High School Umpires

[Hilltopper2005]

Do High School Umpires get graded or have to take a test to become an umpire? Or do the just go to Dick's or a Sporting Goods Store and get a uniform, equipment and a counter? I have been around high school baseball for at least 15 years now and the umpires I have seen this year have got to be the worst I have ever seen. I have watched close to 25 games this year. I saw an umpire last night that missed 2 calls at 1st base so bad that everyone was shocked. I don't see how the coaches could hold their composure. The best call he made all night was a call with runners on 1st and 2nd and a ground ball hit to 3rd. He called the runner at 3rd out on the force which was correct and then called the runner at 1st out on the throw and never turned towards first base. He couldn't tell if the 1st baseman was on the bag or not. But he actually called a better game when he wasn't looking. Then, he goes behind the plate for the JV game and the strikesone was anything that didn't bounce to the catcher.

 

I know basketball refs and football refs get graded, but the umpires this year have been terrible at best on a consistent basis.

[KyTiger89]

Do High School Umpires get graded or have to take a test to become an umpire? Or do the just go to Dick's or a Sporting Goods Store and get a uniform, equipment and a counter? I have been around high school baseball for at least 15 years now and the umpires I have seen this year have got to be the worst I have ever seen. I have watched close to 25 games this year. I saw an umpire last night that missed 2 calls at 1st base so bad that everyone was shocked. I don't see how the coaches could hold their composure. The best call he made all night was a call with runners on 1st and 2nd and a ground ball hit to 3rd. He called the runner at 3rd out on the force which was correct and then called the runner at 1st out on the throw and never turned towards first base. He couldn't tell if the 1st baseman was on the bag or not. But he actually called a better game when he wasn't looking. Then, he goes behind the plate for the JV game and the strikesone was anything that didn't bounce to the catcher.

 

I know basketball refs and football refs get graded, but the umpires this year have been terrible at best on a consistent basis.

 

Although I never like to blame umpires for any game, I can see your frustration...

[Under the Lights]

No one is beating down the door to become an umpire from my understanding. As a result the quality has gone down in some areas. As you stated, you have been around baseball for a long time, maybe you can offer up your services and become an umpire? Or perhaps petition your local schools to increase umpire fees to draw out more qualified candidates in and around your area?

 

And actually calling the 1st baseman off the bag at first in that situation isn't really the base umpires call. :sssh:

[The Engineer]

 

And actually calling the 1st baseman off the bag at first in that situation isn't really the base umpires call. :sssh:

 

It actually is his call, if he sees it when calling the out. However, the home plate umpire can overrule him if the field umpire asks him.

[Under the Lights]

It actually is his call, if he sees it when calling the out. However, the home plate umpire can overrule him if the field umpire asks him.

 

Understood, but the chances of the base umpire being able to see that from the 3rd base side of the infield aren't very good.

[Hilltopper2005]

No one is beating down the door to become an umpire from my understanding. As a result the quality has gone down in some areas. As you stated, you have been around baseball for a long time, maybe you can offer up your services and become an umpire? Or perhaps petition your local schools to increase umpire fees to draw out more qualified candidates in and around your area?

 

You would think for the money they make they could find some good umpires. And, I'm not saying that all of them are bad in no way. All I am saying is that some of the new ones I have seen this year are far from being ready to call high school games. I would be interested in umpiring some but work a shift that prohibits me from umpiring. I have seen games at several different venues and the quality is the same no matter where I go. So just the local schools offering more money won't help statewide. And many of them pack an attitude with them. They are not accountable to anyone and can make whatever call they choose. I guess the only time they are held accountable is if someone happens to be there grading them. Otherwise, they are not accountable to do a good job. Where else can you work and not be held accountable for the job you do but maybe one or two times a year? I guess that is why the quality of umpiring has gone down to an all time low with the new umpires.

[CCHS_Dad]

High School Umpires have to take the Part I test and pass to become eligible to umpire high school baseball. After the first year umpires must take the Part II test and score at least an 80 to be eligible for post season. Umpires are rated just like all the other officials.

 

All the associations that I know of have training programs and KHSAA offers a weekend camp every year that officals have to attend every 3 years to be eligible for post season ($200 weekend).

 

FYI - can't buy your umpire attire at Dick's, have to be serious about it since pants run in the $60 range, shirts $20 to $40, a mask is minimum of $70, chest protector is $70 to $150, plate shoes are $70 to $150, base shoes $50, ball bags are $11 apiece, the hats are $17 each and you need two of them. That is one color then all the umpires have at least 4 hats and 4 colors of shirts. (google Honigs or Gerry Davis Sports)

 

So spend your $25 and take the Part I test then spend your $400 and suit up and get on the field and make a difference. If not, then help recruit umpires for your region. Some are not cut out to be an umpire and they usually don't last more than a year or two.

 

Find 40 to 50 people a day per region willing to cut out from work early or drive like their pants are on fire to make these games and get home sometimes later than you do for $100 DH fee. Some drive over 100 miles round trip to do these games (depending on the region).

 

I understand your frustrations with officials and there is no excuse for poor performance or not knowing the rules, but most often belt high center of the plate fastballs and the failure to catch and throw lose more games than a missed or wrong call.

[Hilltopper2005]

I understand your frustrations with officials and there is no excuse for poor performance or not knowing the rules, but most often belt high center of the plate fastballs and the failure to catch and throw lose more games than a missed or wrong call.

 

By the way, the team that got the bad calls won the game, so the poor umpiring did not affect the outcome of this game. And generally speaking over the years only on a very few occasions can I remember 1 blown or wrong call changing the outcome of a game. It's not sour grapes that the team I was pulling for lost due to a bad call, it's just my observation that the overall quality of umpiring at the games I have seen this year is way down.

[Under the Lights]

You would think for the money they make they could find some good umpires. And, I'm not saying that all of them are bad in no way. All I am saying is that some of the new ones I have seen this year are far from being ready to call high school games. I would be interested in umpiring some but work a shift that prohibits me from umpiring. I have seen games at several different venues and the quality is the same no matter where I go. So just the local schools offering more money won't help statewide. And many of them pack an attitude with them. They are not accountable to anyone and can make whatever call they choose. I guess the only time they are held accountable is if someone happens to be there grading them. Otherwise, they are not accountable to do a good job. Where else can you work and not be held accountable for the job you do but maybe one or two times a year? I guess that is why the quality of umpiring has gone down to an all time low with the new umpires.

 

But that's just it, fewer and fewer people WANT to umpire. Of those even fewer stick it out past the first few years (where they are learning and make mistakes and are berated by every parent/player/message board poster). I'll agree that far too many young umpires are rushed along due to the lack of experienced umpires.

 

But make no mistake about it, if you are the only person in town who can fix watches then it is going to be very hard to tell you that if you don't do a good job we'll replace you with someone else. It's not like there are a bunch of eager applicants waiting to be called out on message boards and be publicly criminalized for every action they take. Sometimes the choice is between a guy calling a varsity game that maybe shouldn't be, or not playing the game at all.

 

Even the pro's miss calls every now and again.

[KY Thorobred]

A lot of guys today are more worried about when they will be getting their check and what time they will be getting out of town than they are the actual game.

[KY Thorobred]

But that's just it, fewer and fewer people WANT to umpire. Of those even fewer stick it out past the first few years (where they are learning and make mistakes and are berated by every parent/player/message board poster). It's not like there are a bunch of eager applicants waiting to be called out on message boards and be publicly criminalized for every action they take.

 

Whats the difference in someone talking about an umpire and talking about a coach. Coaches get called out all the time on here and whenever someone makes a comment on an umpire, someone is there to tell them to go out and try it.

[Knuckle]

But that's just it, fewer and fewer people WANT to umpire. Of those even fewer stick it out past the first few years (where they are learning and make mistakes and are berated by every parent/player/message board poster). I'll agree that far too many young umpires are rushed along due to the lack of experienced umpires.

 

But make no mistake about it, if you are the only person in town who can fix watches then it is going to be very hard to tell you that if you don't do a good job we'll replace you with someone else. It's not like there are a bunch of eager applicants waiting to be called out on message boards and be publicly criminalized for every action they take. Sometimes the choice is between a guy calling a varsity game that maybe shouldn't be, or not playing the game at all.

 

Even the pro's miss calls every now and again.

 

Fewer and fewer people want to work period!! If your going to do something do it the correct way. Know what you are supposed to do and do it. No matter if your a umpire, coach, or player.

[Knuckle]

You would think we could find more umpires. $100 for a DH(most of the time 4 hours) is pretty good. That is more that $20 an hour. That more than the coaches are making.

[KY Thorobred]

You would think we could find more umpires. $100 for a DH(most of the time 4 hours) is pretty good. That is more that $20 an hour. That more than the coaches are making.

 

:thumb:

[GRC4LIFE]

Umpires this year are by far the worst I have ever seen in quite some time. Some are truly pathetic and sad to see how bad they actually are.