Little League State...

[theedeuce]

This weekend starts the Little League 12-U (major) State Championship here in Toccoa Georgia. I was given the distinguished honor to call two games Saturday night and one on Sunday morning. We will be working 4 man crews (as all Little League State level tournaments do). This will be my second year in a row given this opportunity to call at this level...

I am curious to know where some of you guys will be calling your state level tournaments or regional tournaments. Please advise.

[kylejt]

I took this post-season off, so more of my Junior umpires could get a chance. I got 13 and 14 year olds into sections. One of my 14 year olds is working a 9/10 Division(state) game at WR headquarters today. That's big for our Jr. umpire program.

[sasmallen]

This weekend starts the Little League 12-U (major) State Championship here in Toccoa Georgia. I was given the distinguished honor to call two games Saturday night and one on Sunday morning. We will be working 4 man crews (as all Little League State level tournaments do). This will be my second year in a row given this opportunity to call at this level...

I am curious to know where some of you guys will be calling your state level tournaments or regional tournaments. Please advise.

Not LL, but I'm calling the PONY 13 South Zone Tournament here in Houston this weekend. South Zone stretches from Texas all the way to Florida, just includes the states on the coast. The winner goes to the PONY 13 World Series in California. We're doing 3-man until the final night, then it will be 4-man. Going in I thought the Miami team would be the clear favorite, but after last night (Miami lost) it looks like a team from west central Texas is pretty strong. I had two games last night, I'll have the two late games today, three on Sunday, and at least one on Monday night (championship, which could be 2 games Monday night if the team out of the losers bracket wins the first game).

[mstaylor]

My job is to supply labor for concerts and other types of entertainment. I am currently doing a two week stent at the DE State Fair, Jeff Dunham as I type. Because of the timing I can't do anything deyond districts any more. I have done states at all age levels. I was able to go to Dover and umpire two games at the Big League Eastern Regional.

[Umpire in Chief]

We have a Pony Zone here in Virginia Beach this week. I'm not working it but it seems like a good time.

[willv28]

Wow, 13 and 14 yo doing sectionals. I turned down the chance at possibly doing JrLB sectionals that are in our area. Just because I could succeed, I've never done a plate for a JrLB game and only ONE as BU and that was a teaching experience. So I figured though I could do it just fine, there's others more deserving at this point.

The only likely possibility for anymore ball that year is 10/11 yo BB states, and those don't advance any further than that. It would also be after a longer than two week layoff.... But that tourney is only in it's 2nd day so we don't know if our district is out, the finals are being held in our district.

Other than that I might just go watch a game at the regionals in Bristol this year. It's not far from where I work and obviously because I live in CT it's not far in general.

[scobes7]

We started our state championships this past weekend. I was chosen as one of the lucky ones...worked 1st base one game, and behind the plate for one game...4 man crews...states this year for the major division are being held in Cranston RI

[dawg-man]

I just finished the Junior League State Tournament and the Senior League State tournament. I did three games in pool play for the Jr. League in Elberton. In Watkinsville I did four pool play games and then the semi finals and finals for the Senior League. Busy week but very enjoyable. Duece, I came up to Toccoa and watched games on Saturday. You guys did a great job, if I had known you were there I would have come up and introduced myself. I hope Brian and Jeremy treated you well.

[theedeuce]

Dawg-man... you and I both missed each other. Our group did 2 games Saturday night and one game Sunday morning. Jeremy and Brian treated us like kings. Words can't describe the work they put into games like these and the preparation that goes into putting on events as big as this. Little League really sets the bar when it comes to youth baseball. Thanks for your comments. I plan on going back this Friday to watch the finals. Hope to meet you then. If you had a chance to see Warner Robbins then I think it's fair to say that you would agree that they are a most dangerous team. I look for Warner Robbins to win the State, Regionals and the World Series this year. They are that good...

[sasmallen]

Not LL, but I'm calling the PONY 13 South Zone Tournament here in Houston this weekend. South Zone stretches from Texas all the way to Florida, just includes the states on the coast. The winner goes to the PONY 13 World Series in California. We're doing 3-man until the final night, then it will be 4-man. Going in I thought the Miami team would be the clear favorite, but after last night (Miami lost) it looks like a team from west central Texas is pretty strong. I had two games last night, I'll have the two late games today, three on Sunday, and at least one on Monday night (championship, which could be 2 games Monday night if the team out of the losers bracket wins the first game).

Well the host team from Houston, Kyle Chapman PONY beat Team Miami 6-4 Monday night to earn a trip to the PONY 13 World Series. Pretty good weekend, good baseball with one exception. I did have to toss a pitcher and manager in one of my games Saturday, but that's a story for another thread.

For whatever it's worth the PONY director over the South Zone asked if he could make arrangements for us to call the 2010 (or 2011 if '10 is already filled) PONY World Series in Pennsylvania (I'm not going to hold my breath, but we'll see). He said the paperwork needed to be filled out after the first of the year, and that they pay $20 per game plus a per diem. Anybody know how much that per diem is? Just wondering how much money we would have to raise for 4 of us to go up there.

[Nate]

I worked some U11, U13, U15 Championship Game, and U17 State Tournament games. They were pretty decent to do. Since I've started umpiring I've always been selected to do at least one state game a year, but this year I did all the LL ages.

[scobes7]

I worked some U11, U13, U15 Championship Game, and U17 State Tournament games. They were pretty decent to do. Since I've started umpiring I've always been selected to do at least one state game a year, but this year I did all the LL ages.

That is so sexy... :BD:

[blindumpire99]

I was asked to be the UIC for the Cal Ripken 10y/o state tournament here. There were 4 other big touraments going on just in my county on the same weekend, including the state 12 y/o Cal Ripken as well as a 13 y/o area tournament and 2 HS showcases so I knew that I knew I had to scramble and work the phones hard, but in the end I was astounded at the high quality of umpires that I was able to work with during this event. A few did double duty with the HS tourneys. I was blessed to have guys with years of youth league to guys with NCAA experience. All did an outstanding job and, both I and the tournment director received quite a few compliments from coaching staffs as well as fans themselves the entire weekend on the quality of the umpiring and this included teams who were on the losing end of pool play, even one who ended up going 0 -4.

The team personnel themselves were good to work with, easygoing and we only encountered one problem on the fields the entire weekend that got an ass't coach EJ'ed for cursing an umpire:tantrum: and one problem in the stands with a couple team's fans who had smuggled alcohol in and pretty much reeked of it the first couple of days.

BUT--to our surprise, they were well behaving fans, really supported their teams, gave my guys NO PROBLEMS at all, but the tourney officials started finding their beer bottles secreted in places and announced via the speaker systems on all fields that anyone found to be possessing alcohol would be asked first to leave, then escorted out by law enforcement, if necessay. The announcement contained a little ditty that this weeked was for the kids and how the fans should be sterling examples, et al...

We worked a 4 man championship game and I felt so blessed to work with such a Top Gun group of umpires! If any of you guys are reading this--Great job and Thanks again!:tantrum:

[willv28]

I have yet to have the honor of a state game. Looks like some others in town did, but, maybe next year.

[Nate]

I have yet to have the honor of a state game. Looks like some others in town did, but, maybe next year.

A good thing to do is to do a lot of games during the season. Then show interest in doing them. A lot of times assigners have problems finding people qualified enough to do the games around here (also depending on who the AABC designates who's assigning).

Nate

[theedeuce]

Toccoa, Georgia... Tonight is the finals between two colossal giants competing for one coveted title; "The 2009 Little League State Champions". This epic battle will feature two powerhouse youth baseball programs; North Columbus (2006 LL world series champions) vs. Warner Robbins (2007 LL world series champions). Winner advances to Southeastern Regionals in West Virginia. Loser heads home. It's all or nothing tonight and I have a sneaky feeling that both teams will be leaving everything on the field tonight. Early estimates have over 2500 people cramming in this tiny park to watch this epic battle. If you hear it thunder tonight, don't be alarmed... more than likely its the roar coming from Toccoa Georgia...

Edited July 31, 2009 by theedeuce

[willv28]

A good thing to do is to do a lot of games during the season. Then show interest in doing them. A lot of times assigners have problems finding people qualified enough to do the games around here (also depending on who the AABC designates who's assigning).

Nate

Well, I definitely did that. I did all the games assigned, there's also not a whole lot to go around. I even helped out with minors despite the problems. I think it was mistaken a bit when we said we didn't want to do that state junior league games due to not having done one at all year. I've only ever done one. There was a kid assigned to do just all of those. So I think it was taken as we were done. Also, there wasn't much going on outside junior and senior league games in the district outside 10/11 state championship.

Oh well.

[dawg-man]

Duece,

Just got in from Orlando from a wedding. Did you work the game and how was the game? People who have never seen these LL teams play have no idea how good these two programs are. I am sure it was electric at the park.

[theedeuce]

Dawg-man... It was a great game. Warner Robbins beat Columbus 7-3. No, I did not work the championship game. I enjoyed it better as a casual observer. It's a shame both teams can't go to the southeast regionals because both are capable of winning the southeast regionals and going deep into the world series. Seeing what I did this week, I don't see anyone beating Warner Robbins. Their pitching staff is a coaches dream come true. I was looking for you but with so many people there... lol... we would have had to run into each other. Athens had a decent team during the week (they went 2-2). I met some folks from Athens who were at the championship game and we talked a little hoping you were in that group but to no avail, I moved on... Hopefully we will get a chance to hook up. I have to attend the State clinic in 2010 so maybe we can meet then... Until then... happy trails to you...

[LLUmp35]

I was lucky enough to have several assignments this year. My league hosted the Senior Girls sectionals and the Senior Boys sectionals and states. I did a plate in the girls sectionals, 3 games in the boys sectionals (3B, 1B and plate), and 3 games in the states including a plate in the semis and 3B in the final game.

I actually got a couple of extra games because of the horrendous weather causing the tournament to be pushed back to a weekday and our umpires with day jobs couldn't get off of work.