Neighborhood Play
 

Summer wood bat ball w/ American League rules (most of the players play at local colleges). As I was watching warm ups, I noticed neither middle infielder touching 2B. Do I allow the neighborhood play or does the player need to touch the bag?

Please tell me that you only officiate children's ball! I would hate to think that you officiate on the 90' diamiond and are asking this question. :eek:

Yes, at this age level the "neighborhood play" is correct.

What call were you looking to make during warm-ups?

I only officiate HS and NCAA ball and I don't play the neighborhood anymore. Isn't the FPSR supposed to eliminate unpredictable takeout slides? If a fielder can't touch the base and get out of the way of a fielder sliding directly in, it's not my problem.

"Safe" in warm-ups, "out" in games.....:p

Why do you have to be a JA and include the comment? FED rules protect the middle infielders. I made it clear that I was asking the question because this league uses American League slide rules and these are college players. BTW I umpired an entire HS season and the middle infielders touched the base every time!

:eek: Sigh! It amazes me how people with such thin skin survive in this business!

I officiate HS also and I rarely have the pivot man tounching the base. So I guess in different areas we have different results, don't we? Around here, the only people that touch the base on the DP is on LL fields and seeing as how I do not travel from State to State to "see how it's done there", I have to relate to what goes on here!

I look at what I need to look at. If there's a reason to have to look to see if F4/6 touches the base (an off-line throw, a strange angle to the base, ...) I do so. If it's a routine play where R1 is out by 30', then I'm not paying the touch much attention.

Ed Zachary. Just don't have a wide throw pulling the fielder 2 feet off the base so he can turn it and then argue for a neighborhood play at second.

It's the same at first base. If the BR is out by 15 feet, I don't really care if F3 pulls away early on a true throw. Now, if the play is a whacker, then F3 better stay there until the throw hits the glove.

We get disrespected enough by coaches, players and fans. We don't need to disrespect each other for trying to get it right!

Well,
 

I offer respect to only those that deserve it. Respect is earned not given.

Regards,

NJ ,you have to understand, if you have been asked to officiate Am Legion ball then you should have had enough experience to know that info, been better trained by your association or had that self determinations to be cracking the books for that type of info. Standing during warmups and watching and asking that question shows us that you are indeed a newbie.

Does that make you bad, NO. But Ozzy like myself, are asking why you were placed in a game by your assignor, over your head.

Making bad calls is troubling enough, being put into games that your not ready for causes problems for the teams, headaches for you and most of all discourages new officials from continuing.

Bob has given the most logical answer here but please spend time reading more books on officiating. This may be a source of info, but not the only one.
And as Ozzy has already said if your not tough enough for people you can't see, how are you going to last out on that diamond, face to face.

Good Luck

I guess I'm gonna be labeled a JA, too, but what are American League slide rules ?

Legion uses essentially the FED malicious contact rule & the NCAA FPSR.

http://www.baseball.legion.org/forms/alb_rules2008.pdf

Just to be clear on a point - the federation chapters here have nothing to do with summer ball or any leagues other than high school. Even during the high school season itself I can easily work with guys from 3 or 4 chapters other than my own. All I can say is here in North Jersey we're not all receiving the same training.

When the summer leagues roll around it's even more of a hodgepodge. Some of the partners you'll run into have never called a high school game in their life - let alone any higher levels.