Evaluations

[LMSANS]

I have, in the past,commented on the fact that my association does not do evaluations. I have spoken to a couple of the board members and they say if I come up with something, they will listen.

Currently, the only thing we have is asking the schools to submit a list, in order, of up to 25 preferred umpires.

I'm looking for help with documentation on "the process":

Who does the eval?

Do they get paid?

How do you avoid cronyism?

What is evaluated?

Are only certain types of games (V, Jv, etc) eval?

How many evals per year?

I am a big proponent of evaluations, both in my real job and in my officiating. It is one of the tools we can use to improve.

Thanks

[Umpire in Chief]

Larry,

I've attached a copy of our eval form. We are rated on a 4 point scale in half point increments on 18 categories. Obviously you will not always be evaluated on all 18 in one game. I honestly don't know if there is a zero on our scale, knock on wood I will never find out. Maybe Ump81 can shed some light on this for me...

The evaluators scores translate into:

• 1 = Below Average
  
• 2 = Average
  
• 3 = Above Average
  
• 4 = Outstanding (And if it was raining it be out standing in the rain, sorry I couldn't resist )
  

Our association has an evaluation committee. These are members of our baseball committee and other higher ranked members of our association that range from regular varsity umpires (Level 3s) , regular college below D-I (Level 2As), D-I non-conference (Level 2s), D-I conference (Level 1s). Our evaluation system is inherently attached with our ranking system. These evaluators primarily evaluate you while working the game with you. So they are paid their typical game fee. One of the disadvantages of being an evaluator is you will may get more rec ball than other members of your level to evaluate our Level 6 umpires (Rec only).

Every umpire in our association is evaluated at least 2 times per year. Some are evaluated more depending on a few factors. Availability plays a role but if you are being looked at to move up then you will get more. Because every umpire is evaluated, they will be evaluated on games from 10 y/o up to NCAA D-I games.

Like any evaluation there is some inter-rater bias, but those who evaluate need to come up with certain standards to mark against. That being said nearly everything you are evaluated on is subjective. Avoiding cronyism will be tough and it is up to those who are doing the evaluations and/or promotions to be as open and fair as possible. I think highly of our system, but every year there are those who think they are screwed by the system, etc, etc, etc.

In our system the baseball committee looks at the evals and gets comments from the commissioner and does a first round vote. Umpires are voted to be demoted, remain the same or promoted. Of the 9 members of the baseball committee you need 6 promote votes to sail through w/o discussion, but you need 4 promote votes to be brought up for discussion. Those with either 4 or 5 promote votes are discussed and then re-voted on and with 5 promote votes they're through.

We also offer an appeal procedure. Where after promotions are announced if you are not happy with the decision you can appear before the baseball committee and be heard. As someone who has been to one of these meetings (not to appeal, but ask advice on getting moved up) it is very fair.

As I mentioned the eval system/ your ranking/ and the level of games you get are all closely related. I'm a Level 4 (Regular JV), I usually get a handful of varsity assignments a year, (so far this year only 1 every other one was rained out and scheduled for when I wasn't avail ) I also get Adult league, Summer Wood Bat League, Showcase and the like, but I also get Pinto as well. I'm hopefully anticipating making 3 this fall. Where the majority of my games would be varsity with some JV and rec sprinkled in. It is possible to play above your rank especially at hectic times. I got my first Varsity game my second year as a level 5, and there have been some 3's who will get a college game occasionally.

I hope this helps...

4-26.pdf

[LMSANS]

Thanks Warren. That's a good start. I'm hoping to put together a proposal by the end of the season (June for my association). Spending the off-season "selling" before making a formal presentation to the board during the winter and getting a pilot going next season.

You wouldn't have a policy document that I could plag...er copy and paste some so as not to re-invent the wheel?

Anybody else out there have anything?

I just remembered about 4 years ago a mentor program was started for cadets but I haven' heard anything about it this year. I'm getting the feeling that the old-timers don't want to get involved.

Edited May 1, 2009 by LMSANS
memory surge

[Umpire in Chief]

I'll see if I can get ahold of anything...

[jim knight]

After reading your eval it looks like you need to work on a better pre-game, rules knowlege and be a bit more assertive... Do they really want you to call time to get back in position??

Haha

[catoblue]

The local area chapter of our state association has an evaluation program. Just so you can get some ideas, here's the link: http://nysbua.com/Syracuse/.

Eval forms are in the link section on the left side of the page.

[Umpire in Chief]

I put all of my evals in my blog I've got some not so good ones in there too. This is just the most recent I have posted. I've got one from Wednesday I'm waiting for.

My evaluators point is in calling time if there are any shenanigans and the guy from third goes home I'd have nothing but A$$es and elbows to make a call on. I usually holler "I'm going back" or something similar and hustle back. I like the concept, but doubt I'd see that, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure...

I agree my pregame in this case wasn't too good and I had an opportunity or two to be more assertive but wasn't. Very fair eval. I have 2 evals this Sunday.

[jim knight]

Sorry, Chief... I was trying to be funny. I really do not like the idea of calling time just to get back to the plate... but that could be a post by itself.

[therefump]

I have, in the past,commented on the fact that my association does not do evaluations. I have spoken to a couple of the board members and they say if I come up with something, they will listen.

Currently, the only thing we have is asking the schools to submit a list, in order, of up to 25 preferred umpires.

I'm looking for help with documentation on "the process":

Who does the eval?

Do they get paid?

How do you avoid cronyism?

What is evaluated?

Are only certain types of games (V, Jv, etc) eval?

How many evals per year?

I am a big proponent of evaluations, both in my real job and in my officiating. It is one of the tools we can use to improve.

Thanks

Hi Larry,

I thought I was reading about my association. We don't do evaluations. We have an assignor who has been doing this forever. The good part of his assignments is that he takes care of people (i.e. people out of work, injured, etc.). The bad news is that you can get really crappy games. The other bad news is that you get to work with the "old timers" who feel they DESERVE good games when they are no longer hustling, annoyingly bad on rules interpretation, antagonistic, etc.

I would love to see the meritocracy come in and the old boys network leave. However, here's the simple issue. Our "chapter" is too big these days. We have 120+ umpires assigned at times just for school games during the day. Forget it when summer ball rolls (hehehe) around.

Roy

PS: Keep up the good fight, however