LL All Stars & Travel Team Question

[Tim C]

Who the phock cares? You really don't get this site.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Yeah, not so much an umpire question.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Yeah, not so much an umpire question.

It is a rules question.

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

It is a rules question.

Out of curiousity: Is it a rule enforced by umpires, or is it an "administrative" rule enforced by others? Are LL umpires really expected to have the knowledge and records to handle this issue?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Ump153

Out of curiousity: Is it a rule enforced by umpires, or is it an "administrative" rule enforced by others? Are LL umpires really expected to have the knowledge and records to handle this issue?

It is a rules question, only in the sense that it isn't in the playing rules, and has everything to do with a league president or tournament director's job, and nothing at all to do with an umpire's job. I believe that is the reason for the so-called "vitriol."

Let me ask this then (to all): Is this the proper forum in which to table and discuss subjects that are completely unrelated to umpiring?

[PirateMike1973]

First, thank you Rich for "coming to my defense", so to speak.
Second, you only need to look at today's thread list to see that that are several posts NOT related to just umpiring (in the purest sense).
Third, I'm not sure why some people felt the need to respond in the manner that they did, simply because I was asking for the community's opinion/consensus/knowledge on what is a RULES question, maybe an admin one, but a rules question, none the less. (Again, thank you Rich for your input)
And lastly, if this forum is a "just for umpires" exclusive club, than I will only ask this type of question other places & limit questions here to "on the field" questions.

I have volunteered in our LL for over 15 years as a coach and now, as an official game scorekeeper and announcer. I not sure why someone would think a question related to LL is an area for "derision".

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by PirateMike1973

I have volunteered in our LL for over 15 years as a coach and now, as an official game scorekeeper and announcer. I not sure why someone would think a question related to LL is an area for "derision".

I can answer that. The collective memory here is of LL parents/fans/scorekeepers coming to the forum to ask questions that have nothing to do with umpiring or officiating a game. Over the years, that breeds frustration and impatience. The new guy who shows up with what he thinks is a great question for umpires gets dumped on and can't understand why.

Not many folks here work LL or indeed much baseball at all with players who don't shave. The few who do are quite knowledgeable and can provide answers to most questions, as you've seen.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Ump153

Out of curiousity: Is it a rule enforced by umpires, or is it an "administrative" rule enforced by others? Are LL umpires really expected to have the knowledge and records to handle this issue?

It's administrative. But it's also a question about the eligibility of the player to participate in a game.

Yes - a good LL umpire should know the all rules.

The umpires won't have the records - but in this case there are no records involved. FYI, in the tournament the team manager carries the records and the TD at the site (no one else) can examine them if there's an issue.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

It's administrative. But it's also a question about the eligibility of the player to participate in a game.

Yes - a good LL umpire should know the all rules.

About whether a team can play travel ball and all stars? There's no way I'd possibly have to deal with this situation, so what's the point in an umpire knowing this?

After doing the coaches meetings for our district tournaments last night, I wish the coaches knew some basic playing rules. Doesn't a good coach know these?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

About whether a team can play travel ball and all stars? There's no way I'd possibly have to deal with this situation, so what's the point in an umpire knowing this?

Really?

Manager comes to you with a sub. You announce it. Opposing manager comes to you and says "That sub can't play because he's on a travel team".

So you can either know the rule (actually the lack of one) and it's history and tell him OR you can just stand there with a blank look and then call the TD.

Either way, you're dealing with it.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

It is a rules question.

And when is the last time you saw an umpire rule on this problem?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

And when is the last time you saw an umpire rule on this problem?

Well - if you followed any of the LL boards or participated in LL instead of bashing it you'd see a LOT of LL umpires who are also LL officials and who rule on such issues.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Well - if you followed any of the LL boards or participated in LL instead of bashing it you'd see a LOT of LL umpires who are also LL officials and who rule on such issues.

Regardless, an umpire working LL is not going to get involved with this in his role as an umpire. I, too, wear multiple hats within Little League, but suggesting that a LL umpire should know this because they might, at other times, be acting as a TD or some other such role, is a huge stretch.

We have some very good umpires who work LL who do nothing but umpire, and I see no need for them to know this. At all.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Well - if you followed any of the LL boards or participated in LL instead of bashing it you'd see a LOT of LL umpires who are also LL officials and who rule on such issues.

So, someone who is both an umpire and a LL official rules on this issue. Is he doing so in his role as umpire or his role as LL official?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

So, someone who is both an umpire and a LL official rules on this issue. Is he doing so in his role as umpire or his role as LL official?

Doesn't matter which hat he has on at the moment. What matter's is that he knows the answer.