10/14/2011-The Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs has announced they will have their own umpiring crew for the 2012 season. The umpires will be full time umpires and will be provided housing as well as pay. The Pecos League is currently scheduled to have either six or eight teams. If there are eight teams there will be four full time crews, if there are six teams there will be three full time crews. The Pecos League will have a person in charge of assiging umpires and coordination of suspensions/league conduct. "In 2011 the majority of problems on the field was a direct result of inexperienced umpires. As the season progressed the umpires improved but there aren't enough umpires in New Mexico to begin with. There was major inconsistancy between towns with umpires." The cost will be the same or less and the quality of umpiring will be much higher. Sending umpires directly from umpire school to the Pecos League is ideal for both the umpires and the Pecos League.
  • Las Cruces was the only city that had quality consistant umpiring as the Vaqueros often were able to get El Paso Diablo alternate umpires.
  • Roswell had no umpires and constantly had to get umpires from Ruidoso.
  • Alpine had an umpiring crew that held the team hostage demanding high wages and three man crews.
  • Alamogordo actually established there own crew with five umpires working but only two were actually qualified to work the plate at games.
  • Trinidad has access to umpires from Pueblo but mileage is a concern
  • Santa Fe has access to umpires in ABQ but mileage is again a concern
  • Taos has limited umpires that are qualified.