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Umpire clinic ‘spring training’ for local blues

Apr 1, 2017 | 7:24 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Baseball players aren’t the only ones on the diamond who need spring training says Medicine Hat Little League Umpire in Chief Randy Laughlin.

“A lot of the boys haven’t made a call or seen a pitch since last August or October,” Laughlin said Saturday afternoon at the Little League Baseball Centre. “This is our opportunity to just refresh them, knock the rust off if you will, go over some of the rule changes from last year to this year, and basically just get them ready for the upcoming baseball season.”

Clarke Robinson and Liam Towle were two of the umps knocking off the winter rust at the clinic. The 14 -year-olds have both been umping for three years.

“I love baseball and I just love doing this,” said Towle in between drills. “It kind of refreshes you on the basic six calls and what to do, and where the positions are.”

For Robinson, being an ump has helped his game when he’s at the plate, and not behind it.

“I’ve learned how to change my ways of hitting the ball,” says Robinson. “In my past three years since I’ve been doing the clinic it’s helped me a lot for understanding the physical game.”

The clinic has also helped Robinson become more confident he says.

“You need to be confident when you’re umpiring because if you’re not it seems like you’re not actually confident in your calls.”

Laughlin says their numbers are down a bit this year, but they should be able to fill all the necessary slots. The umpire in chief adds they need a constant influx of younger umpires.

“A lot of our younger umpires they’re in the system for three or four years and they start playing high school baseball,” says Laughlin. “That time commitment that they need to make to their high schools and to the American Legion program prevents them unfortunately from continuing on to be Little League umpires.”

The 2017 Little League Canadians are being held in the city this summer, making it a special year for the umpires of Medicine Hat Little League.

“Some of our umpires will be involved in that tournament, as well as six of our younger umpires who will be supervising bullpens,” said Laughlin. “It’s exciting.”