Officially Speaking: An Umpire's Point of View... for Coaches, Players and Fans Too

In this week's podcast we'll be talking to John White of Umpire Placement Course just before his visit down to Florida. He'll be working with students out of both professional umpire schools for placement in the West Coast League, among others, in 2019.

Next, Brian R. Hertzog talks briefly about a camp that he's been looking forward to putting on in the weeks to come for Northwest Baseball Umpires Association (NBUA).

Last, we'll fact check Alex Rodriguez and his claim that Rockies Manager Bud Black "has a good argument" in wanting an extra base than the rule book prescribes for a batted ball logged in Wrigley Field's infamous ivy.

Confederation of European Baseball Umpire Thomas Haywood is THE guy whom Luke and Brian have to thank for the opportunity to umpire in places like Austria, England, Taiwan, and coming up in August of 2019, Xi'an, China!

In this conversation with Thomas we'll talk about his multiple trips to Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring - first as a student, then as a photographer - some of his favorite places to umpire, and how all of us are working towards including MORE umpires from the US on our trips!

Don't forget to check out Thomas Haywood Photography! From the ground to the sky, just like his strike zone! ;)

This week we'll reach into the way-back machine all the way to Luke and Brian's first big trip together in 2011, the Venezuela Winter League. Today we're joined by our good friend and 16-yr Crew Chief en La Liga, Arbitro (Umpire) Jairo Martinez.

2:51 - We welcome 20-yr veteran of la Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional, Jairo Martinez.

4:38 - Gearing up for baseball season for us means winding down for professional baseball in Latin America, culminating with the Caribbean World Series.

9:06 - Since Luke and Jairo have now both moved to Miami, they've had more opportunities to hop out on the field together. Luke fills us in on stories from working with Jairo more recently.

14:39 - Brian talks about the intense environment Venezuelan umpires are forced to learn to umpire in, and why it sets them up for success here in the states. When they make it into the Minor Leagues, they hit the ground running.

18:00 - Jairo's biggest success in baseball, being called Chief.

20:21 - What entrenched Jairo in umpiring in the beginning, and his illustrious career before picking up a mask.

24:16 - We'll intro next week's guest for you, Mr. Thomas Haywood! And if you can understand his Scottish accent, a clip in preparation for him coming on the show!

27:16 - Roll the credits... our outtake from last week!

"In two-thousand seventeen, a crack-commando umpire crew traveled the world umpiring baseball, and never once forgot to bring the drone.

"These men have survived questionable Airbnb's, White Cliffs, and rubber baseballs, from Taipei to the London Underground.

"Today, still ridiculed by armchair umpires, they somehow survive unscathed by 'Homer Announcers' worldwide.

"If you have a tournament, and the thought of traveling YouTube umpires blows your mind… maybe you can hire, The @LukeBrianTour."

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Officially Speaking Ep. 003 - The Luke Brian Tour, This is how we roll...

01:28 - We found Luke!

04:34 – How Luke and Brian first met back in 2007 in Hickory, North Carolina.

08:10 – While our audio goes catawampus, we share what it’s like for an umpire to be released from Minor League Baseball.

13:53 – How we’re able to travel around the world together… the Non-rev Companion Pass.

14:29 – Brian’s first use of the non-rev pass, Finkstonball 20 in June of 2017.

14:48 – How Luke first got hooked up with the umpires we work and travel with.

18:06 – When the term “Luke Brian Tour” was first coined, and 2018 allows us to add more cities and guests from 2017.

21:45 –Thomas Haywood (@thaywoodphoto) on the mic, over-looking ragging waters that run into Lake Hallstatt in Austria. www.thomashaywood.com

22:58 – We fly from Munich to London to umpire in the ISST Tournament.

24:12 – Heading out to explore London via bikes after our double-headers in the morning.

26:34 – We have lunch in London with our traveling companion whilst in Austria, Sam Palmer. Sam used to work for the Royal Charity and had a great story for us.

29:54 – Heading down to SE England to see Leeds and Dover Castles, and the White Cliffs of Dover, before settling down for the night at an Airbnb in Kent.

30:56 – Heading down to SW England to Portsmouth, then on to Stonehenge before returning to London for another Airbnb before flying out the next day.

33:10 – Our travel for our next trip begins in Seattle, over a week before needing to arrive in Taipei. It ends with an unintentional around-the-world trip in order to make it home.

41:53 – Our Official Fact Czech of the day! What a quick pitch actually is, media responsibility, and how misinformation like this is hurting youth sports.

49:58 – Time to wrap up our first podcast.

03:30 - Branch Rickey's options following high school and ending up at Ohio Wesleyan, the same as his father, grandfather and multiple family members.

06:24 - The year Branch Rickey, Sr was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and a brief explanation of the structure of an MLB farm system... "It's a particularly fun inheritance." -B.R.

07:55 - Branch Rickey, Sr coaches a team at Ohio Wesleyan in the early-1900's and has a pivotal experience, laying groundwork over 40 yrs in advance of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier. "It was a eye-opener, it was a sole-opening experience for [my grandfather]." -B.R.

14:50 - The foresight Branch Rickey, Sr shows in approaching Broadcaster Red Barber years in advance of identifying Jackie Robinson. "Mr. Rickey. If you're gonna do this thing, I want to be a part of the Dodgers." -Red Barber

20:10 - Umpire Nerd Notes... the umpire crew for Apr 15, 1947.

03:39 - Triple-A Pacific Coast League President, Mr. Branch Rickey.

06:12 - How nostalgia evokes emotions in us from the relationships created over the course of a career. "The bonds that reach across the decades." -B.R.

09:09 - Branch's start in professional baseball, The Appy.

13:28 - The most unique story I've ever heard from Branch, the 1972 Olympic games in Munich, Germany; his keepsake from those games. “As the blood ran down from his nose over his lip... the blood spewed out and dappled my shirt.” -B.R.

24:10 - A background in officiating results in great respect and compassion for sports officials, and what a career in professional baseball provides you developmentally. "I understand the American umpire." -B.R.

30:38 - Branch and I talk about the first time I called him for advice about Official Business. “This is just a matter of applying your discipline, and your insight, and your background knowledge to all of the many-faceted elements… because that’s what you do.”