[aceholleran]

A classic debate. IMHO, I see much better results with "paid" umps in LL. Doing Fed, Legion, Babe Ruth games, etc. makes for a more varied experience.

I ump in an urban area. It's hard to get coaches to volunteer, much less umps. I also have assigned. Over the years, slowly but surely, I have stopped assigning "non-patch" umps and bringing in new blood. Patch umps are tested, they go to regular clinics. I have never met an umpire who does solely LL who is worth a damp red flag.

We all know that 99% of what happens on a LL field can be covered under MLB rules. A good patch ump can read (and digest) LL 7.13 during a nice sojourn on the toity.

I have umped with too many "volunteers" who show up with pins on their hats, JCPenny loafers, iron burns on their shirts (all true). They use a magnifying glass to spot jewelry. They give 15-minute pregames warning any and all about every infraction possible. They call batters out of the box and measure the tape on bats. The proper batter is always Frank. The plate is exactly 17 inches wide for these guys. If they were cops, they'd write reams of tickets for people who drove 56 mph.

Ask them to suck it up and learn to call a pitch a ball when the catcher digs it out of the dirt--no matter where it crosses the batter. Or how to NOT allow 18 warmup pitches between innings--and won't start the next one until little Justin, the first-base coach, is in his box.

You "vols" out there, I maintain: Get your patch; don't just ump LL; see a real slider; learn 90-foot mechanics; get an inside chest prtotector and a fitted hat. Put your indicator in the left hand and don't say, "High, ball one." Then come back and do LL for free. I do.

Ace