A LLWS Observation

[Rich]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

While I applaud your "show them some respect" mantra - surely you can't be serious here... are you watching? Are you reading here? My brother knows that it takes 4 balls to walk a batter, and he knows the base awards... and he's not umpired his first game yet. It's not like these guys have had to deal with one of the TWP's we post here and argue about, or a typical cluster-F that an 8U umpire deals with every week. The rules they have screwed up, and the mechanics they have completely botched are elementary.

I've lost track of the count before, so I won't crawl up their butts for that. Anyone who hasn't lost a ball or rung up strike two either hasn't been doing this long or is lying.

And in terms of mechanics, I can't agree more. They'll dutifully pivot in unnecessarily on a clean hit, but can't bother to take a quick step or two and lean in order to get the right angle on an actual play.

I'm afraid replay will actually lower the expectations of LL -- they'll be happy to bring even more terrible people to the WS (You managed the concession stand for 30 years? Well, we contract that function out in WP and pay for it (imagine that), but would you like to umpire? No, no real experience necessary. We bring retired DAs all the time.)