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I agree with everything Irish just said, but would take it a step further. In my neck of the woods (multiple places in Texas), the "keep them in the game" and "the game is for the players - they are paying the bills" philosophy has so permeated the leagues that the situation described by Mark in the OP is the norm, and endorsed by the leagues... many of whom have "League Presidents" doing the umpire assigning.
An umpire who does his job as Irish describes it quickly finds himself not working. The umpires who know the rules quickly find themselves declaring, "never again". So what's left - umpires who cannot be bothered to move from home plate, have never attended a single clinic, taken a single test, or joined a single organization... all of whom would never consider looking at a site like this one even briefly. Paycheck Umpires, that is all. Once, when playing, I asked the umpire if he saw the obstruction at first base and he asked me what obstruction was. That guy is not the exception (at least in my experience in Texas) ... he is the rule.
And the game is dying from it.
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I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, 'I drank what?'”
West Houston Mike
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