So You Want to Be an Umpire?

Brett Houseman and Ramon De Jesus are two names you might not read in the sports copy out of the Florida State League, but just like most every ballplayer on the field, they are hoping their performance will lead to a call-up.  

Florida State League umpires Brett Houseman of Dayton, OH and Ramon De Jesus of the Dominican Republic, both 27, said a promotion from level to level depends on the grading they receive from supervisors who attend three games a season, watching each of their performances behind the plate and on the bases. 

Houseman and De Jesus explained the road to becoming a Major League umpire recently while they were pre-gaming boxes and boxes of new baseballs at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, rubbing them down with a brown substance — mud from a company called Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud. (All balls in the Minor and Major Leagues receive this muddy rubdown before the games. It helps with the players’ grip.)

Houseman is the godson of former Major League umpire John McSherry, who died suddenly on the field during the Cincinnati Reds' opening day in 1996. Houseman travels with his godfather's photo and places it by his locker before every game. 

De Jesus is the first umpire from the Dominican Republic in Minor or Major League Baseball in North America. He started umpiring in his native country before attending the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring three years ago. 

Houseman enrolled in the Wendelstedt Umpiring School. 

Both Houseman’s and De Jesus’ six-week programs had similar enrollments of 100 or so hopefuls. The top 25 from each school go on to the next stage, the Professional Baseball Umpire Corporation, where they are graded while umpiring high school and college games.

As Minor League umpires, their salary is capped at $3,500 a month. As rookie umpires, De Jesus and Houseman were paid $1,900 a month, which increased by $100 with every year of experience. 

The exciting announcement on whether they have been selected to join the organization comes during a one-on-one evaluation. After receiving the good news, they are optioned to one of two leagues — the Arizona Rookie League or the Gulf Coast League. 

The young umpires have already developed their signature behind-the-plate call for third strikes.

“Strike three, yer out!” Hardly.

Houseman said that umpire brethren seldom use that phrase today. He prefers a simple, “YEAH!”  

Players know it’s De Jesus behind the plate when he calls, “Hut three,” like a football quarterback.

In September, Houseman returns to Ohio and De Jesus to the Dominican Republic, where he will continue to umpire in Winter Ball. Just like all true baseball fans, the two of them will anxiously await the following spring, hoping for that next promotion.