LL base umpire

[chadozee]

I was watching a LL game last night where the base umpire was working inside the diamond.  A coach came out and told him that was against the "rules" in LL.  The umpire reasoned saying that he would be blocked if he called the game from the outside.

 

is there such a rule/guideline?

[James Walker]

If it is closed bases (no lead off) he needs to be outside so he can see if runners are leaving early.  Then busy inside to the infield if/when the ball is hit.  Sometimes it takes a little more effort, but in the end it is still 60' bases.

I've never done little league nor seen a little league rule book, but I doubt it would have a rule about where a umpire would position himself.  But, it wouldn't surprise me if it did...

Edited May 22, 2015 by James Walker
Fat fingers, small keyboard

[lilleaguer]

I was watching a LL game last night where the base umpire was working inside the diamond.  A coach came out and told him that was against the "rules" in LL.  The umpire reasoned saying that he would be blocked if he called the game from the outside.

 

is there such a rule/guideline?

​From the LL Rule Book:

Rule 9.04 (b) A field umpire may take any position (see Little League Umpire Manual) on the playing field best suited to make impending decisions on the bases.

But the Umpire Manual does suggest that the field umpires for Little League and below (closed bases) position themselves outside the baselines. 

Edited May 22, 2015 by lilleaguer
Fixing some formatting with the quote.

[Rich Ives]

I was watching a LL game last night where the base umpire was working inside the diamond.  A coach came out and told him that was against the "rules" in LL.  The umpire reasoned saying that he would be blocked if he called the game from the outside.

 

is there such a rule/guideline?

​He needs to be outside to see the leaving early violations.

(One of the bigger kids will hit a screamer right at him some day. Then he'll move outside.)