Poor Mechanics

[littleleagueump]

I saw a display of very poor mechanics yesterday and with my back ground as an instructor in Little League, these umpires that work only for the money just really boiled my brain.

I was walking from the parking lot to get ready for a game at the park and I noticed another game that I have no contol over was already being played. What started it for me was I know who these guys work for. They work for an association that trains them in clinics that last maybe 4 hours and them they are told to go call ball. They usually show up just in time to start play and some of them don't check equipment before the game starts.

The part about the equipment if any of you know Little League is check for cracked bats, cracked or painted helmets and the catcher has a dangling throat guard on the double ear helmet that the catcher is supposed to use.

The firt item as Iwalk from my truck was to see that the game was in progress, the pitcher was throwing pitches with noe runners on and the BU that was in the A position was on a knee! Next, isaw that the PU had his hands behind his back every the entire time. The catcher had a skull helmet on and NO DANGLING THROAT GUARD! I was non-the-less, very upset with these clowns. They just don't understand the liabilities that they are responsible for.

They were informed by my DA that they were to correct the problem. What made it even worse is that the safety director of that league was a coach for the other team.

Safety is a big issue on the field before you start a game. You are liable for everthing that can happen. Protect yourself or you can cause a lot of problems for youself. Good luck.

[Umpire in Chief]

I would use this as an example to the person who schedules that for that group why they should be using you. It's not only a liability on those umpires, but if their known to be so slack the assignor could have some liability if he has reason to know their so slack.

[PeteBooth]

They work for an association that trains them in clinics that last maybe 4 hours and them they are told to go call ball. They usually show up just in time to start play and some of them don't check equipment before the game starts.

What association do they work for ? meaning is this a HS association or just some kind of summer association.

The part about the equipment if any of you know Little League is check for cracked bats, cracked or painted helmets and the catcher has a dangling throat guard on the double ear helmet that the catcher is supposed to use.

You said the magic words - LL

LL has a rule set unlike any other.

Here is what I am talking about.

IN HS played by FED rules a coach can warm up F1. Also, as long as a player warming up F1 is not in a squat position they do not need protective gear.

Therefore, if this league contracts with FED umpires it's not uncommon that the umpires will not care about a coach warming up F1 or a player NOT in the squat position warming up F1 with no protective gear on because that's what they are used to.

HOWEVER, the throat guard etc. is REQUIRED in HS as well so I do not undertsand why they tolerated this.

I do not know this association that you mention but from my experience an association for the most part will send their worst umpires to do LL games.

Why!

Because an associations best members are busy doing the "Bread and butter leagues" which are

1. American Legion

2. CBL - Collegiate Wood Bat League

Here is a suggestion

Tell this LL organization to start up a Training program of THEIR own specific to LL rules. They should send 2 / 3 umpires to regional School and then have these guys / gals bring back that knowledge and start a program of their own.

Also, although LL frowns on paying umpires - Pay these individuals so that this LL organization can keep them .

Pete Booth

[Mike Walsh]

HOWEVER, the throat guard etc. is REQUIRED in HS as well so I do not undertsand why they tolerated this.

Pete Booth

There is a difference between the 2 levels. High school requires a throat guard, which can be part of the mask. LL requires a dangling throat guard. Most masks are manufactured with the throat guard built right into it and don't need any addition to be legal for HS. That may explain why the umpires let it go.

Mike

[UmpJM]

llump,

Since, from your post, I infer this was "official" Little League, I am confused by your "...only work for the money..." comment, because my understanding is that Little League's policy is to use "unpaid" volunteer umpires.

JM

Edited January 23, 2009 by UmpJM
Corrected addressee

[Umpire in Chief]

Many areas pay Little League umpires. Around here I believe all but one of the local Little League organizations pay their umpires.

[UmpJM]

Many areas pay Little League umpires. ...

Warren,

Say it ain't so!!!

Oh, wait...I knew that.

When I read llump's post, it struck me as kind of outraged and indignant () and it struck me as amusing. I may have been "yankin' his chain" a bit.

I know some people who would be equally indignant that a LL was paying umpires.

I feel that, on balance, leagues get the level of umpiring they are willing to invest in - either through compensating qualified umpires or providing quality training for volunteers.

When I see what I think of as "clown" umpires, I just kind of roll my eyes. Just makes my association look better, as far as I'm concerned. Helps us get better games. Over time.

JM

Edited January 23, 2009 by UmpJM

[catoblue]

Many areas pay Little League umpires.

Same around here. Our Majors & Minors regular season is all inter-league between 4 leagues, simply because our communities are small enough that we can only field 2 or 3 teams/division. Ours is the only one of the four leagues that does not pay umpires, yet, since we provide training for our voulunteers, most of ours are better than most of the ones that are paid by the other leagues.

The investment in umps in LL is much better spent to get them decent training, than simply paying a few daddies to stand behind the plate for 6 innings.

[mstaylor]

I don't know what level these guys are trained for but nothing below college allows skull caps. If they are then they stink any level they are working. I am unusual in the fact that I train both paid and unpaid umpires. I hate to get into the argument about which is better. Having worked in the LL system for 35 yrs, I can assure you there are good guys in both camps. There are guys that enforce the LL rules properly and guys that don't and it makes no difference about pay. I am stricter about safety rules than most guys in either but I do that at any level I work. If I am working a system then I know their safety rules and enforce them.

[Dragon29]

Warren,

Say it ain't so!!!

Oh, wait...I knew that.

When I read llump's post, it struck me as kind of outraged and indignant () and it struck me as amusing. I may have been "yankin' his chain" a bit.

I know some people who would be equally indignant that a LL was paying umpires.

I feel that, on balance, leagues get the level of umpiring they are willing to invest in - either through compensating qualified umpires or providing quality training for volunteers.

When I see what I think of as "clown" umpires, I just kind of roll my eyes. Just makes my association look better, as far as I'm concerned. Helps us get better games. Over time.

JM

The myth that LL doesn't allow leagues to pay their umpires is based upon the fact that they do not allow the leagues to pay umpires in post-season play.

During the season, you're on your own (I've worked both as a volunteer and a paid official in LL) but during post-season, no $$$! That makes it very hard for leagues which pay their umpires to fully participate in post-season because they are expected to field a number of umpires commensurate to the number of teams they send to the post-season tournament. This is what ends up being the strongest motivation for leagues to use volunteers throughout the season.