involved and they see these popular topics they immediately think - I've got to buy another mask.  I've got to send my mask somewhere to get powder coated.  I've got to get my CP retrofitted.  I need a 5 gallon bucket.  I need to buy some tampons just in case my partner forgets to bring one with him and he starts his cycle in the 3rd inning.

 

Obviously I love the positioning and mechanics discussions.  That's the nuts and bolts of umpiring.  I don't get involved too much with the rules discussions because the rules vary so much from level to level and league to league.  It's fun to read about equipment.  Yes, I have a powder coated mask and some top of the line gear.  But it's just cosmetic and it doesn't make you any better of an umpire.

 

I understand there are guys who play golf and don't care about getting any better, but swing Callaway clubs because they can.  So similarly I understand everyone umpires for different reasons and have different goals.  My purpose is to simply put in perspective what's going on in the umpiring world and open the eyes of those who want to get to the next level, yet they can't seem to find the funds when it comes to jumping through the hoops and bitch about guys passing them by, but they always seem to find the funds when it comes to looking cool.

Too f&%$#@g funny. A good way to start the day.

[UmpJeff]

MidAmUmp...

 

Were you referring to the Doane and SEMUC clinics in Michigan?  Or, are there others?  Thanks!!

[johnnyg08]

In my local area, not my outstate area, the training I've done has put me in a place where I'm very content.  The challenge for the area is that the guys who haven't had any training are getting the same or similar, and in some cases better schedules than me....So...you have to do your personal umpire development for yourself/your own satisfaction...because if, after your training you expect all of these rewards (better games) to fall into your lap after your training, you will likely be very disappointed.