Recommended Age for JEA?

[theloyd]

I love baseball and only recently have gotten into umpiring. I feel as though I'm doing very well, have had great reviews from my evaluators, and now have this thought in my head that I would love to make a living as an umpire. I am, however, 29 years old. Is that considered too old to try and get started as a professional umpire. Obviously, my largest aspirations would be to do it at the MLB level but I know how long and difficult that process can be. I live in Colorado and NCAA D-I baseball is not an option here (no teams). I know that this may be a pipe dream but I thought I'd ask for some advice.

Any thoughts?

[Richard_Siegel]

I love baseball and only recently have gotten into umpiring. I feel as though I'm doing very well, have had great reviews from my evaluators, and now have this thought in my head that I would love to make a living as an umpire. I am, however, 29 years old. Is that considered too old to try and get started as a professional umpire. Obviously, my largest aspirations would be to do it at the MLB level but I know how long and difficult that process can be. I live in Colorado and NCAA D-I baseball is not an option here (no teams). I know that this may be a pipe dream but I thought I'd ask for some advice.

Any thoughts?

From the available statistics it is true that age does matter in getting consideration for a job in pro baseball. Jobs are usually given out to guys who will be no older than 40 years old by the time they have successfully completed their required experience in the minor leagues. Most guys who make the jump to the Majors work from 7 to 11 years in the minors. There have been exceptions and there have been a few guys who have made it into MLB who started at age 29 and even older, but they are on the far side of the envelope. The ideal age to start is 22-24. A few years back a guy got a job out of umpire school at age 40. I don't know where he is now.

You will have to attend either Jim Evans Academy or Harry Wendlestet's Umpire school. Check them both out on their websites. They are both great schools. I suggest if you want to do this you MUST do it as soon as possible in January or 2010 or else the father time will be a monkey on your back.

I urge you buy the book “Baseball’s Narrowest Door” by Rick Roder. [Google it and you can order it from several websites.] It is a must read of everything you need to know to be successful at umpire school and be successful in the minor leagues. If you want to get more specific information you can contact jasonk or TomClarke by PM on this website. They are both instructors at the Jim Evans Academy. Good Luck.

[umpgent]

thelloyd,

Are you married?
Planning to be married soon?
Have kids?
Kids on the way?

If the answer to any of the four questions above is yes, then I would discourage you from following this particular dream. It's not worth it. Your family will never be "first" in your life. Aside from being gone for the long MLB season, you will need to do winter ball and spring training. You will be gone nearly year-round.


If the answer to all four questions above is no, then follow your dream.

The road to the Big Leagues is brutal ... even for the very few that make it (1200 players on the 40-man rosters at any given time ... 68 umpires on the MLB roster). Low pay, poor working conditions, virtually no representation or accountability, which is all fine if you are not dragging a family through it.

There's a reason it is known as baseball's narrowest door. Turnover is about as common as the Supreme Court Bench. Ever heard of Rob Drake? He is not an MLB umpire. Oh, he's called over 1000 MLB games as a AAA call-up, and works as hard as any of them, but technically he is not on the MLB roster.

[BrianC14]

Lloyd,

I wouldn't even try to make a recommendation one way or the other. Only YOU can decide if it might be worth doing. Perhaps putting in a call to Jim himself might help? (his # is on his website)

Yes, the road is long and tough, and the pay is peanuts, and you have only you looking out for you. You don't get to choose where you are assigned, and the schedule is brutal, with pretty spartan living conditions.

Take a look at my background: I served for 10 years in the Navy - most of it in submarines.

The 'road' was long and tough, and the pay was peanuts, and I had only me looking out for me. I coudn't choose where I was assigned, and the schedule was brutal, with very spartan living conditions. Submarining is a very dangerous occupation - quite literally, it's life and death. Umpiring is... hardly that. And if you get fed up with umpiring at the pro level (assuming you are selected), then you can quit anytime you want. Can't say that for the Navy (unless you desire a trip to Leavenworth, Kansas).

As for the Navy, I'd do it again in a New York minute. The experiences I've had are incomparable. I've seen things and done things that most folks can't even dream about.

Looking back, I wish I had thought about going to pro school when I got out (at 28 years old). Hell, it's a five week school. You either get selected or you don't. If you do, THEN you'll have a huge decision to make. If you don't, then perhaps it's because God has other plans for you.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

But only you can decide if the time is right.

[heyblue26]

Lloyd all great advice here from all those that have been around and maybe had the same dream you have but only you can decide what is best for you. There are many factors to consider and yes get the book thru Baseballs Narrowest Door it will help you in your decision I am sure. But if you have that dream and are determined to do it then I say go for it but remember what you have read and all that I will say this "You Make The Call" and what ever it is I wish you the best of luck and hope that your dream does come true because I had that same dream but like brain said he was in the navy and a submariner and my hat goes off to him that is no easy task it is demanding as much as being a US Marine.

[BrianC14]

Also get Bruce Weber's book, "Call Em as They See 'Em". It provides some outstanding insight into the life of a minor league umpire.

I think it's important to look at pro school this way: Just going to pro school doesn't mean you're going to enter the ranks of professional baseball. What pro school does is give you the OPPORTUNITY to get into that level of baseball. Sure, the odds are staggering - but hey, SOMEONE'S got to get through that door... why not you?

[theloyd]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the thoughts.

[zam989s]

Also get Bruce Weber's book, "Call Em as They See 'Em". It provides some outstanding insight into the life of a minor league umpire.


I got this book and it's very interesting. I think he says in there that 28 is just about the cutoff for guys that aspire to work in pro ball.

I would love to go to pro school someday just to improve myself.

[semper_fi_72]

I do not believe in Dreams.
If you want something, do not ever let someone tell you, you can not have it.
Something is only impossible if you do not try.
Go for what you want with a passion but also realize you may not achieve the highest level you desire but hard work and dedication is always rewarded.
Good Luck

[robbyrudd455]

If you enjoy being away from your friends and family from March through September, having 7 days off in that time span (no weekends off either), spending it all with the SAME guy, working for next to nothing, living out of hotels, working the plate every other day, working a 7:00PM game then driving 8 hours to your next destination and have a game that next day, then being an MiLB umpire is right for you!

I always get told by others I should go to pro school. I have no doubt I could make an MiLB roster, however, I do not want the lifestyle described above.

[heyblue26]

I do not believe in Dreams.
If you want something, do not ever let someone tell you, you can not have it.
Something is only impossible if you do not try.
Go for what you want with a passion but also realize you may not achieve the highest level you desire but hard work and dedication is always rewarded.
Good Luck

Semper_fi_72 Oh how well do we know that is so true.

[loulou]

just a quick story;2 high school kids come up to me after a game an ask,how do we become umpires?i give them the 5 minute speech,tell them to call me in january.they do,come to training,an start.they are both 15 yr.olds.3 years later,they both go to pro school.neither one gets on the list.one decides the pros are not for him,but the other,who has not even called a hs varsity game,gets a job in the northwoods league.he works all summer,does college ball with me in fall,an goes back to school in january again.he gets on reserve list.he works college ball in spring,northwoods league again in summer.thru people hes met,works down south in winter.he goes back to school a 3rd time,gets higher on list.he goes to pbuc in march,but not that high up.gets a job working can-am league.in may this year,he gets a call to go to the pbuc holding league(south atlantic i think) last week he called to tell me he got THE CALL.hes working the low a gulf coast league.btw,hes 5ft. 6in 140lbs soaking wet.my point with all this is that if you have that dream,dont ever give up----jimmy v

[loulou]

there is a cool video of this guy an cecil fielder going at it on you tube somewere

[BrianC14]

there is a cool video of this guy an cecil fielder going at it on you tube somewere

This must be it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAWuEqWmZIY

Wow - he isn't much bigger than the batboy... who looks about 8 yo!

[loulou]

thats the video.he looks about 12 lol.really nice young man.

[BT_Blue]

there is a cool video of this guy an cecil fielder going at it on you tube somewere

If you can find it post it... we all would love to see it Im sure..

Oh and get this guy some platforms ;-)

[loulou]

read up to brianc he has link

[BT_Blue]

read up to brianc he has link

yeh, I posted it, saw the link and decided I didnt feel like deleting my post. Looked good out there. Wish we could have seen what took place for him to run the catcher. Also there were a couple times during the discussion with Fielder that he looked like he was the aggressor, not the coach.

But beyond that... looked good out there.

[loulou]

i agree on that he looked agressive more than once.he said the player bumped him,which we dont get to see.this was not his 1st run-in with cecil.we have talked about being confident vs. cocky.i think the video shows both.with that said,being his size must be very hard.these guys take a whole lot of crap night after night in the can-am league.now that hes moved up,he has to gain the respect of players an coaches all over again.very tuff job

[henthorn11]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAWuEqWmZIY

[bobjenkins]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAWuEqWmZIY

I don't get it. You opened up a nearly two-year old thread to post a nearly three-year old video and it doesn't seem to address the OP.

[yawetag]

I don't get it. You opened up a nearly two-year old thread to post a nearly three-year old video and it doesn't seem to address the OP.

It's a reply to the thread, mentioning Cecil going at a younger umpire. Why he opened back, I have no idea.