You got 40k in fans at the game. National TV on ESPN. Its big time folks. Its the LLWS. And then you have these umpires calling the games that would get booted out of a local rec league if they made these calls. Awesome! At least the strike zones are consistent. Lol
Williamsport puts in the contract that they have the right to approve/disapprove of all announcers.
One thing they will not countenance is anyone who doesn't sing from the hymnal.
But every time you hear them repeat about how wonderful the umps are and that they are all volunteers who work for free, I keep thinking that sooner or later someone is just not going to be able to stop themself from saying, "And sometimes you get what you pay for!"
I keep thinking John Kruk is the loose cannon who'll let that slip out one night. I can't wait.
It is a constant blot on this event that the umpires are just awful, awful, awful, year after year. The strike zone alone is just atrocious game after game, making much of the games' outcomes random. Then to see some of these blown calls out in the field, too, it's just embarrassing.
Come on, Little League, you can afford to pay to bring in real umpires!
One thing they will not countenance is anyone who doesn't sing from the hymnal.
But every time you hear them repeat about how wonderful the umps are and that they are all volunteers who work for free, I keep thinking that sooner or later someone is just not going to be able to stop themself from saying, "And sometimes you get what you pay for!"
I keep thinking John Kruk is the loose cannon who'll let that slip out one night. I can't wait.
It is a constant blot on this event that the umpires are just awful, awful, awful, year after year. The strike zone alone is just atrocious game after game, making much of the games' outcomes random. Then to see some of these blown calls out in the field, too, it's just embarrassing.
Come on, Little League, you can afford to pay to bring in real umpires!
Amen.
quote:fanofgame, Thanks for the kind words...Griffin is my nephew and we are very proud of him and all his teammates for their accomplishments this year on and off the field. Coach Brad Bates has done a wonderful job with all the boys, and it was enjoyable to watch the growth of the team over the past couple years.
Your welcome.he was a joy to watch. Nice player.I loved his attitude, just a real good boy.
Georgia vs. Pennsylvania
Did you guys JUST see that strike zone in the top of the 5th on that last batter? Really?
Did you guys JUST see that strike zone in the top of the 5th on that last batter? Really?
quote:Originally posted by YoungGunDad:
Georgia vs. Pennsylvania
Did you guys JUST see that strike zone in the top of the 5th on that last batter? Really?
a little low for you?
What about one umpire calling foul and the other - who really has the call, calling fair? I also don't like instant replay being used so much.
quote:Originally posted by 55mom:quote:Originally posted by YoungGunDad:
Georgia vs. Pennsylvania
Did you guys JUST see that strike zone in the top of the 5th on that last batter? Really?
a little low for you?
What about one umpire calling foul and the other - who really has the call, calling fair? I also don't like instant replay being used so much.
That was the third time that double call was made so far this WS.
We've got the world's best youth players who competed to get to this level. Why can't LL give some consideration to providing at least slightly comparable umpires?
quote:We've got the world's best youth players who competed to get to this level
You really don't think the world's best youth players play LL do you? That switch happened years ago. Your select teams playing AAU, USSSA, SS, etc are far better....and your better umps are there too.
Quite honestly, I do not work 11-12 year old ball. But I have never seen USSA, AAU, SS, etc. teams from Saudia Arabia, Japan, or the other countries that are represented at the LLWS.
I did not mean to start an argument or hurt anyone's feelings...how about....
We have some of the best players at the 11-12 year old level playing at the LLWS. It would nice to have at least umpires of comparable skills instead of the political hacks (my opinion) that are selected by what appears to be a "good ol'boy" system.
I did not mean to start an argument or hurt anyone's feelings...how about....
We have some of the best players at the 11-12 year old level playing at the LLWS. It would nice to have at least umpires of comparable skills instead of the political hacks (my opinion) that are selected by what appears to be a "good ol'boy" system.
quote:Originally posted by CADad:
I dunno BOF, it seems to me that checking the kids' biological age monthly and moving the kids between age groups on a monthly basis makes perfect sense.
I have four daughters. Three are between the ages of 13 and 17. I keep a calendar monthly, along with their mom, if you know what I mean.
Makes perfect sense to me.
quote:Originally posted by YoungGunDad:
Georgia vs. Pennsylvania
Did you guys JUST see that strike zone in the top of the 5th on that last batter? Really?
That was it for me. Turned off the TV went to bed. Bases loaded in the 5th inning and the umpire takes the bat out of the kids hands and helps decide the game. Disgraceful!
quote:Originally posted by Jimmy03:quote:Originally posted by 55mom:quote:Originally posted by YoungGunDad:
Georgia vs. Pennsylvania
Did you guys JUST see that strike zone in the top of the 5th on that last batter? Really?
a little low for you?
What about one umpire calling foul and the other - who really has the call, calling fair? I also don't like instant replay being used so much.
That was the third time that double call was made so far this WS.
We've got the world's best youth players who competed to get to this level. Why can't LL give some consideration to providing at least slightly comparable umpires?
Not even close to the worlds' best youth players. They could not even stay close with tournament teams so don't even dream that these are the best. Our 10U team plays on the same size field and we have kids crushing balls out and throwing as fast as most of these kids. They are good players from local areas but don't think they are the best. The best are not playing Little League.
quote:Not even close to the worlds' best youth players. They could not even stay close with tournament teams so don't even dream that these are the best. Our 10U team plays on the same size field and we have kids crushing balls out and throwing as fast as most of these kids. They are good players from local areas but don't think they are the best. The best are not playing Little League.
I think you're correct for the most part. However, it's always possible that some of these kids are among the best of their age group. There have been several Major League players that played in the Little League World Series. Obviously there have been many times more that didn't play little league, so surely you are correct. Either way, it's fun watching young kids play.
I wonder how those kids playing in front of 30,000 plus fans will respond to normal baseball the next several years. Only one way to ever play in front of a crowd like that again and even if it ever happens that would be many years after being 12 years old. Still very cool to see that many at a game, let alone millions watching it on TV. IMO, it is great for baseball!
Can a LLer 'verbal' and still play, like all those U10 travel kids do?
Ok, we can all agree the best players & umpires may not be in attendance... however, how many "paid" umpires have done a game with 30K in attendance? Looked like the kids handled the situation better than the adults. Just loved the LF for GA hugging his struggling pitcher then running to his position urging the crowd to "bring it" Additionally, I'm pretty sure a good number of these kids are "travel" players. The "LL team" from HI a year or so ago was made up of a majority of a fairly accomplished travel team. You can make an argument that no single tournament has "all the best" players, especially in this age group. Did a little checking, the boys from CA are also known as "Total Baseball" in USSSA land a couple of them also playing 14AAA for HB Oilers. As many may have guessed by watching them play, this isn't your run of the mill LL all-star team.
My 2 cents.
I don't live within 200 miles of a Little League. I have never seen one of their games in person. I still love to watch these boys play.
It is what it is. Don't understand the need to bad mouth it. Who cares whether or not they are the best?
I find myself curious what has happened to those who played who are my boy's age. Those I can remember are Dante Bichette Jr, the Pimental(?) boy from California and it seemed some other SoCal boys were pretty good back then.
I don't live within 200 miles of a Little League. I have never seen one of their games in person. I still love to watch these boys play.
It is what it is. Don't understand the need to bad mouth it. Who cares whether or not they are the best?
I find myself curious what has happened to those who played who are my boy's age. Those I can remember are Dante Bichette Jr, the Pimental(?) boy from California and it seemed some other SoCal boys were pretty good back then.
quote:Originally posted by zombywoof:
The kids who didn't turn 12 yet would be eligible for the tournament the following year and even if they were only 11 and good enough, they still could've made the team depending on how the local leagues pick their all-stars.. I don't get the logic changing the cut date for that reason. Had they moved the date back to Dec 31, only 12 and under would be age eligible for the tournament and for the most part, kids would be playing in divisions with their classmates. Moving the date back makes the most sense, not up to May.
Zomby -
Not quite accurate. You can play if you do not turn 13 before the specified date. Under the old rules, if you turned 12 in June or July, your local league was typically done or nearly done before your 12th birthday. The next year, you were ineligible to play even though you were 12 during most (if not all) of the main LL season because you turned 13 before August. Now, those kids can play that last year of LL because they do not turn 13 before May 1.
Truthfully, I had to go through the logic a couple of times to finally get it straight. The purpose was to accommodate players at the local level. Only a few make it all the way through the district, state, and regional tournaments to make the LLWS. In spite of what the LLWS has become, there are a lot of local leagues where it is truly "recreation".
It's all relative. It is the 'Little League World Series' and apparently they are the best teams within Little League Baseball as established through their play off system. Unlike all other youth baseball events it has become a televised tradition.
I like watching the MLB World Series but when my team is not in it I'm not enamored by it. I like watching the College World Series but if my team doesn't have a game going on I can take or leave the other games. When the LLWS is on, I make a point of trying to catch every game and love every minute of it.
I like watching the MLB World Series but when my team is not in it I'm not enamored by it. I like watching the College World Series but if my team doesn't have a game going on I can take or leave the other games. When the LLWS is on, I make a point of trying to catch every game and love every minute of it.
quote:Originally posted by YoungGunDad:
Georgia vs. Pennsylvania
Did you guys JUST see that strike zone in the top of the 5th on that last batter? Really?
You talking about the called strike three on Fromm??? I can understand not squeezing a 12U pitcher, but if you're calling unhittable pitches strikes, what's the batter supposed to do? That's WHY there's a strike zone...I really got the feeling the guy at the plate was enamored with the spotlight and LOOKED for opportunities to ring a player up on a called K3...he did it several times on pitches that WERE NOT strikes.
You couldn't drag me away from the TV during the LLWS. It's the greatest.
