[Skahtboi]

I keep hearing people say that they will not call an illegal pitch if the pitcher is not gaining an advantage. Hoping not to offend here (though I probably will), tell me, where in the rule book does it say anything about leaping, replanting, or crow-hopping being illegal "only if the pitcher is gaining an advantage?"

The answer, as we all know, is nowhere. Therefore, as umpires, whether we like it or not, when we see a pitcher who is in violation of the pitching rule, we must call it. At the risk of sounding a little too much like Mike here, let me remind you that we are accepting the paycheck to do only one thing. Enforce the rules. We are not there to enforce only the ones we want to, nor are we there to rewrite the rule book. We are there, plain and simply, to enforce the rules of the association for which we are calling. To do otherwise is not only an injustice to the other members of the profession who do enforce the rules to the letter, but is accepting money under false pretenses.

If somebody had, in the past, the integrity to enforce the pitching rule on the pitcher that SCU mentions, then he wouldn't have felt in the quandry that he did when he knew he should be calling it.

We each must establish our own reputations as officials, for as you well know, all too often our reputations precede us. Do any of us really want to be viewed as an official who is soft on the rules or is easily intimidated? I don't think so. We all put way too much time and energy into this endeavor. I would rather be known as the hard *** umpire who is always fair in administering the rules, rather than everybody's buddy. We must start making the call, whatever it may be, even at the risk "rocking the boat." Until we do, this "look the other way" mentality will prevail.

Thanks for letting me rant.