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What do the experts (and others) have to say about Jaksa and Roder’s Rules of Professional Baseball?


 

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    "When I owned the Joe Brinkman Umpire School, I was always looking for better ways to teach, and better teachers. Chris Jaksa and Rick Roder were two of my best finds. They reorganized the rulebook and inserted realistic examples and wound up with a tremendous innovation in teaching.

    I am very proud of Chris and Rick. Their understanding of the relationship between baseball's rules and on-field umpiring is unparalleled. I encourage you to use this book. I have seen it bring confidence to many hundreds of umpire school students. I am sure it will do the same for you!"

    Wishing you all the best,

    Joe Brinkman
    Major League Baseball Umpire and Crew Chief (#15)
    Owner/Operator, Joe Brinkman and Brinkman/Froemming Umpire Schools, 1981-1998
    3 All-Star Games, 4 Division Series,
    5 League Championship Series,
    World Series 1978, 1986, and 1995


    The Rules of Professional Baseball is a book every umpire can use, whether you are just starting out or have over 20 years in professional baseball. It simplifies things so everyone can understand. This manual is a must for every umpire's equipment bag."

    Gary Cederstrom
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#38)


    "Whether you umpire professional or amateur baseball, this is the one rulebook you cannot do without. This book is so simple and to the point that its value is the same for Major League umpires and Little League umpires. Any of us can have an unusual play - what matters is giving them a confident and decisive ruling out on the field! Chris and Rick have given us the best shot at that confidence. They have taken the rules of the game to a whole different level. Their common sense approach to the rules, combined with their knowledge of umpiring, makes this book a must. It should be in your hand about the same amount of time as your indicator."

    Fieldin Culbreth
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#25)
    Brinkman/Froemming Umpire School Instructor, 1988-1996

    "I learned the rules of baseball at the Brinkman-Froemming Umpire School from Rick Roder and his textbook, The Rules of Professional Baseball. When I returned to teach the rules as an instructor, I taught students using the same manual. There's no better baseball rules manual anywhere. Rick's common sense approach and on-field professional experience uniquely qualify him to present baseball rules in an organized, straightforward format, eliminating the cross-referencing and confusion of the Official Baseball Rules. The chapters on Interference and Obstruction alone are worth the price of the book. If you meet someone who claims to know baseball, ask them if they have and know the Jaksa/Roder manual. If they don't, you will know that their claim has fallen short!"

    Jeff Nelson
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#45)
    Brinkman/Froemming Umpire School Instructor, 1990-1998
    Head Rules Instructor, 1996-1998


    "When I went to umpire school I knew nothing about the rules of baseball. Thanks to the teachings of Rick and Chris I gained enough knowledge of the rules to be a professional umpire. Their book made it easy to learn and it is still the one I go to when I need clarification on a tricky play. It is what many major league umpires use when they need to know how to rule on a play."

    Ted Barrett
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#65)
    Brinkman/Froemming Umpire School Instructor, 1990-1991


    "Prior to attending umpire school I read the Official Baseball Rules, and I was overwhelmed. I had both Chris Jaksa and Rick Roder as classroom instructors at Brinkman's school in 1988. They had already succeeded in simplifying the rules and interpretations, and made it easy for me to implement them on the field. I took this newfound confidence into the minor leagues, and carried it all the way to the Major League level. The knowledge and professionalism of Jaksa and Roder is widely known, and they are highly regarded and respected by many umpires. If you want to master the rules of baseball, master this book!"

    Marty Foster
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#60)

    "Rick is an extremely talented teacher who has helped put baseball's official rules into a manual that allows for easy comprehension and understanding. I still look over it at the beginning of every season to 'brush up' on the rules, and it's the first book I turn to when rules questions happen on the field. I can't wait to have it in electronic form - it will make it even easier and quicker to consult Jaksa and Roder."

    Mark Wegner
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#47)
    Brinkman/Froemming Umpire School Instructor, 1993-1995


    "Rick Roder not only taught me the rules of Major League Baseball, but also made it very easy by teaching me from The Rules of Professional Baseball. Rick has taken the cross referencing out of the mix and made it one-stop learning. As a Major League Umpire today, I still refer to Jaksa and Roder's manual for its great examples and the ease in finding a particular rule. If you want excellence as a 'rules' umpire, this manual is a must."

    Eric Cooper
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#56)
    Brinkman/Froemming Umpire School Instructor, 1993-1997


    "I learned the rules of the game of baseball from Rick Roder and his manual in 1990. I have referred to it several times in my seven years as a minor league umpire and also use it in the big leagues. I always refresh myself on the rules during the season, as well as during the winter, because knowing the rules of baseball is the easiest way to umpire a game. And learning rules from The Rules of Professional Baseball will take half the time, so you can start umpiring quicker and better. I worked with Rick at umpire school for six years and was the best-attending instructor in the rules classroom, not only helping him but learning with him. We used nothing but The Rules of Professional Baseball, so I can tell you that if you buy only one book to learn the rules, this is it."

    Bruce Dreckman
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#61)


    "This manual is a must for everyone. From Little League to the Major Leagues, it helps to simplify the complexity of the Official Baseball Rules. I was fortunate to have been taught umpiring at the Brinkman-Froemming Umpire School and had the pleasure of learning from Rick Roder. He and Chris Jaska have developed an easy approach to understanding the rules. I continue to use this manual to this day. Thanks, Rick and Chris, for your dedication to the manual, you've sure made my job easier!"

    Mark Carlson
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#48)


    "You will read about how this manual is the most comprehensive and well written study tool there is. You will read about how well Rick Roder knows the rules of baseball. You will also read how umpires who have used this manual have succeeded on the field, not only to surpass their competition, but also advance through the ranks. You will even read how successful umpires feel about this manual through their endorsements. All these things are true, but I can promise you this. Rick Roder's manual got Paul Emmel from college baseball to the Big Leagues. I can't think of a better endorsement than that!"

    Paul Emmel
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#50)


    "I was lucky enough to have Rick as an instructor at the Joe Brinkman Umpire School. Following straight through the manual in the classroom made the many rules much easier to grasp. I still use the manual to this day. It's a great learning tool for every baseball person at every level. Great job and thanks a lot Rick!"

    Marvin Hudson
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#51)


    "The money you make from a single game will probably cover buying this invaluable book. That is one of the biggest bargains in baseball. Especially considering the fact that you can't be a complete umpire without getting to know the work of Jaksa and Roder."

    Alfonso Marquez
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#72)
    Brinkman/Froemming Umpire School Instructor, 1994-1997


    "Thanks to Rick and Chris I was able to gain a better understanding of the rules. Their manual was very helpful to me in 1990 when I started my professional career at the Joe Brinkman Umpire School. It removed a lot of the ambiguity the Official Baseball Rules. It's on my required reading list each year before I head to spring training."

    CB Bucknor
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#54)


    "The Rules of Professional Baseball eliminated the ambiguity of the rules of the game for me. I have had a copy since I attended umpire school in 1991, which is where Rick Roder literally taught me the rules of baseball. I read his book before spring training every year. This work is a staple for umpires who are serious about the honorable job they are charged to perform. I think this book gives you the best opportunity to gain a complete command of the rules."

    Tim Timmons
    Major League Baseball Umpire (#95)


    "In my eight-plus years of professional umpiring, from rookie ball through Triple-A, this is the most comprehensive rules reference manual I have come across. It's clear and concise and I recommend it to any umpire who desires to fully grasp the rules of baseball."

    Justin Klemm
    AAA International League
    Former Instructor, Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring
    Major League Reserve Umpire


    "Jaksa and Roder's Rules of Professional Baseball is a very good manual for umpires of all levels. It helps the beginner learn the rules easily, and it gives experienced umpires a great place to look after developing questions or seeing strange plays on the field. The manual helps everyone take advantage of many years of experience in professional baseball. What I like most about the manual is that you can find examples for most rules, which helps make understanding the rules much easier."

    Martin Weber
    1994 Brinkman/Froemming Umpire School Student
    2001 European Cup Umpire
    Bundesliga League (Germany's top baseball league) Regional Assigner
    Crailsheim, Germany

 

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© 2002 Rick Roder