[TBBlue]

Originally posted by PS2Man

What is the difference?

If you are worried about what someone thinks of you because you work a baseball game, you have too much time on your hands. I have worked little league for years and then I stopped. The games stopped being about the kids and became about the parents and what they wanted their kids to do. If someone wants to subject themselves to that kind of drama be my quest. I am surely not going to get in their way.

IMO, "Little League Umpires" are into the political power trip. They only work LL, they are active on the board, they don't attend clinics, but they show up on the field and aggressively take control of the dugouts, stands and ballfield...unfortunately in that order. They are in charge of that piece (the game) of the organization for two hours a pop, and per LL rule book, even the president is under his control (somewhat). Power trip. Then they trade "war stories" with the coaches in the parking lot after the game.

Umpires who work LL don't care about the politics of the league. They work the game to the best of their ability, and leave. They don't go shaking coaches hands after the game, and they don't hang out next to the dugout or stands chit chatting. They don't go into the dugout looking for trouble. They don't worry about what is going on on the next field. I had a guy I was working with leave my field, run over to the stands of the next field, and yell at the coach and catcher, that catcher had to have mask on to take infield. Yes that is a rule, but geez, OOO on a power trip to do what this guy did. That, in a nutshell, is the difference.