Tuesday, April 13, 2010

790 MudSlinging

I never bring my personal matters into my blog b/c no one cares, it's boring, and quite frankly it's no where near as much fun as talking softball. But today I want to change that and brag about myself. Well brag is a poor choice of words, rather I would like to DEFEND myself from lies. You see I have been firedas softball umpire by Yorville Sports. OK that's cool. I've been fired and laid off before in corporate America by poor millionaires and it will most likely happen again in the food chain business world. I can handle that.

But what I can't handle is being fired over a flat out LIE!!! I am not disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
I am a man of honor.
Before I go further let's go over the following events :


On March 18th I sent out the following email message to the head of Yorkville officials :
"I hope all is well with you and your family. I am interested in umpiring again in 2010 for Yorkville. Is there an officials meeting scheduled? If so, please advise."
On April 4th (over 2 weeks later) I received the following reply:
"Hi Ricardo, Unfortunately, I can not bring you back this season. There seem to be some money issues you (or your team) has had with the league and possibly another team you may have recommended. I would have to get clearance from the league first. Your umpiring is not an issue. "
On April 7th I replied as follows:
"I have always done my very best and taken the utmost pride in umpiring for the league. I have always prided myself on providing maximum professionalism and effort during games. Moreover, I have maintained a strong working relationship with xxxxx, xxxxx, and yourself throughout the years. Numerous players and teams have acknowledged my excellent work and I truly enjoy umpiring. As a professional courtesy and reward for my service, I would greatly appreciate being retained as an umpire in 2010. I am very confused by your email that read "There seem to be some money issues you (or your team) has had with the league and possibly another team you may have recommended." as I have never made a financial commitment with this league. In addition, I have never been notified regarding a possible financial issue and been given an opportunity to address/clarify any issue. I would greatly respect your leadership and would appreciate your assistance in this matter.
Again Thank you
Best Regards



To this date I have NOT received a response. In addition, I also called the head of the officials unions about 2/3 times and my phone calls were NEVER returned. At this point, I do not want any of my emails or phone calls returned. All I want is everyone to Know the Truth.


For the record, I pride myself on keeping all my financial obligations as evidenced by my 790 credit score!!!!!! In these very difficult economic times, my financial history is excellent. They say America loves to sling mud
so it's time to get to some 790 slinging!!!!!!!!!!Yorkville, I mean Yorkoff, is lying. It's what they do - Lie, Deny, Ignore - that is their standard Modus Operandi
A Tiger don't change his stripes
This is all in typical Yorkoff fashion as they don't give a fuck, lie, and act completely unprofessionally by not directly addressing issues. This is not just an umpire thing, they do this to their Customers all the time.
But like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction
I WILL NOT BE IGNORED!!!!!!!!
It's obvious someone over there has read my blog and is unhappy
http://softballinsider.blogspot.com/2007/10/yorkoff.html. Quite frankly, if they would have told me that I was being terminated for my blogs I would have understood. But to state that I owe them money and not provide me with any legal evidence is preposterous and insults my intelligence. Like Al Pacino
told his brother-in-law in the original Godfather movie before he had him wacked "I get angry when you insult my intelligence".
I am Angry!!!!
This is so fucked up and not true. To imply that I am being dismissed b/c a deadbeat team that I referred to their league didn't pay is also pathetic. Why would I recommend anyone to their league? It sucks. Everyone knows the only reason people play in it is b/c they have a monopoly on the fields. It is common knowledge that it is the most uncompetitive, overpriced, and worse league in the city.

To defend myself I would like to clearly state the following facts:

(1) I umpired in Yorkville in 2008 and 2009.
(2) Several teams and players to my face have called me "the best umpire in the league". I know that not saying much considering that most umps in this league don't care and are lucky if they can find their way home at night. But at least I cared about the game and the players knew that.
(3) After a game was over, players would requested me to work all their games b/c the other umpires they worked with were terrible.
(4) On multiple occasions, players called me professional.
(5) I was commended for my hustle and thorough attention to detail
(6) I went over all pitching rules before the game and set the bases at the proper distances. Something revolutionary for Yorkoff
(7) I helped the league get games in under terrible field conditions, poor weather, missing equipment, poor lighting, dangerous bystanders, and no permit scenarios. My thanks for that was being lied to and dismissed.
(8) If I was late or had any on field issues I would always immediately contact the game day head umpire for guidance. Professional
(9) When other umpires would miss assignments, I was called on numerous occasions to emergency fill in.
(10) A team who once protested a rule interpretation of mine in their protest called me "a highly skilled umpired from a more advanced league" their protest was not allowed and I was commended by the head official
(11) Teams were happy to see me when I showed up. I mean who is happy to see an umpire? Simple: They Respected me
(12) I have never signed any document promising to bring a team to Yorkville nor do I legally owe them a penny.
(13) I played on a team that folded in Yorkville in 2008 (two years ago) called the Loafers. The Loafers played in Yorkville for several seasons. I was not the manager, owner, or sponsor of that team and NEVER entered into a financial contract with the league. I umpired in the league for 2 years after the Loafers folded.
(14) In fall of 2009, I asked the head umpire of the league if I could bring a team to their fall league and he said "the league was full and to get on the waiting list" on their website. When I signed on to their website, I received an email signed by the same head umpire asking me to pay the entire league fee. When I called the head umpire back asking him why I am being asked to make a payment even though the league is full he said "he didn't know anything", even though his name was on the email requesting the payment. I never brought the team to the league and was never notified by anyone of any financial obligation.

Bottom Line : They are LIARS and have NO HONOR!!!!!!!

I would be remiss if I didn't thank thank fellow umpire Locho and all the Yorkoff players. Locho helped me get this position while I was laid off and I always did my very best for the him and the players.

Finally, as I mentioned above I would never recommend a team this ripoff organization, but I would like to say a few words to the current Yorkoff players. If your job pays for this league, then I have no problem with you playing in it. I mean it's free and what do you care? But if you put even one cent of your personal money into this pathetic organization you are doing yourself and the world a great disservice. The softball gods will not approve
and you should be ashamed of yourself. Take that money and do something worthwhile with it. Spend it on your family, a Charity, anything else. Do yourself and everyone else a favor and find a better way to spend your money b/c the people you are dealing with are truly foul in a non softball sense. Hitting them in the pocket is the only way they will learn.

11 comments:

  1. Rick - y'ville has always been about the money, so this is not surprising. It ranks up there with the 54th St. Wed. night league where the umps seem to be in the pocket of the Commish and his team isnt above bringing in ringers for the playoffs and doing whatever to win. The best leagues are the ones run by the players!

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  2. Ever think about auditioning for Celebrity Apprentice. It did wonders for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich

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  3. Rick, no worries. I will have some work for you. Sit tight.

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  4. I suggest you have Luca Brazzi pay these guys a visit .

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  5. I am a team manager, and I honestly must say Yorkville is a poorly run league. Zogsports will continue to cannibalize their fields, teams, and revenue if they don't start listening to its customers - the managers and players.

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  6. I love yorkville! i love Al morales. Rick, dont you have your own league? do you really want to be an up? are you happy with $40? would you rather play or ump? summer is to short to be spent behind some smelly catcher. Dude! summer was made to play. Some day yorkoff would simply vanish... Johnny c

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  7. i am a manager as well...and in yorkoff, i ran a corporate sponsored team...so nothing was ever out of pocket. but since i've left that company...i've kept my distance and played in other leagues around the city - most importantly...they're not ripping you off. their prices and their game times simply isn't worth the trip. i feel for the teams that are still in it.

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  8. Yorkville sports is the worst. All about the money! Badly run leagues and terrible competition. You're better off without them.

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  9. If you make all the yorkville teams like the yankees then where do i get to play? Please dont take my bum league away!

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  10. Zog Sports is the worst!!!

    SO OVER PRICED and MORE expensive than Yorkville.

    Softball games with 55 minute time limits???

    Zog's Umpires are the worst. Kids who don't know the rules.

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  11. softball + gentrification = garbage

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