[Suudy]

Originally Posted by Simply The Best

Any rule knowledge will put you far in advance of most of them (an exception might be HS coaches)

Ah, they taught us the same in football. When I was a youngin', I got the bright I idea of telling a coach that when he could find in the rulebook where I wrong, I would listen to him. He pulled his rulebook out of his back pocket and gave it to me and told me to start reading it myself. My white hat was none too happy with me after that one.

The point I'm trying to make is that rule knowledge is important, but I've personally found it only useful insofar as you are able to demonstrate that you have it, your ability to explain, and your manner with the coach. I've worked with guys that knew the book backwards and forwards, could address every case book situation with a rule reference from memory, but didn't have the field presence to do anything other than annoy the coach (and his fellow officials).

However, I do agree that a lack of knowledge is far more troublesome than a bad field presence or poor game control skills.

Originally Posted by Simply The Best

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.

Not terribly different in football.

The home coaches know most of us, and they are easy to work with. You can tell the good officials by how they work with the visiting coaches. Probably the same in baseball (at least with HS, JrHigh, etc).

Originally Posted by Simply The Best

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.

My point only is that it seems the penalty for being a jerk in baseball is far greater than in football. Nailing a head coach for 15 yards usually wakes him up (or at least his assistants). But in baseball, you don't have that kind of option. You can't tell the manager "Keep it up, and I'll call your batter out." or "We are done. Keep arguing and I'll award bases." The only penalty is ejection, and that seems (at least from a football perspective) extreme.

For example, ejection in the football world (at least here in WA) results in lots of paperwork, and the ejection stands the rest of the game and the next game too. Is that true with baseball?

Originally Posted by Simply The Best

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.

One of the things that piqued my interest was the "Rule Corner" in my Baseball Digest. I've been a huge fan of baseball my entire life, but never played. The nuances in baseball (timing plays seem the most complex) is what is so fascinating--and daunting.