ST for umps too

[sfgdood]

Today's crew is flat out awful...hopefully they get their reps before we see them again

[rog]

I was thinking the other day that we complain about the umpires, and once in a while they do have an influence on how the games turn out. But most players -- at least those who have retired -- realize officiating is simply part of the game.

Officials in any sport are easy to criticize. Although it looks like a simply job to do, one we think we could excel at if we have played, cleary it's a difficult one. It's kind of like how it looks so easy to shoot free throws, but even in the NBA percentages are only around 80% or a little higher.

The point that the umpires need spring training just like the players is a good one, although I don't think it takes them as long to get ready.

But complaining about officiating is really pretty much a waste of time. We act as if the officials aren't evaluated, but they are evaluated all the way from the bottom minor leagues on up. I have been involved in the evaluation process in the then Pac-10, and it is used as a learning experience. The one thing I was pleased to find was that there weren't a lot of excuses used by the officials involved. They seemed to take it in the spirit of learning, sometimes asking to see the play again so they could learn further.

The one thing I have been disappointed in is Instant Replay. They should have the technology to make it a lot faster. If the call can't be determined in a minute -- and I'm talking about from the time the replay is requested, the call probably overturned. As a former official, I'm all about getting the call right, but not it comes at the expense of badly interrupting the flow of the game.

I expected good results from replay, and failed to anticipate the time and flow cost.

[Islandboagie]

Rog- We act as if the officials aren't evaluated, but they are evaluated all the way from the bottom minor leagues on up

Boagie- They might be evaluated, but the bad ones like Marquez, Hernandez, West, Darling and Davidson should have been gone long ago. Too many missed calls (that were not difficult calls) and too many times they allow(ed) their ego to dictate their actions.

[klaiggeb]

You nailed all of the stinkers, Boagie. And you're right; they should have been run out of Dodge a long time ago.

[rog]

I know the umpires are reviewed. I know some umpires have been fired, but I don't think the list is very long. I don't know what the agreement is between baseball and the umpire's union.

I know that many, many potential umpires attend training camps hoping to be picked up in the minor leagues. Some are, and if they are deemed good enough, they are promoted until it is possible they are deemed good enough to umpire in the major leagues. As with players, most don't make it to the majors.

I think complaining about umpires is like saying that politicians' tweets should be reviewed before they are sent out. Calls will be missed. Foolish tweets will be sent.

I'm not sure what can be done about either one, but the latter is likely of far more concern than the former.

Some things we simply have to live with, at least in the short run. Things change over time. I don't believe any of us has attempted to be a major league umpire, and I don't believe any of us has attempted to become a politician.

So we haven't done anything directly to solve the problems. If the problems are serious enough, perhaps we should take action.

I, for one, am going to live with the problems for now. If I were in a place where I could do something significant about either problem, I would try.

In the meantime, any observation I make is pretty obvious. Saying umpires will miss calls and politicians will make mistakes is like saying some days will be sunny and others will be cloudy.