[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by woolnojg

If you are calling FED rules then enforce the rules, all of them, not just the ones you like.

IMO you have to be careful with the aforementioned statement.

There are those Nit-picken rules which are only enforced on the rarest of occassions. One such rule(s) are the unifirm rule. Are you going to tell a kid he /she can't play because they are not in proper uniform?

Then there is the 20 second rule for F1. I only enforced this rule once in my career thus far and that was because F1 was a real wise a**.

It is very difficult to put in words all rules that apply or exceptions to those rules. It is our job to KNOW those rules but more importantly How to apply the rules in a given situation

Ok you might say why does FED have a rule for Verbal obstruction? Simple There are occassions when it is to be enforced like the first or third base coach screaming at a player trying to make a catch.

You have to be Very careful about players saying get back and other such "things". I know there is a FED case play on this but again you need to KNOW when to enforce this.

Does that mean we pick and choose which rules to enforce and which rules to not enforce. IMO NO It means we KNOW when to call such infractions depending upon the situation.

Let me give you an example;

In FED if F1 takes his signs from F2 or the coach and NOT in contact with the pitcher's plate it is a balk with runners on base.

We had R1 and I had the dish. I noticed F1 taking signs while NOT in contact with the plate. I called TIME went to clean the plate and told F2 to tell his pitcher to get the signs on the rubber. No probelms the rest of the way.

Now technically speaking and according to rule I should have called a balk, but for Game management purposes IMO I was better off doing some preventive umpiring and NOT calling the strict rule of the book. It is THEIR game not mine.

Now if the defense gains an advantage while committing an illegal act or something aginst the rules that's a different story, but rules are a guideline and through Experience and Game managemnt we learn how to call a game without ruining it. How it sounds like a title to a book (right Papa C - GRIN)

Pete Booth