Blair Springfield and Tanner Bushue, both fresh from high school, signed professional baseball contracts recently and headed out to forge their careers, one game at a time.

They weren't the only ones from Central Illinois intent on making a living on the diamond.

Tyler Wolpert, 24, a graduate of Illinois State and Sangamon Valley High School, packed up the car as well and headed for Florida to start his second season as an umpire in the Gulf Coast League.

It's a rookie league for the draft picks of teams with Florida-based spring training facilities, which means Wolpert might have the chance to call a game in which Bushue - a second-round pick by the Houston Astros - pitches.

Local coincidences aside, Wolpert's performance will be every bit as scrutinized as that of the players.

The old clich© says that umpires are at their best when they go unnoticed. But those who evaluate umpires watch with a razor eye.

"You have to constantly be on your `A' game … on the bases, at the plate. They video tape you, and talk to you about timing," Wolpert said. "Making sure not calling pitches too fast, that you're consistent with your (strike) zone, whether or not you're calling enough strikes, if you're too slow, if you're lazy, your instincts, if you didn't go out on a ball and you should've. Stuff like that."

Oh, that's all?

Wolpert got the umpiring bug from his father, Terry, and started out calling little league games as a teenager. After graduating from Illinois State, he went through the Harry Wendelstedt School for Umpires.

"You can't go there to have a good time. You go there to work, and if you go there with that attitude, it's not bad," Wolpert said. "There are people who are trying to get jobs and people who are living the dream."

After another evaluation, Wolpert was placed in a collegiate wood-bat league in the Carolinas last summer, before being promoted to the Gulf Coast League late in the season.

Now that he's starting this season in Florida, Wolpert doesn't want to finish it there.

"I really want to get promoted into another level. I'm just trying to prove I can make it at that level, to prove that I'm good enough," Wolpert said. "I did my first game in pro ball on the plate, and I was evaluated that same game. I was excited, but nervous as can be. There's a guy 6 feet behind you, and your career is in his hands at that point. I did OK, and I hope to do better this year."

His last game of the past season brought his first professional ejection. He ran a pitcher who threw at the head of a batter after the batter played up his home run too much for the pitcher's liking.

It's all part of growing up as an umpire.

"I want to see how far I can go. It's a long road," Wolpert said.

And the fun part is just beginning.

tengle@herald-review.com|421-7970