Rich Ives article

[David B]

Originally posted by Tim C
I couldn't possibly disagree MORE with what you posted.

Before "Internet Umpiring" there were never even discussions about the stuff you have listed.

Some umpires think that some of the concepts you are listing are nothing more than mental masturbation.

While I respect your opinions and your posts . . . but with this post you have hit the nail on the head, accidentially.

No one NEEDS JEA, or J/R or the BRD to umpire baseball.

We ("internet umpires") have made umpiring much more complicated than it needs to be.

I really don't care about relaxed/unrelaxed, Type "A" or Type "B" Obstruction, or even "last time by" . . .

Any umpire can work games by reading the rule book(s) -- we ("internet umpires") simply try to make brain surgery out of something that is very, very simple in nature.

I stand on Luke's side . . . BTW, I list myself as an "internet umpire."

Completely correct. Umpiring is not rocket science.

The basic rules are the basis for nearly all of the rules that a coach needs to know - or ask about in a game.

I don't ever recall telling a coach "that's type A or type B obstruction" - simply that's obstruction.

Same with "last time by" - sounds like a drive-in or something and a coach would never understand. Simply tell him the runner is out or safe.

Sure it helps to understand the rules by reading all of the "other" books but the main one that I have used for years and years is still the NABL and that's the first book that I tell my umpires to get.

Then if they call in many different leagues I tell them go with the BRD.

But again, when dealing with coaches, its all out of the rule book - that way if they can find one they might read it. Usually they don't really want to know the rule, they just want the "advantage" in that game.

Thanks
David