"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
