TSSAA Umpire Fees

[Slider]

I agree and fully respect umpires. I know it is a tough job as I do it in the summer once coaching is over. What I have seen recently with TSSAA umpires is that they have rabbit ears. They let everything said by coaches and parents to get to them emotionally. The best umpires understand this is an emotional game and emotions will run high at times and they handle situations accordingly. Honestly the worst high school umpires I have seen are those that have umped in the minors or college. They seem to see high school baseball as too good for them and are not approachable on matters.

 

The increase in pay for umps may hurt small programs whose funding is limited to begin with.

 

I always see this comment when it comes to raising fees."may hurt small programs whose funding is limited".

In the past four years how many programs have shut down because of umpire fees (not really sure of any)? It will be interesting to see how many (if any) small programs go away this year or next. I have a feeling the increase will have little to no bearing on small programs. If you know what the fees are and you know how many games you have scheduled you should know what the season is going to cost you. If you submit your operating budget and the administration only approves a portion of that budget than you know what you need to raise. Right? I am glad the umpires recieved a raise. It's easy to make the calls and hide in the stands, it takes a special person to put on the gear and step on the field! Thank You!

[Gerry Bertier]

I always see this comment when it comes to raising fees."may hurt small programs whose funding is limited".

In the past four years how many programs have shut down because of umpire fees (not really sure of any)? It will be interesting to see how many (if any) small programs go away this year or next. I have a feeling the increase will have little to no bearing on small programs. If you know what the fees are and you know how many games you have scheduled you should know what the season is going to cost you. If you submit your operating budget and the administration only approves a portion of that budget than you know what you need to raise. Right? I am glad the umpires recieved a raise. It's easy to make the calls and hide in the stands, it takes a special person to put on the gear and step on the field! Thank You!

 

I didn't say shut down programs, I said it will hurt them. Maybe instead of new uniforms, new equipment, or any other things needed they will have to use that money for umpires.

[funandgames]

I always see this comment when it comes to raising fees."may hurt small programs whose funding is limited".

In the past four years how many programs have shut down because of umpire fees (not really sure of any)? It will be interesting to see how many (if any) small programs go away this year or next. I have a feeling the increase will have little to no bearing on small programs. If you know what the fees are and you know how many games you have scheduled you should know what the season is going to cost you. If you submit your operating budget and the administration only approves a portion of that budget than you know what you need to raise. Right? I am glad the umpires recieved a raise. It's easy to make the calls and hide in the stands, it takes a special person to put on the gear and step on the field! Thank You!

 

 

Programs get shut down because expenses are too high. Those expenses include umpire fees along with uniforms, equipment, transportation, etc. If this increase causes programs to re-evaluate they could decide to do away with JV games - or atleast do away with umpires for JV games. This ultimately hurts the program as a whole. The best thing they could do is just not have double header varsity games. I am not saying umpires are not deserving a raise but when is the last time you got the equivalent of a $10/hour raise?

[glock22]

OK, you've got to explain your math to me.

 

Previously, DH paid $85. JV game, 1 hour 15, 30 minutes between games, Varsity game, 2 hours. This equals 3.75 hours at the site.

 

Now count leaving work at least an hour early, equals 4.75 hours for $85. That's $17.90/hour.

 

Now, $95 for the DH, same time frame, $20/hour. That's $2.10/hour increase or 12%.

 

Now, let's say you've worked 8 hours at your regular job, plus 4.75 hours umpiring, that's 12.75 hour work day. Geez, why does anyone umpire?

Edited June 23, 2011 by glock22

[Slider]

Programs get shut down because expenses are too high. Those expenses include umpire fees along with uniforms, equipment, transportation, etc. If this increase causes programs to re-evaluate they could decide to do away with JV games - or atleast do away with umpires for JV games. This ultimately hurts the program as a whole. The best thing they could do is just not have double header varsity games. I am not saying umpires are not deserving a raise but when is the last time you got the equivalent of a $10/hour raise?

 

I understand its an increase. I'm just asking, how many small programs have shut down in the past 4 years? How many do you believe will shut down this year or next as a result of higher umpire fees? How many will it hurt? Let the assistant coaches call the JV games if you have too. JV is for development,not much at stake there. I just don't like using the umpires fees as an excuse for small or underfunded programs. Being a small program is not an excuse for being underfunded. Being underfunded is a choice IMO.

[Gerry Bertier]

I understand its an increase. I'm just asking, how many small programs have shut down in the past 4 years? How many do you believe will shut down this year or next as a result of higher umpire fees? How many will it hurt? Let the assistant coaches call the JV games if you have too. JV is for development,not much at stake there. I just don't like using the umpires fees as an excuse for small or underfunded programs. Being a small program is not an excuse for being underfunded. Being underfunded is a choice IMO.

 

Have you ever worked at an inner city school or in a poor rural area? Sometimes fundraising is not as easy as it seems. Most baseball programs are not revenue generating and count on players and parents to fundraise money. Sometimes in certain areas it is not feasible to raise the extra funds.

[funandgames]

OK, you've got to explain your math to me.

 

Previously, DH paid $85. JV game, 1 hour 15, 30 minutes between games, Varsity game, 2 hours. This equals 3.75 hours at the site.

 

Now count leaving work at least an hour early, equals 4.75 hours for $85. That's $17.90/hour.

 

Now, $95 for the DH, same time frame, $20/hour. That's $2.10/hour increase or 12%.

 

Now, let's say you've worked 8 hours at your regular job, plus 4.75 hours umpiring, that's 12.75 hour work day. Geez, why does anyone umpire?

 

 

It is a choice to have multiple jobs. We are only discussing the pay rate for the umpire duties.

 

The pay rate for a JV/Var DH was $85. The basis for this pay was $65 for the Var and an additional $20 for the approx hour and half of a JV game. The increase for this scenerio is set at $10. The DH Var game was at a rate of $85. Again the basis of this was $65 for one Var game and an addition $20 for the 2nd game. Now they will receive $40 more for a 2 hour game. Since the base rate of $65 for a single game has stayed the same, the only increase is being given for those 2nd games. This works out to approximately $10/hour for that 2nd game in either scenerio. It isn't $10/hour overall but just under $5/hour.

[ksgovols]

It is a choice to have multiple jobs. We are only discussing the pay rate for the umpire duties.

 

The pay rate for a JV/Var DH was $85. The basis for this pay was $65 for the Var and an additional $20 for the approx hour and half of a JV game. The increase for this scenerio is set at $10. The DH Var game was at a rate of $85. Again the basis of this was $65 for one Var game and an addition $20 for the 2nd game. Now they will receive $40 more for a 2 hour game. Since the base rate of $65 for a single game has stayed the same, the only increase is being given for those 2nd games. This works out to approximately $10/hour for that 2nd game in either scenerio. It isn't $10/hour overall but just under $5/hour.

 

For about the same money you can call a softball game in about half the time. If it were for money and less time away from home rather the love of the game, all the blue would be on the softball diamond.

 

I think it's generic to lable all umpires because of a few. Umpires, coaches, teachers or whatever more or less mimic the general population. There's good ones, bad ones, short ones, tall ones, etc. To speak about them as a whole is a slippery slope.

 

I understand expenses, but I sorta agree with Slider on this one. If you sit down in August and budget what you're going to spend on umpires, equipment, gear and field maintenance, then you can plan your fundraising and fee structures accordingly. Granted some programs are able to generate more money than others and you might not get TSSAA blues for the JV game which isn't going to hurt blues feelings guys.

 

I don't appreciate every umpire, but I appreciate what they do.

[wingman10]

For about the same money you can call a softball game in about half the time. If it were for money and less time away from home rather the love of the game, all the blue would be on the softball diamond.

 

I think it's generic to lable all umpires because of a few. Umpires, coaches, teachers or whatever more or less mimic the general population. There's good ones, bad ones, short ones, tall ones, etc. To speak about them as a whole is a slippery slope.

 

I understand expenses, but I sorta agree with Slider on this one. If you sit down in August and budget what you're going to spend on umpires, equipment, gear and field maintenance, then you can plan your fundraising and fee structures accordingly. Granted some programs are able to generate more money than others and you might not get TSSAA blues for the JV game which isn't going to hurt blues feelings guys.

good post

 

I don't appreciate every umpire, but I appreciate what they do.

[haebvols]

Mr. Bertier, I fully understand and hopefully you do not see me as having a constant chip on my shoulder. I have officiated HS baseball since 1978 and hopefully can continue to do so for another 3 years. The comment made about our inferior abilities just set me off; I do apologize to you and any others offended, altho not to the original poster.Just to back my statement about not having a chip on my shoulder, my last coach ejection was somewhere back in the mid-90's as was my last player ejection.I love this sport and I just hated to see my fellow "blues" being given a bad rap from someone who may neither have ever coached/officiated. I agree whole-heartedly that the best officials are the ones you never realized were on the field."Play Ball"!!

Good job, blue... comments like that from 66in74 are a big reason things like Houston-Briarcrest boiled over. Sure the other factors like jerk coaches, but people need to respect the game and understand everybody doesn't think or care their "little johnny" is all-world.

[thunderbolts]

I agree and fully respect umpires. I know it is a tough job as I do it in the summer once coaching is over. What I have seen recently with TSSAA umpires is that they have rabbit ears. They let everything said by coaches and parents to get to them emotionally. The best umpires understand this is an emotional game and emotions will run high at times and they handle situations accordingly. Honestly the worst high school umpires I have seen are those that have umped in the minors or college. They seem to see high school baseball as too good for them and are not approachable on matters.

 

The increase in pay for umps may hurt small programs whose funding is limited to begin with.

 

I think that it is unfair to say that the worst high school umpires are umpires that used to be in the minors or college. I once worked minor league ball and came back and chose to work high school ball and now coach at a small school. It is frustrating when you do work at the higher levels and then work a high school game and see some of the differences that are there. For example, I have worked with some very good umpires in high school, but unfortunately the assigners know who can work and who needs some "polishing". They will send an experienced umpire with an unexperienced umpire and after a while it gets frustrating working with partners that are really not up to par. You also have some coaches that are very unprofessional. You stated that the game is an emotional game, which I whole heartedly agree with, but when a high school coach calls my house two days after a game and wants to discuss a play that he thinks I missed there has to be some type of punishment for that. That NEVER happened when I was in the minors because it was our job to be professional, and know the rules both coaches and umpires. After the emotion has worn off you would think cooler heads would prevail, but there are a few umpires that certain coaches can intimidate and the coaches know it. The problem is minor league and college umpires will not be bullied by a coach/manager. Now that I am a coach, I see it from a different perspective and realize that when you see certain umpires show up at your park and they have a deer in headlight look in their eye. What do you do?

[Solo-mon 2]

Not trying to jump in too deep, but after reading all the posts, I thought of some things that have not been said so far...

 

1) I agree that most umpires do put a lot of time in to what they are doing so they can do their best, and money was getting to be an issue with high gas prices. One thing though, I don't think many people have gotten raises at their jobs recently. It seems with the current economy, every company is tightening their belts. Umpiring is no different in my opinion. Also the "bad" umpires do seem to be more frequent these days.

 

2) As far as the smaller schools raising more money, THEY ALREADY HAVE TO BECAUSE OF THE BAT CHANGES. Everyone has to go out and buy a BBCOR bat now. No more hand-me-downs. This has not been addressed at all in the money situation that is facing ALL schools. Most of the bat companies have set their prices high. $200 gets you a bat that I would not have wanted to use in 1986.

 

3) I read the outburst and the apology that TNIrish posted at the start. I understand the years that he has put in from reading his posts, but how quick was he to jump?!?!!! This is what a lot of parents, coaches and spectators see more often. A quick hateful outburst a lot of times because of "rabbit ears". If a Ump comes to the field with a CHIP or is just waiting on the first thing to be said so he can show he is in charge, this is not right! Also if the UMP thinks he KNOWS EVERYTHING, this is not right, I have always told my players that I have coached that the day you know EVERYTHING about the game, is the day you need to hang the spikes up. There is always something that can catch you off guard or out of the norm that usually occurs. Even with the apology, it proved the point of those who have voiced seeing this type of umpiring. You are out in front of everyone and everyone can see your actions, it is part of the game also!

 

I have respect and sympathy for those umps that do their best. I know that there is going to be some happy and some mad at every close call. Even though you don't hear it very often, thank you!