Umpire Positioning Controversy

[lawump]

https://usatodayhss.com/2018/umpiregate-officials-llws-walkoff-controversy

[GPblue]

Wow Even USA Today can beat the dead horse of Volunteer umpires at LLWS.

You would think ESPN would try and do something to make their program more watchable in this sense, instead of hearing Karl Ravich bite his tongue year after year while he makes his company "these are volunteer umpires who paid there way to be here" speech.

[beerguy55]

meh...I will defer to people smarter than me on what he SHOULD be doing, or where he should be at the time of the catch...but I can't see how one would do things much differently.  He's caught in no man's land on a ball that's carrying and slicing further than expected...and then trying to guess where the fielder, who's momentum is taking him away from where he needs to throw, is going to position his throw to the plate.

I suspect a pro can get into the same trouble just as easily.

 

[GPblue]

1 hour ago, beerguy55 said:

meh...I will defer to people smarter than me on what he SHOULD be doing, or where he should be at the time of the catch...but I can't see how one would do things much differently.  He's caught in no man's land on a ball that's carrying and slicing further than expected...and then trying to guess where the fielder, who's momentum is taking him away from where he needs to throw, is going to position his throw to the plate.

I suspect a pro can get into the same trouble just as easily.

 

I agree with you on this.  Hard to do a 6 man in such small dimensions and not run into a situation like this.

I just was referring to multiple media outlets that can visibly see a multi million dollar contract on a national network and those that are put under the most radar on this program are unpaid for their services.

 

[JSam21]

1 hour ago, beerguy55 said:

meh...I will defer to people smarter than me on what he SHOULD be doing, or where he should be at the time of the catch...but I can't see how one would do things much differently.  He's caught in no man's land on a ball that's carrying and slicing further than expected...and then trying to guess where the fielder, who's momentum is taking him away from where he needs to throw, is going to position his throw to the plate.

I suspect a pro can get into the same trouble just as easily.

 

Only thing one can do in this situation, once you know the ball is coming into you AOR, stop watching the ball and find the fielder and work off of him. Like you do on a foul pop up behind the plate. 

[CJK]

1 minute ago, JSam21 said:

stop watching the ball and find the fielder and work off of him

That seems like it could be disastrous if you end up with a slicing ball near the line.

 

[JSam21]

1 minute ago, CJK said:

That seems like it could be disastrous if you end up with a slicing ball near the line.

 

Well it is still all about reading the ball... You can tell if it is slicing on your initial read. But either way you need to find the fielder when you have them in close proximity to you. 

[Richvee]

The ball and F9 got there in a hurry. Ideally I suppose he could have taken a step or two towards the IF on the line, then turn to watch f/f ,catch no catch.  That's hindsight. Not a lot of room down there and the ball got there real fast. 

[JSam21]

10 hours ago, Richvee said:

The ball and F9 got there in a hurry. Ideally I suppose he could have taken a step or two towards the IF on the line, then turn to watch f/f ,catch no catch.  That's hindsight. Not a lot of room down there and the ball got there real fast. 

I also agree with this. The entirety of the clip that I saw of it was 15 seconds. That includes the pre-pitch and the initial post game celebrations. That ball was on him in less than three seconds. 

[Replacematt]

Judge the fielder, not the ball. This is why we read and react. 

[mwest5575]

Quote

Umpire-gate? Nah. Just more proof of the risk of employing volunteer umps at an event for which a media network pays $7.5 million per year to televise.

LOL. What does that make the Saints/Rams game then? Sorry couldn't resist pulling up the old thread...

[catsbackr]

Do away with 6-man.  Too small.  It would be like doing 6-man on a softball field.

[blue23ll]

6 man is just too much for that little field. 4 man can be a cluster if it is messed up on the 60' field.

[johnnyg08]

Six umpires simply gets more umpires an opportunity in Wport. Nothing more, nothing less.