Meet Rick Roder

For more than three decades, Rick Roder has helped umpires, coaches, and baseball enthusiasts better understand the rules of baseball.

As a former professional umpire and former head rules instructor at the Joe Brinkman Umpire School, Rick built a reputation for turning baseball's most confusing situations into clear, practical answers.

His mission has always been simple: help people understand not only what the rules say, but what they mean.

Rick is best known as the co-author (along with Chris Jaksa) of The Rules of Professional Baseball: A Comprehensive Reorganization and Clarification—also known across the umpiring world as the Jaksa/Roder Manual. This groundbreaking book is the only complete rewrite of baseball’s professional rules ever published. With clear, structured language and authoritative interpretations, the manual demystifies a notoriously complex rulebook. It’s a must-have reference for serious umpires, coaches, analysts, and anyone who wants to understand not just what the rules say—but what they mean.

Rick’s umpiring journey began in 1987 at the Joe Brinkman Umpire School. He went on to work in multiple professional leagues over a ten-year career, including the Pioneer, Midwest, Texas, Southern, Pacific Coast, International, and American Association leagues. From 1990 to 1995, he returned to the Brinkman School—not as a student, but as its head rules instructor, training future umpires with clarity, precision, and humor.

Experience & Credentials:  

Rick's reputation as a baseball rules instructor has taken him beyond the United States, including an invitation to Germany to conduct umpire training and rules education programs. 

• Former Professional Umpire 
• Former Head Rules Instructor, Joe Brinkman Umpire School 
• Co-Author of The Rules of Professional Baseball 
• National Baseball Rules Clinician and Speaker 
• Instructor and mentor to developing umpires nationwide
• Invited instructor for umpire training programs in Germany 

Rick is best known as co-author of The Rules of Professional Baseball: A Comprehensive Reorganization and Clarification, commonly known throughout the umpiring community as the Jaksa/Roder Manual.

Today, the Jaksa/Roder Manual remains one of the most respected references in baseball, helping umpires, coaches, and rules enthusiasts better understand the Official Baseball Rules. 

Rick continues to teach, write, speak, and consult on baseball rules and umpire development, helping umpires, coaches, and baseball organizations better understand the game. 

Bring Rick to Your Event

Rick is available for umpire association meetings, baseball clinics, rules interpretation workshops, conferences, camps, and speaking engagements throughout the United States, internationally, and online.