MARTINGROVE BASEBALL UMPIRE MANUAL 2023

All umpires are expected to have read this manual prior to the start of the season, be  familiar with its contents, and certify this on the scheduling website. 

Any questions should be directed to the Umpire in Chief.

Updates are highlighted in green.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

Umpire in Chief: Michael DiNardo 

MartingroveUIC@gmail.com 

416-738-9460 

Umpire Scheduler: Peter Willmott

mbaumpireschedules@gmail.com 

416-233-3838 

Please contact the Martingrove Baseball Umpire in Chief (UIC) for matters relating to: 

  • Registration  
  • Umpire equipment 
  • Questions concerning rules / interpretations (at the conclusion of the game only) • Complaints about coaches, players, teams, facilities, or colleagues 
  • Opportunities for umpire development 
  • Ejections (both umpires must report all ejections / incidents to the UIC within 24hours) • Protests / forfeits 
  • Pay 
  • Missing partner & completing a game alone (double pay) * 

* If only one umpire shows up for a game scheduled for 2, that umpire receives double pay. 

 

Please contact the Umpire Scheduler (US) for matters relating to: 

  • Scheduling 
  • Reporting rainouts / cancelled games. 
  • Any issues related to horizonwebref.com

 

 

IMPORTANT LINKS: 

UMPIRE SCHEDULING SOFTWARE 

https://www.horizonwebref.com/ 

OFFICIAL RULES OF BASEBALL CANADIAN CONTENT: 

 https://baseball.ca/uploads/files/2020%20Rule%20Book,%20Canadian%20Content.pdf 

BASEBALL CANADA 2-UMPIRE POSITIONING MANUAL: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cfDT9IenlpUinwWv 

6Uw0HqB9z1bkD6IAB4Kz8SR2q0/edit?usp=sharing 

MARTINGROVE’S UMPIRE ASSIGNMENTS: 

Upon approval as MBA Umpire by the UIC, you will be provided access to Horizonwebref.com  our scheduling software.  

When access has been provided, please update your profile and availability immediately. Please ensure this is kept up to date. 

Games are scheduled automatically, and you will be given 24 hours to accept any assigned  games. If you refuse, they will be reassigned.  

If you refuse 3 games, you will be removed from the schedule until you contact the UIC to  discuss. Only the UIC or Umpire Scheduler can reinstate you. 

UMPIRE INCIDENT REPORT FORM: Available on Martingrove’s website. 


MARTINGROVE BASEBALL UMPIRE POLICIES AND PROTOCOLS 

Section 1: Certification Requirements 

Links for all requirements are available on the Ontario Baseball Association website or through the UIC. 

Martingrove Baseball Association will only assign umpires who have completed the following: 

OBA Certification: 

1) Umpire Training 

Each umpire in the province must recertify every season. 

The level 1 program is for first- and second-year umpires (levels 1.1 and 1.2). 

The level 2 program is for third, fourth-, and fifth-year umpires (levels 2.1, 2.2. and 2.3).  Each of these levels requires clinic attendance every season. Costs vary. 

Upon approval Martingrove reimburses the clinic fee for one specific umpire course. 

The level 3 program is for umpires in the 6th year of umpiring or more, who must attend a clinic only  every 3 seasons, but must write and pass an online exam in the other 2 years. 

2) NCCP – Safe Sport Training 

3) Rowan’s Law Training 

4) Security- Backcheck Certification 

5) Level 1 and 2- MBA on field training course  

Section 2: Umpire Uniform Standards 

Each umpire is responsible for providing and maintaining their umpire uniform: 

  • Black umpire jersey (short red or black sleeve undershirt)OR 
  • Powder blue umpire jersey (navy short sleeve undershirt.)OR 
  • Navy blue umpire jersey (short red or black sleeve undershirt)AND 
  • Black hat (worn with black jersey)OR 
  • Navy hat (worn with either navy or powder blue jerseys)AND  
  • Grey pants with black belt AND 
  • Protective cup (required for both plate and bases positions, male and femaleumpires) • Black running shoes (at minimum) OR black umpire shoes, BOTH worn with blacksocks. 

 

All umpires are required to match jersey colours with their partner(s). The default jersey colour is  BLACK. Navy or Powder Blue can only be worn if agreed between umpires prior to the game. 

All Martingrove level 2 and 3 umpires must provide their own equipment and must bring them to every 

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game regardless of which field position they have been assigned in case their partner cannot be there. Required equipment includes the following items (needed by the plate umpire only during games): 

  • Ball bag 
  • Indicator 
  • Brush 

Section 3: Umpire Protective Gear 

For Level 1 umpires the following equipment is available for use during games at each Martingrove  diamond and must be worn by the plate position umpires: 

  • Shin guards (To be worn inside your pants) 
  • Chest protector or bubble-type protector 
  • Mask or helmet (Black or Blue colored) 

Level 1 umpires please report any damaged or missing equipment immediately to the UIC. Level 2 and 3 umpires supply their own protective gear. 

Section 4: Umpire Payment Policies 

For Rep/Select and Junior House League team games, the umpires are paid in cash prior to the game  at the plate meeting. 

For all House League games, umpires are paid monthly by cheque. Cheques go out by mail around the  15th of the month, providing the umpire has submitted an Umpire Pay Summary by the 7th of the month  via email to the Umpire in Chief. The Umpire Pay Summary will be available on HorizonWebRef. 

As appropriate umpires are solely responsible to report any payment received from the MBA for  umpiring to the relevant taxing authority and payment of any required income tax. To obtain taxing  requirements please access the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) website for details. 

House League Umpires before leaving the game are to obtain the final score for reporting purposes. The  scores are to be included on your payroll form. Failure to provide the final score, will result in  nonpayment for the game. 

Using HorizonWebRef, you can obtain a summary of the games you have umpired. Using the “Personal  Game Schedule” modify the filter date filters for the period (month) you want the summary for and hit  the “SEARCH” key. This will provide you with all your game information. 

If only 1 of 2 umpires attend, absent umpires are to be reported to the UIC immediately. Based on the Umpires experience, comfort level, approval of both coaches, the game may proceed with  the umpire being paid double the fee.


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Based on a maximum 2-hour – 7 inning game, current pay rates are as follows (last reviewed & updated  April 2022): 

*** Rates are subject to change without notice. The rate indicated on the game schedule is the rate that  should be used for the game umpired. 

DIVISION  HOUSE  

LEAGUE

 SELECT/REP
ROOKIEBALL (7U, 8U and 9U)  $35.00  $40.00
MOSQUITO (10U-11U)  $40.00  $45.00
PEEWEE (12U-13U)  $45.00  $55.00
BANTAM (14U-15U)  $55.00  $70.00
MIDGET (16U-18U)  $60.00  $75.00
JUNIOR/ SENIOR (U19- U28)  $70.00  $80.00

 

Based on maximum 2 hour- 7 inning 

Notes: 

game. 

Extended game premium (2 1/2 hours or 9 innings)  $20.00 per umpire 

Game length must be determined before the game begins.

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Section 5: Scheduling Policies 

All umpires, upon completion of the OBA Certification requirements and once approved by the UIC are  considered active/ registered MBA Umpires. This designation is in effect from the first game umpired  until the last MBA game umpired for the season or October 1st each year, whichever occurs first.  Upon completion of the season, all umpires are considered inactive. 

Active/ registered can be revoked at any time by the UIC or MBA President, with or without cause. All umpires must recertify and register each season.  

The Umpire in Chief (UIC) and Umpire Scheduler (US) are committed to distributing exhibition, regular season, tournament, and playoff games as fairly as possible. The scheduling software assigns all games  based on age, certification level and availability. The US will make all final assigning decisions. 

Subject to age and availability. 

  • Level 1 umpires should expect to umpire in the Rookieball and Mosquitohouse league divisions. • Level 2 umpires should expect to umpire in the Mosquito, Peewee, andBantam divisions  (including a mix of house league and Rep/Select games). 
  • Level 3+ umpires should expect to umpire in the Peewee, Bantam, Midget, and Junior divisions  (including a mix of house league and Rep/Select games). 

Umpires are not permitted to umpire games where the players are the same age or older than the  Umpire or a relative is playing. If this should occur, the Umpire is responsible to advise the US upon  game assignment. The game should NOT be accepted. 

More experienced umpires are encouraged to take on a mentoring role with less experienced umpires.  Always be prepared with encouragement and constructive ideas for improvement if a younger umpire  asks for feedback. Scheduling will sometimes be done with this in mind. 

 

When accepting an assignment, umpires must make note of the following information: • Date of the game(s) 

  • Time of the game(s) 
  • Diamond 
  • Division & Level 
  • Pay rate. 
  • Assigned umpire position (plate or bases) 
  • Partner(s) 

If an umpire accepts an assignment and subsequently (s)he is unable to umpire that game, umpires  are responsible to find his/her own replacement and advise the Umpire Scheduler who the  replacement is. Allow at least 5 days to find your replacement. Replacements can be found using the  “TBA” function on the HorizonWebRef software. 

Failure to find a replacement or not showing up for a game, will result in the Umpire not being  scheduled for any additional games until the UIC has been contacted by the umpire and he/she has  been reinstated. 

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To facilitate this, umpires will be asked to sign a waiver agreeing that their contact information and level  can be shared among the umpire rosters. 

This will be sent to you by email and must be returned to the Umpire in Chief.  

Guidelines for finding a replacement umpire are: 

  • The replacement umpire must be of the same level as the original umpire (1/2/3+),unless otherwise authorized by the Umpire in Chief or Umpire Scheduler 
  • The replacement umpire must also be older than the division of the game (i.e., Peewee aged  umpires can umpire Mosquito games orlower). 

If umpires make any changes to their schedule (trading a game with another umpire, giving away a game  to another umpire, etc.), they must notify the Umpire Scheduler immediately. 

If an umpire does not show up to an assignment, they will not be assigned any further games until they  have been reinstated by the UIC or maybe removed from the Martingrove umpire roster. 

Umpires will be notified by the Coach, Umpire in Chief or Umpire Scheduler at least 90 minutes  before game-time if their game has been cancelled for any reason (weather, forfeit, etc.) via email. 

If 90 minutes notification is not given, umpires will be paid for a cancelled game. Before leaving for your assigned game(s) please check Horizonwebref.Com to confirm game details. 

In this instance, if the cancelled game is for the Rep/Select level, and the coaches are not at the diamond  to provide payment, the umpire should add the insufficient notice game to the Umpire Pay Summary. 

If the umpires do not receive any notification from the Coach, Umpire in Chief or Umpire Scheduler, the  expectation is that the game is being played. 

Umpires should never expect that the second game of a double header is cancelled simply because the  first game was cancelled. Please refer to the payment policies section for payment expectations in these  cases. 

Section 6: Expectations of Umpires 

Martingrove Umpires are expected to maintain integrity, impartiality, and professionalism on and off  the field while acting as role models for players, coaches, and spectators. 

Umpires are not to drink alcohol or use tobacco and/or drugs while in uniform. 

We expect umpires to arrive at the diamond at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time and to  begin ground rules 5 minutes before the scheduled start time.

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We expect each umpire to commit to understanding the rules, mechanics, and positioning associated  with their level. 

We expect each umpire to have an email account that they check daily throughout the season. 

We expect them to provide a cell phone number for last-minute cancellations while umpires might be in  transit or already at the field. This can be a parent’s phone if the umpire relies on a parent for  transportation to and from games. Cell and other mobile devices should be shut off during the game. 

We expect umpires to utilize our umpire scheduling system (Horizonwebref.com) and confirm or decline  assignments in a timely way. 

While some umpires are still quite young, we communicate directly with the umpires themselves,  rather than parents, as this fosters responsibility and accountability in our umpires. 

Specific rules for certain divisions and/or diamonds will be shared with the umpire roster (curfews,  mercy rules, local ground rules, etc.). 

If any umpires have concerns throughout the season, they should not hesitate to contact the Umpire in  Chief. Please see section 8, below, for more details. 

Be consistent, confident, and professional and do not be intimidated by players, coaches, or fans.  Be sure to sell your calls. Be clear, loud, confident and take your time. 

Call lots of strikes, outs and have fun! 

Section 7: Insurance 

All Ontario Baseball Association (OBA)-certified umpires are covered by the OBA’s insurance policy, which handles accidents and injuries incurred during the performance of an umpire’s duties. 

Contact the OBA directly for further information if needed. 

Section 8: Expectations of the Umpire in Chief 

The Umpire in Chief is committed to assist umpires of all levels throughout the season. 

Umpires are heavily encouraged to reach out at any point in the season should they need any assistance  (scheduling, payment, rule/mechanic/positioning understanding, etc.). 

Specifically, the Umpire in Chief is committed to supporting any umpire who may experience a difficult  situation on or off the field (aggressive players/coaches/fans, ejections, etc.) as a member of the  Martingrove Baseball League. 

Please be aware that the Umpire in Chief and Umpire Scheduler, like everyone else involved in running 

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Martingrove Baseball, are volunteers with a full-time job outside of baseball, and a family to take care  of. Your cooperation in responding to assignment requests, e-mails, etc. would be appreciated. 

Your consideration in limiting emails to necessary communication is much appreciated and helps to  improve our email response time!  

Thank you for your patience. 

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