Before Angel Campos arrived at Kino Stadium to serve as the home plate umpire for Saturday's Tucson Padres game, he went to another baseball game.
This one as a fan.
The 38-year-old umpire, a "rover" who works both in the major leagues and Triple-A, watched his 8-year-old son, Miguel Angel, play for Southwestern Foothills Little League.
It's one of the benefits of working a Padres game for the umpire, who has lived in Tucson the past three years.
"It's a real treat when I can do something like that," said Campos before Sunday's game, which Tucson lost 2-1 against Nashville.
Campos moved his family to Tucson in 2009 from Ontario, Calif., so they could be closer to his wife's family in Hermosillo, Sonora. As an umpire, he's mostly away from home from March through September.
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"It's great that we're here for my wife, so she can get some help from her family when I'm gone," he said. "I'm really starting to appreciate Tucson and the scenery."
Campos got his start as an umpire calling freshman high school games in California. Two varsity umpires who saw him work were impressed and recommended that Campos try umpiring school. "I didn't even know there was such a thing," Campos said.
He headed to Florida after getting his parents' support. He spent a month going to school, spending the mornings in a classroom and doing field work in the afternoon. He was hired soon after and began calling extended spring training games.
Just like a player, Campos worked his way up through the minor leagues. He's had stops in the Northwest, Midwest, California and Texas leagues and has been in the Pacific Coast League since 2004.
In 2007, he was promoted to being a part-time big league ump, along with his responsibilities in the PCL. He'd get called up if there was an immediate need for an umpire because of an injury or another situation.
He got his first call that season in Oklahoma City. At the hotel after umpiring earlier in the day, he was told to head to Arlington, Texas, for a Yankees-Rangers doubleheader.
Campos had to call the Oklahoma City general manager to reopen the park so he could get his equipment. He then drove to Arlington for his first taste of the big leagues.
"It was so exciting," he said. "I wasn't able to get my family there because it happened so quick, but it's a moment you never forget."
He's now one of five full-time rovers in the PCL. He umpired the San Francisco Giants-Colorado Rockies game in San Francisco last Monday and then headed to Tucson for the four-game series against Nashville.
He's headed to Colorado Springs, Colo., next, followed by stops in Sacramento, Calif., and Reno, Nev., for Triple-A games. His schedule is unclear after that.
"It can be tough at times, but I love being out there," Campos said.
Said Tucson manager Terry Kennedy: "These guys have a very tough job. I don't know why anyone would want to be an umpire. It's a tough gig, but he works very hard and gets a lot of time in the big leagues."
Campos' goal is to become a full-time big league umpire, but he knows it's beyond his control.
"I'm there and knocking on the door, but it's the toughest part of the job," Campos said. "The timing has to be right. It's just a matter of having some faith."
¡Tus Padres!
Nashville 2, Padres 1
• Highlight: Yasmani Grandal had a two-out RBI single in the ninth to break the shutout, but the Padres couldn't muster anything else and split the four-game series with the Sounds. Padres starter Tom Layne took the loss, despite tossing 5 1/3 innings and giving up just two runs. He also had two hits.
• Big number: 0: With the series split, the Padres are still without a series win on the season.
• Tonight's starters: RHP Shelby Miller, Memphis (4-2, 3.79 ERA); LHP Colt Hynes, Tucson, (0-4, 5.08 ERA)
Daniel Berk
Up next
• What: Memphis at Padres
• When: 7:05 p.m.
