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Part One
In my capacity as Umpire-in-Chief for several Youth Leagues (Shary Plantation USSA, McAllen Pony, Weslaco Little League) I've assigned myself to many games with untrained umpires as partners. I've worked games from 12 and under (60 feet) to NCAA and MSBL games (90 feet).
Baseball is baseball.
They still have to pitch, hit, run, pick it up, and throw 'em out.
But I haven't called a major/minor Little League game (Tee, that's where the runners can't leave their bases until the pitch reaches the plate) in 40 years. If I live another 40 years, I'll still be able to make that statement.
The problem with many "veteran" umpires is they lump all Youth baseball into one category, "Little League," the game they see at the World Series. But that "game" is just a small part of the larger Youth baseball program. It gets so much attention because they've sold their product better than anyone else.
Last night I umpired a double header in Junior League: 90-foot bases, ages 13/14. Tee, you'd find it "interesting": Coaches may not warm up pitchers on or off the field; one adult coach must remain in the dugout at all times; two coaches must be in the coaching boxes, but one may be a player if the team is short an adult; the adults may not take their positions in the boxes until the pitcher/catcher combination has concluded the warm-up tosses; there's a designated runner who might, for example, run for the fat first baseman.
Etc.
But the rule book is based on the OBR. The Little League book for divisions of players aged 13 through whatever is the closest book anywhere to the old OBR we grew up with.
I've always thought Tee's antipathy to "Little League" results from the size of the field and the lack of training exhibited by the umpires one sees on TV. I've always wished I could assign him to a Junior League game with one of my trainees as his partner. I believe I'd have a convert, especially when he saw how much he was getting paid for a 1:45 minute time-limit game.
Part Two
Despite what Tee says, there is no editor of this site. The Forum is an independent part of Right Sports, Inc., not connected in any way with Officiating.com. I do not have editing rights on "this" site.
Part Three
I've saved the inciting topic for last: "Drawing a line in the sand." If you're familiar with Texas history, you know that Col. William B. Travis drew a line at the Alamo. Those who would stay and fight should cross the line. Everyone walked across, so they say, except Jim Bowie: He was carried across.
The line drawn by a batter showing how far he believed the last pitch was off the plate is not so famous -- except on the Internet Message Boards.
(1) Most trained umpires eject for that "offense."
(2) Some don't, preferring to enforce discipline with an FYC.
(3) Some do nothing by rote, simply treating each incident on its own merit.
I teach that (3) is the proper response, but I've use each one on occasion.
A college pitcher/DH once draw a line. He struck out on the next two pitches without ever moving his bat. As he walked away, he said softly: "Ok, smart ***, I hear you talking." I never again had trouble with him. (2)
In a Pony League tournament, the catcher for Team Blue was batting. I called a pitch on the outside corner (say a ball and half off the black). He drew the line, one ball farther off the plate than it was. "Time!" I screamed and went around to sweep the plate. "Listen," I said to the catcher for Team Red, "Take your finger and draw the line that shows where that pitch was." He did. "Now," I said to the batter, "his line was closer to the plate than your line, wasn't it?" He grinned: "Ok, I guess we both missed it." Not a peep from his entire team for the remainder of the tournament. (3)
At the championship game of the National Baseball Congress Texas State Tournament in 1994, the DH for Team Blue was a hotshot player from Texas University. He took a pitch he didn't like and drew a line. He didn't like having to leave the ball park about one minute later. The ejection came about two seconds after his bat left the dirt. Everybody in the county heard "You're outta here!" His teammates didn't like what happened, but they were convinced they had to behave. (1)
You can't stuff every foot into a size nine shoe.
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