Knew it was coming
 

Just read on ESPN about Little League having a replay system for World Series. Not what we needed to hear ...:rolleyes:

Thanks
David

Little League expands replay for World Series - ESPN

Might as well just umpire with the camera. Why should you have any umpires out there, if judgement calls can be questioned? This will only hurt all umpires.

I'm sure the kids are going to be so much happier now. After all, it's all about the kids... :-) Hopefully they'll show replays of the after game pizza party that is on every kids mind for after the game.

Hope they expand there list of qualified umpires to include more qualified umpires, otherwise there are going to be some long games, with the replay.

In my opinion, Little League has lost its way and has become a corporate profit seeking entity that serves its slavemaster known as ESPN. Let me say that I have had four sons go through Little League baseball, coached it for five years and served three years on my leagues board of directors. The evolution that has taken place since my first son started playing 18 years ago is troubling to me.

Too much focus is placed on All Stars and the World Series, 12 kids from each league. The focus should be on all of the kids and developing their playing skills, learning sportsmanship and cooperation, and enjoying being part of a team. Two of my sons played on All Star teams and one of them won a state championship; I still tried to get my league to give up all stars and have a slightly longer season so all of the kids could play more games. I was shouted down every time I brought it up.

The seasons eventually had to start and end earlier to accomodate ESPN's schedule for the World Series. They relaxed the age requirements so that essentially 13 year olds can now play little league. Hey, more big kids hitting big homeruns and throwing 75 mph which is what viewers want. I have always found it a bit hypocritical that Little League is supposed to be all volunteer and umpires are supposed to work for free, but it signed an 8 year, $30.1 million contract with ESPN. But it's all about the kids right?

Instant replay is just another step down the slippery slope of making little league more like professional baseball, which isn't what it is supposed to be. Dollars determine the course of little league, not the needs of the kids. The blame lies primarily at the national level; local leagues have little to no say about the direction little league takes. Little league used to be very strong in my area, but has lost a lot of kids over the past several years. One of our local leagues switched over to Cal Ripken affiliation this season. I think little league will eventually reach too far and destroy itself.

6 umpires on a 60' field, and they STILL want replay?

Is there such a thing as overkilling overkill?

Maybe they're just really tired of having their umpires ripped to shreds on the internet.

The fact that they use volunteers as umpires is one of the things at the core of their problems.

I figured it was coming as well. Sad to see it since the umpires are volunteer.

-Josh

Maybe they could use other criteria in picking umpires other than "how many years have you volunteered for Little League" or "how can we recognize a retired District Adminstrator who's umpired about 20 games in his life -- how about umpiring the LLWS?"

It's a lot more complicated than that. I am a Little League volunteer who also happens to work games at other levels (HS, college, etc.). I teach at a LL junior umpire clinic every season and do what I can to make our umpiring better during the tournament season.

I do have the feeling that there are a significant number of umpires and others within Little League that think that anyone who takes money for umpiring should fall lower on the ladder than those selfless volunteers who do nothing but umpire LL baseball. And that, IMO, is a complete crock of crap.

I agree. I think 90% of us love the sport we officiate (probably more). However, many if not most of us who bother to put in the time to learn, grow, and improve would not participate in this hobby without some monetary compensation. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that. But what it does mean, is that the leagues that DON'T pay are really left with a good number of umpires that do not work hard to improve. I'm not saying there aren't great LL umpires out there... but I believe they are the vast minority as many of the really good ones stick to leagues that pay.

I agree with you that it is more complicated. But you get what you pay for. When you pay people nothing and want them to go across the country or world to work, you eliminate a lot of good people that do not see the value in working games. I worked LL for the first few years and we were paid. The reason they were paid is that the local park district was the body that assigned all umpires for all games at the park district. So they paid umpires to work those games. Actually I thought that was the case all over the country until a few years after that. You do not have to pay them $1000 a game, just enough to cover expenses and reasonable fees. I cannot think that is good for the overall quality and it shows when we watch these games.

Peace

I think that the whole concept is a complete joke. Some in depth clinic work would do better than doing replays. Yeah, "for the kids" my butt.... it's for the complaining parents and coaches and don't tell me any different!

LL does pay for expenses for those who work regionals and WS games. I worked a Senior Regional (in Peru/LaSalle) and we were put in a hotel room and given meals, etc. We also received shirts and hats to wear during the games.

As far as game fees, well, I don't really care about that. I don't do LL for the money -- I consider that part of my year community service and it's completely voluntary for me to work those games. I contend that there are enough *good* LL umpires out there that they could staff the LLWS with good umpire volunteers from now until the end of time and there wouldn't be a problem with the umpiring. But the criteria reward something other than umpiring skill as the top item on the list, and that's why we get to see what we see as often as we do.