[biggravy]

First, not being a troll. I would like a serious discussion.

Second. I have many, many other problems with the umpire system in LLWS.

Now, what is the point in even having umpires? Why don't we just let someone in a replay booth call everything? Now that may sound rediculous, but in the games I've watched with my son replay is waaaaaay overused. In one game they returned from a commercial break and were complementing the PU for going to the replay on a play at the plate WITHOUT THE COACH EVEN CHALLENGING. Are you serious? Why not just call time and go find out?

I see why they have replay though since we have seen some obviously terrible, terrible calls. Getting on my soapbox here, but I don't fell LLWS thinks much of their umpires anyway thus the major replays. None of us do this for the money but as has been said before here, our time has got to be worth something. Unless it has changed since a buddy of mine did LLWS a few years ago they are not paid. Feel free to correct me if it has changed. Maybe partly becasue of the lack of pay we see some absolutely terrible positioning and mechanics leading to these bad calls. We are talking about rookie camp level stuff here like plate mechanics, the guy who took the banger at the plate from up the 3BL (not 3BLE) but actually up the line, and my favorite the pitcher fielding the bunt on 1BL who muffed it and tripped the runner where the PU just froze and 1BU called the pitcher for interference. Wow. I say respect what your umpires are worth, pay them a nominal fee to cover expenses, and maybe just maybe we don't need to review every stinking call. Rant off.