2 rules i ran into this weekend

[Rich]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

You are to be commended for that - but you are the exception. I work LL ball once a year - at the end when a nearby league brings in real, paid umpires. I'm always paired (or trio'd) with 1 or 2 umpires they've been using all year. And they scare the crap out of me. I've had them argue with me that the hands ARE part of the bat. I've had them argue that under no circumstances can you award a base that the runner didn't attempt to get to after they were obstructed. I've had them call TIE! on a banger at first. I've had them call time with two runners on the same base. I've had them call a foul-tip-strikeout on a ball that went bat-mask-ground. I've had one guy flat out insist that he would never eject a coach after he got berated by one and we were discussing it between games. "It's not about me, it's about the kids" - so when he botched the hell out of a call and the same coach came flying out - experienced partner and I let him fly in the wind. 5 minutes. No ejection.

And they "get by" with this nonsense all season until their tournaments... and the other "real" umpires and I leave the place stunned and with tons of stories like those I just mentioned.

Our LL District has sent 3 umpires to Williamsport (LLWS), 1 to Bangor (Senior WS), 2 to Taylor (Junior WS). About 7-8 of us have worked the LL Regional and 3 of us worked a regional final on ESPN.

We're also HS and college umpires in the spring. 3 of us have worked (or will work) HS state.

There are a ton of bad LL umpires and there are a ton of bad paid umpires who show up and "try" to "work" 6-7 games in a day not caring at all about the work except for the part where they get paid.

In the end, this has very little to do with volunteer/paid or LL/travel or any of that crap. It has to do with pride and being mentored by the right people along the way and wanting to be as good as one can be. I don't work any harder for that college check than I do for the LL kids.

[MD Longhorn]

Rich, I think there are a few pockets out there, like yours, where the "real umpires" do work LL. A friend of mine in Oregon has nothing but positives to say about the LL umpires in his area.

But I think that what I run into is more common, across the country.

[DG]

Originally Posted by MDUmp

I wish umpires (the ones getting paid and not volunteering) would learn the rules.

The last coach ejection I had was for mentioning to me that I was getting paid, so I should learn the rules.

[CT1]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I've had them call TIE! on a banger at first.

Really?!!! So what was the eventual result? (I'm guessing "safe" 'cause everybody knows a tie goes to the runner...)

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by CT1

Really?!!! So what was the eventual result? (I'm guessing "safe" 'cause everybody knows a tie goes to the runner...)

We (me, another experienced guy, and "Tie-man" as he will forever now be known) got together, asked him what he saw. He said a tie. Partner said - "the reason you're on this field is to decide what happened first." He said he didn't know. I said, "There is no tie. Did the throw beat the runner - yes or no." He said no - so we told him to signal safe.

Worse - I hear he called another tie during league play, with no partner, the following season. Don't know how that one got resolved.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

We (me, another experienced guy, and "Tie-man" as he will forever now be known) got together, asked him what he saw. He said a tie. Partner said - "the reason you're on this field is to decide what happened first." He said he didn't know. I said, "There is no tie. Did the throw beat the runner - yes or no." He said no - so we told him to signal safe.

Worse - I hear he called another tie during league play, with no partner, the following season. Don't know how that one got resolved.

Maybe they're still on the field.

[IAUMP]

I will say this first, baseball is not my #1 sport, actually more like #3. However, I give it my be effort every time I am on the field. I have never done things like you mention other "Little League" umpires have done and I have worked many Regional All Star games in my 5 years of Umpiring. Here is a situation I had last night in a 9/10 yr old game. Bottom of 1st lead off batter is very short. Pitch crosses the outside corner at the knee. I call strike, and the home HC grumbles from in front of the dugout. After the batter struck out, the HC states loudly to the batter "that's ok the Ump owes you one". I let the HC know that I am not going to listen to those types of comments all game. I start to return to the plate and he mouths off more, so I instruct him to get into the dug out. HC then states "so you are going to boss me around because I argued one G-D call. He was then removed from the game and area. Best part was I didn't have to report this as the Pres. of the leagues son is on the HC team and the Pres heard it all.

Did I do right or would you say this was done by a "Little League Ump"?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by IAUMP

I will say this first, baseball is not my #1 sport, actually more like #3. However, I give it my be effort every time I am on the field. I have never done things like you mention other "Little League" umpires have done and I have worked many Regional All Star games in my 5 years of Umpiring. Here is a situation I had last night in a 9/10 yr old game. Bottom of 1st lead off batter is very short. Pitch crosses the outside corner at the knee. I call strike, and the home HC grumbles from in front of the dugout. After the batter struck out, the HC states loudly to the batter "that's ok the Ump owes you one". I let the HC know that I am not going to listen to those types of comments all game. I start to return to the plate and he mouths off more, so I instruct him to get into the dug out. HC then states "so you are going to boss me around because I argued one G-D call. He was then removed from the game and area. Best part was I didn't have to report this as the Pres. of the leagues son is on the HC team and the Pres heard it all.

Did I do right or would you say this was done by a "Little League Ump"?

These are always HTBT, but this sounds fine to me. (I'd make sure you use the word "restrict" when restricting to the dugout)

[IAUMP]

MD, I understand what you are saying, but I don't believe Little League actually has that as an option. The coaches are supposed to be in the dugout unless they are coaching at 1st or 3rd. I normally don't pay much attention to where they are as long as it is not a problem and they are behaving. Since he didn't want to behave, I decided to enforce the rule.

[jicecone]

Don't have a problem with the way you handled this situation however, be consistent. You can't let the coach stand there and then enforce the rules when you feel like it. Then you are causing problems for yourself.

What other rules do you pick and choose when you are to enforce or not? Where does it stop?

Being consistent, does not just apply to your strike zone.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by jicecone

Don't have a problem with the way you handled this situation however, be consistent. You can't let the coach stand there and then enforce the rules when you feel like it. Then you are causing problems for yourself.

I think inconsistency is ok for this rule. It was 9/10 year-olds. I don't work those games, but I imagine coaches of kids that age are frequently on the field. If a coach is being a douchebag, I can see revoking that privilege.

The degree to which the 'must be in the dugout' rule is enforced is directly proportional to the degree of douchbaggery on the field.

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

I think inconsistency is ok for this rule. It was 9/10 year-olds. I don't work those games, but I imagine coaches of kids that age are frequently on the field. If a coach is being a douchebag, I can see revoking that privilege.

The degree to which the 'must be in the dugout' rule is enforced is directly proportional to the degree of douchbaggery on the field.

Actually, if it was 9 - 10 it was probably a LL Minors division. If so, they rule book allows coaches on the field for instructional purposes. If they can't constrain themselves to instruct they go in the dugout or beyond.
Real umpires do work LL in my neck of the woods along with some unreal ones. Tournament time they get real umpires.