Umpires: I got this from a commissioner yesterday. Let’s just say I am extremely disappointed, and there will have to be consequences. It’s unfortunate I didn’t know about this earlier, or I would have taken action immediately. When you are assigned a game, it was made clear to you: YOU SHOW UP, or YOU are responsible for finding a replacement. You have all the tools necessary – an email list and a phone list. You have an assignor, Luke Maus, to help you if you can’t find a replacement.

For whatever reason, that’s not happening, games aren’t being covered, or half-covered, and it will no longer be tolerated.

I gave you guys the freedom to handle your own schedule, and frankly, I find out now that this season has been a disaster. I wish I knew the magnitude of the disaster before now. I know it’s late in the season, but had I known what was going on beforehand, I would have done this sooner.

I know many of you have been very responsible about doing your games and getting replacements in time. For that, I thank you. However, it is unfortunate the responsible must be punished along with the irresponsible, but I see no alternative to the following policy from now on:

1)       FROM NOW ON – ALL REPLACEMENTS GO THROUGH THE ASSIGNOR, LUKE MAUS. Clearly you guys can’t handle the reassignments on your own, and from now on we WILL know who has what game. People are not showing up when they take a game from someone else, and we can no longer tolerate that.

       This includes ALL GAMES SCHEDULED TODAY AND AFTERWARDS.

2)       NO informal agreements to take a game from someone else. Turn the game back in to Luke, or do the game.

3)       NO trading games. Do the game you are assigned, or turn it back in to Luke.

4)       If you aren’t sure you can do the game, DON’T TAKE IT, and then cause everyone a lot of work when you have to turn it back in later. Only take games you are sure you can do.

5)       Things happen, we know. So, if you take a game and then find out later you can’t do a game, you MUST turn it back into Luke 48 hours before the game if at all possible to give Luke time to find a replacement. I understand sometimes reschedulings of your own games you are playing in will cause issues – if it does, turn the game back into Luke AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

6)       If you miss a game you are assigned to, you will have all your remaining games pulled from you, unless there are mitigating circumstances. Going to the hospital is a mitigating circumstance. Going over your friend’s house is not a mitigating circumstance. Giving the game to a friend and he forgets to go is not a mitigating circumstance.

7)       Not only that, if you miss a second assignment, I will be asking for your uniform and equipment back. I have had enough. Umpiring for NABCLL is a privilege not a right. You will lose that privilege if you prove you can’t handle it.

I’m sorry if you or your parents find this rather harsh, but I don’t see an alternative.

-------------------------------------- FROM A COMMISSIONER ------------------------------------ Jeff,  As you know, I have the distinct privilege of being the commissioner for our Rookie league. I would like to bring some thing to yours and Luke's attention. I may have had 4 games all year with 2 umpires. In fact I'll poll the managers if you'd like to get some stats for you. I have called Rick G. the VP numerous times because I get the phone call from the managers. There wasn't a week went by, seven weeks, where we either had to pull umpires from one game to cover for another, no phone call to Rick or Luke. That's just me getting the games squared away or just a plain no show and if we were lucky Luke found some one last minute. I have in my last three games, ask Luke cause he was there at the field , no umpires.That's me in my last three games never mind the other managers whose phone calls I get. The games following me last Saturday at Ct there was one umpire for three fields. The umpire was Luke. This is last Saturday never mind the rest of the season. DO NOT  MISTAKE WHAT I'M GETTING AT HERE. I'm thankful for all you and Luke do. I'm not looking to insult anyone, especially not you or Luke. There were two umpires at CT last night, not my games, for three playoff games. If Luke wasn't there for me to speak with, one game of the finals doesn't have an umpire, never mind the two that every game is suppose to have. Luke, as usual, stepped up and got some one to the game after the first inning. It's not the first time I've spoke to Luke about it and I don't hold him or you responsible. I do believe that there's a huge lack of communication from the umpires to Luke. If the umpires not being able to get to a game, a ride fell through, or they have a conflict is very understandable. Pick up the Phone and call some one. This is pathetic. I get the phone calls and in turn call some one or I rectify the problem by pulling an umpire. I'll try a different word other than pathetic. It's inexcusable in this day and age that even a 14, 15 year old kid can't pick up the phone. I realize that it's just Rookie Ball and no one dies here but we all look bad, the entire league, when the communication breaks down. I've got managers and parents shaking their heads and asking me for answers as to what's going on. Maybe we can have an intelligent discussion at some point about this. Let me end by apologizing if I've come across rather abrupt. Again, I appreciate all that you and Luke do.

SO: please use only navyu@yahoogroups.com now to reach everyone by email. That way you will be sure to reach everyone at their most current email address. If you change or add an email address, let me know at naumpires@yahoo.com and I'll get that added to the list at navyu@yahoogroups.com.

Use navyu@yahoogroups.com only for umpire-related stuff, and do remember that parents are also on the list, like your parents. So, if you wouldn't want it printed on a billboard or seen on TV, don't send it in an email to navyu@yahoogroups.com.