Gorilla Arm

[2rad4u]

Is that "comic book" online anywhere? I'd like to see that.

[tribefan1952]

It's available on the NFHS website.


2007 Baseball Simplified & Illustrated
Item #: BASI07
Retail Price: $6.95
Details:
The baseball rulebook is brought to life and clarity given to difficult situations with the use of over 150 large, clear illustrations.


http://www.nfhs.com/index.asp?cmd=sh...I07&param_1=61

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by tribefan1952

It's available on the NFHS website.


2007 Baseball Simplified & Illustrated
Item #: BASI07
Retail Price: $6.95
Details:
The baseball rulebook is brought to life and clarity given to difficult situations with the use of over 150 large, clear illustrations.


http://www.nfhs.com/index.asp?cmd=sh...I07&param_1=61

I'm glad they came out with something to bring life and clarity to an otherwise poorly worded, ill-conceived, and confusing piece of literature.

[JJ]

The issue of "gorilla arm" came up three years ago in a Big Ten series. One coach complained that the umpires were not balking the involved pitcher (the umpires said no deception was involved, and since the NCAA rule book did not specifically cover this interp, the Pro interp was used). The umpires involved wrote the whole thing up to the NCAA rules folks, followed up several times, and this year's NCAA book contains an interp. Only took three years.

JJ

[2rad4u]

What is the NCAA interp?


Thanks for the info Tribefan

[bossman72]

PA state rules interpreter said to me when i asked him about the gorrilla arm:

"It's great you're reading your rules like you are- but if you call that you're just asking for trouble. Theres a time when you need the rule book, but then there's times where you need to leave the rulebook in the car."

[tribefan1952]

Originally Posted by bossman72

PA state rules interpreter said to me when i asked him about the gorrilla arm:

"It's great you're reading your rules like you are- but if you call that you're just asking for trouble. Theres a time when you need the rule book, but then there's times where you need to leave the rulebook in the car."

I guess there are times... but not many. We can't be cherry-picking which rules to ignore and which ones to enforce. That will only lead to trouble.

Having said that... I think the new rule that came out this year (NFHS) about base-coaches leaving their boxes is rather silly. It's going to be difficult to watch the coach and the pitch at the same time.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by bossman72

PA state rules interpreter said to me when i asked him about the gorrilla arm:

"It's great you're reading your rules like you are- but if you call that you're just asking for trouble. Theres a time when you need the rule book, but then there's times where you need to leave the rulebook in the car."

I sympathize with you as our rules guy says the same thing. I had a big disagreement on this forum last year about calling this. Tee put me wise to the whole FED interpretation so I decided to start calling it. You guessed, coaches screaming and calling the assigner. No backing from the association on this.

[ncump7]

Varsity 4-A game last night with an experienced lefty on the mound. First inning, with R1, he starts the gorilla arm swinging. I balked him immediately. Of course, the coach comes out of the dugout and asked what he was doing wrong. I told him that with the ball in hand, he could put hand behind back or at side. He gave me the "not trying to deceive anyone" argument. He told pitcher to put hand behind back. Third inning, same scenerio. I called it again. After that, no problem the rest of the way. Pitcher told my partner that no one had ever called it on him before. He said he did it because he saw it on tv.

[JJ]

NCAA and Pro now "officially" agree by interp that the "gorilla arm" is legal. There is no intent to deceive. Once we get FED on board things will be better. Any guesses how long THAT will take?

JJ

[bossman72]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

I sympathize with you as our rules guy says the same thing. I had a big disagreement on this forum last year about calling this. Tee put me wise to the whole FED interpretation so I decided to start calling it. You guessed, coaches screaming and calling the assigner. No backing from the association on this.

I seen the gorrilla arm a few times when i first started a few years back and never felt comfortable calling that a balk in the first place, so lucky thing i was able to talk to my state interpreter at a clinic last year and bring it up on how he wants it enforced.

Oz, what is your philosophy on why this rule should be strictly enforced?

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by bossman72

I seen the gorilla arm a few times when i first started a few years back and never felt comfortable calling that a balk in the first place, so lucky thing i was able to talk to my state interpreter at a clinic last year and bring it up on how he wants it enforced.

Oz, what is your philosophy on why this rule should be strictly enforced?

My philosophy is simple - FED says it is a balk so I am a FED umpire and I should be calling the game the same as Tee or Steve on the West Coast. States and rule interpreters should not change the rules!

My opinion - it is the stupidest thing that I have ever heard of. My son used to do the gorilla arm to "get the blood going". It is not a deception at all - but as Tee impressed on me, it is a mechanical flaw that is prohibited (for now) by the FED rulings.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by 2rad4u

What is the NCAA interp?


Thanks for the info Tribefan

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