I had a couple questions was hoping could get some opinions on:

1. Working a FED game with a partner, I'm out in the field, partner behind the dish. Coach wants time to talk with his pitcher. Ok, 1 defensive conference. Now Same inning (it's a long inning), Coach wants time to talk with his pitcher. Ok, 2 defensive conferences. Now SAME inning (it's really a long inning), Coach wants time to talk with his pitcher. Partner says no citing the "making a travesty of the game" clause. Opinions?

2. If you're working out in the field, how do you tell your partner behind the dish he's nuts? Especially if you feel he's wrong on a rule.

Depending on the situation, I probably would not know this conversation was talking place. That would all depend on how heated that discussion was. If a base umpire is doing there job, they are not near the his partner during this discussion.

If I was asked by my partner or somehow got involved in the discussion, then I would tell my partner of the correct rule. It would be up to him to decide if he is going to listen.

Peace

I would call time and ask the pitcher if I can see the ball. With the ball in hand I would meet with my partner to find out what's going on. Perhaps he doesn't know the rule. If he does know the rule I would advise him to let the Coach visit with his pitcher any time he wants. What he does from there on in would be up to him. I would also do all that I could to never work with this guy again.

I like the technique of looking at the ball and discussing with my partner real quick. It was very strange, after the game talked with him briefly and for some reason he is bent on thinking that if a coach in one inning for the same pitcher needs to call time and go out and talk with him more than twice, he's intentionally trying to disrupt and delay the game. Which I just didn't see it like that at all.

At one point he was trying to tell me that pitcher must be removed if he goes out twice in the same inning.

I didn't know what else to say so just got in my car and left. I didn't want a big scene made between the umpires in the parking lot.

Sounds like partner is LL guy. That league allows 3 visits per game, per pitcher, but on the third visit in one inning, to same pitcher, pitcher must be removed. OBR is second visit per inning, pitcher to be removed. FED is 3 per 7 inning game, and coach can go out back to back to back if he wants to, or even three different times in one at bat. Makes no difference when he uses his 3.

In FED, isn't it two visits per batter?

A coach may have three charged conferences during a game. The coach may use them at any time, including making two trips to the mound while the same batter is at the plate.

Fed rule: A coach may have three charged conferences during a game. The coach may use them at any time, including making two trips to the mound while the same batter is at the plate.

On the fourth charged conference the pitcher must be removed from the mound for the duration of the game. He may be moved to another position.

LL rule: A manager or coach may come out twice in one inning to visit with the pitcher, but the third time out, the player must be removed as a pitcher

A manager or coach may come out three times in one game to visit with the pitcher, but the fourth time out, the player must be removed as a pitcher

The manager or coach is prohibited from making a third visit while the same batter is at bat.

OBR: 8.06
A professional league shall adopt the following rule pertaining to the visit of the manager or coach to the pitcher: (a) This rule limits the number of trips a manager or coach may make to any one pitcher in any one inning; (b) A second trip to the same pitcher in the same inning will cause this pitcher's automatic removal; (c) The manager or coach is prohibited from making a second visit to the mound while the same batter is at bat, but (d) if a pinch hitter is substituted for this batter, the manager or coach may make a second visit to the mound, but must remove the pitcher.

You stated:

"Fed rule: A coach may have three charged conferences during a game. The coach may use them at any time, including making two trips to the mound while the same batter is at the plate."

Is the statement below a Fed rule: ?

"The manager or coach is prohibited from making a third visit while the same batter is at bat."

I don't think so. He has three trips he can use any time before he has to replace the pitcher on the 4th. I can't imagine anyone wanting to make 3 trips during the same at bat.

I can't either, but I'm sure there are a few people that could post stranger things that have happened.

I feel like typing since it is Sunday, raining, and all games have been cancelled.

FED 3-4-1
"Each team, when on defense, may be granted not more than three charged conferences during a seven-inning game, without penalty, to permit coaches, or their non-playing representatives to confer with a defensive player or players. In an extra-inning game, each team shall be permitted one charged conference each inning while on defense without penalty. The number of charged conferences permitted is not cumulative. A request for time for this purpose shall be made by a coach, player, substitute or an attendant. Time granted for an obviously incapacitatd player shall not constitute a charged conference. Prior to accumulating three charged conferences in seven innings or less, a conference is not charged if the pitcher is removed as pitcher.
Penalty: After three charged conferences in a seven inning game, or for any charged conference in excess of one in each extra inning, the pitcher shall be removed as pitcher for duration of the game."

No where in this rule does it say you can't use all three visits during the same at bat. There is nothing in the 2005 case book concerning this either.

Thump,
Where did you find or hear your FED interpretation?

Your LL interpretation is correct, and the same thing I said in different words.

So for Fed...What does this phrase mean?

"The number of charged conferences permitted is not cumulative."

Also.....does this rule mean that in a 7 inning game, the 4th charged conference results in a pitching change, and the very next charged conference (number 5) results in a pitching change, and so on?

Thanks!

[Edited by carldog on May 1st, 2005 at 04:25 PM]

"The number of charged conferences permitted is not cumulative."

This means that you get the original set of 3 charged conferences, if the game goes extra innings you get 1 charged conference per inning, so if it goes 8 innings you do not get the original 3 + 1 for 4 conferences, all you get is the 1. In the 9th inning, if you didn't use any of your charged conferences, you still only get 1 per inning.

Maybe I am misinterpreting the rule here...?
 

CONFERENCES

Note: A sword (Ý) indicates the rule is an interpretation found either in the case book, the Federation News rules bulletins, or posted at: <http://www.nfhs.org/rules-baseball.htm>.

40. A coach may have three charged conferences during a game. The coach may use them at any time, including making two trips to the mound while the same batter is at the plate.

41. On the fourth charged conference the pitcher must be removed from the mound for the duration of the game. He may be moved to another position.

I copied this from eteamz FED rules library.

Maybe that was my 1st mistake.


[Edited by thumpferee on May 2nd, 2005 at 10:12 AM]

Re: Maybe I am misinterpreting the rule here...?
 

What eteamz says is correct, but not complete. The coach may make two trips while the same batter is at the plate. The coach may also make three trips while the same batter is at the plate.