LLWS - I see London... I see France
 

in high definition...

did I see the plate umpire's underpants?

As in Japan - Canada - his crotch was torn open?


Bonus Post!

just saw the plate guy. (Oh v Or) with a runner at third come up the line on the bunt.. r3 advanced.. plate umpire (as is any adult on the little diamond, a BIG PRESENSE).. stick out his mask to point fair.. and I think he forgot about the runner at 3rd. A quick pickup and play at the plate would have HIT that mask, how fun!

If this is the same play I saw, the catcher was up the first base line so there was nobody to throw it to. I however, have noticed some bad mechanics myself. I have seen U1 and U3 come inside on base hits to their side of the field like they were the cutoff man on the play. Twice close to getting hit with the throw with R2 running home on both occasions. Saw one declare an illegal pitch with no runners on F1 as he slipped and stopped his delivery to home. He added a ball to the count.

In LL that is an illegal pitch - even with no runners on base and the penalty is just a ball on the batter. I believe there is no balk in LL. That doesn't start till the Junior League age.

No - with no runners it's nothing. The call was corrected. LL misplaced the parentheses in the first writing which gave the impression you have. It was correctd via interpretation in "Fairball" and then corrected at the next printing of the rule book.

8.05 offenses are the same in both LL and the higher levels. The penalties are different. Most folks don't really understands why LL chose to alter the nomenclature instead of just keeping "balk" and listing different penalties.

I made the comment early last week when U2 dodged a ball hit to F9 and thrown to F5. Someone pointed out U3 knocking down runner past 3B. Had there been a play on that runner, he would have been caught off base for the out.

Also noticed yesterday that U2 and U3 were positioned deeper into the outfield than local LL clinicians teach. Far deeper than 2-man LL small diamond positions. Requires a full sprint into the playing area on a small diamond. Just a matter of time until one is hit by the ball (unlikely) or slips on wet turf (more likely).

Rich, I work a lot of LL games. I have to disagree with what you are saying. Where in "Fairball" is this interp?

With that being said, this is an illegal action by the pitcher. This classifies as an Illegal Pitch, ball on batter. What you are suggesting is that runners have to be on for an illegal pitch to be possible. Since when is that a requirement? What I have is the offenses in 8.05 are an Illegal Pitch in baseball (ball on batter), but if runners are on, and it's Jr/Sr/Big League, then I have a balk)

Did the ungrateful parents freak out about it like they did to me?

The 2004 version of the Rules Instruction Manual says in reference to 8.05 (Majors and Minors, but not Junior and up)
"With no runner on base you only call an illegal pitch if (e) and/or (g) are committed. Otherwise, call nothing with no runners on base at any level of play."

(e) refers to a quick pitch.
(g) refers to making a motion to pitch while not touching the rubber.

Obviously these are infractions which tend to deceive the batter.

Rich is probably the only person I wouldn't argue Little League with.

Quite a difference between accidentally ripping the crotch of your plate pants, and stripping down to your skivvies at the backstop in front of young girls. JMO.

Ha! Memories from a while back:

LL Districts: Ripped out crotch behind the plate and finished the game from a knee. Between games I whipped out the needle and thread for a quick repair job to work U3. Good for 9 outs.
I worked the next six outs very carefully and an LL mom came to the fence with a coupla safety pins.
For some reason, I was wearing tourquoise that day. :o

It is in the March 03 issue of "Fairball" Page 3, bottom of the second column.

The rule used to read:

An illegal pitch (A balk in Junior/Senior/Big League baseball when a runner or runners are on base) is when -

It was corrected to read:

An illegal pitch (A balk in Junior/Senior/Big League baseball) when a runner or runners are on base is when -

The "old" way had the "runners on base" as part of the Jr/Sr/Big parenthetical phrase. The new way placed it in the body of the rule.

Rich, thank you.

Anyhow, any idea why 8.01d hasn't been corrected?

"If the pitcher makes an illegal pitch wiith the bases unoccupoed, it shall be called a ball unless the batter reaches first base..."

I can't speak for LL on this, but in OBR, "Illegal Pitch" is referring specifically to the defined term -- a quick pitch or a pitch while not in contact with the rubber. Other actions that might be illegal and might be pitches are not "Illegal Pitches" for this rule.

Because it's referring to the real illegal pitches - not in contact and quick.

That's one of the reasons I said:

Most folks don't really understands why LL chose to alter the nomenclature instead of just keeping "balk" and listing different penalties.

The nomenclature change just confuses everything.