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Hmmm Pete,
Interesting question.
Perhaps we can look at through a two-sided looking glass:
View #1:
Personally I am really bored answering questions such as:
"Are the hands part of the bat?"
"When a ball bounces through the strike zone is it a strike?"
and
"Does a right handed pitcher have to step off before trying a pick-off throw to first base?"
But that is a "personal problem" and NOT an "internet problem."
I also am tired of reading (this is a "pot kettle black thing") reading the same "self described" experts that go on-and-on about certain rulings, situations and other issues.
Again that is a "personal issue" and not an "internet issue".
I really get tired on Mr. Anoy-mouse posts that do nothing to advance learning or clarity.
View #2:
There is an ever expanding number of umpires that are just gettting started at using the internet.
Less than 1% of the umpires in Portland, OR tune in, read along or participate in the internet umpire boards.
Internet umpire boards are EXACTLY like sports talk radio.
In Portland we have ONE major league franchise. So all year long all you hear is "How about those Blazers?" I mean June, July, September, January . . . it doesn't matter.
A talk show host will talk about the Blazer for three freakin' hours and finally get to something other than who's in the arrest reports this week and a "new" listener (that would be one that just tuned in) will call and say, "Will the Blazer go all the way this year?"
It is exactly what happens here (meaning the internet in general).
New umpires NEED to learn . . . while Internet umpire pages are a good source I believe that questions come without any attempt of personal study and THAT is bad.
Another challenge we face when we give advice is that ALL umpires are different, all experiences are different, all type baseball is different.
For me (a vet of over 30 years) to tell a newbie how to handle a "game managment" issue is silly . . . face it I can get away with a lot more that an untried "new meat" umpire.
Pete, in closing, we need to make internet umpiring BETTER. The people who have been on these boards for four and five YEARS need to help figger out how to streamline things.
As an example:
I would love to have someone write a perfect documented answer to "are the hands part of the bat?" question. I would like it to cover the RULES sections and references but also keep the humor we see every time the question comes up. I would like that person to keep that post saved and post it EACH AND EVERY time the question is asked.
This would keep the stress levels and many "self described" experts from giving 'bad advice'.
There are at least five questions that could have "canned" answers and that would help everyone.
Oh yeah, "Third World Plays" should have a title that says that . . . plus, as we all know, "It Is Impossible To Balk To Second Base!"
[Edited by Tim C on Dec 3rd, 2002 at 04:13 PM]
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