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Mike,
I'm confused. You say Asa clinicians say it is part of the plate but the rule book says it is 17" and with black it is more than that. In addition, then you cite the clinicians guide and it says in parenthesis to empasize that black is not part of the plate but then it goes on to instruct umps to assume if it passed the black part that it passed the white part. Why assume that? It is possible that it didn't.
I will not call the black and will cover it up if possible when I do a game.
I am glad when I go onto a field and the black is not showing. If during a game some of it becomes exposed. I brush dirt over it when I clean the plate so it is not.
The black rim should be buried or ASA should rewrite its rule so it takes that extra measurement into account. There's no point to say the plate is 17" and then say oh well lets add the black to it which then makes the specification obsolete. What happens to a manager who protests an ump. What is the ump going to base his decision on? How can you interpret 17 inches to mean 17 3/4 or whatever it is?
I understand that not all grounds crews maintain fields as well as others and so you might have to be flexible in how you call it but I will go to my grave saying black is not part of 17". That is one I can read and it does not seem to be one that allows for middling on its interpretation. It's either 17 inches or not.
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