[Simply The Best]

Originally Posted by Simply The Best
At some point you will need to associate yourself with one or more officials organizations. Find out who they are and they will be able to point you not only to the rulesets but to the modifications that are made by various baseball leagues inc WA HS Association.

Originally Posted by Suudy

Sure. I haven't looked yet, and just have been kicking the idea around. It's been on my mind for a few years, but I think I want to understand things much better before really taking the plunge.

One of the most difficult things for me to absorb is the high degree of personal judgment and nearly God-like powers that umpires have. These complicated scenarios that are discussed seem to rely more heavily on the umpires judgment than in football. For example, in the obstruction scenario #1 I posted, the "umpire decides 'how far' to protect the runner." In football, the only judgment is whether a foul occurred, not how it should be applied. In baseball, it seems to be both. Also, the awarding of bases or returning runners to bases, seems to put a lot on the umpire.

Yes, we carry a heavy burden.

And perhaps because of this, and my lack of knowledge, I'm reluctant to jump in. As I understand it, it is common for managers to argue calls.

Two points you need to consider. 1) Most managers haven't a clue to the rules, they don't have rulebooks (just ask one if he does), they have never read one (especially FED Rules), they absolutely do not teach their players the rules and they are as rare as hen's teeth on umpire forums. Any rule knowledge will put you far in advance of most of them (an exception might be HS coaches) 2) Game control is crucial and it isn't factually discussed on many umpire foprums imo. You hear a lot of "forum talk", umpires giving witty one liners, etc. but in truth most umpires are terrible at game control. That is, they don't control jack.

Game control need not be either a science or a misery. K.I.S.Suddy.

Here is what I teach and what many organizations have adopted (to some degree) regarding "discussing" (arguing is not allowed) plays (not ball-strikes) between umpires and coaches.

• Coach wants a discussion
• Meet him at sideline or out of play (never on field)
• If he comes onto the field, walk him off it
• Put your hands at your sides or behind your back (no possibility of you initiating contact)
• Keep more than an arms length in distance
• Don't use his name ("sir or coach")
• Listen to what he has to say
• Either site the rule and/or what you saw if a judgment call or both
• Listen to a response
• Inform him you have made a decision (agree to disagree)
• Thank him and end the discussion, return to your position.

If he continues, you can return and warn him ("Coach, we're through here"), return to position.
If he continues after that, eject.

Simple, precise, takes 2-3 minutes max, effective.

Note: It is up to you if you want to discuss with any coach other than the HC; balls and strikes are NOT discussable; warn a coach as soon as he starts on your strike zone either in private or so everyone can hear. Let him know you will eject if there is any more indiscretion on his part.

In football, we give an explanation. After the explanation, they can either go back to the bench, or be an arse and we flag them. But in baseball, it seems the response to a manager who just won't go away is ejection. And that seems drastic to me. And I'm not sure how I'd handle ejecting a manager. I've only done this once in my career to a head coach in football, and it was for shoving me. And I've flagged plenty of head coaches for being jerks.

If you are consistent as per my example above, the ejection is imminent. You are not ejecting anyone, the manager ejects himself. The point you have to consider is after the ejection, the manager either wants to stay on or continue to argue, you have to warn him that he is jeopardizing the continuance of the game. If he does continue, you have to be ready to end the game.

If you go into these game control situations with a firm set of reasonable guidelines, set in your head, follow them without fail, it becomes 1-2-3. If you don't, and as many umps want to do, make up your guidelines on the fly, you're screwed. Believe me, you are screwed, you will find yourself in the middle of nastiness and have nothing to fall back on to solve the problems you have caused yourself.

Shrug. Perhaps my experience in football would help me manage such situations.

It will, take the same bent as in football, 1-2-3.

And this is the other complication. Things are pretty uniform in football. Fouls are fouls, at almost all levels. Holding is holding, pass interference is pass interference, etc. The only thing that might change is the conditions for the call (not at the point of attack, uncatchable ball, etc). But what I've read so far on here makes my head spin. The sheer number of differences, not just in what constitutes an infraction, but the conditions, enforcement and mechanics change as well. Phew.

Football is a piece of cake. Baseball never will be, no offense intended, it is the most difficult sport to officiate because of the rules. Then you have the plays where no rules exist. But that's the fun and the challenge of it.

Indeed! I'm thinking of doing just one level of ball until I get my feet under me. Keeping track of the differences between the age groups would just be too much.

Good idea. Most of us didn't have the choice, if you do, take one age group and stay there for awhile. I started in the '60s and called FP and SP softball, baseball 6-Adult usually all on the same day. No rule books, couldn't find one, umpires almost always were players past so we brought a player's knowledge to the game. The adults played at night and were usually drunk.

Take the plunge if for no other reason than you truly do not know the game of baseball in its entirety until you have put on the blue.