Little League umpiring???

Moc1,


He was consistent. Trouble was he was consistently bad.

As someone else posted in another thread, "You get what you pay for".

You know something's wrong when two pitcher's dad's see it.

quote:

Originally posted by FrankF:

You know something's wrong when two pitcher's dad's see it.

Make it three, LOL.

That's the biggest strikezone I've seen since Eric Gregg back in the Braves-Marlins NL championship game a few years back.

A strike zone like that makes a mockery of the game. Those kids weren't having fun having to swing at pitches they couldn't even reach.

How about we make that three pitcher's dad's and one shortstop's mom! ( tee-hee )

Add both another pitcher's mom and dad. Wow - was he bad! If I can see it, you know it's got to be bad.

I guess even pitchers' dads get it right every now and then, huh?

I am glad it isn't just me that thought the strike-zone was horribly wide (and I am the father of a pitcher). It is no fun to watch 10-12 strikeouts with balls a foot outside. Even if a kid could hit that pitch, he would probably be called out for crossing over home plate.

I applaud LL Baseball for moving the fences back to allow for more outfield play, but the strike zone is unfair.

Did they call any wild pitches strikes?

Worst umpiring I've ever seen. Unfair to every kid on the field. Little League makes millions. Pay for quality umpires.

I think, right or wrong, the original post alludes to the inescapable fact that little league is a volunteer based organization and volunteer umpires are a part of the core of that and how the organization functions at ALL levels.

And with NO offense to any umpires, who have a thankless job at every level, paying doesn't necessairily change anything. At every level there are good, bad and horrible umps paid or not.

Got news for you. Little League pays its umpires at the local, district and section levels. And do you think the millions the organization is paid in television rights qualifies it as a "volunteer-based" organization?

I wonder if anything was said after the "debacle" or if it was just because of a different umpire, but the championship game was much better officiated behind the dish. Almost to the point of squeezing the pitchers, .

The problem is that most of the umpires have been calling "rec league" games and if they don't have a wide strike zone the game will take four hours to play. Little League should tell the umpires to call the game from the knees to the letters and give the pitchers one ball off the black. Most of the umpires would have no problem making the zone a little smaller for the World Series where the pitchers are better and could still hit their spots. What I hate is that the coaches allow their 4'10" & 85# hitters to stand sooooooooo far off the plate that they couldn't hit the outside pitch with a boat paddle. Why would the coach not make them place their toes within 2" of the plate and so they would have some type of chance. By doing this if the pitcher throws very far inside they will probably plunk the batter and you would have a baserunner.

I saw either a total lack of ability in umpires recognizing a strike zone or the Little League officials did a great job of hiding the walking sticks and keeping the seeing-eye dogs quiet during the telecasts of the games.

I know it's a "volunteer" organization, in fact I"m on our local LL board.

BUT, where is the money from ESPN, Kelloggs and Wilson going?

There were two 'irks' for me watching that game!

I#1 The plate umpire who 'extended' strike zone from in the LL IWS between Mexico and Japan will probably be promoted!

I#2. No one mentioned the Japanese LL 'showing up' the Mexico players after Japan LL hit HRs, either on the stroll to 1b, or the team fist pumping at the plate. Brawls have been started at the college/pro level for less (yet given the 12-13 y/o.
It was a bit bitter sweet when the Japanese tears flowed during and after the tough loss with the Ga LL team.

Oh it WAS mentioned, Bear. Gary Thorne (who I love, especially doing hockey) and Junior Announcer wannabe Eric Karros, fawned over them for that terribly unsportsmanlike fist pumping after a Japanese home run.

They thought it was great the kids acted like Oerestes Destrada who is a self-proclaimed legend in Japan. Yeah, and so was Bob Horner.

I'm actually surprised the Japanese acted that way. They are usually very well behaved, quiet, non-emotional, polite to the umpires and competition.

If I were Karros, I'd be looking for a job with Harold Reynolds because I might have advocated the next batter getting a ball in the ribs.

By the way, the home run partying actually had me rooting for the punk in the sideways hat.

quote:

Originally posted by biggerpapi:
By the way, the home run partying actually had me rooting for the punk in the sideways hat.

The announcers mentioned his hat styling is due to some medical condition, accomodating a shunt draining brain fluid I think? OUCH!!

I'm not a doc, just play one on the internet.

Oops...now I feel bad.

biggerpapi - i felt that way also about the Georgia player until I read the article about why he wears his hat that way.

I was really impressed with him after the championship. I thought he was a class act. After a little bit of celebrating, he told all his teammates, "come on, lets line up to shake their hands" and then was instrumental in getting the Japanese team to join them in the run around the field.