Partner: Do you help him?

[SnareDrum]

This is the first of a couple of my partner situations, but one at a time.

It's our city league, upper-level "competitive" divisions (some GREAT baseball happening here!), and I get to work with him every now and then. Pay isn't anywhere near doing HS, but it beats sitting at home watching "CSI". We have a pretty good blue crew of both HS umpires and guys that are just plain good, and the league has a hard-fought rep for good umpiring. He's been doing it for about 4 years and has recently been hired as an assistant coach with a local HS.

He was the PU the other night, and it was the first time this season I've worked with him... he had on a dark blue t-shirt, hat w/ logo on backwards, and shin guards on the outside. I asked about the shirt: "As long as it's blue, who cares." Shinguards? "I can't get my pants over them." (Though I know he could) The league does provide some pretty nice shirts that I'll use every now and then.

From the first pitch, I knew something was strange. As we all know, it's the consistency of the strike zone. None of that here. He set up with his chin right over the catcher' head, and the consistency just wasn't happening. Same pitches, same locations, different every time. There was no chirping from anywhere because they've cracked down severely on that, but if it had started I would not have been surprised. Every now and then the pitchers would turn and give strange looks to the dugouts, but the coaches were mum. From my B and C, I could tell that nothing on the outer thirds of the plate was going to be a strike, and anything down the pipe was 50/50. Over the plate and below the knees he started to call and it got lower, ending the game with a called 3rd that actually bounced on the plate.

He has taken A LOT of heat in the past about his zone, and after the game one of the coaches caught up with me and asked me what was up with that zone. I just said, C'mon now, coach," and kept walking.

I was PU for the second game, and after the first inning he comes down the line to the plate to chat (I know!) still wearing both ball bags ("They're hard to take off"). He said, "After watching you, I know I have a lot of problems with my zone. I don't know what's wrong." I said nothing. Should I have said, "Dude, if you want help, I'll help you... and let's start with the clothes and shin guards?" Or since he stopped just short of asking for help, leave it? Also that wwas a tought spot to be chatiing up since there were a few fans and coaches nearby.

Weighing on me is this. When he was rookie, I was his trainer/mentor, and I worked him hard behind the plate, and he was pretty good... for a while... but he seems to have started going his own way now. I'm leaning towards having a talk with him, especially since the Chief told me he's going to start losing games because he (Chief) is getting tired of it. The old man has tried talking to him, but nothing seems to be sinking in. My guy has also booted a couple of calls this season... IFF (he called it with two outs and bases loaded. He said later it didn't matter because the infielder caught it anyway"), and fair batted ball vs. base runner to name just a couple.

So... your guy, or ANY guy, needs help, but he's not asking for it, and doesn't seem to want it Ideas? Similar situation you've been in? All input welcome!

[zm1283]

If you're not paying anywhere near HS rates and this is a city park league, these are the types of guys you're going to get.

Sounds like he needs to go to a clinic.

[Dragon29]

Roger,

Your partner saying, "I don't know what's wrong." is a request for help. At least, that's how I see it.

Do not discuss it during the game - save it all for post-game and if you're dealing with someone who needs a lot of help, don't overwhelm him in that conversation. Hit the high points - discuss only those things that would make him better right now. Everything else can be worked on later or saved for a clinic. Also, try & throw in a few compliments with this - surely, he did something right? - so point that out, too.

He asked for help - give it to him.

[SnareDrum]

If you're not paying anywhere near HS rates and this is a city park league, these are the types of guys you're going to get.

Sounds like he needs to go to a clinic.

This guy is an exception out there. But IMHO, doing my best, standards, love of the game, and effort and expectations have little to do with money... not hatin' on money!! I expect the same from any I work with, any where at any time, regardless of money. City leagues need good Blues, too.

[SnareDrum]

Roger,

Your partner saying, "I don't know what's wrong." is a request for help. At least, that's how I see it.

Do not discuss it during the game - save it all for post-game and if you're dealing with someone who needs a lot of help, don't overwhelm him in that conversation. Hit the high points - discuss only those things that would make him better right now. Everything else can be worked on later or saved for a clinic. Also, try & throw in a few compliments with this - surely, he did something right? - so point that out, too.

He asked for help - give it to him.

I think at that moment, we both paused while waiting for the other to say something. I was waiting for him to ask for help and he was waiting for me to volunteer it. I never saw him after that game because he pretty much took off. I will see him this week if our fields are ever converted from ponds, and I'll be able to talk to him a little and see where his head's at. Great reply... thanks!

[Mike Prince]

Next game tell him to walk off the field with you and to stick around so you guys can do a proper post-game. As stated above take it a little bit at a time and address the most glaring issues first.

[zm1283]

If you're not paying anywhere near HS rates and this is a city park league, these are the types of guys you're going to get.

Sounds like he needs to go to a clinic.

This guy is an exception out there. But IMHO, doing my best, standards, love of the game, and effort and expectations have little to do with money... not hatin' on money!! I expect the same from any I work with, any where at any time, regardless of money. City leagues need good Blues, too.

Those leagues may need good umpires, but that doesn't mean they get them. If they are paying the rates you told me in your PM, you can't really expect the same level as you're going to get with high school varsity umpires on up.

[FVBump]

Roger,

Your partner saying, "I don't know what's wrong." is a request for help. At least, that's how I see it.

Do not discuss it during the game - save it all for post-game and if you're dealing with someone who needs a lot of help, don't overwhelm him in that conversation. Hit the high points - discuss only those things that would make him better right now. Everything else can be worked on later or saved for a clinic. Also, try & throw in a few compliments with this - surely, he did something right? - so point that out, too.

He asked for help - give it to him.

I agree with this.

[noumpere]

Roger,

Your partner saying, "I don't know what's wrong." is a request for help. At least, that's how I see it.

Do not discuss it during the game - save it all for post-game and if you're dealing with someone who needs a lot of help, don't overwhelm him in that conversation. Hit the high points - discuss only those things that would make him better right now. Everything else can be worked on later or saved for a clinic. Also, try & throw in a few compliments with this - surely, he did something right? - so point that out, too.

He asked for help - give it to him.

I agree with this.

Me to. Especially since you were his mentor when he started.

[mtnump]

Gotta talk to him...especially if you were his mentor. Have him come watch you do a couple of games again and find a rules test online that he can use as a study guide to go through the rulebook. It may not help...there has to be a lot of "want to" on his part to be good at what he is doing, paid or not. If your assistance doesn't snap him out of it he should lose games...he is reflecting poorly on all of us who are proud to wear the blue or powder or scarlet or cream...and put in the time and effort to not suck!

[Stretch]

Offer to video tape his plate and or base work. Then sit and watch it together. Video is brutally honest.

[SnareDrum]

Gotta talk to him...especially if you were his mentor. Have him come watch you do a couple of games again and find a rules test online that he can use as a study guide to go through the rulebook. It may not help...there has to be a lot of "want to" on his part to be good at what he is doing, paid or not. If your assistance doesn't snap him out of it he should lose games...he is reflecting poorly on all of us who are proud to wear the blue or powder or scarlet or cream...and put in the time and effort to not suck!

As you and noumpere mentioned, I'm his mentor, and in umpiring, mentoring isn't temporary (at least to me)... Over the last year or two, our schedules never got us together so I kinda' lost track of him and his progress, and I do feel bad that it go this far. We have a lot of super-good USSSA and traveling teams from all over the area, and it only takes one bad Blue to have them spread the word about the umpireS.

I was kinda' hoping he'd step up a little bit, but since he won't, I will. It looks like I'll have him again next Monday, and we'll have a nice heart-to-heart at pre-game. If he acts like he doesn't want the help, I'll alert him that we have our "summer guys" about to get on the rotation and he's in danger of losing games or getting pushed out to the rec league wasteland.

The video is a great idea. The last time I did it on myself was about 3-4 years ago, and it was an eye-opener. I'll volunteer it and promise him I'll "brutally honest" on myself as well...

THANKS!

[mstaylor]

Talk to him and see where his head is and go from there. I would start with convincing him to get properly uniformed, he will feel more like an umpire if he looks like an umpire. Then work on his plate mechanics.

[SnareDrum]

Talk to him and see where his head is and go from there. I would start with convincing him to get properly uniformed, he will feel more like an umpire if he looks like an umpire. Then work on his plate mechanics.

I agree. I'll probably also remind him that now that he's in a HS dugout, he needs to start eyeballing those umpires (I haven't had his team yet, but I bet I will soon and I'll alert him to not go to far with the familiarity). Indeed, just "looking the part" will be a big step for others and himself. Thanks!

[Stretch]

Hey Roger,

How are things going with the guy that was struggling?

What did you guys do?

[SnareDrum]

With all of the rain and a couple of scheduling shifts, I haven't had the chance to work with or have an an extended talk with him. I saw him briefly last week when we were both at the same complex. He's been "demoted" to the rec league/younger divisions, apparently by request of the program director. Since I only do the competitive/upper ages when I work the city leagues, it's not very likely that I'm soing to be seeing him anytime soon. Where he is now is where a lot of bad teams and coaches are, and it can be zero fun.

I told my chief that I'd still be willing to work with him, and it may be a possibility. I should've been more proactive. But he got over-complacent while basically refusing to try and fix, and even magnifying some blatant flaws... not a good thing to do as an umpire. He's been "sent down". Hope he makes it back.

I appreciate ALL of the input and advice, and if I do get the chance to work with him again... and I'm pretty sure I will... I'll post in the results.