LLWS umpires need to take a page from NFL refs.

[zm1283]

Originally Posted by aceholleran

Part of the problem here is that many of the Smittys we see on the field run the regional ump clinics. What can anyone learn from them?

A friend of mine went to one, led by a wizened WP bigwig ump. He took the whole weekend to read the rulebook to the class.

And on the "pay" thing, I think each league should arrange for their own umpires, paid or not. For all regional and WS tourneys, I think umps should have all expenses paid, including transportation.

As I've said before, many of these "veterans" wouldn't touch a Babe Ruth game, much less a high school tussle.

The upper echelons need more guys like Fronnie: experienced at various levels, but with a subspecialty in LL--knowledgeable of its vagaries.

I agree with the posters who, in essence, say, "It's on national TV, with the best youth players in the world. Why not have the best umpires?"

Ace
DustVest in storage

No, they are not the best youth players in the world. They are the ones who choose to participate in LL and form all-star teams to qualify for Williamsport. There are countless USSSA, NBC, etc. type teams who are every bit as good as the teams in the LLWS and actually play on a field meant for 13 year-olds. (The size of the field in LL is a joke. When almost every ground ball on the infield is a whacker at first, maybe your bases aren't far enough apart?)

There are 13 year-olds locally playing on high school fields during the summer, and the teams aren't even that good. If they can do it, these "elite" teams in Williamsport can at least play on 70 foot bases and move the mound and fences back more.

I just can't get with LL. The way ESPN covers the LLWS, the cheesiness of the whole thing, the dumb rules, the field (already mentioned), and the umpiring just make the whole thing pretty goofy.