The Umpire Placement Course is a professional umpire school that allows attendees to compete for positions at MLB partner leagues and college spring leagues.

Every year, before the start of the baseball season, the Umpire Placement Course visits ... put the bat on the ball, and you play a little game of catch,” said Brandon Laine, a UPC attendee ...

Major League Baseball announced Monday that it fired umpire Pat Hoberg on May 31 and ... The integrity of the game – the entire reason to play the game – is dependent on avoiding precisely ...

and Hoberg did not umpire last season. MLB said the investigation did not uncover evidence Hoberg personally bet on baseball or manipulated games, but MLB senior vice president of on-field ...