LLWS wajke me when its over!

[UmpLarryJohnson]

hada LLWS "marathon' at larry's house this weekend and 2 things jumped out at me--

1. can LLWS do anything about al the rideculous number of coaches Conferences?? for a while there coaches were coming outto talk to Pitch after EVERY HIT/Batter! OMG let the kid throw the ball howboutit. then the offense wants to chat to Batter after every SWING. (or so it seems)

even the booth guys were fussin after a while--turning a 6=inning game into a 3hour endurance contest!

cut out the confabs, LL! best speedup rule ever

then

2. the Coaches comin over every inning to check Pitch counts..zzzzzz....isnt there a beter way to relay this? cant they put it on the scoareboard or something? i know its imp to track the new rule but the delays are intermmninable!

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

hada LLWS "marathon' at larry's house this weekend and 2 things jumped out at me--

1. can LLWS do anything about al the rideculous number of coaches Conferences?? for a while there coaches were coming outto talk to Pitch after EVERY HIT/Batter! OMG let the kid throw the ball howboutit. then the offense wants to chat to Batter after every SWING. (or so it seems)

even the booth guys were fussin after a while--turning a 6=inning game into a 3hour endurance contest!

cut out the confabs, LL! best speedup rule ever

then

2. the Coaches comin over every inning to check Pitch counts..zzzzzz....isnt there a beter way to relay this? cant they put it on the scoareboard or something? i know its imp to track the new rule but the delays are intermmninable!

Yes, there seem to be too many conferences.

TV commercial breaks between innings and on pitching changes are adding a lot of time to the games. I'd estimate 15-20 minutes.

Game times so far (from box scores):

2:13, 2:43, 2:01, 2:08, 2:15, 1:55, 2:45, 1:56, 2:06, 2:03, 1:59, 1:41, 1:38, 1:29. Only two really excessive.

And remember, it's not just a tournament, it's also a pagent and a sleep-over adventure camp.

There's also the channel change and off switches available to you.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Game times so far (from box scores):

2:13, 2:43, 2:01, 2:08, 2:15, 1:55, 2:45, 1:56, 2:06, 2:03, 1:59, 1:41, 1:38, 1:29. Only two really excessive.

Aren't these six inning games? If so, that would make eight of them excessive in length.

And remember, it's not just a tournament, it's also a pagent and a sleep-over adventure camp.

What does that have to do with the length of games? Are they showing the kids sleeping?

There's also the channel change and off switches available to you.

I see. So there's no room for improvement. Just take it or leave it? Maybe that should be LL's motto.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by GarthB

Aren't these six inning games? If so, that would make eight of them excessive in length.



What does that have to do with the length of games? Are they showing the kids sleeping?



I see. So there's no room for improvement. Just take it or leave it? Maybe that should be LL's motto.

Excessive? Take out the commercials and no - not excessive. Heck, they won't even let the defense take the field between innings until TV says it's ready.

I guess LL should hire off-duty or retired MLB umpires to umpire an amateur game between 12-year-old (league age) kids that are under the direction of volunteer coaching staffs composed of Dads who were willing to give their time. We can get (I know he's gone) Eric Gregg and his truck-sized strike zone to handle the plate, Rich Garcia (Maier-man) to call fan interference, and Don Denkinger to make the calls at first. We can get the recent crew from Boston to make HR vs. Double calls. Heaven knows those pros never make mistakes like those Bozo LL umpires. How about Ron Luciano (also gone) and his theatric calls, or Dutch Rennert and his strike call. Those were certainly not worthy of a professional ump - OH WAIT - they were professional umpires. If we can't get the pros, maybe we can get the guys that called this year's NCAA CWS. Those opposite-batter's-box strikes were certainly interesting - even Tee commented on them.

I have a challenge for you Garth. Spend the 10 days at Williamsport for the series. Interview anyone you please about the whole event. Wander around and observe and talk to the players, coaches, families, umpires, the volunteers staffing the event, and the just plain fans that come for the event. Then come back here and write about the experience. Heck, meet me there for one of the days and I'll make a contribution to your expenses before I even know how you're reacting. Or not. I wouldn't want anyone to think I'm trying to buy you off.

Little League isn't professional baseball. It isn't college or high school baseball. It isn't middle school baseball. It isn't meant to be. Enjoy it for what it is - kids playing a game.

[UmpLarryJohnson]

you cant have it both ways mr Ives...the 'kids playn a game' does NOT square w corporete sponsorship--ESPN---idiotic frosted flakes crap every 45 secs, blubbery 'mom intervs' in the stands, on n on......if LLBB is gonna TAKE the PAYOLA from the corporate/media and make it a SPECTACLE.....


then they GOTTA refine out the 'kiddie sandlot' excuses! STOP the coaches' posturing! STOP the weak umpiring that wouldnt pass mustard at the JayVee level! Saw a game yest where a flyball down the First baseline landded ON the line as was called FOUL...by the RFUmp who was literaly 15 feet away! why do they put 6 Umps on the field if they cant make THIS call?

the booth guys replayed it 4 times and said live, "uuurrr...weeellll, lets remeber theyre volunteers, folks!"


LL WANTS to be paid--televised as if they are BIG TIME...but judged on thier merits as if it is SMALL TIME. Make up your mind!

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

you cant have it both ways mr Ives...the 'kids playn a game' does NOT square w corporete sponsorship--ESPN---idiotic frosted flakes crap every 45 secs, blubbery 'mom intervs' in the stands, on n on......if LLBB is gonna TAKE the PAYOLA from the corporate/media and make it a SPECTACLE.....


then they GOTTA refine out the 'kiddie sandlot' excuses! STOP the coaches' posturing! STOP the weak umpiring that wouldnt pass mustard at the JayVee level! Saw a game yest where a flyball down the First baseline landded ON the line as was called FOUL...by the RFUmp who was literaly 15 feet away! why do they put 6 Umps on the field if they cant make THIS call?

the booth guys replayed it 4 times and said live, "uuurrr...weeellll, lets remeber theyre volunteers, folks!"


LL WANTS to be paid--televised as if they are BIG TIME...but judged on thier merits as if it is SMALL TIME. Make up your mind!

It's 12 yrar old kids playing. They have neither the physical or mental baseball skills to make it a "pro" game.

The coacing staffs aren't trained coaches. They are volunteer dads doing as best they can.

The umpires have paid their LL dues. They "earned" their way there just as much as the players and coaches.

It's Little League - not the major leagues. Keep it in perspective.

BTW, I've seen MANY blown fair/foul calls by MLB umpires. The call wasn't blown because the umpire was a LL umpire - it was blown because it was blown.

And its muster - not mustard.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

STOP the weak umpiring that wouldnt pass mustard at the JayVee level! Saw a game yest where a flyball down the First baseline landded ON the line as was called FOUL...by the RFUmp who was literaly 15 feet away! why do they put 6 Umps on the field if they cant make THIS call?

the booth guys replayed it 4 times and said live, "uuurrr...weeellll, lets remeber theyre volunteers, folks!" !

To be completely fair the play you just described was very, very close. The umpire was standing right on the line and there was not a single angle that showed a conclusive shot. None of the camera angles were directly on the line and the umpire was about 10 or 15 feet away from the call right on the line. I still have no idea if the call was right. I just know he was in great position to know. And as said earlier, if an umpire cannot get that call right then he has much bigger problems. I just think if we are criticizing an umpire for this, we really should pause for a second and think what we would say if that was us on the field. And when an official is right there to make a call and the video does not confirm the call or show the call was clearly wrong, in my opinion we should give that umpire/official the benefit of the doubt.

Peace

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Little League isn't professional baseball. It isn't college or high school baseball. It isn't middle school baseball. It isn't meant to be. Enjoy it for what it is - kids playing a game.

Nice post, very eloquent...but LL baseball is definitely not just kids playing a game. Nothing that gets broadcast by major networks is just kids playing a game.

If you want to see kids just playing a game walk over to your local sandlot, or empty lot, or park or school or whatever and watch those kids playing ball without adults managing their every move.

edit to say add that UmpLarryJohnson is one smart guy.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

Nice post, very eloquent...but LL baseball is definitely not just kids playing a game. Nothing that gets broadcast by major networks is just kids playing a game.

If you want to see kids just playing a game walk over to your local sandlot, or empty lot, or park or school or whatever and watch those kids playing ball without adults managing their every move.

edit to say add that UmpLarryJohnson is one smart guy.

We won't need any of us on the sandlot - coaches or umpires.

I offer you the same challenge I offered Garth.

[Interested Ump]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

..but LL baseball is definitely not just kids playing a game. Nothing that gets broadcast by major networks is just kids playing a game.

If you want to see kids just playing a game walk over to your local sandlot, or empty lot, or park or school or whatever and watch those kids playing ball without adults managing their every move.

Where? They don't do this anywhere I have recently lived, sadly.

LL is both kids playing and kids playing for LL. It's a solid business model and they have a history of making it work on both levels, the business of baseball and the delivery of the infrastructure that makes baseball possible at the local level.

[PeteBooth]

I guess LL should hire off-duty or retired MLB umpires to umpire an amateur game between 12-year-old (league age) kids that are under the direction of volunteer coaching staffs composed of Dads who were willing to give their time. We can get (I know he's gone) Eric Gregg and his truck-sized strike zone to handle the plate, Rich Garcia (Maier-man) to call fan interference, and Don Denkinger to make the calls at first. We can get the recent crew from Boston to make HR vs. Double calls. Heaven knows those pros never make mistakes like those Bozo LL umpires. How about Ron Luciano (also gone) and his theatric calls, or Dutch Rennert and his strike call. Those were certainly not worthy of a professional ump - OH WAIT - they were professional umpires. If we can't get the pros, maybe we can get the guys that called this year's NCAA CWS. Those opposite-batter's-box strikes were certainly interesting - even Tee commented on them.

Rich my main comment is this:

I believe most of us gave koodos over the previous 2 years for the umpires at the Regionals and ultimately LLWS.

This year and I would think you would admit the umpiring has been sub-par to say the least

Therefore, what happened from the previous 2 years in which we saw good quality umpiring to this year?

The following is a pure guess on my part.

Perhaps some of the umpires selected during the past 2 years also did "other" ball even some NCAA Division I level ball. Perhaps Word got around that when Tournament time approached - The "heavy weights" would be chosen which would leave out the dedicated volunteers who yearned for a shot at a Regional or LLWS game.

Again strictly a guess but it does seem strange that the quality from the previous 2 years has gone down hill. "something" had to change

Pete Booth

[Rich Ives]

Not sure Pete - but it actually seems like the bashing has decreased over the years.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

There's also the channel change and off switches available to you.

Yes, but then we have to read post after post on these boards!

YAWWWWWWWN!