Unsafe catcher

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Totally disagree here. We are not coaches, we apply rules. If F2 is where he should not be, call the offense as it occurs. If you tell F2 "Don't stand there" and he moves to a worse position and gets nailed, you are responsible. Keep your mouth shut and take care of business when it happens,. You can't be held responsible for stupidity.

With due respect, Oz, FED wants us to use preventive officiating to help reduce the risk of injury. No rule requires you to move the bat out of a scoring runner's path: do you consider that to be coaching as well?

I'm not responsible for any player's bad decision: if out of concern for safety I tell him to move and he moves somewhere worse, I have done nothing wrong. If you told me to quit smoking cigarettes and I started smoking crack instead, would you really feel bad or responsible?

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by mbyron

With due respect, Oz, FED wants us to use preventive officiating to help reduce the risk of injury. No rule requires you to move the bat out of a scoring runner's path: do you consider that to be coaching as well?

I'm not responsible for any player's bad decision: if out of concern for safety I tell him to move and he moves somewhere worse, I have done nothing wrong. If you told me to quit smoking cigarettes and I started smoking crack instead, would you really feel bad or responsible?

Sorry, you are wrong. The FED does not want you telling players where to go, where to stand and what to do. That is coaching and this is not LL.

If you want, I can compile a list of all kinds of things that can be construed as "preventative umpiring" like:

• "Hey, don't throw that ball so hard on the pickoff"
• "Hey, don't slap that tag so hard"
• "Don't throw so hard to the batter, you might hurt him"

The list can go on and on.

Telling F2 where to stand is coaching, not preventative umpiring.

[mbyron]

It doesn't sound as if you know what preventive officiating is.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by mbyron

It doesn't sound as if you know what preventive officiating is.

Personally, it sounds more to me that some don't understand the role of an umpire.

[pastordoug]

While there is a difference between levels of players (Varsity vs 13U) it has been my experiance that any form of appeared 'coaching" should be avoid. By making that interference or obstruction call imo will benefit them in the long run by 1. helping the coach understand the rules and 2. player/runner won't be doing that again.... There seems to be a fine line some make between coaching and preventive umpiring. I think the line is clear. Just call the game and leave ALL the coaching to the coaches.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by pastordoug

While there is a difference between levels of players (Varsity vs 13U) it has been my experiance that any form of appeared 'coaching" should be avoid. By making that interference or obstruction call imo will benefit them in the long run by 1. helping the coach understand the rules and 2. player/runner won't be doing that again.... There seems to be a fine line some make between coaching and preventive umpiring. I think the line is clear. Just call the game and leave ALL the coaching to the coaches.

If the coach is paid, he's paid to coach... not us.
If the coach is volunteer (I.e. "league" ball), in many cases he's a babysitter and sometimes no more educated than the Team Mom.

You'd never catch me dead "coaching" a high-school game (V, JV, F, whatever) or a Select league game ... or even A-level tourneys.
But in league ball, I bet I've "taught" the coach what obstruction is and "taught" the first baseman not to stand on that bag admiring the triple the batter just hit 100 times a season... some coaches and players more than once!

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by mbyron

It doesn't sound as if you know what preventive officiating is.

Sounds like you should be coaching.

[DG]

Agree with Oz to a degree. I don't see anything to call. If runner is running full steam and bumps catcher hard that don't sound like anything to call. If he does it maliciously and I got something to call. Post did not sound like it was malicious.

[swkansasref33]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Sorry, you are wrong. The FED does not want you telling players where to go, where to stand and what to do. That is coaching and this is not LL.

If you want, I can compile a list of all kinds of things that can be construed as "preventative umpiring" like:

• "Hey, don't throw that ball so hard on the pickoff"
• "Hey, don't slap that tag so hard"
• "Don't throw so hard to the batter, you might hurt him"

The list can go on and on.

Telling F2 where to stand is coaching, not preventative umpiring.

So would you instead say " Hey, If you stand there, you might get trucked." ?

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by swkansasref33

So would you instead say " Hey, If you stand there, you might get trucked." ?

No, if you were paying attention, I am saying that you do not say anything, it's not your place as an umpire.