"FED Legal" Baseballs

[DG]

Originally Posted by Ump153

Legal bats and legal balls are not equal requirments. Legal lines? Have you never called a game on field that was not lined? Really? Batter's boxes in every game?

You must umpire where rules are not followed. In my area, HS game fields are lined, and balls are legal.

[Tim C]

The Oregon School Activities Association really helps officials in the State of Oregon.

The OSAA wants officials to call RULES and not be involved in administrative rulings in sports.

They have specifically told umpires not to worry about certification stamps on baseballs. The OSAA is smart enough to know that the NFHS simply charges for the logo and uses it as a revenue stream.

The OSAA wants to be "informed" of administrative issues in sports and THEY will deal with it.

Administrative items include, but are not limited to, the following:

1) Illegal Uniforms
2) Players or coaches participating in a game where they should be sitting out because of a previous ejection,
3) Players participating in too many quaters (halves) on any given day,
4) Equipment bearing NFHS logos,
5) Pitchers throwing in too many innings in a time frame,
6) Teams demanding that they are using a 10 run mercy rule (illegal in Oregon).

Ciao

[Ump153]

Tim,

You have no idea how intelligent OSAA is until you move out of the state. Especially if you move south.

[Tim C]

"I crease my caps . . . "

I cannot think of any "style" issue I hate more than creased caps.

A crease NEVER appeared in any of my caps.

[SanDiegoSteve]

I just had an adult game Saturday where one team had really nice N.A.B.A. stamped Diamond D1 baseballs and the other team had Pro Nine N.F.H.S. baseballs. The Pro Nine balls are totally inferior and have a "fake" ball feel to them and are slightly mushy or springy feeling. The team with the N.A.B.A. balls' pitchers consistently rejected the Pro Nines.

Moral of story: Having a FED stamp is not all it's cracked up to be.

[johnnyg08]

IMO it's no different than a field w/o marked foul lines past the 1B & 3B...we'll still play, but teams don't get to argue fair/foul. When I show up at the game and we have a field, 18 players, all other equip legal...we're playing...that stuff is an administrative issue. We have enough stuff to worry about.

[DG]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

I just had an adult game Saturday where one team had really nice N.A.B.A. stamped Diamond D1 baseballs and the other team had Pro Nine N.F.H.S. baseballs. The Pro Nine balls are totally inferior and have a "fake" ball feel to them and are slightly mushy or springy feeling. The team with the N.A.B.A. balls' pitchers consistently rejected the Pro Nines.

Moral of story: Having a FED stamp is not all it's cracked up to be.

I don't disagree about quality of baseballs. I never seen a bad Diamond D1 and did not know Pro Nine made baseballs. But...

If the coaches know they need NFHS baseballs (and they do), and they don't have them you play anyway? What if they only had -5 bats, no lines on the field, uniforms that don't match? When do we hold a HS coach accountable vs. cut some slack?

And like I have said, they know, so they bring the right baseballs in games I have worked...

[IowaMike]

Everyone in my area plays either with Diamond or Wilson baseballs. I coached high school for two years and we played with Diamonds. I have never once checked to see if the balls that were being used when I umpire had the NFHS stamp of approval. If they looked suspect to me I would question them, but that has never happened. If it looks and feels like a good ball, I will use it. I sure as heck wouldn't bring my own, although if someone else wants to that's their business. If that makes me a poor umpire, oh well.

[griff901c]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Same here in L.A.'s association, but the S.F. Valley assn. made no such edict.

When the rule came out, I bought two cases of NFHS Diamond baseballs, and I just carry them around. I had one school that had "official league" baseballs without the stamp. I just had them swap them out for six of mine with the stamp. Otherwise, if my unit didn't voice the must-have-the-stamp edict, then I would be the if-they're-hardballs-let's-play type of umpire. So in order to ensure that I can allow every game to be played, I bring my own.

So you don't have to be a "tight-@ssed, black and white, anal, rules book umpire," or an unintelligent umpire to enforce the rule plus written and spoken edict, you would merely be following the wishes of the guy who assigns all of the games for three different associations. I would say that's a sign of intelligence to do things his way.

Now, to avoid being a tight-@ssed, anal (the very same thing), black & white, by-the-book umpire on something so trivial, I bring my own baseballs.

For years I have been looking for an easy way to measure the mound height.

If it's not legal do you carry your own rake or use theirs?

[Kevin Finnerty]

Have you considered writing comedy?

No, really.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by griff901c

For years I have been looking for an easy way to measure the mound height.

If it's not legal do you carry your own rake or use theirs?

My biggest pet peeve is when the coaches boxes are not regulation size.

[griff901c]

Are you saying I'm funny..ha ha..or funny... peculiar..( don't help him Patrino)

To me buying NFHS stamped balls is both..

[Kevin Finnerty]

The word peculiar does not mean strange or odd, by the way.

I am a batting instructor and my son's a pitcher, so I always need dozens of baseballs. I just started buying the ones with the stamp once that edict came down.

So avoiding a problem with the most ridiculous rule ever enacted, and not wanting to draw attention for having an incident because of the most ridiculous rule ever enacted is the route I choose to take.

I have spent most of my entire adult life facilitating the safe and effective and respectful playing of the game of baseball. When this rule came out, and they were serious about enforcing it, I just averted any problems other guys allow to happen by devising a no-brainer solution. There are umpires who are out to take their check and do as little as they can get away with. I am out there to do as much as necessary, and often more.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

My biggest pet peeve is when the coaches boxes are not regulation size.

Yea I know what you mean.

Luckily, I am an engineer. So 2 hours before every game I get my transit and tape and check each field for non-conformance with the prevailing rules. I believe over the couple of thousands of games I have officiated, at best 5 or 10 wolud actually have been played if I was really OOOOO.

Also luckily, I am not OOOOO.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by Ump153

So that I don't put words in your mouth (I hate when others do that) tell me, if you had no baseballs, and the balls the teams had were equal to, or better (not difficult) than the FED approved balls, but did not have the FED mark on them, would you refuse to work the game, thus sending the visiting team back on their bus and home?

You really have a way about you.

How many ways can I say that I would have them play the game regardless? I will stay within the regulations AND make sure the game is played even at my own expense, if necessary.

Are you really this obtuse, or is it just some act that goes with your online persona?

And, based on some of the stuff you write, you shouldn't be the judge of what is the intelligent thing to do.