MAC-NVBUA Umpires

Ratings

Blue Crew News – Enhancing The Umpire Experience

February 3, 2025

Umpire Ratings Explained

I’m Tim Strutzel, Chairman of the Ratings Committee and this is my 9th year working ratings for the association. The 2025 Umpire Ratings have been completed, presented to the Executive Board, and approved. I’ve dealt with ratings through 28 years in the Army and 25 years as a corporate executive. The one common thread between all raters is ‘no one likes doing ratings.’ But they are a necessary evil. Our system is roughly divided into these unofficial categories:

  • Senior/Very Skilled (1.00 to 2.80)
  • Mid-Level/Skilled and Improving (3.10 to 4.80)
  • New/Needs Improvement (5.10 to 7.00).

Most of the work of the Ratings Committee focuses on the Mid-Level and New/Needs Improvement class of umpires. To that end we have 3 sub-committees within the Ratings Committee:

  • The 1-2 Sub-Committee is chaired by Darren Schuberg
  • The 3-4 Subcommittee is chaired by Bob Nasser
  • The 5-6-7 Subcommittee is chaired by Anthony Mayer.

We get all the peer ratings for each umpire to review. Each subcommittee reviews the peer ratings to identify strengths and weaknesses, looking for strong comments (positive or negative) from senior umpires to form an accurate picture of the umpires’ capabilities. All the peer ratings factor into the decision to promote an umpire.

I appeal to all raters (crew chiefs, name bolded in Arbiter when assigned) to please take some time to complete a rating. You’ve already taken some notes for your post-game so use those notes to complete the rating. If you make a habit of completing the rating as soon as you get home, you’ll be surprised at how you’re able to stay ahead of the game. I know it can be daunting, especially if you are always the crew chief. But you’re doing a disservice to your partner if you don’t give him a fair rating. Listen, I’ve been dealing with ratings for 55 years or more. Since coming into MAC/NVBUA I’ve had an average of 130 ratings to complete every year. I do it because I’m happy to potentially have a positive impact on an umpire’s future with MAC/NVBUA.

Ratings are available now and all association members are entitled to see their ratings! In order to learn your individual rating, please reach out to any board member. As an association member, you are entitled to appeal your rating. In order to do this, please contact association president, Dave Maher, copy me (Tim Strutzel) and copy either Darren Schuberg (if you were a 1 or 2), Bob Nasser (if you were a 3 or 4), or Anthony Mayer. If you would like to work an evaluation game, please reach out to me and copy Paul Porto and we will work with the assignors to attempt to get you assigned.

-Tim Strutzel
Co-Editor Blue Crew News

Table of Contents

Issue #2 – February 3, 2025

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