LLWS Regionals -HPUs

[Stk004]

Interesting hammer mechanic from the PU in the Mid-Atlantic regional on ESPN right now. Also, I hope he isn't using diamond pads on that mask. 

[indianaumpire15]

U1 using the indicator.

[grayhawk]

19 minutes ago, Stk004 said:

Interesting hammer mechanic from the PU in the Mid-Atlantic regional on ESPN right now. Also, I hope he isn't using diamond pads on that mask. 

It's a cross between the softball hammer and the baseball hammer.  Also, he's WAY too fast.

[Kevin_K]

and while this is not about Plate mechanics...... why does U2 bolt into the infield on every play, including a sinking line drive to F8 instead of simply turning around to see catch/no catch?

I get it is a little field and there are umpires on the lines, but c'mon man! Would it be that hard for U3, PU, and U1 to rotate clockwise so some one was within 50' of a potentially reviewable play?

[noumpere]

SSDY.

[basejester]

9 minutes ago, Kevin_K said:

and while this is not about Plate mechanics...... why does U2 bolt into the infield on every play, including a sinking line drive to F8 instead of simply turning around to see catch/no catch?

I get it is a little field and there are umpires on the lines, but c'mon man! Would it be that hard for U3, PU, and U1 to rotate clockwise so some one was within 50' of a potentially reviewable play?

 

[Jimurray]

Watching San Bernadino Regional. I think they emulated what I think I see at Williamsport. A dugout with an opening and and a fence creating an alley to the opening. Why is that there? 

[stkjock]

I noticed that as well, seems excessive to me, guess someone in the dugout opening got hurt one time so a CYA fence put in its place.  

[maineump]

10 hours ago, Kevin_K said:

and while this is not about Plate mechanics...... why does U2 bolt into the infield on every play, including a sinking line drive to F8 instead of simply turning around to see catch/no catch?

I get it is a little field and there are umpires on the lines, but c'mon man! Would it be that hard for U3, PU, and U1 to rotate clockwise so some one was within 50' of a potentially reviewable play?

I worked that tournament a few years ago. Let's see if I can help you on the question -

U2 comes in every time, because he has no outfield responsibilities. If I remember correctly, they are using a 6-man system. There are no rotations, and U2 gets position to for call at 2B only ( another set of eyes on the dropping line drive might help as well).

Not defending anything, just telling you how they made us do it. It is the LL mechanic, same one they use in Williamsport.

[Aging_Arbiter]

4 hours ago, maineump said:

I worked that tournament a few years ago. Let's see if I can help you on the question -

U2 comes in every time, because he has no outfield responsibilities. If I remember correctly, they are using a 6-man system. There are no rotations, and U2 gets position to for call at 2B only ( another set of eyes on the dropping line drive might help as well).

Not defending anything, just telling you how they made us do it. It is the LL mechanic, same one they use in Williamsport.

Ditto.  (was there WITH @maineump)

[Kevin_K]

,@basejester, @maineump, @Aging_Arbiter..... I understand that's the way they teach it and the way they want it done. I suppose it was more of a venting than it was a question. I just wonder when their fear of failure will lead directly to failure in a huge moment like in a championship game aired on national television.  

One would think that those who know about the baseball end of Little League would begin to embrace some of the changes in not only umpiring, but baseball in general. 12 year-olds do not play much on 46/60 diamonds in these parts, and umpires work with rotations regardless of experience or field size.

Sorry...... now stepping off my soap box..... please stay tuned for your regularly scheduled programming joined in progress.

 

[Rich Ives]

11 hours ago, maineump said:

I worked that tournament a few years ago. Let's see if I can help you on the question -

U2 comes in every time, because he has no outfield responsibilities. If I remember correctly, they are using a 6-man system. There are no rotations, and U2 gets position to for call at 2B only ( another set of eyes on the dropping line drive might help as well).

Not defending anything, just telling you how they made us do it. It is the LL mechanic, same one they use in Williamsport.

A few years back on National TV from Williamsport  a runner missed 2B by six feet and no umpire  saw it. So now U2's only job is to watch 2B.

[maineump]

7 minutes ago, Rich Ives said:

A few years back on National TV from Williamsport  a runner missed 2B by six feet and no umpire  saw it. So now U2's only job is to watch 2B.

Punish the many for mistakes of the few

[Rich Ives]

Just now, maineump said:

Punish the many for mistakes of the few

It's 6 man on a small field. What else should he be doing?

[maineump]

Just now, Rich Ives said:

It's 6 man on a small field. What else should he be doing?

I agree Rich, I understand totally. I understand why they want 6-man, to get more guys in the games, but the umpires need to get the training that is offered, not just 'go with what they know'. It happens at all levels, as we all know.

I have worked the 6-man on the small fields - it seems crowded at first, but we adjusted.

Umpires need to listen to what the powers-to-be want them to do. It sounds pretty simple, but have seen many times when the umpire's think that they have a better way.

BTW - there is a new sheriff in town as UIC in Williamsport. I hear he might be doing some good things.

[MadMax]

2 hours ago, maineump said:

I agree Rich, I understand totally. I understand why they want 6-man, to get more guys in the games, but the umpires need to get the training that is offered, not just 'go with what they know'. It happens at all levels, as we all know.

I have worked the 6-man on the small fields - it seems crowded at first, but we adjusted.

Umpires need to listen to what the powers-to-be want them to do. It sounds pretty simple, but have seen many times when the umpire's think that they have a better way.

BTW - there is a new sheriff in town as UIC in Williamsport. I hear he might be doing some good things.

I've worked as Rabbit (U2) on 6-man deployments for Thursdays at CDP. That's a 50-70 field, with 200-ft fences, and with no-one on base, U2 starts out and has Big V... and stays out for fly balls to Big V. UL and UR have their responsibilities of (their) fielder to line. When in, U2's V becomes smaller... yadda yadda yadda. My point is, even on 50-70, with a liner or hard grounder, I (U2) am watching the ball as I'm moving to my spot at the infield 2B cutout towards B...

What I end up watching, when I do watch LL Playoffs and WS, is a U2 that gets tunnel vision and ignores where the ball is. They rotate in in earnest, but then, because LL has limited leadoffs and stealing, they resume a position outside anyway. So why make it so repetitive and dogmatic? And, I fear that U1 often gets himself in a potential firing line between a hard-charging F8 or F9; granted, it's far more rare in LL than CDP because of LL's shorter basepaths, but I can't help but be reminded of a game at CDP where I had to scold my U1, several times, not to do a complete button-hook pivot while we're in a 4-6 man crew. The old codger was going to get de-brained, I was sure of it.

[FleasOf1000Camels]

On ‎8‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 0:51 PM, JSam21 said:

Because when you huddle you bring in everyone. If you don't have anything to add to that conversation you just say, "I didn't have a look." It would look weird to have a meeting in the middle of the field and one guy is standing over in A.

Plus, that guy in RF may have a major MILF sighting that needs to be reported to the rest of the crew.

[RichMSN]

It's 6 man on a small field. What else should he be doing?

He should have catch/no-catch on balls hit between the outfielders. Was this a trick question?

[RichMSN]

I agree Rich, I understand totally. I understand why they want 6-man, to get more guys in the games, but the umpires need to get the training that is offered, not just 'go with what they know'. It happens at all levels, as we all know.

I have worked the 6-man on the small fields - it seems crowded at first, but we adjusted.

Umpires need to listen to what the powers-to-be want them to do. It sounds pretty simple, but have seen many times when the umpire's think that they have a better way.

BTW - there is a new sheriff in town as UIC in Williamsport. I hear he might be doing some good things.

The powers to be usually have a reason for what they want to do, but fear of an umpire not rotating shouldn't be the driving force in dictating coverages.

I've worked U2 in a televised game. When told to not go out on balls in U2's typical area, it was because of a fear that U3 wouldn't cover third and the game was on TV. So now I'm supposed to not do my job as an umpire because someone else might forget to do his?

I wish this mentality would just go away. We shouldn't be compromising coverage just to make sure there's no chance a subsequent mistake is made. U2 should never be running away from a ball hit over his head.

When I worked two HS state championships we worked 4 on every game and even on the televised finals worked the same mechanics we worked the rest of the week.

If you're gonna work 6, work 6. But then let U2 help in the outfield and rotate around the infield like you probably did all week.

About WP, I hear the same things. I also hear the requirement to hammer strikes may have been a one year thing by the guy no longer in place there. I hope so. I've pointed for 30 years now and one shouldn't have to change how they umpire for one week in PA.

[stkjock]

Great call by U3 in the CT/RI New England final.  Slide in under the tag, terrible job by f5, but foot comes up and off the bag.

 

first looks like he'll call safe, stays with it, bangs the out. 

 

 

Mechanic question, better to be on outfield side or infield side for a play at 3rd with play coming from the infield.  I guess starting on the outfield side, no time to rotate to the inside?

[Stk004]

Cream shirt sighting in this NW final. 

[Stk004]

I don't know if anyone us watching this NW final but on that last wild pitch HPU was so focused on getting 3BLX he wound up directly between F2 and 3rd base (There was a runner on 2nd TOP). 

[grayhawk]

I don't know if anyone us watching this NW final but on that last wild pitch HPU was so focused on getting 3BLX he wound up directly between F2 and 3rd base (There was a runner on 2nd TOP). 

That was bad. Not only was he in the way, he had his back to the ball. Don't be a spot umpire. Chest to ball.

[RichMSN]

Great call by U3 in the CT/RI New England final.  Slide in under the tag, terrible job by f5, but foot comes up and off the bag.

 

first looks like he'll call safe, stays with it, bangs the out. 

 

 

Mechanic question, better to be on outfield side or infield side for a play at 3rd with play coming from the infield.  I guess starting on the outfield side, no time to rotate to the inside?

No desire to get inside. How would that be a better look in 99% of the plays?

Outside is where we want to be whether U1, U2, U3 or PU if we have the luxury of not having to cover a subsequent base.

[Rich Ives]

3 hours ago, RichMSN said:

He should have catch/no-catch on balls hit between the outfielders. Was this a trick question?

That's assigned to the foul line umps I think. It's not U2.