S2:E16 - Fall Baseball and Umpire Development

In today's episode we are joined by our friends and mentors, Gary DiFabio and Jeff Henrichs. Gary is a 15 year NCAA veteran who works most of the D-I conferences on the West Coast, along with D-II and some Junior College conferences. Jeff is a 28 year NCAA vet, with 8 College World Series rings. We examine the purpose, and importance, of Fall Baseball from the perspective of the schools, assigners and the individual umpires.

We discuss the importance of Fall Baseball to an umpire's development, and it's relationship to the umpires' assigning association(s). We note some evidence of changing attitudes in some umpires' attitudes regarding Fall Ball, including compensation.

The topic of the difficulties observed on the difficulties staffing fall baseball scrimmages by the lower levels (non-D-I) of collegiate, and all of the high school levels, is also explored. Is it a combination of effects that are limiting the numbers? (e.g. post-COVID pandemic reluctance, season burn-out, lack of compensation)

Please join us in welcoming Gary DiFabio and Jeff Henrichs!

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