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Old Wed Feb 08, 2006, 02:56am
nickrego nickrego is offline
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There was an earlier thread about calling a Balk with R3.

Many umpires stated that they believe in Preventative Umpiring, or Coaching, to prevent such an occurrence, if possible. There were also some who said they take the situation into consideration.

Before I talk about Preventative Umpiring, let me say that I think “taking the situation into consideration, and how it will effect the outcome of the game,” to be completely wrong. Read any umpire manual in publication. Know where will you read that we are supposed to CONTROL the outcome of a game. I am being very literal here, and not talking about inconsequential events in a game. Like overlooking a base coach who is a few steps out of the coaching box.

Although I believe in the spirit of Preventative Umpiring at the lower levels, it is an EXTREMELY touchy thing.

If you are going to give CHANCES to players for not knowing, or breaking the rules, you better be VERY subtle about it. And nobody besides you and the player, or the catcher if he is the go between, should know about it.

Things you need to consider if you practice this…

If you are going to give a pitcher a second chance on a particular way of balking, are you going to give them a chance on EVERY possible way they could balk ?

If you give the starting pitcher one or more chances, are you going to do the same with every relief pitcher ?

What if team A pitchers balk a few times, you are giving them chances, and Team B’s pitchers don’t balk one time ? Did team B get a fair chance to win the game ? Especially if they lost by 1 run, and they had R3 on during one of the balks you gave team A a chance on ?

So, you are giving both teams chances on balks, or any other highly visible rule. Are you going to make sure you give each team an even number of chances ? What if the game ends before you can even it up, and the losing team had been given less chances ?

Do you really think nobody knows your giving chances ?

As soon as one, or both of the coaches finds out you gave even one chance, they will expect more. How do explain to them that his team has used up all their chances ? His next question is going to be; How many chances do you give a team ? Have you been giving the other team changes also ? If you say Yes, now you are really in deep, because he is going to want to know how many. If you say No, the coach will think you are a liar, and be watching you 100 times closer than he had been.

So you can see, in general, it is much easier to just enforce the rules.

Personally, I find I have enough to do to properly manage a FAIR game. I will work subtly with a catcher, if I feel I can get a way with it, if a pitcher is CLOSE to balking. But…On the 90’ diamond, See a Balk – Call a Balk. I am talking about balks you are sure of, not the ones that may be a balk. Is there a score ? Will it affect the game ? Don’t know, don’t care.

Remember, if you saw the balk, so did someone else, and that someone else expects you to call it, even if it is the offending teams coach. Why, because when the other team balks, he wants to have confidence that you WILL call it. It may win HIM the game.

I absolutely CRINGE when I call an obvious balk during a Varsity game, and then my partner tells me between innings that he would have let that go the first time. GET OFF THE FIELD, I’ll finish the game myself (with less problems) !

If you want to coach, COACH. Do us all a favor, since we need more good coaches out there. I don’t mind doing a few extra games to cover for you.

This is just one person’s opinion. Something that, so far, we have been able to protect from those who would take that right away from us.

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Have Great Games !

Nick
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