I didn't realize we officiated the game on people's opinions.

I agree, WP says to eject him. After all, that's how you, as an umpire, bench a kid.

The coach isn't rolling you, because there is no "mechanism" for permanently benching a player other than ejection which you did not do. You, the umpire, are the one breaking (well, ignoring) rules. Maybe you should eject yourself?

Philosophically, I agree that ejection for this at this age is harsh. I also have a problem with baseball not having an intermediate step before ejection like the yellow card in soccer. However, this is a change that has to be made at a much higher level than the umpire on the field. Your way is just a renegade umpire ignoring the rules.

Some here do. Ever seen any of the 'expected call' threads? Those umpires espouse calling the play based on what people expect should happen. I've never been comfortable with that type of thinking.

Really? You have direction and you choose not to use it so that makes you a total fool. This is why LL is so F'd up because you have rules and no one follows them.

And you can kiss my back side with that comment!

I'm just using common sense, and what WP blessed me to do.

If you fellas want to eject little kids over this, you've also got their blessing. Knock yourselfs out.

Again, not that I anticipate it ever coming to that. I'm not sitting the kids down, just recommending the managers do it. Instead of being jackballs about it, they thank me for that option.

Ozzy, don't blow a gasket there, kid.

You're not working these games, so don't worry about it. We're talking little kids, as they're the ones flinging bats. Eight, nine, ten year olds in the LL minors. I work down there becuase I train a lot of Junior umpires. And I'll bet none of the rest of you are, either. So simmer down, y'all.

It's really easy to "Dump the little *******s" when you don't work at that level. But when you are an integral part of a local league, and not just an umpire, you want what's best for everyone involved. Making an eight year old sit out a game because of an accidental release is stupid. Most folks would agree with that.

Got proof of this "agreement"? Seems like you're grasping at straws.

Nothing in hand. Just some Facebook conversations via their Discussion page. If you haven't been there, and work LL game, it's a huge source of information and direction directly from the horse's mouth.

Little League Baseball & Softball Discussions | Facebook

p.s. why are you guys so grumpy?

Ozzy, I agree with you. This is exactly why it's difficult to umpire these leagues. You have the rules so call it by the prescribed penalty and move on. I bet the next time little Johnny is up to bat, he doesn't carelessly throw the bat.

-Josh

OK, fair enough if true. How do we know they are in agreement with it, considering they did not put it in the rulebook, and have likely had numerous opportunities to do so.

I great you that I don't work LL (well, until last night!). I can't think if an instance in my other rulesets that I do consistently work where I would need to or want to tap-dance around the rules like this. But it seems to me that once the umpire has decided to "be nice" and not enforce a particular rule, he can't really call it unsportsmanlike if the manager takes advantage of that niceness.

I can't even imagine the S-Storm if this sort of thing happened and I wanted to retroactively eject someone for something that happened 2 innings ago. (At least ... in any other rule-set). I know for fact that my assignor would be so far down my throat I'd be choking on feet.

Honestly, I agree with this in principle. So why wouldn't WP, if they agreed, simply fix the rules so that umpires are not in this bizarre semi-rule-enforcing potentially-retroactive-ejecting netherland in this particular situation?

Some of us LL geezers have been banging on WP for the administrative removal for years. Some day.

Sorry, Ozzy, but in the interest of fair and accurate reporting, the actual correct terminology is "going Ozzy" on someone. I checked. Your photo is right next to the definition.:p

East County, thanks for checking in.

La Jolla to Jacumba, from Tijuana to the Canadian Rockies, your reaction! I want to talk sports with you.

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townn...9db8.image.jpg

I am also a LL geezer and have no problem having a kid miss a game for this. Maybe that will finally break him of the bat-throwing habit. Or make it important enough for the coach to deal with it.

How about, if the coach puts the kid back in, you let him, then follow through on the ejection.