Quote:
Originally Posted by hawk65
This is a very realistic question and from my limited experience, the most constant and vexing question in officiating -- when do you enforce the rules versus when to pass on a call. Any experienced official knows you make those decisions repeatedly throughout any contest. We also know we're supposed to know the "spirit of the rule," and it seems the powers that be wanted more enforcement of the pitching lane lines so they required those lines be marked on the field. So what is the "spirit of the rule?" To have pitchers noticeably step on or between those lines or to habitually get away with having a tip of the foot barely touch the outside of those lines? When working the plate, it is one of the lowest priorities I have. But if I see a pitcher is constantly very close or outside, I'll call it on her and without any hesitation and do so as quickly as I can in the game. I'll make the pitcher make that adjustment and live within the "spirit of the rule" rather than let her divert my focus. The bane of all conscientious officials are those officials who refuse to enforce some rules because they are tough to enforce. We've all heard, "Nobody else has called that!" And that is true, nobody has called it all season! But are you right or wrong? Or are all the other officials because they didn't know the rule or chose to pass because it wasn't important to them? We all constantly make those choices every game and learn to live with our choice.
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What you seem to not realize is, we aren't talking about choosing not to make a call here. We are talking about seeing the call to make it! Big difference. It is easy to see the call when you have nothing else to think about, which is what I pointed out to the OP. You seemed to have taken that to mean that I, and others, won't make the call when we see it.
You are arguing apples and oranges here.