Some of the most despicable umpiring I've ever seen

[LouisEly]

Has anyone watched any of the Little League World Series? I saw some games the past few days and saw some very questionable calls... then I saw the "highlights" of the Japan-Mexico game today. Some of the strike calls made the 1997 Livan Hernandez World Series strike calls look reasonable. And it wasn't just one, it was several. Did anyone else see this?

 

It's one thing to have that kind of egregious umpiring to paid professionals. It's a whole different level to screw over innocent kids over like that. It wasn't likely that Japan was going to win based on Mexico's pitching, but when you have help like that from the umpires it just completely demoralizes you. Fairness is very important to me, and if I were a Little League World Series official or Commissioner that umpire would be not only fired, but I would personally see to it that he never umpires another Little League game ever again anywhere, and I would seriously consider replaying the game.

[TSack27]

I didn't get to see the full games and it's impact on the outcome, but the highlights appeared to show the strike zone to be about 12" away from where I expeced to see the umps call it http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

[young guns]

I think I saw a replay of that. The catcher set up in what looked like the opposite batters box, the pitcher hit the spot, and the ump called it a strike, looked like it was strike 3, I only saw it in passing so I'm not sure, but the ump got all animated for the call. That is just despicable. I might understand poor umping at a regular little league game, but not the LLWS. If I were him, after seeing that, when I got the call to come in and talk to my boss, I would be like that's ok, I'll just quit.

[Patrick425]

It's always like that in the LLWS. Every game. Every year.

[OglivieHomePerm]

I run the youth baseball program in our area, and finding competent volunteer umpires (which all Little League Umpires are) is the most difficult part of the job. Hard to believe, but the list of people willing to give up their free time to get yelled at by parents and coaches, and get disrespected by 12 year olds is not all that long. So bad umpiring in the Little League World Series should not come as a suprise to anyone.

[Buckylovesbeer]

I agree the strike zone is huge. I have noticed this a lot this year. I also agree that it is hard to get good volunteer umpires in little league, but I wonder if these umpires are paid or not?

 

But to spark a possible discussion on this strike zone size.....

 

A possible theory: The umpires are trying to help the pitchers out. Batters are using atomic bats on tiny baseball fields......maybe the umpires feel bad for all of the weak swing home runs that have been the norm over the last decade?

 

Although I must say that I have noticed a ton of "no-hit" pitchers (most cannot finish due to the pitch count rules) and blow out games this year.

[OglivieHomePerm]

I recall hearing the broadcasters refer to the "volunteer umpires" more than once. I'd be very surprised if they were paid...even in the World Series. I definately hear what you are saying about the atomic bats and the small fields. Yikes.

[Paulus88]

For the little legaue I coached in we had older players umping younger players for most of the season, then at the end of the year the adult district umpires came in. From my observations the kid umpires were far more consistent with their strike zone (good or bad) and overall pleasent to work with (of course the coaches on my team are not yellers and the parents and kids in our league are well behaved).

 

Whereas the adult umpires were ill tempered (again with a tame crowd) and had strike zones that were all over the place. Furthermore the adult umpires were sticklers for irrelevant rules. One of our kids had a brother who played for the local high scool. Since the high school's colors were the same as our teams he wore the high school team's hat during games. It was agaisnt the rules but again its Little League so who cares. Well the district umpire cared and made a stink about it of course he blew it on an actually improtant call but he got his point across on wearing the proper uniform.

 

After the season we all agreed that the teenage umpires were more consistent and better sports.

[stoutdude04]

I run the youth baseball program in our area, and finding competent volunteer umpires (which all Little League Umpires are) is the most difficult part of the job. Hard to believe, but the list of people willing to give up their free time to get yelled at by parents and coaches, and get disrespected by 12 year olds is not all that long. So bad umpiring in the Little League World Series should not come as a suprise to anyone.

The umps at our little league get paid. Its like, minimum wage per game. 7$ or whatever. Hardly anything, but they always did a pretty good job.

[Patrick425]

I have a feeling that the Little League umps are instructed to have a very big strike zones for these games. A mary-go-round ride around the basepaths makes for bad TV.

 

I coach a U12 team in Waukesha that plays in the Wisconsin State League. For the most part the umpires are pretty reasonable in their play calling and strike zones, but they are not getting paid minimum. In a two umpire game each ump gets $45 ($60 for a one umpire game). Not bad for what usually ends up being 2 hours of work at the most. However, as mentioned by others in this thread, they do have to deal with the occasional unreasonable coach and/or parent.

[Fatter than Joey]

I have a feeling that the Little League umps are instructed to have a very big strike zones for these games. A mary-go-round ride around the basepaths makes for bad TV.

 

This is exactly what I thought -- and it isn't unfair if both teams have the same zone.

 

In a two umpire game each ump gets $45 ($60 for a one umpire game). Not bad for what usually ends up being 2 hours of work at the most.

 

I think the good umps earn their money -- A lot of them are almost a "3rd coach" especially for 12u and under, explaining balks, and other rules of the games to the kids.

[Invader3K]

I understand they don't want to showcase merry go round games, but at the same time I wasn't exactly entertained watching kids strike out batters who had no realistic chance up there, either.

[Fatter than Joey]

Generally big strike zone, means that the kids are swinging -- if they swing and miss -- that's better than watching them take all sorts of pitches.

[LouisEly]

I can understand a strike zone that goes a couple of inches outside of the plate, and a little below the knees and up at the letters. But when the pitch is literally so far outside that it is not physically possible for them to hit the ball while standing in the batters box is unacceptable, and that is what I saw.

 

I have a feeling that the Little League umps are instructed to have a very big strike zones for these games. A mary-go-round ride around the basepaths makes for bad TV.

 

I disagree - the Canada/Germany game (I believe won 14-13) was one of the most exciting games I have ever watched. One team was down big in the 5th but scored 11 runs in the 5th to go up 13-10, only to give up four in the sixth to lose.

[stoutdude04]

I have a feeling that the Little League umps are instructed to have a very big strike zones for these games. A mary-go-round ride around the basepaths makes for bad TV.

 

I disagree - the Canada/Germany game (I believe won 14-13) was one of the most exciting games I have ever watched. One team was down big in the 5th but scored 11 runs in the 5th to go up 13-10, only to give up four in the sixth to lose.

I think he was talking about walks, making the game slow paced. Watching the kids score is great. Watching them walk and take pitches...not so much.