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  #1 (permalink)  
Old Thu Aug 13, 2009, 10:00pm
cc6 cc6 is offline
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Best of luck to him. There is nothing wrong with doing Little League. The hardest game to call effectively can be the 9-10 age division. I won't be able to watch it live, but I would be interested in watching a posted replay. Nothing better than seeing a quality umpire call a Little League game.
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Old Fri Aug 14, 2009, 03:14pm
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Originally Posted by cc6 View Post
Best of luck to him. There is nothing wrong with doing Little League.
No, there certainly is not. Not all of us have time to do "real baseball," so we just do the levels we enjoy working.
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Old Fri Aug 14, 2009, 05:05pm
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Originally Posted by cc6 View Post
Nothing better than seeing a quality umpire call a Little League game.


Other than watching a quality umpire call a quality game.
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  #4 (permalink)  
Old Fri Aug 14, 2009, 08:11pm
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I watched some of the regional between the two Texas teams last night. I chuckled at the base umpires all with indicators. Also, six umpires is way too many for that size of a field. Four is more than enough. I suppose they don't want any of them to rotate, so six limits that.

The PU giving the foul tip mechanic on a foul ball was odd too. Also, he was still moving down and locking in a LOT when the pitch was almost in the catcher's glove.
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Old Fri Aug 14, 2009, 09:01pm
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Originally Posted by zm1283 View Post
The PU giving the foul tip mechanic on a foul ball was odd too. Also, he was still moving down and locking in a LOT when the pitch was almost in the catcher's glove.
Also, did you notice that he was "putting the ball in play" on almost every pitch. Weird.

I'm watching the Georgia v. virginia game right now and the umpires SOMEHOW missed an interference call. Infield hit strikes R2 advancing on the foot. The ball deflects wildly. Six umpires and somehow they all miss it. Two run gift to Georgia; Virginia deflated and out of it now.
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Old Fri Aug 14, 2009, 09:35pm
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Originally Posted by NickG View Post
Also, did you notice that he was "putting the ball in play" on almost every pitch. Weird.

I'm watching the Georgia v. virginia game right now and the umpires SOMEHOW missed an interference call. Infield hit strikes R2 advancing on the foot. The ball deflects wildly. Six umpires and somehow they all miss it. Two run gift to Georgia; Virginia deflated and out of it now.
Yes, I did notice that he was putting the ball in play before every pitch. I forgot about that part. Does LL mandate the softball-like mechanics, mainly out calls and strikes? On a strike call, the PU would drop is right foot straight back as he stood up and raise his right fist way above his head. He was also standing up on ball calls and not staying down like he should have. I get the feeling that a lot of LL umpires only do LL and don't get a lot of training.
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Old Fri Aug 14, 2009, 09:50pm
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Training and competence among LL umpires is highly variable. Moving from district to district you get big swings. There are many top-notch LL umpires, but of course there is a lot of dead weight, too. It's all volunteer, as you know, so (as they say) you often get what you pay for. That said, I work with a first-rate group in a district that does a great deal of training. Almost all do high school, men's league, and even NCAA work and volunteer to the local brotherhood. I don't think you find that throughout LL, however.

LL Regional and World Series tournaments are (theoretically) staffed with none but the best. Or so they say. In truth, while District and Regional officials go to pains to select experienced and deserving umpires to work these high-profile tournaments, and in large part succeed, there is also a good deal of politics and personality at play. You don't find that across the board, but enough creeps in to affect the level of work.

To answer your direct question -- no, there is not a prescribed mechanic (as in softball). As with other levels of baseball, there is latitude for -- how to say this ... expressing one's sense of style.
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Old Sat Aug 15, 2009, 11:18am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zm1283 View Post
Yes, I did notice that he was putting the ball in play before every pitch. I forgot about that part. Does LL mandate the softball-like mechanics, mainly out calls and strikes? On a strike call, the PU would drop is right foot straight back as he stood up and raise his right fist way above his head. He was also standing up on ball calls and not staying down like he should have. I get the feeling that a lot of LL umpires only do LL and don't get a lot of training.
You are correct about the training.

Regional (and sometimes WS) umps are never "seen" before they get the assignments.

The"main" WS (12 y-o baseball) has been getting better, IMHO, because it's mandated that umps have to work a WS at another level before they go to W-port. At least these people get vetted somehow.

I was in Bristol yesterday and saw some sharp umps and more than my share of Smitties.

Ace
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Old Sat Aug 15, 2009, 11:45am
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Originally Posted by aceholleran View Post
You are correct about the training.

Regional (and sometimes WS) umps are never "seen" before they get the assignments.
That's not true out West here. The guy who has the dish for this evenings NW game is a guy who I've worked with for years. He's been seen by the WR guys for a very long time now. When we'd go out to do sectional and division games the WR guys would be there taking notes. Plus, he's been an instructor at San Bernadino. They know some of these guys quite well. Plus, I can almost assure you that all these guys have been through the one week school, so they'll get a lookover there too.

Kyle
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Old Sat Aug 15, 2009, 11:55am
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There isn't any training for umpires in my area at any level to speak of. Take an online test and pay your fee and you can work high school games. I haven't done little league in awhile, but I have worked with some good umps at that level and some horrible ones. I've also worked with some of the worst umpires I've ever seen at the high school freshman/sophomore level. No clue on how to rotate, responsibilities on fly balls, or even where to position themselves on the field. I always pregame with my partners but with some guys it doesn't seem to sink in. I also had a few games this year where my partner showed up about five minutes before game time so there goes the pregame.

I know a varsity umpire who retired from his real job this year so he picked up a few freshman dates, which start at 10am here. He said he worked one doubleheader with a guy who showed up in a blue umpire shirt, untucked, and a pair of carpenter jeans. He said the guy didn't have a clue on the field either. There are both bad and good umpires at every level.

I know that someone pointed out that LL umpiring is supposed to be all volunteer, but the leagues around here all pay their umpires; if they didn't they wouldn't be able to get anyone to work the games. They have enough trouble finding guys with the pay.
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Old Sat Aug 15, 2009, 02:41pm
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Originally Posted by aceholleran View Post

I was in Bristol yesterday and saw some sharp umps and more than my share of Smitties.

Ace
They guy they have on the final right now must fall into the latter category. What's up with the artificial called strike timing? Is this supposed to be impressive? It looks contrived and ridiculous. Plus he looks kind of sloppy as well.
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Old Sat Aug 15, 2009, 07:06pm
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Originally Posted by aceholleran View Post
You are correct about the training.

Regional (and sometimes WS) umps are never "seen" before they get the assignments.

The"main" WS (12 y-o baseball) has been getting better, IMHO, because it's mandated that umps have to work a WS at another level before they go to W-port. At least these people get vetted somehow.

I was in Bristol yesterday and saw some sharp umps and more than my share of Smitties.

Ace
Ace...are you sure on that. I've been away from LLBB for four years now, and when I wa slast involved in the whole process of applying for LL regional/WS assignments the criteria for any LLWS assignment was you had to work a regional (plus have attended one of the LL umpire schools). This applied for for Wmsprt. also.
Please let me know if the criteria has changed. I'm just curious. I did my regional (Bristol) enjoyed the heck out of it....but my LL days, for now anyway, are behind me.
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Old Sat Aug 15, 2009, 12:42am
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Six umpires is way too many for that size of a field. Four is more than enough. I suppose they don't want any of them to rotate, so six limits that.
You got that right. The few times I've worked on a crew of 4 I got bored real quick if I wasn't on 1B or the plate. Maybe I was doing it wrong, I don't know... For the small diamond I think a crew of 3 is just right. We don't do 4 or 6 in any of our district tournament games.

Like the others said, training and experience varies between areas. In my district we have strong leadership and a group of well trained umpires that grows each year.
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Old Sat Aug 15, 2009, 07:09pm
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Originally Posted by zm1283 View Post
I watched some of the regional between the two Texas teams last night. I chuckled at the base umpires all with indicators. Also, six umpires is way too many for that size of a field. Four is more than enough. I suppose they don't want any of them to rotate, so six limits that.

The PU giving the foul tip mechanic on a foul ball was odd too. Also, he was still moving down and locking in a LOT when the pitch was almost in the catcher's glove.
The LL regional umpiring staff assigns six so ALL the umps who worked the regional can get on ESPN.
I know it's overkill..but it's a nice perk for your week's work and takes the regional staff off the hook from having to tell two guys that they're not going to be on TV.
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Old Sat Aug 15, 2009, 08:22pm
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Actually, from the box score at Waco, it looks like they assigned all eight. Two outfield umps got three innings and then two others got the last three.
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