2003 FED rule changes

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by greymule


Glad I retired from Fed and will never have to call such idiocy.

IMO as far as the amateur game goes FED is the Rules of Choice for amateur sports. FED isn't perfect but they have a case book that's unprecedented in youth sports.

For every youth league that does use OBR, other than LL's the "Right Call" (which BTW has not been updated in years), they don't have a case book outlining situations that pertain to THEIR game only.

Those leagues rely on interps from JEA / PBUC and J/R except those interps are for the BIG BOYS. There are no safety caveats when dealing with Strict OBR.

Let's take VERBAL Obstruction. No such animal in OBR but there is in FED.

The problem with the FED Appeal rule is that IMO they had it right to begin with before all the changes.

OBR has not been re-written in years and who knows when it will be. At least FED, reviews their rules on a yearly bases and while not perfect the rules FIT the amateur game.

I'll give you a good one - OBSTRUCTION Go to just about any site when this subject comes up on any of the Boards. Is it Type "A" , Type "B"? Do I have to protect a runner somewhere? Do I call Time Immediately or allow play to continue? We could go on and on. In FED Obstruction is practicaly a No Brainer as far as how to judge it to begin with and the runner ALWAYS gets at least one base.

Then there are the speed-up rules. In OBR B1 can take all day at the plate. In FED if B1 delays the game - we ring up a strike.

Give me FED anyday.

Pete Booth