Rookie umpire

[StrasburgUmp80136]

Hello everyone,

I'm a brand new umpire. haven't called a game yet. I have 4 sons and have coached a ton of baseball over the years. My 14yr old wanted a way to make some money & learn more about the game, so he asked to become an umpire. Since he's 14 & I'd have to drive him to games anyway, I figured I'd do it as well. We had our initial umpire class a couple weekends ago & had a lot of fun learning how to call a game from a couple of former MLB/current NCAA umpires. We're supposed to get our assignments for fall ball this week. Looking forward to it!!

Howard Smith

[MadMax]

26 minutes ago, StrasburgUmp80136 said:

We had our initial umpire class a couple weekends ago & had a lot of fun learning how to call a game from a couple of former MLB/current NCAA umpires. We're supposed to get our assignments for fall ball this week. Looking forward to it!!

Howard Smith

Greetings, Howard. 
Where are you and your son located (state and nearest big city, if you will)? 

One quick word of advice (there’ll be a bunch more from all is here), I realize you’re eager to make yourself known to others, and earnestly want to immerse yourself in games. This advice applies for you, and especially for your (minor) son – when you commence a plate meeting, unless you know the coaches personally, use only your first name (or a nickname, if you use one) when introducing yourself, and you are under no obligation to give them your experience or credentials or newness to the umpiring profession. 

If you give your (full) name, there will be a coach somewhere, someday, who will look you up (online). There is a temptation and propensity of theirs to conflate your umpiring – no matter the contextual level – with your personal or other occupational life. So too, your son, when he’s inside the fence as an umpire, should know that he has the authority to address the coach(es) by their first name, or by role (ie. Coach). 

On the experience front, the amount of time (or lack thereof) you’ve spent umpiring, or how new you are to “X” level, in no way affects or erodes your authority. You might not know all the rules comprehensively (there’s a lot to know!), and your experience does shape and affect your judgement and discernment, but again, not your authority. Do not allow a coach to upset or undermine your authority based on something like, “Howlongyabeen doin’ this?! A week?!” 

Glad to have you (and your son) aboard! 

[The Man in Blue]

#2 piece of advice . . . If somebody asks you how long you have been doing this, do not start your reply with "Counting this game?"  😉

 

Seriously, WELCOME!!  Work hard and enjoy it, especially since you will have your son working with you. 

My son and I worked together for just a few games when he started, then he and I both wanted him to learn from other people.  (He was a little older than 14, though.)

This winter, he will be going down to Florida to Wendelstadt. 

[StrasburgUmp80136]

Thank you both for your replies. We are located in Colorado, about 20 miles east of Denver, in a town called Strasburg. Strasburg sometimes has trouble finding umpires b/c of the distance to our fields from Brighton/Denver, which is what initially piqued our interest. Strasburg LL plays the bulk of their games in Brighton, which is where we took our class. We will initially be calling games in the Brighton League (BYBSA). Hopefully as we gain more experience, will branch into the Denver area with USSSA, et al. As I understand it, fall ball is the place to learn, both as players and as umpires. The guys that run the BYBSA seem to be on top of it and we're excited to get going. 

[SeeingEyeDog]

Greetings, @StrasburgUmp80136 and welcome to you and your son. On behalf of all The Brothers here and your local Brothers, we look forward to baptizing you both into The Blue Fire. So it has been passed to all of us and so we pass it on to the two of you. May you hold it ever high and bright!

You could not get better advice from that given above by @MadMax...I would simply like to add as someone who has walked a bit of your walk...

As you start down The Blue Path? Forget EVERYTHING you know up to this point about The Game as a player and as a coach. You are going to learn things about The Game from the umpire's perspective that frankly are going to make you blush from embarrassment about how wrong you have been in the past. Read your rule books. Read your case books. Then read them all again. You are fortunate to start your walk with your son so, take advantage of that and quiz him. Encourage him to quiz you. Make it a friendly challenge and keep score on who knew what questions. Put a season ending dinner for the two of you on the results of your "Father/Son Rules Challenge".

Check out the YouTube channel called Close Call Sports. It's run by a woman named Lindsay who not only provides excellent commentary and analysis on interesting or unusual plays, calls and ejections but also provides the relevant rules citations. Lindsay also has a sub-forum here on Umpire-Empire but, if you subscribe to her channel (free) on YouTube you will get notifications of new videos as soon as she posts them there.

Keep your eyes everlastingly on the baseball and with clear eyes and warm hearts an umpire cannot lose. Absorb your local association and league leadership guidance regarding game management. Absent direct guidance, warn players and coaches, restrict coaches to the dugout and then eject. What you permit, you promote. Do not think it will stop on its own or it will go away on its own. Static, if left unaddressed, will get worse.

Research your gear carefully and try lots of stuff before settling into what's best for you. We have an excellent gear market here on this forum and of course EBay is also an excellent marketplace. Be aware of counterfeit gear and don't hesitate to post questions about gear or anything here on Umpire Empire, of course.

Once again, welcome to you and your son and this forum is here for you. Strikes and outs will get you home.

~Dawg

[kylehutson]

Welcome aboard!

I got my start pretty much the same way, except my son was 10 when he started (my small town's rec league only requires umpires to be 2 years older than the age they're umpiring, so at 10 he could umpire 8U). He gave it up by the time he graduated high school (and never worked anything beyond our rec league), but I took a liking to it and stuck with it.

You've found the best online resource for umpires on the Internet. I promise that if you read here for awhile, you'll be a much better umpire for it. You'll actually get correct, rulebook answers (as opposed to the online arguing and know-nothings elsewhere).

On 8/24/2024 at 6:02 PM, StrasburgUmp80136 said:

We are located in Colorado, about 20 miles east of Denver, in a town called Strasburg.

I just looked at a map, and apparently I just drove through there last month - I drove I-70 to Denver for work.

On 8/24/2024 at 4:51 PM, The Man in Blue said:

If somebody asks you how long you have been doing this, do not start your reply with "Counting this game?"

Dang. I'm going to have to start using this now.

[834k3r]

First of all, welcome! I found this outstanding group of Brothers (and a couple Sisters) when I was searching online for information to read so I could be a better umpire mechanically and with rule applications (applying rules to real-world situations). Since finding it, I'm here pretty much every day and learn something new every visit.

Since we're all offering "one piece of advice," I'll offer you this:  timing is everything. You probably went over it in your training class, but it bears repeating that you need to slow your timing down. Whether you're in the field working with a partner or calling balls and strikes from behind the plate, slow down. Even when you think you're slow, you're still too fast.

One bonus piece:  don't over-officiate. Sometimes you just have to ignore some things, and let other things play out before adjudicating them. There's no right or wrong answer here; you have to feel it out as you discover how you'll call your games.

[StrasburgUmp80136]

On 8/24/2024 at 7:52 PM, SeeingEyeDog said:

Read your rule books. Read your case books. Then read them all again.

Is there a good site that has the rule books & case books? I am definitely interested in learning more. I want to be the best ump I can, the game deserves it.

[SeeingEyeDog]

5 minutes ago, StrasburgUmp80136 said:

Is there a good site that has the rule books & case books? I am definitely interested in learning more. I want to be the best ump I can, the game deserves it.

There have been a number of threads here over the years about "how to study the rules". I personally do not have a recommendation for an online rule book/case book source because 1) I'm from a time when we ONLY had printed rulebooks so, that is what I am comfortable with 2) I spend so much time in front of a screen daily, I really would rather not spend more time on a screen reading baseball rule books and or case books. 3) I am frequently able to memorize a page number or even page position of a rule in a printed rule book. This is not possible on a screen.

@MadMax, can you please pick up the plaid courtesy phone...MadMax, you have a U-E phone call please...I recall you discussing online rule book resources as Stras has requested...

~Dawg

[StrasburgUmp80136]

Just wanted to reply and say thanks to everyone for the great welcome. My son & I got our first games last weekend. I was behind the plate & he was in the field for two 9/10U rec games. It couldn't have been a better experience, although I was not prepared for 3ish hours of squats. My legs are TOAST today. I'll be working on that fitness once I can move normally again. Already looking forward to this week's assignments.

[StrasburgUmp80136]

On 8/26/2024 at 7:26 AM, kylehutson said:

I just looked at a map, and apparently I just drove through there last month - I drove I-70 to Denver for work.

From I-70, you passed me by at Exit 310!!  I am roughly 10 miles north of I-70 but used to be able to hear the highway noise from my old house. 

 

[BigBlue4u]

Howard,

Welcome aboard.  Everything being equal, decent strike zone, decent knowledge of the rules, etc. the one thing that separates very good umpires from everyone else is game management.  You must realize that you are in a people-handling business.  Thus, your ability to handle situations and people will comprise about 75% of your success, or lack thereof.  Good luck!

 

[834k3r]

22 hours ago, StrasburgUmp80136 said:

Just wanted to reply and say thanks to everyone for the great welcome. My son & I got our first games last weekend. I was behind the plate & he was in the field for two 9/10U rec games. It couldn't have been a better experience, although I was not prepared for 3ish hours of squats. My legs are TOAST today. I'll be working on that fitness once I can move normally again. Already looking forward to this week's assignments.

Yep--that got me when I first started too. I'm not a gym rat, and I live where there's snow on the ground into March (the beginning of our HS baseball season). To get my legs more into "game shape," I end up doing 30 squats each time I take breaks at work. No issues for me since I started doing that.

[BLWizzRanger]

33 minutes ago, 834k3r said:

Yep--that got me when I first started too. I'm not a gym rat, and I live where there's snow on the ground into March (the beginning of our HS baseball season). To get my legs more into "game shape," I end up doing 30 squats each time I take breaks at work. No issues for me since I started doing that.

Kill two birds with one stone... get in front of a mirror, act like you are in the slot(s) and call imaginary pitches (squats, eye movement, check swings movement at a minimum) to get your timing. This has helped me tremendously coming out of winter break... maybe I mean kill a flock of birds with one stone...

[SeeingEyeDog]

22 hours ago, StrasburgUmp80136 said:

Just wanted to reply and say thanks to everyone for the great welcome. My son & I got our first games last weekend. I was behind the plate & he was in the field for two 9/10U rec games. It couldn't have been a better experience, although I was not prepared for 3ish hours of squats. My legs are TOAST today. I'll be working on that fitness once I can move normally again. Already looking forward to this week's assignments.

Stras, yes...fitness is important for all umpires. Here's what else is important...RECOVERY. The ability to restore your body to 100% as quickly and safely as possible.

Stretch the entire body during pre-game while you are talking and getting ready. AND...stretch again during post-game while you are discussing your work from that day/evening. If you have access to a hot tub or jacuzzi do that, too. I have a rec center not far from my house and I keep a pair of trunks and a fresh towel in the car and I'll stop off there on my way home now and then. I've considered putting one in at home as I would use it everyday if I could but, the installation and energy expenses are significant.

Massage gun...professional models cost hundreds of dollars because they are designed and built to be used on tens of patients day after day for hours and hours. Do some research on Amazon. There are consumer grade models that are excellent. Mrs. Dawg bought me one a few years back and I will use it when I get home or even throw it in the car and use it between games.

Finally, two products...Bio-Freeze and Mineral Ice. These are menthol based products that provide some temporary pain relief. Mineral Ice is a bit greasy and messy but, BioFreeze is available as a roll-on, hands free.

Congratulations again to you and your son and here's to many returns!

~Dawg

[834k3r]

6 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Stras, yes...fitness is important for all umpires. Here's what else is important...RECOVERY. The ability to restore your body to 100% as quickly and safely as possible.

Stretch the entire body during pre-game while you are talking and getting ready. AND...stretch again during post-game while you are discussing your work from that day/evening. If you have access to a hot tub or jacuzzi do that, too. I have a rec center not far from my house and I keep a pair of trunks and a fresh towel in the car and I'll stop off there on my way home now and then. I've considered putting one in at home as I would use it everyday if I could but, the installation and energy expenses are significant.

Massage gun...professional models cost hundreds of dollars because they are designed and built to be used on tens of patients day after day for hours and hours. Do some research on Amazon. There are consumer grade models that are excellent. Mrs. Dawg bought me one a few years back and I will use it when I get home or even throw it in the car and use it between games.

Finally, two products...Bio-Freeze and Mineral Ice. These are menthol based products that provide some temporary pain relief. Mineral Ice is a bit greasy and messy but, BioFreeze is available as a roll-on, hands free.

Congratulations again to you and your son and here's to many returns!

~Dawg

On that topic, hydration is super important. I make copious use of Liquid IV (bags from Costco). I drink a water bottle with the Liquid IV in it on my way to a game(s), then have a 64 oz insulated water bottle with the Liquid IV in it that I take small drinks from in between each half inning.

A few years ago, I wasn't nearly as on top of hydration as I am now, and to make a long story short, brain fog is a thing with dehydration.

[MadMax]

On 9/10/2024 at 12:19 PM, StrasburgUmp80136 said:

Is there a good site that has the rule books & case books?

Heeuuuuoo boy (that’s the only way I can transcribe that reactive sound)… you’re only dealing with four core, foundational rulebooks, and 2 of them are related. 

• Official Baseball Rules (OBR)
• NCAA (ie. College, incl. NAIA)
• National Federated High School  (NFHS, the Fed)
• Little League®️ (LL; based on OBR, but with published differences to warrant a separate Ruleset) 

OBR does publish their Rulebook in paper format (every 2 years(?)), and also makes a PDF version available (deep) in the MLB website. 

NCAA makes their Rulebook available in their website, and thru the association portals (plural) of their constituency. You have to be an enrolled umpire to “get” it (officially; your association or a colleague may relay it to you). 

LL does go to extensive measures to train and equip umpires calling sanctioned games for them; these resources should be available thru local and/or regional chapters. 

Now <claps hands together and kneads them pensively >… that brings us to The Fed. I rag on them so much because, despite being based upon educational precepts and governing just about every educational institution’s baseball games, they are woefully deficient in educating the participants – coaches, players, and umpires. It’s like in an age of computers, they’re still using calculators. The rules and casebooks are (famously… or insidiously, take your vernacular pick) published on paper, and distributed to the local associations. Then, it falls upon the associations as to how to distribute them, how to supplement them, and how train with or through them (and here’s where we get the infamous “local interpretations”). 

Would it kill them to maintain a central, cohesive website or archive? Would it kill them to create a training platform? Would it kill them to produce a series of videos and/or virtual demonstrations? 

That burden (shouldn’t, but does) falls on the state/local associations. The only one I’ve seen, with any reliability, or structure, or effectiveness has been put out (on YouTube) by GHSAA (Georgia). 

20 hours ago, BigBlue4u said:

Everything being equal, decent strike zone, decent knowledge of the rules, etc

I think BB4U is on to something here, @StrasburgUmp80136, and I’d like to encourage you – that at this amateur level, all things are equal, and they’re defined and unified by context. Call a strike zone that isn’t “OBR -based” or “Fed -based” or “USSSA -based” or “PG -based”, but instead one that is contextual. It is dependent on whether you have 10 year olds, 12 year olds, 15 year olds, or 18 year olds… or perhaps the 30+ year olds (amateurs). 

[Velho]

https://mktg.mlbstatic.com/mlb/official-information/2024-official-baseball-rules.pdf

https://www.ncaapublications.com/p-4662-2023-and-2024-baseball-rules-book.aspx (there are free e-versions in the middle)

http://cmbua.org/NFHS-Baseball-RB.pdf (you did say you are from Massachusetts, correct?)

https://www.nfhs.org/sports-resource-content/baseball-rules-interpretations-2024/

 

[JonnyCat]

5 hours ago, MadMax said:

Now <claps hands together and kneads them pensively >… that brings us to The Fed. I rag on them so much because, despite being based upon educational precepts and governing just about every educational institution’s baseball games, they are woefully deficient in educating the participants – coaches, players, and umpires. It’s like in an age of computers, they’re still using calculators. The rules and casebooks are (famously… or insidiously, take your vernacular pick) published on paper, and distributed to the local associations. Then, it falls upon the associations as to how to distribute them, how to supplement them, and how train with or through them (and here’s where we get the infamous “local interpretations”). 

Would it kill them to maintain a central, cohesive website or archive? Would it kill them to create a training platform? Would it kill them to produce a series of videos and/or virtual demonstrations? 

Absolutely Right! FED is terrible when it comes to these things. Like they're stuck in the 70's!

[MadMax]

On 8/24/2024 at 6:02 PM, StrasburgUmp80136 said:

We are located in Colorado, about 20 miles east of Denver, in a town called Strasburg.

21 hours ago, Velho said:

(you did say you are from Massachusetts, correct?)

Uhm… close! 

Good humor aside, Velho, I gotta commend you… 

21 hours ago, Velho said:

https://www.nfhs.org/sports-resource-content/baseball-rules-interpretations-2024/

I wouldn’t have figured on finding this. This a step towards modernization, but still nowhere near where it needs to be. I can’t help but point out the irony. No less than 10 of the 20 listed “situations” deal with electronic technology. Obviously, technology has permeated into High School sports; what technology is being made available for us (umpires)? Would it kill ya to post photos? Animated diagrams? Videos? 

[Velho]

16 minutes ago, MadMax said:

Uhm… close! 

I can appreciate a good Get Smart reference any time...

 

18 minutes ago, MadMax said:

Obviously, technology has permeated into High School sports; what technology is being made available for us (umpires)?

Which doesn't currently include free electronic distribution of the NFHS rulebook, does it? 😉

[Richvee]

On 9/11/2024 at 2:02 PM, MadMax said:

The only one I’ve seen, with any reliability, or structure, or effectiveness has been put out (on YouTube) by GHSAA (Georgia).

This. Search YouTube for Umpire Classroom. Patrick Farber does a great job in these videos that cover a wide range of topics. Worth the watch! 

[Biscuit]

The reslurce that helped me the most before finding this forum (seriously, this site has been the number one resource for me getting better) is umpire Bible. They have extensive articles on... Most aspects you need to know to be where you need to be and understand your responsibilities in the two umpire system, as well as the rules you need to know as an umpire but maybe didn't as a coach. It's not perfect, but for beginners it's an incredible resource!

[The Man in Blue]

On 9/11/2024 at 1:02 PM, MadMax said:

Would it kill them to maintain a central, cohesive website or archive? Would it kill them to create a training platform? Would it kill them to produce a series of videos and/or virtual demonstrations? 

Oh, come on, Max!  NFHS commissioned their fantastic FREE app for us!

Of course, the app is free but the information all has to be RENTED -- NOT PURCHASED, RENTED -- unless your state provides you access as part of your fees.

Did I mention the app is FREE?!  It's FREE!  And it is an app!  That's modern!

 

On 9/11/2024 at 7:03 PM, JonnyCat said:

Absolutely Right! FED is terrible when it comes to these things. Like they're stuck in the 70's!

  

 

I'm looking forward to the new stereoscopic rulebook next year!

[HumblePie]

On 9/11/2024 at 5:03 PM, JonnyCat said:

Absolutely Right! FED is terrible when it comes to these things. Like they're stuck in the 70's!

Careful, JonnyCat ... I was around in the 70s ... 😎