Interviews with Three Arizona League Umpires

As an official scorer for the Arizona Rookie League I have the opportunity to see first-hand the professional debuts of not only players, but umpires as well. For the players, their journey to pro ball commences with their selection in the June Amateur Draft or as an International Free Agent signing. For the umpires, it begins with a successful completion and graduation from an accredited Umpire Training and Development School.

The idea for this project began during the 2015 AZL season and I was fortunate to have three league umpires agree to be interviewed; Ben Phillips, Lorenz Evans, and James Folske. Phillips, the league designated Crew Chief, is a 32-year-old native of Cary, North Carolina. Evans is 25 and a native of Morton, Illinois, and Folske is 27 years of age from Big Rapids, Michigan.

The three men were not only willing talk about their baseball experiences which ultimately led them to make umpiring a career, but also shared it would not be possible without the support of their family and friends. Folske in particular was very candid in relating how his career choice cost him a relationship but pointed out in closing his story with “I surely won’t ever forget the past but I now have new relationships that have become a priority in my life.”

 

Arizona League umpire Ben Phillips, 2015.

 

On with our questions:

First question is a two-parter: What was your baseball background before deciding on umpiring as a career, and what led you specifically to pursue Umpire School?

James Folske: I started umpiring amateur baseball at the age of 12 but never thought anything of pursuing umpiring as a professional career until my mid-20s at which point I hadn’t umpired in years. I grew up around college athletics. Both of parents were college coaches for years; my father recently retired after 48 years of coaching college baseball. I played ever since I could remember, through college. I then did a few different career moves, including two years as a college baseball coach before ultimately deciding to look online what it took to become a MLB umpire.

Ben Phillips: Played in high school and started umpiring LL in college. Wanted to go to umpire school because I got tired of guys telling me, “Man, you’re pretty good. Have you been to pro school?”

Lorenz Evans: I always dreamed of being in professional baseball, but I never imagined it would be as the guy who called balls and strikes. I played baseball from the time I was 4 years old and was a catcher through it all; two teams in the summer every year through high school, where I was on the varsity roster for three years. Senior year of high school I seriously injured the labrum in my right shoulder and had reconstructive surgery. That following summer I played for the Kenosha Kings (Wisconsin State League). After a rough summer of pain and heartbreak, I decided to give up my playing days and stay in the game solely as an umpire. I got my high school patch when I was 18 years old because my grandfather had umpired for 15+ years and told me to give it a shot. I set some serious umpiring goals of high school varsity, college, and then one day professional. I went to one college camp in Illinois called the Great Plains Baseball Alliance Umpire Camp; afterward, I was assigned college baseball regularly. There were three professional umpires also from the Peoria area who had helped me along the way and taken me under their wing to prepare me for my ultimate goal: umpire school and professional baseball. I worked a couple seasons in the low levels of college baseball before I decided it was my time to go to umpire school…and it paid off.

 

 

What school did you attend and were you classmates of any other AZL crew member?

JF: I attended Wendelstedt Umpire School in 2014. There were other guys working the AZL that attended school with me.

BP: The Umpire School (Now called the Minor League Umpire Training Academy, located in the former Dodgertown at Vero Beach, Florida.) Classmates with Wilmes, Evans, Walsh, Larkin, Silverman, Burch.

LE: I attended The Umpire School in 2015 and was classmates with Randy Wilmes, Ben Phillips, Harrison Silverman, Sam Burch, Andrew Larkin, and Brian Walsh

How is it that you were assigned to the AZL this season?

JF: I was selected to go to the evaluation course with what was then called Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation (now Minor League Umpire Development). Was put on the reserve list after the evaluation course week. I went and attended an umpire camp and was offered a job working for an independent baseball league called the American Association. I worked that league for roughly a month before getting assigned to work the Coastal Plains League, where I worked the rest of the regular season and postseason, including the championship. Late 2014 I was called by Mr. Dusty Dellinger who congratulated me on a great Coastal Plains season and extended me an invitation back to the evaluation course in February 2015; I didn’t have to go back through school again and that entire selection process. I started the summer of 2015 working the Coastal Plains League again until I received the call of a lifetime from Mr. Dellinger and was promoted into Minor League Baseball and was told I would be traveling out from North Carolina in a couple days. I flew from North Carolina into Phoenix the day before the Arizona League meeting and the following day the season began.

BP: Got assigned to AZL because I live on the West Coast. East Coast guys get GCL. Midwest guys are split for the most part

LE: We as umpires don’t have any say in where we are assigned. Personally, I received an email on May 1 that said I was being assigned to the Gulf Coast League, which is also a Rookie league located in Florida, and then a few weeks later I received another email that said I was being laterally transferred to the Arizona League. It’s all the same game. We work hard and umpire baseball games using every situation to get better; they just tell us what part of the country we are going to do that in and hopefully we continue to advance

Do you think that your school prepared you for the season?

JF: Yes, umpire school was the first training or direction or teaching I had ever received in umpiring.

BP: School absolutely prepared me for the season. Gave me a ton of confidence

LE: I firmly believe that I received the best instruction available today. My umpire school gave me every tool needed to be successful in this game and helped me build on these tools. I am very grateful to have received such a world class experience.

A couple of things school can’t prepare you for were travel and the downtime during the day. How did you adjust?

JF: I grew up traveling around for sports ever since I was a kid and have always enjoyed traveling as I have grown older. The adjustment wasn’t that tough as far as travel and hotel living. I came to realize even more in my second year of umpiring that downtime is exactly what you make of it. I often tried to fill my days with working out with some of the guys or going out and doing different activities and trying my best to stay active and do stuff.

BP: The travel was really easy in AZL, obviously. The games all being night games is also a huge plus. Gives you the whole day to do whatever you want.

LE: Well, to be quite honest, we didn’t have to. The Arizona League has every umpire in the same hotel for the summer and our longest drive with traffic was 45 minutes to and from games. We had the luxury of being with 11 other umpires who we shared this new experience with. We all stayed indoors most of the day because temperatures were around 114 degrees outside and we needed to be hydrated and at our best for the games which were at 7 PM. We would leave around 5 PM for the games and return between 10:30-11:30. Once we all got back we would play video games, go to a restaurant, or play cards which is what myself and three others did nightly. Spades was the game and we would play until around 3 AM every day. We even signed a deck of cards after the last night to remember the summer by.

How long was the Umpire School program, and could you describe a particular day that stands out for you in your memory?

JF: The umpire school program was about six weeks long and there wasn’t really any particular day that stands out. It was the longest and most stressful time of my life but went by incredibly fast and was one of the greatest times of my life. The final day receiving the news of being chosen was obviously the greatest highlight of the program.

BP: School was January 3 to February 6. The last day was very memorable for me due to the fact that I was not taking for granted that I was going to make it to the Eval course. I ended up killing it all day until my very last field rep, but then totally screwed up a catcher’s interference. There was a very bitter taste in my mouth for the rest of that day and night. It ended up working out.

LE: My umpire school was four weeks. After that we had two days off and then those of us selected to go to the evaluation course went for another week of training to showcase our talents in hopes of being selected for MiLB. There was one day that sticks out with a rather neat memory. It was Super Bowl Sunday 2015 and I had gone to the laundromat on the other side of campus with a few close friends. As we were waiting for the laundry, we stopped into the tavern next door to play pool and watch the game. After about an hour, a retired MLB umpire walked in and shared old stories with us for a bit before we got our laundry and headed back to the rooms. We watched Jeopardy every day at 7 PM right after dinner, six or eight of us all in a room studying and watching.

It’s been said one difference between a good player and a great player is anticipation. Since most people aren’t familiar with two-man crews, can you explain how you learned to anticipate on the field, both individually and with your partner?

JF: Anticipation and baseball instincts have become as valuable and important as anything in today’s umpiring world and often are what separate one umpire from another. A great crew is one where not only does each individual have great instincts for the game but also for one another. A great crew works so well each individual can anticipate where every other person will be at all times on the field.

BP: Having plus baseball instincts helps a lot as does time spent on the field. As for the partner, you just get to the point, quite quickly I might add, where you can just tell by body language what is likely about to happen.

LE: As a professionally-trained umpire, you know where you are supposed to be and where your partner is at all times. It makes it much easier when you don’t have to worry if your partner will be in the correct spot because he will be. After you rid yourself of that worry, you just have to have instinct for the game. This is where those who played the game will use their years as a player to know where the ball is going and where the plays will happen. A rule of thumb for me is, “If you react, action has already happened. You need to act and make the play a reaction to you.” This helps me stay one step ahead of the game and be prepared for anything.

What kind of signals do you use during the game to anticipate position on possible plays, etc.

JF: We are constantly using pre-pitch signals to just alert each other as far as possible plays that could be developing and reminding us how each of us will be reacting to those developing plays.

BP: The obvious ones are “infield fly” and “two-out timing play.” There are some other things that you can communicate through signals such as potential trouble between players, whether the height of the zone is good, things like that.

LE: We use simple signals on the field that are the same as any other umpire: touch the bill of the cap to remind of a possible infield fly situation, signal the outs and where we are going on a batted ball, and touch our wrist to remind of a possible time play at the plate.

Beyond signals, how — in general — do you establish a rhythm with a new umpiring partner?

JF: Beyond signals so much of today’s umpiring is taught to us to be the same and is very symmetric across the board so that general rhythm just comes when working with any other professionally-trained umpire. Real umpire chemistry and rhythm develops over time both on and off the field.

BP: Well, in pro ball I’ve only had one new partner so far but I think just being friends in general is the first step.

LE: Once you step onto that field in your uniform anything in the outside world just goes away. You two (three, or four depending on the level or game) are there to do a job and that’s all that’s on your mind. Be confident and quick on your feet, but slow enough to see everything and rule correctly. We are just out there to get the plays right and handle things as professionally as possible. When you both understand that, things just come naturally between partners and things off the field will fall into place.

I know the managers and coaches in Rookie ball understand the league is a starting point for umpires as well as players. Was there anyone who stood out to you as being most tolerant of mistakes and helpful in correcting them?

JF: No particular manager stood out as most tolerant. I would say that in general most managers were relatively the same in that they understood our development, along with the players, and they tolerated what they saw and your reasoning behind your ruling.

BP: Quite frankly all the managers treated us with a lot of respect. There was a situation in particular where my partner and I incorrectly ruled a home run a ground-rule double. I’ll always remember how we handled that, learned from it, what we could have done better. Amazingly, the manager didn’t really lose his cool at all even though in hindsight, we kicked that pretty bad.

The Road to the Show is much longer for an umpire than a player, so short term goals are sometimes easier to accomplish, to that end — where do you see yourself in five years?

JF: In five years, I see myself umpiring at the AA level and pushing the brink of working AAA.

BP: I see myself on the doorstep of, or in AAA

LE: I hope to be advancing my professional career as a Minor League Baseball umpire. Every journey in this game is different and sometimes it takes longer to develop skills from one umpire to the next, so I just hope to be fortunate enough that my hard work will continue to pay off and allow me this great opportunity I have been given. MLB umpire Ted Barrett said, “The pressure is a privilege,” and I hope to enjoy that pressure for many years to come.

Now that your first season is under your belt, what did you like best about being an umpire? What did you like the least about being an umpire?

JF: I think the best part of umpiring is being part of a brotherhood and all the relationships developed around the game. The part I liked least about being an umpire was the general overall lack of knowledge of the rules by individuals involved in the game.

BP: Best: Being able to do a game every day with a good friend of mine. Least: Doing more laundry than I’d have liked to.

LE: Everything about my experience with Minor League Baseball has been very enjoyable. I took every situation, both on and off the field, as a learning experience and became a better man because of it. My personal life and my umpiring career have both benefitted from this experience and it will only get better the deeper and higher I go.

Do you know the process of being evaluated during the AZL, who does it and how it’s done?

JF: We were evaluated for four games during the AZL season. It was done at two different points in the season on back to back days, once at each spot on the field. Two of our bosses from Minor League Baseball Umpire Development come into town and did the evaluations, one at each time.

BP: An evaluator from Umpire Development will come right at the beginning and in the middle of the season. You’ll know they’re in town so when they come to your game, they tape you on night one, say hello after the game, then meet with you in the locker room the next day, go over the previous night’s game, tape game two, then go over that. That way they see each guy on both plate and bases.

LE: We were seen for a total of four games this summer by two different members of the Umpire Development staff. Once, in the beginning of the season, a member will come unannounced and show up at your game. No one knows he is there, but after your game you will get a knock on the door and he will come in and talk with you to make sure everything on and off the field is going okay before he talks briefly about your game. Either that night or the following he will take the camera footage he gathered of you and project it on the wall in your locker room. They do this to break down plays, stances, pitches, and anything else needed to help you become a better umpire. Since we only have two umpires per crew, you switch between plate and bases every night. The evaluator will watch you at one position the first night and the other on the next night.

After this evaluation you won’t see an evaluator sometimes for a month or more when the same thing happens with another member of the evaluation staff. I was very lucky in my first evaluation to be working the plate in a spring training stadium and just as I had returned to the locker room after the game and taken off my chest protector there was a knock at the door. I opened it and our evaluator was there. He sat down as we let our mind rest for a minute and then made casual conversation. After a few minutes of small talk there was another knock at the door and in walked an MLB umpire and his wife. They took time out of their personal life to come in and speak with my partner and me. This is something that will always stick with me because they showed me no matter who you are or what your job title is, you are just like everyone else and need to show compassion and help those who walk in your footprints like they did for me.

Managers’ meetings at the plate aren’t just about ground rules? What else do you talk about? Any good stories?

JF: To me, manager’s meetings are very similar to the locker rooms, what happens in a meeting stays in a meeting and others involved in such type meetings.

BP: Pleasantries, the managers mostly talk to each other about who’s in town (if there are any roving instructors there), why they can’t catch the ball, why their team strikes out so much, etc. Always very self-deprecating. They were all cool with us.

LE: Some things in baseball are just best left unsaid and I believe this to be one of those things. If you ever have the privilege of attending a professional plate meeting, you will know what is said and maybe share a laugh or two.

For anyone who may have experienced an injury, especially a concussion; can you explain the concussion/medical process you go through in order to be allowed back on the field?

BP: The old man made it through season one unscathed, somehow!

LE: In my second week of the season I was struck in the face by a pitched ball that the catcher and pitcher got crossed up on. I remember the next inning writing down the incident on my lineup card and looking up to a massive headache from the bright stadium lights. I knew something may be wrong then, but I remembered everything that had happened and didn’t feel as though I needed to be removed from the game or that I was in any danger if I continued. After the game I sat down in the locker room exhausted, put our Cryo Helmet on (ice helmet used to decrease brain swelling in potential concussion situations like this), and my partner noticed I may have been slightly out of it so he took the car keys and drove home that night. I filled out the mandatory form for any umpire who is struck in the head during a game and went to sleep. I awoke in the morning to a phone call from our Medical Coordinator. He asked how I was feeling and what happened. I just remember standing in the kitchen of my hotel room as if everything were cloudy and not quite right. He directed me to stay in the room and take two days off to ensure I was healthy enough to return to the field. Those two days were the worst days of my entire life. I wanted nothing more than to be back on the field getting better and working, but in order to do that as soon as possible I kept the lights & TV off and curtains closed. I laid down while wearing the ice helmet and waited two days until I was directed to take a concussion test and was cleared to return to work.

The offseason. What will you do to prepare for next year? Are there mandated programs you need to complete? Do you have Winter ball assignments? Will you head back to Umpire School as instructors?

JF: I applied for instructor positions with both umpire schools for this next year. I will prepare for next season personally by further developing myself physically through mountain and high elevation training. Mentally it is always important for us to stay in the rulebook throughout the entire calendar year. There are no specific mandated programs and I did not receive any winter ball assignments this year through Minor League Umpire Development.

BP: Thankfully for me I live in Southern California where it is always baseball season so I can work good games with good guys to keep my skills sharp. A couple of guys from our level usually get instructional league from 9/15 to 10/15. Winter ball is usually reserved for guys several levels ahead of us. I said I was available to be an instructor. There’s basically a “check yes or no” box on our website for that. I wasn’t selected. Hopefully before my career is over I will have the opportunity to do all those things.

LE: I just use my time in the offseason to work out and enjoy being with my family and friends. We miss a lot of birthdays, weddings, and family time we will never get back during the season, so when I get an opportunity to be with family I take advantage of it. I also officiate high school basketball and football to stay busy. I have one more year in college to earn my bachelor’s degree, so I am taking classes on campus at Western Illinois University this Fall and next to complete my requirements. I am planning on taking a vacation this winter to relax my body and mind and prepare for another baseball season in just a few short months. There are no mandated programs we need to complete in the offseason and young umpires usually are not assigned to Winter ball. As far as heading back to Umpire School as instructors, that is all up to the Umpire Development Staff. They select about 10 umpires each year to go and instruct at each school and I just hope to be one of the few selected for that opportunity.