My first baseball coach told me something I'll never forget. "If you have to rely on the officials to make the correct call in order to win the game, you've already lost."
Thanks MJH for those replays from 2018 LLWS. Agreed, we need more umpires. It's so much fun too: Fresh air, exercise, friendships, officiating the game we love, talking about the game we love, the great training and instructors you meet. Umpiring is such a fulfilling and humbling experience, especially volunteering in LL. Truer words were never spoken: "...suggest becoming one yourself, see how perfect you can be and, good luck with that." We appreciate the time you put into editing and narrating the actions of the "third team" on the diamond. Look forward to your next breakdown.
I am on the southwest team and we have discussed that play a lot and you can’t blame the game on one play we made mistakes that might’ve changed the game but you can’t blame it on one play or the umpire
Great attitude. I agree with you. But it's still too bad the right fielder didn't have his chance at a Web Gem 😉. You had a great team. Thanks for commenting.
@Michael Heathman - the thing is...why was the ump so far in the outfield??? Holy crap?? He was right on top of the player! He didn't need to be so damn close! As soon as the catch was made, the dumbass ump should have dropped to a knee, and the player could have thrown right over him! Another umpire screw up! I'm tired of over zealous umpires messing with the game!!! I'm also tired of over zealous politicians messing with our country!
@Michael Heathman That is absolutely not true and an insult to Little League and all it does. Little umpires go through years of training and hav to work there way up ranks to get the honor to umpire a series or even a Regional. They put hundreds of volunteer hours in. I've worked with umpires all over and many of the paid ones are not that great nor do they get the training many Little Umpires do. If you think you can do better then get out there and do it but don't bad mouth those who are.
Your comments are very spot on! Walk a mile in their shoes as it were. I played and umped for years. My view is , if you lose the game you didnt score enough runs to beat the other team. Many things happen in a game, cant blame every pitch or play or person. Thanks for your very helpful and informative series!
As an NFHS umpire, I appreciate the generosity and sense of fair play displayed in your comments. I would want someone with your attitudes coaching my kids.
Video 1 comments: The release of the ball (after a "caught" fly ball) must be intentional. Did F3 intentionally release the ball from his glove? I don't think so. There is no time frame that is required for a fielder to "hold" the ball to qualify as a catch. If it was on the transfer, how come his throwing (right) hand never gripped the ball? His fingers were never on the ball and the ball wouldn't have dropped straight down as it did in the video. Video 2 comments: Poor initial set up for the RF umpire. Never be parallel, or almost parallel to F9, as it appears he was. Should've ran in toward the infield and stay on the line for the fair/foul call, stay down (low) upon F9's throw to home. (Most) LL umpires are not trained in proper mechanics (at least not in a 6-man rotation) and experience is "OTJ" from other lesser qualified umpires. (Some) D1 and (most) minor and (all) MLB umpires go through intense schooling, 6 days a week sometimes to get to their level of officiating.
Under the rule you must clearly secure the ball. The Transfer is not applicable on that there was no secure catch. The player went to transfer to fast, therefore no ball security Thus Foul ball.
No that's umpire interference no question about it. And the player lost his momentum because the umpire was in the way. Meaning that he would have had him out at the plate.
If your gonna have replay then why in the hell was the first one not reviewable. Being that it was the third out and no one advanced that is a perfect play to review
No way you call balls and strikes as bad as some LLWS umpires: some of those called strikes on the "outside corner" are three or four baseballs off the black. LOL. Unhittable.
Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Umpires are human. I do believe the replay issue in little league needs tweeking. You always put up great video that will make people talk. Awsome job MJH Baseball !
I once had a conversation with Giancarlo Stanton about this a few years back. He told me this never happens. As we, Marlins at the time had/have a whole game to score enough runs that one questionable call will never be the reason for losing a game!!!
I umpired over 3,000 games and coached nearly 500 games at the HS level. I can honestly say that only once did I see an umpire have a direct effect on the outcome by way of bad calls. This umpire made two horrific calls in the bottom of the 6th that allowed the home team to score two runs and take the lead. The first was not taking off his mask and moving to judge whether a pop up was out of play when it was caught. It was in play. The batter hit a double on the next pitch. They eventually get runners on second and third and the defense manages an out. 2nd and 3rd, one out. The batter hts a screaming line drive no more than a foot off the ground. The 3rd baseman dives, catches it, and lands on 3B with the runner off the base. Double play, inning over, right? Nope. The umpire never saw the ball and ruled it a ground ball even though all three runners, both base coaches, and the defense were heading for the dugouts. The 3B coach realized what had happened and got all the runners to their bases. Now it's bases loaded, 1 out. The next batter doubles and drives in 2 runs. The side is retired and the visitors can not score in the top of the 7th. Home team wins by one run. In essence, the visitors were forced to get SIX outs.
First one: transfer? If the ball comes straight down, it could easily be judged a no-catch. If the ball comes out at an angle, the ball was given impetus by the throwing hand; that’s transfer. A consultation among the umpires would have been appropriate. I changed a call that way in a tournament.
Ump calls almost never actually lose the game for a specific team. Normally, there are other mistakes that influence the outcome. I mean, those calls were pretty bad, but there were more mistakes that both teams made that also lost the game. Idaho still had the chance to win. If he made a good throw, they could have won. And if Texas would not have bobbled it, they would not of had a chance at a walk off.
did the 1st base umpire cost gallaraga a perfect game a few years back? i think nuance is important, considering its pretty easy to see times when umpires do indeed have a dramatic impact on the outcome of the game. that said I couldn't agree more about people blaming losses on umpires. love your videos, keep up the great work!
I don't like mistakes! I don't like mistakes that change the outcome of a game!! It's not a matter of "deal with it!" Get shit right the first time!! Pay attention, and get it right! I was an umpire for JV and Varsity baseball in central New York for 15 years...no way did I make the screw ups in this video! I wasn't perfect, but I paid attention, and I made the right calls!! NO BS! They need to be able to review ANY play, to be sure the call is correct, so the losing team doesn't have to "deal with it!"
As for the 2nd play, I blame Little League Baseball for assigning 6 umpires on a field that small. The RF umpire was in the right spot to rule fair or foul(which is dumb since the 1st base umpire has the same view), but you can't blame the umpire for being in the position he was put out there to do
Your last comment is the best and usually conversation ending comment. As a side note in your first example which the catch/no catch there is also slight interference on the batter for stepping in the way of the catcher, but because of the other action it was missed. Great video.
Unless Little league rules are different about catches then college or high school ball that first play is not a catch. The reason that ball fell straight down is because there was no secure transfer, otherwise ball would of rolled backwards. Good call
Supermatt10 there doesn’t need to be a transfer at all to have a catch. You can run all the way to the dugout with the third out in your glove if you want to
I feel like you are asking the right questions. You can't blame the outcome of a game on a single bad call or bad play even if the game ends on it. Sure it looks tragic when everything is on the line, but there are so many opportunities for winning and losing that lead up to that point that you can't fairly say one person changed the outcome. There are just way too many moving parts.
I was a volunteer (UNPAID) umpire for a couple of years. The two worse things were: 1) the coaches that did not know the rules of baseball and 2) the parents who were either riding the coaches, the players, or me, all of which was unnecessary. Also, it was very frustrating for me to umpire a youth game a lone as there is no way that I could see everything. Once I asked a second baseman if he tagged the runner as I could not see it coming off of the plate. The second baseman said that he missed and I call the runner safe. Good sportsmanship. Then the kid got cussed out by the coach. Wow! What a lesson.
On the first video, someone commented it's a "bad call". Probably only one team felt that way. It's a judgement call and in the umpires judgement it's no catch. In the second video, having been on the field with LL players, i'ts always a challenge being in position when the unexpected happens. You never know and always need to be alert. That being said, I believe the umpire did his best to get out of the way and it was not ump interference. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but, they should try being out there before making a negative comment about the umpires were at fault.
for the 2# clip. The umpire is considered the feild of play, it is like one of your own teammates standing there, so no matter what you cannot blame the umpire for the outcome of the game.
you only protect the fielder that you think had the best chance to make the catch. The catcher had the 3rd best chance to make the catch, so no interference
I was an umpire for 30 years. The reason I quit was the level of personnel coming into the the field. It was easier to call a game alone than with some of these people. Little or no training, or never having played the game. I enjoyed the kids, and always had a talk session with them after the games, usually to answer game calls. If I was doing several games and one was canceled, I would get my glove and play catch, or how to field a ball. The league stopped that because they thought I would favor one player over another. The biggest problem I always had with umpires was and is being out of position.
On the thought umpires are to blame, well I am an umpire, I love to be an umpire and I love the game and I am used to the bashing. We are always the bad guys and the receivers of the people’s frustrations.
On the 1st play, never give the ump a reason to believe you didn't catch it. Umpires are human. Slow motion makes it look like he definitely had control of the ball and simply lost it in transfer, but in real-time, it looks like he dropped it. I would probably have called it a drop and foul ball also.
I have officiated sports for many years and no matter how well or how poorly I feel officials worked a game I will always thank them for the effort. My concern is when officials are asked to do something they are not familiar with doing. This puts them in a no-win situation. I work football and in varsity high school games we work with 5 officials while in levels below that we work with only 4 officials. The coverage and responsibilities are very different when you add the extra official. There are some states where they will go from 5 officials to 7 officials in the playoffs and in these cases unless these officials also work at the college level, they have not worked that position all year but are asked in what everyone else will call a "more important game" to work a position for the first time and to get it right. That would be the same as telling your player who was catcher all year to now go and play right field for the championship game and expect that player to play perfectly. Baseball has determined that foul line umpires are needed in some situations but now in the era of video review I think we can ask if they are needed so often. There may have been a day back in the major leagues when this was a valid concern and because of training available to them that it was a benefit. However it was a brand new position for them to work and they needed to know what was their call and what was not. The actual positioning is also critical for these umpires. In an MLB game you see the foul line umpires far in front of the outfielders so that they do not get into the play. On these tiny little league fields if the foul line umpire was to play in front of the outfielder in a somewhat similar way as in MLB then that umpire would be standing, wait for it, exactly where the first and third base umpires are standing thus rendering their presence unneccessary. In this play the right field foul line umpire was positioned where he was told but because that left him so close to the right fielder that when the ball was hit between the two, the umpire didn't realize in time to move to a different postion that would get him out of the way. Not working in that position perhaps ever before meant that he was set up for failure with very little benefit to the game. The group that puts on these games clearly states that all of the umpires are volunteers and they do a great job but I do not see a reason to have 6 of them on the field for a game that is played daily with 2 umpires. 4 umps can do this job. Adding the extra 2 adds very little to the accuracy of the calls in my opinion and when it appears that it could have affected a play negatively then you must ask why they are there in the first place.
First high school game of the 2021 year for me, I had a coach (who is infamous for being an a-hole) kinda take a jab at me for thinking I missed a banger at first. And I laughed out loud and said “you just left the bases loaded two innings in a row” with a smile on my face. Normally, I don’t respond to anything coaches have to say, but I had just gotten off of work from my regular job and it was not a fun day and it was a long drive to that field and he gave our crew crap for being “late” which was starting out plate meeting ten minutes to game time so i really didn’t feel bad about my rebuttal.
As an umpire I think the first call is not incorrect because the rule states that a fielder must complete the process of the catch which includes the transfer. The transfer is defined as an intentional exchange of the ball from the glove to the hand. Here I think the ball falls out of the glove prior to the attempted transfer and thus would be a no catch foul ball. This play is not reviewable because the transfer is a judgment call. On the second play the umpire was just too deep to watch the catch and inadvertently got in the way. Remember umpires are a part of the field and being in the way is not intentional. My final comment is remember in the LLWS umpires are volunteering their time to officiate the game and shouldn’t be criticized for trying their best.
On the 2nd play, that it is pretty big mozza ball you laid out there stating "had the umpire not been in the way that throw would have most likely result in 3rd out". Just as likely he doesn't throw him out. It was a good sac fly for the win.
I have coached and I have unpired and I have made mistakes at both but I learned from them and never made them twice and in my years of little league baseball the only mistakes that I made that caused a team to lose was as a coach. In all those years I lost one game where I thought that the umpire contributed to the loss but it was not because of one bad call.
My cousin Ryan was in the little league World Series for Texas after the game was over and they lost he uploaded the little clip of them losing, and over 90% of the comments were on how the ump got in the way.
As a young umpire, you always worry that a questionable call could be the difference in a team winning or losing a game. I have had multiple veteran umpires tell me "no one call will ever make the difference in a game", & they are right. Baseball is a game of inches & seconds, where each pitch could make a difference in how you approach the situation, offense or defense. I do a lot of tournaments & I've noticed a common theme, the teams whose coaches complain & argue everything rarely get far. They never want to blame their loss on them or their team, always the umpires.
I know this video is old, but let's face it right now there is nothing else to do. Play #1 should have been ruled an out. Play #2 this happens because most of the umpire's do not work 6 man mechanics and don't know where to be on a play like this. I have never understood why any league put 6 men on any field. Face it, even a few years ago MLB had the famous infield fly rule call that was made by an umpire on the left field foul line. Could that have been a true infield fly, yes because the shortstop was under it until the umpire called it then he stepped away from the ball thinking the outfielder called him off.
True on the 6 man crew stuff. Just an excuse to give more guys a chance to be on the field. And that infield fly in the MLB game you are talking about....it was an infield fly and the umpire did rule correctly on it. They can't call it until 1) the ball is at it's apex; AND 2) they can then view the position of the fielder and judge if it's reasonable for him to catch. So the umpire in that game did it correct. The fielder's just screwed it up. We'd all like to call it an infield fly sooner, but a lot of times on those deeper plays you just can't. You have to judge two different things and only then make a ruling. Good comment. Thanks.
@@MJHBaseballI agree wit everything you said, if that IF would have been called by the 3rd base umpire in that game i think you have no issue, but when the infielder heard the voice behind him he gave up the ball to who he thought was the left fielder calling him off. Those extra 2 guys on the field really throw off everyone because they don't see it for 162 plus games then you throw 2 guys out there on the lines it's an entire new look for the players.
Watching the LLWS is almost painful with how awful the umpiring can be sometimes. Yes, I know, they're volunteers, great! Give them a plaque and a visa card, but make sure what you're putting on the field is a good product. There is zero reason why things have to be this bad.
3:33 that umpire did the correct thing by getting in a position to look into the field of play to see the catch. The kid catching the ball, his momentum was taking him into foul territory where he threw the ball. Going further to say that had the umpire not been there (even though he didn't impede the throw) the player would have been "most likely thrown out" is just laughable. As with any sport, umpires and refs are part of the field of play and need to be taken into account accordingly. Yes, they may get in the way on a particular play..but again, that's something as a player you deal with and frankly expect.
The umpire in the Texas-Georgia game was on the playing filed when the catch was made. No umpire, except for the second base ump, if there is one, needs to be in the field of play. The ump did affect the outcome in this case by his lack of positioning himself in the right place. It is not possible to know if the player would have thrown out the runner, but it is better to let the game play the way it should be played. All the other major sports have officials on the playing surface, and rarely do they affect the game's outcome by interfering with the players progress.
Yes when me and my team were in sectionals for llws 50/70 we had a 7 out inning and the game was just horrible it was a championship game too if we won we would have gone to states
Umpires are expected to do there job and do their job well. Players get grief for errors they make and so should umps especially when they are getting paid.
Remember, these are volunteer umps and 12-year-old kids.... mistakes will be made. The ruling that this was not a reviewable play is the real issue. To Little Leagues credit, during this game, I was told that because of this play this rule will be on the agenda as a possible 2019 rule change. #still love the blue #gotta finish.#no excuses
@@patrickathern3091 Patrick, Thanks for the comment, but no Little League umpire is ever paid. In fact if they have ever accepted money to ump a little league game they are not eligible to ever ump at the tournament level. I'm not sure exactly why it is not reviewable, but it might have something to do with continuity to the regular season rules where the technology does not exist to review plays. Best guess.
@Sean C I must be confused, I’ve gone a few times to Cooperstown and been paid. Not by the league but the team sponsored. Thank you for setting me straight.
@@patrickathern3091 Cooperstown tournaments are different from "Little League World Series" which is played in Williamsport, PA vice NY. Easy to confuse.
Umpires at the LLWS are not paid. Little League likes to encourage umpires being volunteers, but I assure you they do get paid or leagues wouldn't have umpires. Even at State Tournaments I know they often get paid. I've been tournament director for LLWS state tournaments and those umpires are getting paid more often than not.
1st clip: Catch & Out. Dropped during transfer. 2nd clip: The umpires are "part of the field", so no "umpire interference". However, that umpire was in poor position, which caused him to distract the right fielder.
But the throw was different cause of position. He had a clean throw and it would have been a double play. Look at the fielders position at 3:20 after the catch. It’s such a easy throw out had the umpire would’ve moved
CPB_Games you said it’s an easy throw out had the umpire would’ve moved. He did move. Hindsight is 20/20. I used to umpire and I found myself in the middle of throws several times a season. So I started taking a knee and pivot to the play. It’s a bad situation and he had a spilt second to react and figure out what he was going to do and he chose wrong. It happens
I love your channel. However, in showing the play before the questionable umpire obstructing the throw in the Texas Georgia game you ask "Are we now going to blame the pitcher for losing the game?" This is the cheapest and lowest insult to the actual play in question. Every pitch matters, every at bat; all of moments in the game are what make up the game. Imagine if your team had a reason for protesting or wanting a call reviewed (not saying this umpire in the way of the outfielder's throw determined the game or not) could I say to you, " Coach, you could have won this game in the second inning when you had bases loaded and one out and didn't score, so why do want this wrong call corrected?" My point is sometimes a single play, ruled incorrectly by an umpire, is the element that determines the outcome of the game. Keep up the good work, though. I do like the channel very much.
The first play was a mistake, but understandable from the point of view of the umpire. The player catches the ball, but he quickly tries to make the transfer. Instead of a transfer, he drops the ball. He doesn't bobble it with his transfer hand. It just drops. The umpire likely thought based on his point of view the player didn't fully control the ball in his glove. The second one wasn't a mistake on the umpire's part. That's where he's supposed to be. It was just an unfortunate place for the ball to go.
As an umpire myself, the plate umpire blew that call, something we all do. On the second play the biggest issue is how many umpires work the foul lines on a normal basis, the answer is none of them. The Right Field Umpire didn't get into proper position in this case, he starts in fair territory and should have stayed there with a ball in front of him on the line. The 1st base umpire should make the fair or foul call in this case, and it would keep the RF Umpire out of the play.
I will never understand a six man crew on 60 ft bases. Most of my Babe Ruth and upper level USSSA state experience has been with 2, sometimes 3 for trophy games.
I don't know about the 2nd one. The fielder was not able to do much to prep himself for the throw home to make the out and in so doing lost all his momentum. It is a huge stretch to assume that the play would have been any different. Anything other than a perfect throw home the runner is still safe.
What I dont get is why video replay isnt used for ANY questionable call? Isnt the point to get it right at the end of the day? Replay would fix this, why not use it???
I understand that these videos are in place to HELP umpires. But I always feel the need to jump in a defend. All calls were just bang-bang mistakes. I probably make 1 per game. I get scrutinized for another 4 by coaches and fans. The problem with the game is not umpires...its fans and coaches.
The first call should've been out. The second the umps are part of the game and be aware of your moving if the play comes your way. It's a game like any other, errors and poor judgement go hand in hand ☺️
Can’t really call the second one an umpire error. Sometimes there’s just no good place for an umpire to be. Although I always thought it was absolutely silly to put six umpires on a small diamond.
Make every call reviewable, but they must be a challenge. If I want to challenge a call, lets go to the video. However, if I get the challenge wrong, there has to be a delay of game penalty of some sort. And I think this should be in EVERY sport
I dislike that plays can't be reviewed when other plays can. That being said, since the first one can't be reviewed, the kid looked like he dropped it as he dropped it so soon after the catch. That is why I hate that some plays are not reviewable. The umpire being in the wrong position is a different story. While it wouldn't be a sure out, the player looks like he would have been able to get it there. The umpire was in his way for so long. It is one thing for a player to do something to 'lose' a game. But no one likes it when it is because of the umpire. Especially when it was caused by them (ie, second clip).
The first one wasn't a catch. By definition a catch is when the player voluntarily releases the ball. A dropped ball during the process of transferring shows it was not released from the glove voluntarily. That is why most MLB players show the ball after catches, or pull it out of their glove right after a catch.
If you read the rule of a catch you have to have a voluntary release for it to be a completed catch. It was close but I can see why he called it foul no catch.
Yes of course the quality of officiating can make a difference in a game. Absolutely. Imagine an instance where an umpire missed 10 calls against team A in a game but missed 0 calls against team B - and team B wins by 1 run. So it is definitely possible for poor umpiring to play a role in the outcome of a game. Should we get mad at umpires and expect perfection? Well in the situations that you have mentioned I would say it is reasonable to expect that adult, highly trained umpires in the biggest youth tournament in the country should be much much closer to perfection than two teams of 12 year olds. I have consistently been disappointed in the quality of umpiring that I have seen at the LLWS. I coached youth baseball for 8 years in the Cal Ripken organization and we seemed to have much better umps. Of course the Ripken umps were paid and the LLWS umps are volunteers. That second call was blatant umpire interference. I’m not mad at the umpire for getting in the way. That happens. But umpire interference should have been called and the runner sent back to third. I couldn’t believe they didn’t fix it. I have seen umpire interference in the MLB. It happens. Just so unfortunate. You compared the umpire problems to the pitcher misplaying a come backer. They are not the same thing at all. All we want is for the game to be decided by the players - not the umps. If the players make mistakes that cost the game that is actually part of the athletic contest. What we don’t want is the umpires to get in the way of deciding the game by the players. Unfortunately that’s what happens when an umpire blows a crucial call sometimes.
I became an umpire only because of how extremely stupid the umpires for my championship game at this level were. First, when I was batting, I swung and missed but the umpire called it a foul ball. I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal but my teammate was trying to steal and would have been successful. Instead he had to go back to first. Very next pitch I hit a line drive into his side as he was running to second. That was only one of the bad calls. Bottom of the 6th one out score was 1-0 we were losing. My teammate popped it up and they called it an infield fly when it was 40 feet into the outfield and didn’t know what the rules of an infield fly were. The kid missed the ball so my teammates were allowed to advance but the umpire didn’t know that. Instead the other team touched second WHILE THE UMPIRES WERE ON TIME OUT and they ended the game. No way we could challenge or protest or anything. We should have won but instead those 2 plays cost us our trip to states where we also most likely would have won a few games.
I wish we had more umpires and I wish they didn't become umpires because of things like this, but when you ask guys why they umpire, this is a common answer.
First play, yeah that was a blown call. Should have been the third out. Still Idaho gave up quite a few runs after this play, plus there was an entire inning after this one where they also gave up runs. Second play, tougher. The umpire did get in his way and it would have been preferable for the umpire to not have been there, but umpires are on the field all the time and the infielders have to learn to throw around them. We're just not used to seeing it in the outfield. The fielder essentially ran right at him, tough one for him to get out of the way of. Plus, its not at all clear he would have had the runner at the plate. Still would have taken a great throw and great positioning on the part of the catcher. No doubt the umpire hindered him, but not clear it changed anything.
First was tough as he did drop it on the transfer but he only held it for a short amount of time and didn’t show full control. Second probably would have been out
Umps make mistakes all the time, that's just part of the game. As for the "catch", in my opinion it was a catch and dropped on transference but the ump saw it differently.
Video #2... To suggest that it would have been an out if the throw was not impeded is assuming too much. Maybe... maybe... Maybe!!! As for the first play one angle showed the ball rattling around in the glove... I don't think the kid had full control of the ball. Also... There was another error on a strike out in the dirt when the catcher throws it wild by the First basemen...
For me the second one really is frustrating to me with the umpire and the fielder. Being that he is a line ump in the outfield so it doesn't make any sense why he's even in fair territory before a ball is hit. Understandable in that moment of the game you can get tangled up with a player but that should 100% be umpires interference. With that interference call the ball becomes dead and all runner should be returned to there bases. The only argument I have against this is that the fielder did take two steps towards the umpire before throwing the ball. If you deem that as intentional then the play stands. Overall the umpire should have not been in fair territory before the ball was hit and the field should've just thrown the ball rather than taking two steps towards the umpire. Just a frustrating play to watch unfold.
I use to be a little league umpire and let me tell you it's a lot harder than it looks.
My first baseball coach told me something I'll never forget. "If you have to rely on the officials to make the correct call in order to win the game, you've already lost."
So true
@@camronreed5988 actually not true at all. if the umpire constantly makes the wrong calls against your team, your chances of winning goes lower
@@albertlwj you added my name to the reply
Great advice
@@albertlwj then become an umpire. we need more. there's a shortage, we need more umps
Thanks MJH for those replays from 2018 LLWS. Agreed, we need more umpires. It's so much fun too: Fresh air, exercise, friendships, officiating the game we love, talking about the game we love, the great training and instructors you meet. Umpiring is such a fulfilling and humbling experience, especially volunteering in LL. Truer words were never spoken: "...suggest becoming one yourself, see how perfect you can be and, good luck with that." We appreciate the time you put into editing and narrating the actions of the "third team" on the diamond. Look forward to your next breakdown.
RJ Serpa t
I am on the southwest team and we have discussed that play a lot and you can’t blame the game on one play we made mistakes that might’ve changed the game but you can’t blame it on one play or the umpire
Great attitude. I agree with you. But it's still too bad the right fielder didn't have his chance at a Web Gem 😉. You had a great team.
Thanks for commenting.
Yeah he’s still pissed but that night we threw probably the biggest party in LLWS history in the dorms
@@astros4thewin406
Cool and remember your team came along way.
Your still regional champs and that's something to be proud of. 👊👊
@Michael Heathman - the thing is...why was the ump so far in the outfield??? Holy crap?? He was right on top of the player! He didn't need to be so damn close! As soon as the catch was made, the dumbass ump should have dropped to a knee, and the player could have thrown right over him! Another umpire screw up! I'm tired of over zealous umpires messing with the game!!! I'm also tired of over zealous politicians messing with our country!
@Michael Heathman That is absolutely not true and an insult to Little League and all it does. Little umpires go through years of training and hav to work there way up ranks to get the honor to umpire a series or even a Regional. They put hundreds of volunteer hours in. I've worked with umpires all over and many of the paid ones are not that great nor do they get the training many Little Umpires do. If you think you can do better then get out there and do it but don't bad mouth those who are.
Your comments are very spot on! Walk a mile in their shoes as it were. I played and umped for years. My view is , if you lose the game you didnt score enough runs to beat the other team. Many things happen in a game, cant blame every pitch or play or person. Thanks for your very helpful and informative series!
As an NFHS umpire, I appreciate the generosity and sense of fair play displayed in your comments. I would want someone with your attitudes coaching my kids.
Video 1 comments:
The release of the ball (after a "caught" fly ball) must be intentional. Did F3 intentionally release the ball from his glove? I don't think so. There is no time frame that is required for a fielder to "hold" the ball to qualify as a catch.
If it was on the transfer, how come his throwing (right) hand never gripped the ball? His fingers were never on the ball and the ball wouldn't have dropped straight down as it did in the video.
Video 2 comments:
Poor initial set up for the RF umpire. Never be parallel, or almost parallel to F9, as it appears he was. Should've ran in toward the infield and stay on the line for the fair/foul call, stay down (low) upon F9's throw to home. (Most) LL umpires are not trained in proper mechanics (at least not in a 6-man rotation) and experience is "OTJ" from other lesser qualified umpires. (Some) D1 and (most) minor and (all) MLB umpires go through intense schooling, 6 days a week sometimes to get to their level of officiating.
The first 1 was a B.S. call. The ball dropped during the transfer.
The 2nd play is 50/50. In my opinion it would of been close
You had secure possession at 5:29s?...……..
Under the rule you must clearly secure the ball. The Transfer is not applicable on that there was no secure catch. The player went to transfer to fast, therefore no ball security Thus Foul ball.
No that's umpire interference no question about it. And the player lost his momentum because the umpire was in the way. Meaning that he would have had him out at the plate.
If your gonna have replay then why in the hell was the first one not reviewable. Being that it was the third out and no one advanced that is a perfect play to review
@@timothyreavis5475 first one is not reviewable because it's judgment based on secure possession and voluntary release
I umpire 11u through 14u and I myself have about 3 missed calls every week. And don’t get me started on balls and strike calls
xNational Anthem okay... one time I watched strike three on a pitch that bounced on the plate. Bases loaded, two outs and a full count. We lost by one
No way you call balls and strikes as bad as some LLWS umpires: some of those called strikes on the "outside corner" are three or four baseballs off the black. LOL. Unhittable.
Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Umpires are human.
I do believe the replay issue in little league needs tweeking.
You always put up great video that will make people talk. Awsome job MJH Baseball !
Yo idiot it’s shoulda, coulda, woulda
@@tannerjones8465 no, it's coulda, woulda, shoulda.
I once had a conversation with Giancarlo Stanton about this a few years back. He told me this never happens. As we, Marlins at the time had/have a whole game to score enough runs that one questionable call will never be the reason for losing a game!!!
Bad calls are just part of sports in general. As a player you just have to accept that and be prepared to pitch a fourth strike, or a fourth out.
I umpired over 3,000 games and coached nearly 500 games at the HS level. I can honestly say that only once did I see an umpire have a direct effect on the outcome by way of bad calls. This umpire made two horrific calls in the bottom of the 6th that allowed the home team to score two runs and take the lead. The first was not taking off his mask and moving to judge whether a pop up was out of play when it was caught. It was in play. The batter hit a double on the next pitch. They eventually get runners on second and third and the defense manages an out. 2nd and 3rd, one out. The batter hts a screaming line drive no more than a foot off the ground. The 3rd baseman dives, catches it, and lands on 3B with the runner off the base. Double play, inning over, right? Nope. The umpire never saw the ball and ruled it a ground ball even though all three runners, both base coaches, and the defense were heading for the dugouts. The 3B coach realized what had happened and got all the runners to their bases. Now it's bases loaded, 1 out. The next batter doubles and drives in 2 runs. The side is retired and the visitors can not score in the top of the 7th. Home team wins by one run. In essence, the visitors were forced to get SIX outs.
Better calls than most MLB Umps. I think any play should be able to be reviewed in LLWS.
It’s way easier to call a slow ass game of kids mlb is played out faster and harder
I agree, it's all about getting the call right
First one: transfer? If the ball comes straight down, it could easily be judged a no-catch. If the ball comes out at an angle, the ball was given impetus by the throwing hand; that’s transfer. A consultation among the umpires would have been appropriate. I changed a call that way in a tournament.
Ump calls almost never actually lose the game for a specific team. Normally, there are other mistakes that influence the outcome. I mean, those calls were pretty bad, but there were more mistakes that both teams made that also lost the game. Idaho still had the chance to win. If he made a good throw, they could have won. And if Texas would not have bobbled it, they would not of had a chance at a walk off.
did the 1st base umpire cost gallaraga a perfect game a few years back? i think nuance is important, considering its pretty easy to see times when umpires do indeed have a dramatic impact on the outcome of the game. that said I couldn't agree more about people blaming losses on umpires. love your videos, keep up the great work!
Mistakes are part of the game. Deal with it.
I don't like mistakes! I don't like mistakes that change the outcome of a game!! It's not a matter of "deal with it!" Get shit right the first time!! Pay attention, and get it right! I was an umpire for JV and Varsity baseball in central New York for 15 years...no way did I make the screw ups in this video! I wasn't perfect, but I paid attention, and I made the right calls!! NO BS! They need to be able to review ANY play, to be sure the call is correct, so the losing team doesn't have to "deal with it!"
Professionals don't make those kinds of mistakes.
as an umpire that is just getting started. I really appreciate your thoughts at the end of this video.
I saw the bill buckner error
R.I.P
Bill Buckner
1949-2019
He had bad knees and was barley able to walk much less bend to get a ball. The Coach should of pulled him sooner for better defence player.
I was just making a tribute
Gedman was the real goat in that game.
And I'm a Mets fan so it ha nothing to do with being a sore loser.
As for the 2nd play, I blame Little League Baseball for assigning 6 umpires on a field that small. The RF umpire was in the right spot to rule fair or foul(which is dumb since the 1st base umpire has the same view), but you can't blame the umpire for being in the position he was put out there to do
I’m from Idaho and was definitely bummed for those boys when the inning went downhill from there. It is what it is.
Your last comment is the best and usually conversation ending comment. As a side note in your first example which the catch/no catch there is also slight interference on the batter for stepping in the way of the catcher, but because of the other action it was missed. Great video.
Excellent video & commentary, MVH!
The first play was a transfer issue, not a dropped ball. The second was umpire interference. Both shall be reviewable.
Fax that kid on Georgia would’ve been out but the pitcher should’ve gone to first and it wouldn’t have been a provlem
Sorry I'm from mi so I wanted mi to win
(Thanks for the heart)
Unless Little league rules are different about catches then college or high school ball that first play is not a catch. The reason that ball fell straight down is because there was no secure transfer, otherwise ball would of rolled backwards. Good call
Mark Bennett I was thinking the same thing. The rule I was taught is that it isn’t a catch until the transfer is completed.
Supermatt10 there doesn’t need to be a transfer at all to have a catch. You can run all the way to the dugout with the third out in your glove if you want to
I feel like you are asking the right questions. You can't blame the outcome of a game on a single bad call or bad play even if the game ends on it. Sure it looks tragic when everything is on the line, but there are so many opportunities for winning and losing that lead up to that point that you can't fairly say one person changed the outcome. There are just way too many moving parts.
I was a volunteer (UNPAID) umpire for a couple of years. The two worse things were: 1) the coaches that did not know the rules of baseball and 2) the parents who were either riding the coaches, the players, or me, all of which was unnecessary. Also, it was very frustrating for me to umpire a youth game a lone as there is no way that I could see everything. Once I asked a second baseman if he tagged the runner as I could not see it coming off of the plate. The second baseman said that he missed and I call the runner safe. Good sportsmanship. Then the kid got cussed out by the coach. Wow! What a lesson.
These kind of plays should be analyzed by the umpires before the next years LLWS.
On the first video, someone commented it's a "bad call". Probably only one team felt that way. It's a judgement call and in the umpires judgement it's no catch. In the second video, having been on the field with LL players, i'ts always a challenge being in position when the unexpected happens. You never know and always need to be alert. That being said, I believe the umpire did his best to get out of the way and it was not ump interference. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but, they should try being out there before making a negative comment about the umpires were at fault.
for the 2# clip. The umpire is considered the feild of play, it is like one of your own teammates standing there, so no matter what you cannot blame the umpire for the outcome of the game.
Tbh
What about the interference on the batter in the first scenario?
you only protect the fielder that you think had the best chance to make the catch. The catcher had the 3rd best chance to make the catch, so no interference
I was an umpire for 30 years. The reason I quit was the level of personnel coming into the the field. It was easier to call a game alone than with some of these people. Little or no training, or never having played the game. I enjoyed the kids, and always had a talk session with them after the games, usually to answer game calls. If I was doing several games and one was canceled, I would get my glove and play catch, or how to field a ball. The league stopped that because they thought I would favor one player over another. The biggest problem I always had with umpires was and is being out of position.
You can never judge a game by one play
On the thought umpires are to blame, well I am an umpire, I love to be an umpire and I love the game and I am used to the bashing. We are always the bad guys and the receivers of the people’s frustrations.
Remember that everyone from the very first game to the llws are volunteers.
Bad calls happen in all sports and so do comebacks.
Don't think you can blame the loss on one play. You're up by 4 runs and only need 1 out. They had plenty of chances to get the out they needed.
Umps do need some glasses when it comes to close plays but it happens and you should just shake it off
I agree there's so many bad umpires in my league
On the 1st play, never give the ump a reason to believe you didn't catch it. Umpires are human. Slow motion makes it look like he definitely had control of the ball and simply lost it in transfer, but in real-time, it looks like he dropped it. I would probably have called it a drop and foul ball also.
I have officiated sports for many years and no matter how well or how poorly I feel officials worked a game I will always thank them for the effort. My concern is when officials are asked to do something they are not familiar with doing. This puts them in a no-win situation. I work football and in varsity high school games we work with 5 officials while in levels below that we work with only 4 officials. The coverage and responsibilities are very different when you add the extra official. There are some states where they will go from 5 officials to 7 officials in the playoffs and in these cases unless these officials also work at the college level, they have not worked that position all year but are asked in what everyone else will call a "more important game" to work a position for the first time and to get it right. That would be the same as telling your player who was catcher all year to now go and play right field for the championship game and expect that player to play perfectly.
Baseball has determined that foul line umpires are needed in some situations but now in the era of video review I think we can ask if they are needed so often. There may have been a day back in the major leagues when this was a valid concern and because of training available to them that it was a benefit. However it was a brand new position for them to work and they needed to know what was their call and what was not. The actual positioning is also critical for these umpires. In an MLB game you see the foul line umpires far in front of the outfielders so that they do not get into the play. On these tiny little league fields if the foul line umpire was to play in front of the outfielder in a somewhat similar way as in MLB then that umpire would be standing, wait for it, exactly where the first and third base umpires are standing thus rendering their presence unneccessary. In this play the right field foul line umpire was positioned where he was told but because that left him so close to the right fielder that when the ball was hit between the two, the umpire didn't realize in time to move to a different postion that would get him out of the way. Not working in that position perhaps ever before meant that he was set up for failure with very little benefit to the game. The group that puts on these games clearly states that all of the umpires are volunteers and they do a great job but I do not see a reason to have 6 of them on the field for a game that is played daily with 2 umpires. 4 umps can do this job. Adding the extra 2 adds very little to the accuracy of the calls in my opinion and when it appears that it could have affected a play negatively then you must ask why they are there in the first place.
I don’t believe either umpire cost either team their games
I think the first one was okay and Michigan still could have won, but the second one definetly was the umps fault
Tanner Evans I think is completing the other way around
First high school game of the 2021 year for me, I had a coach (who is infamous for being an a-hole) kinda take a jab at me for thinking I missed a banger at first. And I laughed out loud and said “you just left the bases loaded two innings in a row” with a smile on my face. Normally, I don’t respond to anything coaches have to say, but I had just gotten off of work from my regular job and it was not a fun day and it was a long drive to that field and he gave our crew crap for being “late” which was starting out plate meeting ten minutes to game time so i really didn’t feel bad about my rebuttal.
As an umpire I think the first call is not incorrect because the rule states that a fielder must complete the process of the catch which includes the transfer. The transfer is defined as an intentional exchange of the ball from the glove to the hand. Here I think the ball falls out of the glove prior to the attempted transfer and thus would be a no catch foul ball. This play is not reviewable because the transfer is a judgment call. On the second play the umpire was just too deep to watch the catch and inadvertently got in the way. Remember umpires are a part of the field and being in the way is not intentional. My final comment is remember in the LLWS umpires are volunteering their time to officiate the game and shouldn’t be criticized for trying their best.
On the 2nd play, that it is pretty big mozza ball you laid out there stating "had the umpire not been in the way that throw would have most likely result in 3rd out". Just as likely he doesn't throw him out. It was a good sac fly for the win.
isnt controlled release of the ball one of the criteria for a catch?
These videos are so frustrating to watch. These kids deserve better.
Second time I thought he was exaggerating but he wasn't lieing
Great point on the second call. That 9-2 putout is by no means automatic. I mean, look at the automatic comebacker to pitcher lol
I have coached and I have unpired and I have made mistakes at both but I learned from them and never made them twice and in my years of little league baseball the only mistakes that I made that caused a team to lose was as a coach. In all those years I lost one game where I thought that the umpire contributed to the loss but it was not because of one bad call.
My cousin Ryan was in the little league World Series for Texas after the game was over and they lost he uploaded the little clip of them losing, and over 90% of the comments were on how the ump got in the way.
As a young umpire, you always worry that a questionable call could be the difference in a team winning or losing a game. I have had multiple veteran umpires tell me "no one call will ever make the difference in a game", & they are right. Baseball is a game of inches & seconds, where each pitch could make a difference in how you approach the situation, offense or defense. I do a lot of tournaments & I've noticed a common theme, the teams whose coaches complain & argue everything rarely get far. They never want to blame their loss on them or their team, always the umpires.
I know this video is old, but let's face it right now there is nothing else to do. Play #1 should have been ruled an out. Play #2 this happens because most of the umpire's do not work 6 man mechanics and don't know where to be on a play like this. I have never understood why any league put 6 men on any field. Face it, even a few years ago MLB had the famous infield fly rule call that was made by an umpire on the left field foul line. Could that have been a true infield fly, yes because the shortstop was under it until the umpire called it then he stepped away from the ball thinking the outfielder called him off.
True on the 6 man crew stuff. Just an excuse to give more guys a chance to be on the field. And that infield fly in the MLB game you are talking about....it was an infield fly and the umpire did rule correctly on it. They can't call it until 1) the ball is at it's apex; AND 2) they can then view the position of the fielder and judge if it's reasonable for him to catch. So the umpire in that game did it correct. The fielder's just screwed it up. We'd all like to call it an infield fly sooner, but a lot of times on those deeper plays you just can't. You have to judge two different things and only then make a ruling.
Good comment. Thanks.
@@MJHBaseballI agree wit everything you said, if that IF would have been called by the 3rd base umpire in that game i think you have no issue, but when the infielder heard the voice behind him he gave up the ball to who he thought was the left fielder calling him off. Those extra 2 guys on the field really throw off everyone because they don't see it for 162 plus games then you throw 2 guys out there on the lines it's an entire new look for the players.
Watching the LLWS is almost painful with how awful the umpiring can be sometimes. Yes, I know, they're volunteers, great! Give them a plaque and a visa card, but make sure what you're putting on the field is a good product. There is zero reason why things have to be this bad.
3:33 that umpire did the correct thing by getting in a position to look into the field of play to see the catch. The kid catching the ball, his momentum was taking him into foul territory where he threw the ball. Going further to say that had the umpire not been there (even though he didn't impede the throw) the player would have been "most likely thrown out" is just laughable. As with any sport, umpires and refs are part of the field of play and need to be taken into account accordingly. Yes, they may get in the way on a particular play..but again, that's something as a player you deal with and frankly expect.
The umpire in the Texas-Georgia game was on the playing filed when the catch was made. No umpire, except for the second base ump, if there is one, needs to be in the field of play. The ump did affect the outcome in this case by his lack of positioning himself in the right place. It is not possible to know if the player would have thrown out the runner, but it is better to let the game play the way it should be played. All the other major sports have officials on the playing surface, and rarely do they affect the game's outcome by interfering with the players progress.
You literally cannot call "umpire interference" on that play. Once the ball passes a fielder, as that one did, the umpire is part of the field
1st one would of had me screaming at the TV . 2nd one was a bad luck one. One of those what if moments.
Yes when me and my team were in sectionals for llws 50/70 we had a 7 out inning and the game was just horrible it was a championship game too if we won we would have gone to states
Umpires are expected to do there job and do their job well. Players get grief for errors they make and so should umps especially when they are getting paid.
They're not getting paid. All the LLWS umpires are volunteers.
Remember, these are volunteer umps and 12-year-old kids.... mistakes will be made. The ruling that this was not a reviewable play is the real issue. To Little Leagues credit, during this game, I was told that because of this play this rule will be on the agenda as a possible 2019 rule change. #still love the blue #gotta finish.#no excuses
Sean C the umpires are not volunteers, they get paid. I agree though, why is it not reviewable?
@@patrickathern3091 Patrick, Thanks for the comment, but no Little League umpire is ever paid. In fact if they have ever accepted money to ump a little league game they are not eligible to ever ump at the tournament level. I'm not sure exactly why it is not reviewable, but it might have something to do with continuity to the regular season rules where the technology does not exist to review plays. Best guess.
@Sean C I must be confused, I’ve gone a few times to Cooperstown and been paid. Not by the league but the team sponsored. Thank you for setting me straight.
@@patrickathern3091 Cooperstown tournaments are different from "Little League World Series" which is played in Williamsport, PA vice NY. Easy to confuse.
Umpires at the LLWS are not paid. Little League likes to encourage umpires being volunteers, but I assure you they do get paid or leagues wouldn't have umpires. Even at State Tournaments I know they often get paid. I've been tournament director for LLWS state tournaments and those umpires are getting paid more often than not.
When I was an umpire they said it’s not a catch until they make the transition from glove to hand voluntarily
1st clip: Catch & Out. Dropped during transfer. 2nd clip: The umpires are "part of the field", so no "umpire interference". However, that umpire was in poor position, which caused him to distract the right fielder.
3:06 umpire is part of the field and the runner would have been safe anyway
@Mia Gonzales that is really a stupid comment.
But the throw was different cause of position. He had a clean throw and it would have been a double play. Look at the fielders position at 3:20 after the catch. It’s such a easy throw out had the umpire would’ve moved
CPB_Games the umpire did move. The best thing probably would have been taking a knee but hindsight is 20/20
jack jon But he still got in the way and ruined the throw
CPB_Games you said it’s an easy throw out had the umpire would’ve moved. He did move. Hindsight is 20/20. I used to umpire and I found myself in the middle of throws several times a season. So I started taking a knee and pivot to the play. It’s a bad situation and he had a spilt second to react and figure out what he was going to do and he chose wrong. It happens
I love your channel. However, in showing the play before the questionable umpire obstructing the throw in the Texas Georgia game you ask "Are we now going to blame the pitcher for losing the game?" This is the cheapest and lowest insult to the actual play in question. Every pitch matters, every at bat; all of moments in the game are what make up the game. Imagine if your team had a reason for protesting or wanting a call reviewed (not saying this umpire in the way of the outfielder's throw determined the game or not) could I say to you, " Coach, you could have won this game in the second inning when you had bases loaded and one out and didn't score, so why do want this wrong call corrected?" My point is sometimes a single play, ruled incorrectly by an umpire, is the element that determines the outcome of the game. Keep up the good work, though. I do like the channel very much.
Yes, sometimes unfortunately it does. As an umpire, that would be my biggest worry...to mess up and have that end up changing an outcome.
The first play was a mistake, but understandable from the point of view of the umpire. The player catches the ball, but he quickly tries to make the transfer. Instead of a transfer, he drops the ball. He doesn't bobble it with his transfer hand. It just drops. The umpire likely thought based on his point of view the player didn't fully control the ball in his glove. The second one wasn't a mistake on the umpire's part. That's where he's supposed to be. It was just an unfortunate place for the ball to go.
Hi that is not the right call umpire doesn’t have to move he’s part of field but the other one was caught
Ps: I love ur vids keep up the work
I believe that umpires do not change the outcome of the game. I’ve always been told it’s not one play, but all the other plays you could of made.
As an umpire myself, the plate umpire blew that call, something we all do. On the second play the biggest issue is how many umpires work the foul lines on a normal basis, the answer is none of them. The Right Field Umpire didn't get into proper position in this case, he starts in fair territory and should have stayed there with a ball in front of him on the line. The 1st base umpire should make the fair or foul call in this case, and it would keep the RF Umpire out of the play.
I will never understand a six man crew on 60 ft bases. Most of my Babe Ruth and upper level USSSA state experience has been with 2, sometimes 3 for trophy games.
The fact that people truly think that one call from the umpire can change the outcome of a game is ridiculous
I don't know about the 2nd one. The fielder was not able to do much to prep himself for the throw home to make the out and in so doing lost all his momentum. It is a huge stretch to assume that the play would have been any different. Anything other than a perfect throw home the runner is still safe.
The second play we can’t tell if he would have thrown him out even if the ump wasn’t in the way
What I dont get is why video replay isnt used for ANY questionable call? Isnt the point to get it right at the end of the day? Replay would fix this, why not use it???
You can still score after a fly-out? I thought that was not possible and runners have to get back to their bases...
I understand that these videos are in place to HELP umpires. But I always feel the need to jump in a defend. All calls were just bang-bang mistakes. I probably make 1 per game. I get scrutinized for another 4 by coaches and fans. The problem with the game is not umpires...its fans and coaches.
run in to the ump and throw the ball you’ll get sum type of interference call
Dominic Ponge that is so true
The first call should've been out. The second the umps are part of the game and be aware of your moving if the play comes your way. It's a game like any other, errors and poor judgement go hand in hand ☺️
Can’t really call the second one an umpire error. Sometimes there’s just no good place for an umpire to be. Although I always thought it was absolutely silly to put six umpires on a small diamond.
Make every call reviewable, but they must be a challenge. If I want to challenge a call, lets go to the video. However, if I get the challenge wrong, there has to be a delay of game penalty of some sort. And I think this should be in EVERY sport
I dislike that plays can't be reviewed when other plays can. That being said, since the first one can't be reviewed, the kid looked like he dropped it as he dropped it so soon after the catch. That is why I hate that some plays are not reviewable. The umpire being in the wrong position is a different story. While it wouldn't be a sure out, the player looks like he would have been able to get it there. The umpire was in his way for so long.
It is one thing for a player to do something to 'lose' a game. But no one likes it when it is because of the umpire. Especially when it was caused by them (ie, second clip).
I’m not sure if they do, but does the LLWS call balks? Because I think the pitch on the second one definitely was, he never came set. Help me out?
No leading off or stealing in Little League, so no balks. And pitchers are not required to come to a STOP when pitching from the stretch.
2:04 is that Simon from Alvin and the Chipmunks??
I see three errors in the stat line on the TX-GA game, that's probably a bigger factor.
Technically they could have had the game alot earlier so the umpires yes did make a bad call but players are the ones who could have won the game
The first one wasn't a catch. By definition a catch is when the player voluntarily releases the ball. A dropped ball during the process of transferring shows it was not released from the glove voluntarily. That is why most MLB players show the ball after catches, or pull it out of their glove right after a catch.
If you read the rule of a catch you have to have a voluntary release for it to be a completed catch. It was close but I can see why he called it foul no catch.
Yes of course the quality of officiating can make a difference in a game. Absolutely. Imagine an instance where an umpire missed 10 calls against team A in a game but missed 0 calls against team B - and team B wins by 1 run. So it is definitely possible for poor umpiring to play a role in the outcome of a game. Should we get mad at umpires and expect perfection? Well in the situations that you have mentioned I would say it is reasonable to expect that adult, highly trained umpires in the biggest youth tournament in the country should be much much closer to perfection than two teams of 12 year olds. I have consistently been disappointed in the quality of umpiring that I have seen at the LLWS. I coached youth baseball for 8 years in the Cal Ripken organization and we seemed to have much better umps. Of course the Ripken umps were paid and the LLWS umps are volunteers. That second call was blatant umpire interference. I’m not mad at the umpire for getting in the way. That happens. But umpire interference should have been called and the runner sent back to third. I couldn’t believe they didn’t fix it. I have seen umpire interference in the MLB. It happens. Just so unfortunate. You compared the umpire problems to the pitcher misplaying a come backer. They are not the same thing at all. All we want is for the game to be decided by the players - not the umps. If the players make mistakes that cost the game that is actually part of the athletic contest. What we don’t want is the umpires to get in the way of deciding the game by the players. Unfortunately that’s what happens when an umpire blows a crucial call sometimes.
I became an umpire only because of how extremely stupid the umpires for my championship game at this level were. First, when I was batting, I swung and missed but the umpire called it a foul ball. I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal but my teammate was trying to steal and would have been successful. Instead he had to go back to first. Very next pitch I hit a line drive into his side as he was running to second. That was only one of the bad calls. Bottom of the 6th one out score was 1-0 we were losing. My teammate popped it up and they called it an infield fly when it was 40 feet into the outfield and didn’t know what the rules of an infield fly were. The kid missed the ball so my teammates were allowed to advance but the umpire didn’t know that. Instead the other team touched second WHILE THE UMPIRES WERE ON TIME OUT and they ended the game. No way we could challenge or protest or anything. We should have won but instead those 2 plays cost us our trip to states where we also most likely would have won a few games.
I wish we had more umpires and I wish they didn't become umpires because of things like this, but when you ask guys why they umpire, this is a common answer.
First play, yeah that was a blown call. Should have been the third out. Still Idaho gave up quite a few runs after this play, plus there was an entire inning after this one where they also gave up runs. Second play, tougher. The umpire did get in his way and it would have been preferable for the umpire to not have been there, but umpires are on the field all the time and the infielders have to learn to throw around them. We're just not used to seeing it in the outfield. The fielder essentially ran right at him, tough one for him to get out of the way of. Plus, its not at all clear he would have had the runner at the plate. Still would have taken a great throw and great positioning on the part of the catcher. No doubt the umpire hindered him, but not clear it changed anything.
First was tough as he did drop it on the transfer but he only held it for a short amount of time and didn’t show full control. Second probably would have been out
Umpires do a difficult job. A lot a mistakes get made by the players during the game. It’s just a game.
Umps make mistakes all the time, that's just part of the game. As for the "catch", in my opinion it was a catch and dropped on transference but the ump saw it differently.
Video #2... To suggest that it would have been an out if the throw was not impeded is assuming too much. Maybe... maybe... Maybe!!!
As for the first play one angle showed the ball rattling around in the glove... I don't think the kid had full control of the ball. Also... There was another error on a strike out in the dirt when the catcher throws it wild by the First basemen...
Too many umpires = higher probability of disaster, especially on a little league field.
In#2 I think the umpire was in the way but he kind of ran into him?
Coco Boss his momentum was carrying him the ump probably should’ve seen him coming and gotten out of the way
For me the second one really is frustrating to me with the umpire and the fielder. Being that he is a line ump in the outfield so it doesn't make any sense why he's even in fair territory before a ball is hit. Understandable in that moment of the game you can get tangled up with a player but that should 100% be umpires interference. With that interference call the ball becomes dead and all runner should be returned to there bases. The only argument I have against this is that the fielder did take two steps towards the umpire before throwing the ball. If you deem that as intentional then the play stands. Overall the umpire should have not been in fair territory before the ball was hit and the field should've just thrown the ball rather than taking two steps towards the umpire. Just a frustrating play to watch unfold.
Who else plays short stop and the umpire gets right in front of you and he ignores you to move its frustrating.
Dude amazing video