Little League World Series Umps

[Steven Tyler]

IMO~Six guys on such a little field is overkill. RF & LF line umps at least need to go. All the umpires look jumbled up out there on occasion. Watching U2 come in on a hit to the outfield leaves little room for the players.

[kylejt]

Why is doing HS/Fed ball some sort of benchmark? I'm watching more HS ball, as my son is now a Varsity coach, and at least around here, the quality is hit and miss.

Most guys that I know that get a shot at LL TV games, at least out here in the West, are also doing Adult wood bat, older travel, college summer league, etc. Weekend stuff, but not HS as they have real, 9-5 jobs that preclude them from working those 3pm games.

[Manny A]

Six-man crews for the LL post-season is nothing more than giving umpires the opportunity to work more games when they reach those levels. Unfortunately, they get so bored out there on the lines, that they feel compelled to make those exaggerated foul calls on balls that are in the next county.

I recall doing a LL State tournament years ago, and the tournament UIC from the host league received permission to use his local umpires as LFUs and RFUs, as a form of gratitude for their volunteerism during the regular season. I don't particularly believe those umpires are necessary on the small diamond in general, but if the tournament director sees the need, then, candidly, I think those positions should be filled by the umpires selected to work the tournaments, not local yokels who may not be worthy of working these games.

[SethPDX]

Originally Posted by Manny A

I recall doing a LL State tournament years ago, and the tournament UIC from the host league received permission to use his local umpires as LFUs and RFUs, as a form of gratitude for their volunteerism during the regular season.

It's even better (worse) at the softball World Series that's held in Portland. The umpires that aren't working the bases or plate all get to do a foul line during the championship game. They rotate in every couple innings. This way they can all say they were on the championship game, no matter how good or bad they were.

At our district tournaments we use crews of 3 at most. To me that's all you really need on a small diamond anyway. When we're invited to send umpires to a state tournament we send a crew of 3 as well (the district sending the crew chooses the size of the crew).

[Rich]

Originally Posted by SethPDX

It's even better (worse) at the softball World Series that's held in Portland. The umpires that aren't working the bases or plate all get to do a foul line during the championship game. They rotate in every couple innings. This way they can all say they were on the championship game, no matter how good or bad they were.

At our district tournaments we use crews of 3 at most. To me that's all you really need on a small diamond anyway. When we're invited to send umpires to a state tournament we send a crew of 3 as well (the district sending the crew chooses the size of the crew).

Senior Baseball World Series final they did the same. Infield umpires stayed the same, line guys rotated in. They were given the option to not work the game instead and IIRC, one or two guys figured since they weren't in the infield that they wouldn't bother working.

Some good umpires got left out and were somewhat unhappy. But only 4 umpires of 12 could work the infield.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Rich

Senior Baseball World Series final they did the same. Infield umpires stayed the same, line guys rotated in. They were given the option to not work the game instead and IIRC, one or two guys figured since they weren't in the infield that they wouldn't bother working.

Some good umpires got left out and were somewhat unhappy. But only 4 umpires of 12 could work the infield.

Frankly, I think that's a silly practice. The championship game should go to the top six umpires, and that's it. If the remaining umpires weren't good enough to make the crew, then so be it; it's the nature of the beast. Allowing them to rotate into the lines devalues the positions. And heaven forbid that the 12th-rated umpire out of 12 blows a fair/foul or catch/no catch call at a critical juncture in the game.

I vaguely recall years ago during the LLWS when a LL umpire from Canada failed to see a home run that hit the foul pole. I think he ruled that the ball never left the field and hit the fence, or maybe he ruled it foul, I can't really remember. Imagine something like that happening in a regional championship game where instant replay is not used to correct, and the call is made by an umpire who just came in from the cold late in the game.

Regardless of how good this umpire is, the perception would be that the call was made by someone who wasn't focused because he just entered. I could hear the ESPN announcers now, lamenting, "Hey, that umpire wasn't the same guy who made the catch call in the third inning! What's going on here?" Why deal with that hassle?

It's an honor to work the final game, and that honor should be bestowed on the best of the best. JMO

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Allowing them to rotate into the lines devalues the positions.

I had to laugh at this. I believe everyone here considers the RFU and LFU to be completely worthless and un-needed for a LL game, no matter the magnitude of the game.

So allowing them to rotate devalues something we would all consider valueless. Had to laugh.

[Moosie74]

Originally Posted by SethPDX

It's even better (worse) at the softball World Series that's held in Portland. The umpires that aren't working the bases or plate all get to do a foul line during the championship game. They rotate in every couple innings. This way they can all say they were on the championship game, no matter how good or bad they were.

I worked the LL Softball World Series, I did my inning on the RFL for the championship game, I did not during the game or any time since feel like I worked in the championship game even though I made 2 out calls on two trouble balls.

If anyone asks, I was the 3rd base umpire in the semi-final game, that was the last game I worked in the world series.

In the junior baseball regional last year I worked the LFU in the first championship game, stayed there for all 7 innings, that is the only way I would have wanted it and I count it that way. I was U3 on the if game, it's just an assignment.

[RPatrino]

Puerto Rico vs. Australia....PU...OMG.

Wow, just wow! The crazy man strike call and the Eric Gregg zone. This game is going to be funnnnnn....he's very quick too.

[Forest Ump]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Puerto Rico vs. Australia....PU...OMG.

Wow, just wow! The crazy man strike call and the Eric Gregg zone. This game is going to be funnnnnn....he's very quick too.

I saw that too, Bob. He rung up some kid with a turn to his right and just held his arm out there for like 5 seconds. Pretty bad. Apparently he didn't learn how to indicate a foul tip either.

Now with all that has been said about LL umpires, we had a guy from our college group work the plate at the LL world series last year. He didn't fit the mold of these other guys we have seen on TV. He was pretty damn good.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Puerto Rico vs. Australia....PU...OMG.

Wow, just wow! The crazy man strike call and the Eric Gregg zone. This game is going to be funnnnnn....he's very quick too.

Agreed. Catcher would set up behind the other batter's box and the pitcher hit the mitt. K!

Wow, just wow is right!

[lawump]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Puerto Rico vs. Australia....PU...OMG.

Wow, just wow! The crazy man strike call and the Eric Gregg zone. This game is going to be funnnnnn....he's very quick too.

I'm at home doing my "honey do" list when my phone started going off with texts from several college umpire buddies all wanting to know if I was watching this game. Not good.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by kylejt

Why is doing HS/Fed ball some sort of benchmark? I'm watching more HS ball, as my son is now a Varsity coach, and at least around here, the quality is hit and miss.

Most guys that I know that get a shot at LL TV games, at least out here in the West, are also doing Adult wood bat, older travel, college summer league, etc. Weekend stuff, but not HS as they have real, 9-5 jobs that preclude them from working those 3pm games.

Our HS games start at 5PM around here.

[Multiple Sports]

Originally Posted by kylejt

Why is doing HS/Fed ball some sort of benchmark? I'm watching more HS ball, as my son is now a Varsity coach, and at least around here, the quality is hit and miss.

Most guys that I know that get a shot at LL TV games, at least out here in the West, are also doing Adult wood bat, older travel, college summer league, etc. Weekend stuff, but not HS as they have real, 9-5 jobs that preclude them from working those 3pm games.

I am a firm believer that what is taught at the hs level will make umpires better than the wood bat / older travel / weekend stuff umpire. Most of the hs guys are doing other sports and they learn how to "run a game" ( manage ).

Coaches at the youth and those other levels are usually parents and they just scream, for example they don't walk on to the field and discuss calls, they simply yell "get help" ( sure sign of wreck ball ). And let's face it, those umpires at that level are mostly in it it for the money and don't like to make the "tough" call
as they want to come back and work every weekend ...... in other words they umpire because they want everyone to be their friend.....

As an assigner for hs ball and "summer ball", I have been able to keep my "summer ball" contracts for 15 years because I only use hs guys !!!!! While the coaches at 13 get a little upset because the zones are a bit smaller and we don't "get help" on every play, by the time these teams are playing 14 U the coaches get it as they see the same zone called in hs......

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

IMO~Six guys on such a little field is overkill. RF & LF line umps at least need to go. All the umpires look jumbled up out there on occasion. Watching U2 come in on a hit to the outfield leaves little room for the players.

There's no reason a U2 needs to come inside. It's easy to get a 90-degree angle to the throw on the outside and make a call at second. It's how I umpire when I work U2 in any game, including LL games.

And yet you still see 3 umpires pivoting inside unnecessarily on balls hit to the outfield, when the ideal number doing so would be ZERO.