Experienced this one last weekend in Lagrange. Playing on fields that are not the age group dimensions. We played 3 13&U games on a field with 70 ft bases instead of the required 80 ft bases.
That happened to my son's team last year in Augusta. Not sure who we thought to be dumber that day - both head coaches or the umpire crew. Bases set to 80 from the previous game and not moved to 70 for the then 12 year olds...until the 3rd inning...and only after a parent pointed it out and again only after much time wasting discussion. It's simple guys - MEASURE THE DISTANCE instead of guessing and rooting around in the dirt for the anchors.
Oh, also stupid but hard to change due to lack of appropriately sized fields - playing on a 300' softball field @ 12 with a portable mound made for an 8 year old. Pitchers falling all over the place and hitters who want to jack homers but can't hit it that far. Yet.
Umpires that continually make bad calls but refuse to move their feet and get into position to see the play! Guys, you absolutely can NOT see a slide into third from in front of second base!
Temporary mounds that are not groomed in the front and have a big lip for the pitcher to fall off of or the ball to hit and pop right into the pitchers mouth!
Barsred , I agree , My top thing I hate about umpires in general is lazyness. We had one in Fayette this past w/e that stood right in front of second (obstructing the view of our 2 nd baseman catching the throw from the catcher) .Never moved an inch , sat there with his arms crossed.Was almost ready to tell our catcher to throw one right at him and force him into moving !!!!! I will put up with missed calls if it appears the ump is at least attempting to get into position to make the call. We pay good money for these tourneys ,and all we ask in return is the umps al least attempt to get the calls right!!
As for the favorite thingS about umpires , one getting into position . Two a home plate ump that celebrates the strike out with his own version of a high energy strike out call !!! I LOVE IT!!!
The Murphy Law of bat buying: Buying a new bat for your son - and then seeing him hit better with his friends dinged up old bat he got a yard sale for ten bucks.