American League Rule Book

[WindyCityBlue]

I realize that not many here have professional experience, but I have seen some tremendous resources on this Board. For the last week or so, there has been some discussion about rules differences between different OBR publications. I offered that even the American and National Leagues operated with different versions of the rule book for many years. Does anyone recall the Red (American) and Green (National) books? In addition to the Designated Hitter rule, American League umpires called a balk when the pitcher threw to first and the first baseman was further than ten feet away. There are several other rule differences and I'm trying to locate the most recent versions of these books. Since they consolidated, the MLB boys use a rule book that contains the DH rule variances.

Has anyone seen these two books? What is the most recent version you can find?

Anyone...Bueller? Bueller? Altar Boy? Bueller?

[WindyCityBlue]

This seems amazing. Last week the Altar Boy challenged my assertion that the Major Leagues operated under separate rule books for American & National Leagues. I know that he and the Wizard have NO MINOR LEAGUE EXPERIENCE, but I would have thought that one of them would have tried to challenge my latest post. They seemed to eager to do it before I could back it up. Now, where are they? It seems that the Altar Boy just got thumped again by the "Fed/Juco wannabe".

The two separate books have been around for almost half of a century. Even the new black book for the MLB has a separate section for American League only rules. Since these books are issued to professional umpires, it is hard to get your hands on them. But, they are out there - especially the older versions. It makes for some boring reading, but a bar bet is a definite possibility.

[Rich Ives]

WCB Wrote: "Even the new black book for the MLB has a separate section for American League only rules."


Wow. I have an electronic copy of the 2002 MLB Umpire Manual and someone must have omitted the "American League Only" section. Could you please post the section number and it's contents? Thanks.

[Edited by Rich Ives on Sep 28th, 2004 at 11:52 AM]

[WindyCityBlue]

I suggest you get a copy of the "black book".
It contains the necesary rules and looks gret on your shelf.
The electronic version of the MLB rules looks great on your desktop.

[Rich Ives]

Thanks for avoiding the question.

Just what do you mean by "The Black Book"? I said I have an e-copy of the MLB Umpire Manual.

I also have the PBUC, J/R, and BRD.

I also have an e-copy of the rule book.

I do not have JEA.

What else is there (other than these books) that covers PLAYING rules?

BTW, the Designated Hitter rule is optional. It's in the rule book. The NL just elects to not use one.

[Edited by Rich Ives on Sep 28th, 2004 at 05:22 PM]

[WindyCityBlue]

Originally posted by Rich Ives
Thanks for avoiding the question.

Just what do you mean by "The Black Book"? I said I have an e-copy of the MLB Umpire Manual.

I also have the PBUC, J/R, and BRD.

I also have an e-copy of the rule book.

I do not have JEA.

What else is there (other than these books) that covers PLAYING rules?

BTW, the Designated Hitter rule is optional. It's in the rule book. The NL just elects to not use one.

[Edited by Rich Ives on Sep 28th, 2004 at 05:22 PM]

I can see why you edited that complex retort.

The MLB umpires use the black book as their reference for their rulings. It is an actual printed text - published for professional umpires.

As I indicated earlier, there used to be separate books for each league. Now that they are under the world union umbrella, they have consolidated to one. Since you never served as a professional umpire, it will be very difficult to obtain this manual. However, you can always spend the money and live the dream or contact someone who has.

[Rich Ives]

WindBag:

My edit was adding the comment about the DH rule.

The only "black book" I have heard of is:

MLB UMPIRE MANUAL
PROCEDURES
AND INTERPRETATIONS


Office of the Commissioner of Baseball
Copyright ® 2002 Office of the Commissioner of Baseball
All rights reserved.


Developed by the
Joint Committee on Training
Ralph E. Nelson, Jr., Chairman
Frank Pulli
Steve Palermo
Tom Lepperd
Randy Marsh
Tim McClelland
Mark Hirschbeck

The Joint Committee on Training wishes
to express gratitude to the following
umpires who contributed significantly to
the development of this Manual:
Jeff Nelson
Jim Reynolds

Editing, Design and Layout by
Tom Lepperd


Is that the "black book" you say exists?

Is that the one I have said twice before that I have and from which I copied the title page to this post?

Again, if this isn't it, what is it? Don't be shy now . . let us in on your little secret.

[WindyCityBlue]

No secret...it is the official rule book issue to professional baseball umpires. Just like the red and green ones that you probably can't find, they are out there. If you don't have one or know how to get one - or even one of the red or green ones - then it says more about you than me.

Up until I posted about the different rule books (red and green), no one here even knew about them. Yet, here I am again showing the world that this Fed/Juco wannabe is a little more than what you think. If your obsession is so great, enroll in pro school - the next sessions are just months away - or contact MLBUA and ask them if they have ever heard of these colored books. Maybe you'll just pretened that they don't exist, because you've never seen one. (That could be because you've never been a professional umpire, but I digress.) I've read a number of your posts, you seem to dismiss a great deal of things that you can't prove. Are you an agnostic, too? That would make sense since the Altar Boy shares your sense of logic. (Uhhhh, I've never seen it - so it can't be!)

[Rich Ives]

WCB: You must be in politics. You're in "Trust me, I have a plan (but won't show it to you)" mode.

Yes sir, the pea is definitely under one of the shells.

So what's a "professionsl umpire"? Do you mean you get paid to umpire (albeit amateur games) or do you mean you were once employed by a professional league?

If you were employed by a pro league, why aren't you now?

Most of the trustworthy sources have AND SHARE real names. Do you? Will you?

[jumpmaster]

I'll rise on this lure because Windy has occasionally taught me something...

Since you, Windy, started this rant about Red Books and Green Books, I started digging. I can find, as late as 1985 a Red Book and Green Book, published by the MLB Staff. This book dealt primarily with rules interpretations, similar to the JEA, BRD or J/R. I have found references to a Red Book and Green Book, but not seen them, published as late as 1999 by The Sporting News and a Mr. Melchior as the editor. However, a search of the Library of Congress online catalogue returned negative.

Pulling the resources I have, including a AAA umpire, we have deduced that the books you are referencing are actually interpretation books specific to the leagues in question.

I do have a bootleg copy of a book that covers the ground rules of each park, etc published by the PBUC. Based upon the dialogue between yourself and Mr. Ives, I have deduced that this is the "Black Book" (although mine has phone #s).

Is it possible that the PBUC ceased publishing seperate books and now publishes one single volume known as the "Black Book?"

If I am off base, and you are what you claim to be, please fill me/us in. I would imagine that Carl would be interested as well b/c these could be authoritative rulings previously unknown to us "underlings".

[Rich Ives]

Alan:

The PBUC book is the minor league book. It includes interpretations and "codes of conduct" - but no groundrules.

The "MLB Umpire Manual; Procedures and Interpreetations" is the equavalent book for MLB. I was published after the umpiring staffs were consolidated under the MLB umbrella vs. the prior way of having separate staffs for each league.

It has the following to say about groundrules:

"1.7 GROUND RULES DISCUSSION
Ground rules are not permitted to conflict with Official Baseball Rules (see Official Baseball Rule 3.13) and are printed on the reverse side of the home club batting order cards. Conflicts or problems with ground rules should be reported immediately to the Umpiring Department by the
Crew Chief.

Umpires will be provided ground rules for each park on an annual basis.

Clubs may not change ground rules during the season unless prior approval has been obtained by the Office of the Commissioner.

Umpires should not hesitate to ask questions about ground rules during the meeting at home plate prior to a game."

[Bob Lyle]

Originally posted by jumpmaster
I'll rise on this lure because Windy has occasionally taught me something...

Windy's showing his age. I called a AAA umpire friend about these books. He has been doing minor league ball since 1994 and he never received a red or green book. Since he has been involved in the game, all of the minor leagues play with the same rules. Some use the DH and some don't, but that rule is listed as optional.

Whatever Windy's alluding to must be over ten years old and maybe much older. My friend had never heard of these books in the minor leagues. He has heard about and seen books that MLB umpires use but they have no bearing on minor league play. A few amateur umpires acquire copies of these books but they're not for public distribution.

Windy's puffing out his chest and trying to act big. The rules of the 1980's and before are interesting for history buffs but they don't impact us in 2004. The fact that Windy's unaware of how long ago these books went out of date in the minor leagues, if they ever existed, raises some questions about his supposed experience.

[Atl Blue]

I do not know if there were ever red and green rule books issued to umpires. Having never been a MLB umpire, one was never given to me.

I do know there were the AL and NL Red and Green books (and no, I do not remember which was which) that were used in the press box. These were hard cover books, and I saw some with spiral binding so they would lay flat when opened.

The did contain the rules, along with many records, previous years results by team and by player, etc., and were primarily used by the media. They were certainly not of a size convenient for carrying around as a rule book would be.

When first issued, these were only available through the MLB clubs. Later they were offered for sale through some league representative, and even later, were sold in bookstores after the Bill James stat expansion of the 1980s.

If these are the Red and Green books in question, the rules were a very small part of the contents. But they were there, so I guess that made these "red and green rulebooks".

[JugglingReferee]

Originally posted by WindyCityBlue
This seems amazing. Last week the Altar Boy challenged my assertion that the Major Leagues operated under separate rule books for American & National Leagues. I know that he and the Wizard have NO MINOR LEAGUE EXPERIENCE, but I would have thought that one of them would have tried to challenge my latest post. They seemed to eager to do it before I could back it up. Now, where are they? It seems that the Altar Boy just got thumped again by the "Fed/Juco wannabe".

The two separate books have been around for almost half of a century. Even the new black book for the MLB has a separate section for American League only rules. Since these books are issued to professional umpires, it is hard to get your hands on them. But, they are out there - especially the older versions. It makes for some boring reading, but a bar bet is a definite possibility.

Are you a peacock? It sure sounds like you're trying to show some sort of dominance on something that means absolutely nothing.

Although I can't speak for Altar Boy or Wizard, I hazard a guess that they didn't respond because they don't want to talk to you. Which is the decision I should have made instead of typing this message.

Edit: this simple message was edited so that you think there was originally something complex here.

[Edited by JugglingReferee on Sep 30th, 2004 at 09:50 AM]

[WindyCityBlue]

Why is it that when one member says there are no separate rules books for American and National League umpires, another cannot disprove him? That was alleged and I was able to show that he was wrong. I take satisfaction in this and the fact that I have met a standard that few do. I was hired to be a Minor League umpire and worked that level of baseball for several years, before realizing that it wasn't fun. Every call was life or death and many of the players were no better than the ones I saw in major college baseball. I still work as a local Minor Legue umpire for several independent leagues in my area.

The last red book that I have is from 1998. The last green one is from 1996. The black book I have is the current annum. These books are issued to all professional umpires and anyone who worked during the strike year. To assist Mr. Ives, a professional umpire is one who is hired to work professional baseball. Most independent leagues provide rule books to their officials, but they are not the official one given by those that are actively involved in the Minor or Major Leagues.

I have many friends that have worked in the Minors. All of them have these books. If one of them was still at it since 1994, I would have to sit him down for a talk. If he didn't receive one of these books, it may be that he was affiliated with an independent league or that the director thought better of it.