Quote:
Originally Posted by rwest
Being a letter-of-the-law umpire can also get you into trouble. Years ago ASA had a problem with the wording of the D3K rule. I can't remember the exact format, but one way to interpret the rule as it was written then would have prohibited the Batter from becoming a Batter Runner with 2 outs in a given scenario. Maybe it was with a runner on 1st. I can't remember the exact scenario. Regardless, the wording was misleading at best. We all know that with 2 outs the Batter becomes a Batter Runner on the D3K. That was the intent but that's not how it was worded.
We need to know the intent of the rules to accurately enforce them. The rule book should convey the intenct but sometimes the intent is not as clear as in other cases. This is not meant as harsh criticism on the writers of the rule book. We've all written something that didn't clearly convey our meaning. Often times what we write is clear to us because we know what we meant. However, the reader might misinterpret it.
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That's why we have rules supplements, case plays and clarifications on the ASA website.
Plus that annual meeting held in November.
My only caution was that there are some umpires who, completely on their own and without guidance, look too deep for the "intent of the rule." Sometimes, the intent is readily apparent. Other times, it's not.