J/R Manual

[canadaump6]

I'll add my thoughts into the mix.

The Jaksa/Roder manual is a good resource for interpreting grey areas of the rulebook, so long as everybody else is using it. Many of its interpretations differ from how most umpires would rule on plays. For example:

-J/R states that a runner can only be called out for interference outside the 45 foot running lane if a) He is hit with the throw or b) He causes the first baseman to misplay the throw from the catcher. If the catcher tries to throw the ball around the runner and this causes an overthrow, no interference is to be called. However, many people say that if the runner being outside the running lane causes the catcher to make a bad throw, this should be interpreted as interference.

-J/R states that batter interference on the catcher's throw to retire a stealing runner should be called when the batter makes extraordinary movement while inside the batter's box, regardless of intent. For example, swing carrying the batter over home plate but his feet do not leave the box. The official rules do not say anything about extraordinary or abnormal movement inside the batter's box.

-J/R states that on a missed fielding try, the fielder must essentially disappear or risk obstruction. On a missed attempt to glove a thrown ball however, the fielder does not have to immediately disappear.

-The J/R manual states that when the umpire puts the ball in play, all fielders (except for the catcher) must be in fair territory. After the umpire says "play" the fielders may go into foul territory. I have been told that this is not true- that all fielders must stay in fair territory after the umpire signals "play".

So basically, the J/R manual can be useful, but a lot of its material I find questionable, as outlined above. Unless everyone you work with uses it, I recommend taking its contents with a grain of salt.