[Rich Ives]

This is a good illustration of the problem with rules and their interpretations between managers and umpires.

Managers have the rule book (only a few of which may have been read I realize, but not relevant.) Managers do not have JEA or J/R, have most likely never heard of them, and, in any event only J/R is available to them if they know how to get it and want to spend the $$.

Problem 1:

Rule 2.00: "Obstruction is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impeded the progress of any runner."

This drives the first problem - the manager will charge out and say "the catcher was in the act of fielding the ball, how can you call obstruction."

Problem 2:

Rule 7.09(l) Comments: "When a catcher and batter-runner going to first base have contact when the catcher is generally no violation and nothing should be called. . . only in very flagrant and violent cases . . . intentionally trip . . ."

Again, a manager, with only a rule book, will again charge out spouting the "flagrant - intentional" line.

Protest Time (LL Oriented)

In LL at least, if the manager elects to protest, the protest committee will have only a rule book and maybe the OBR book and "The Right Call." "The Right Call" briefly discusses when to call obstruction but has nothing furthering the definition of it. OBR book adds the 7.09(l) comments to the mix.

Odds are the umpire will be found in error based on a) catcher was in act, b) not flagrant or violent and c) trip not intentional.

The umpire will be really POed.

The manager will think an umpire finally "got his."


[Edited by Rich Ives on Mar 16th, 2001 at 10:11 AM]