Crew Chief?

[tcarilli]

(continued from above)

Look at the places umpire-in-chief appears in the rule book (I can't quote them all because that makes this post more than 10 times the allowable size).

Rules where UIC is mentioned that CC could be substituted with no change in effect or intent:
1.15(c), 2.00 A CALLED GAME, 2.00 A FORFEITED GAME 2.00 MANAGER, 3.10 (b), 3.11, 3.13, 3.18, 4.10 (a), 4.14, 4.15, 9.04 (b) (1), (4), (6), (7), (9), 9.04(c)
Rules where UIC is mentioned that PU really needs to be responsible:
3.03, 3.06, 3.07m, 3.12, 4.01, 5.01, 6.10, 8.01 (f), 8.02, 8.03, 9.03(a), 9.04 (b) (2), (3), (5), (8)
9.03 (b)

[MD Longhorn]

If there are two or more umpires, one shall be designated umpire-in-chief and the others field umpires.

Originally Posted by tcarilli

Book is silent on more than 2...I don't think we would then argue that there is no UIC.

No, no it's not.

[tcarilli]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

No, no it's not.

that's a bad f'up on my part. i plead cross-eyes from reading, cuttibg, and pasting the refs.

mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by tcarilli

that's a bad f'up on my part. I plead cross-eyes from reading, cuttibg, and pasting the refs.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!

lol.

[lawump]

As to the professional level:

In MLB, the term umpire-in-chief is simply not used. Yes, it is in the rulebook, but the MLB Umpire's Manual (MLBUM) which sets forth the duties and responsibilities of the crew chief has completely replaced anything set forth in the rulebook about the U-I-C. Simply put, the crew chief is the man in charge on the field. By way of example, it is the crew chief (and crew chief only) who decides when to suspend play (due to weather or other factors). It is only a crew chief who can decide that a game is forfeited (and this has happened in MLB). These are just two examples; I'll give you other examples. Let's say a team complains that the opposing team's batter used an illegal bat OR that the opposing team's pitcher is illegally altering the ball. In either case, if the plate umpire is not the crew chief he would NEVER render judgment on the legality of a bat or whether a ball has been intentialy "doctored" or not without involving his crew chief.

From MLB.com: The Crew Chief shall coordinate and direct his crew's compliance with the Office of the Commissioner's rules and policies. Other Crew Chief responsibilities include: leading periodic discussions and reviews of situations, plays and rules with his crew; generally directing the work of the other umpires on the crew, with particular emphasis on uniformity in dealing with unique situations; assigning responsibilities for maintaining time limits during the game; ensuring the timely filing of all required crew reports for incidents such as ejections, brawls and protested games; and reporting to the Office of Commissioner any irregularity in field conditions at any ballpark."

In minor league baseball, crew chiefs are assigned in Triple-A and Double-A. They are not assigned in Single-A (which uses two-man crews). In Single-A, in any unusual situation, the umpires are instructed to consult with one another prior to making any decision.

Of course, as set forth above, there are certain duties that have to be the plate umpire's duties, whether or not the plate umpire is the crew chief.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by lawump

As to the professional level:

In MLB, the term umpire-in-chief is simply not used. Yes, it is in the rulebook, but the MLB Umpire's Manual (MLBUM) which sets forth the duties and responsibilities of the crew chief has completely replaced anything set forth in the rulebook about the U-I-C. Simply put, the crew chief is the man in charge on the field. By way of example, it is the crew chief (and crew chief only) who decides when to suspend play (due to weather or other factors). It is only a crew chief who can decide that a game is forfeited (and this has happened in MLB). These are just two examples; I'll give you other examples. Let's say a team complains that the opposing team's batter used an illegal bat OR that the opposing team's pitcher is illegally altering the ball. In either case, if the plate umpire is not the crew chief he would NEVER render judgment on the legality of a bat or whether a ball has been intentialy "doctored" or not without involving his crew chief.

From MLB.com: The Crew Chief shall coordinate and direct his crew's compliance with the Office of the Commissioner's rules and policies. Other Crew Chief responsibilities include: leading periodic discussions and reviews of situations, plays and rules with his crew; generally directing the work of the other umpires on the crew, with particular emphasis on uniformity in dealing with unique situations; assigning responsibilities for maintaining time limits during the game; ensuring the timely filing of all required crew reports for incidents such as ejections, brawls and protested games; and reporting to the Office of Commissioner any irregularity in field conditions at any ballpark."

In minor league baseball, crew chiefs are assigned in Triple-A and Double-A. They are not assigned in Single-A (which uses two-man crews). In Single-A, in any unusual situation, the umpires are instructed to consult with one another prior to making any decision.

Of course, as set forth above, there are certain duties that have to be the plate umpire's duties, whether or not the plate umpire is the crew chief.

Finally.... someone who knows what he is talking about! Thanks, Law... I was trying to state what you did but I just didn't have the time to simplify it while I was at work.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Finally.... someone who knows what he is talking about! Thanks, Law... I was trying to state what you did but I just didn't have the time to simplify it while I was at work.

Good to know next time.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by lawump

As to the professional level:

In MLB, the term umpire-in-chief is simply not used. Yes, it is in the rulebook, but the MLB Umpire's Manual (MLBUM) which sets forth the duties and responsibilities of the crew chief has completely replaced anything set forth in the rulebook about the U-I-C. Simply put, the crew chief is the man in charge on the field. By way of example, it is the crew chief (and crew chief only) who decides when to suspend play (due to weather or other factors). It is only a crew chief who can decide that a game is forfeited (and this has happened in MLB). These are just two examples; I'll give you other examples. Let's say a team complains that the opposing team's batter used an illegal bat OR that the opposing team's pitcher is illegally altering the ball. In either case, if the plate umpire is not the crew chief he would NEVER render judgment on the legality of a bat or whether a ball has been intentialy "doctored" or not without involving his crew chief.

From MLB.com: The Crew Chief shall coordinate and direct his crew's compliance with the Office of the Commissioner's rules and policies. Other Crew Chief responsibilities include: leading periodic discussions and reviews of situations, plays and rules with his crew; generally directing the work of the other umpires on the crew, with particular emphasis on uniformity in dealing with unique situations; assigning responsibilities for maintaining time limits during the game; ensuring the timely filing of all required crew reports for incidents such as ejections, brawls and protested games; and reporting to the Office of Commissioner any irregularity in field conditions at any ballpark."

In minor league baseball, crew chiefs are assigned in Triple-A and Double-A. They are not assigned in Single-A (which uses two-man crews). In Single-A, in any unusual situation, the umpires are instructed to consult with one another prior to making any decision.

Of course, as set forth above, there are certain duties that have to be the plate umpire's duties, whether or not the plate umpire is the crew chief.

It's always been my impression that crew chief is, well, the chief of the crew. The one responsible for leadership and administration (that is the duties you describe in the second paragraph). I don't see that as being inherently incompatible with with the plate umpire being the UIC of a particular game.

Until this thread, it never occurred to me that the PU was not the de jure UIC in the MLB, even though it's quite clear that the crew chief is involved in major game administration issues.

[lawump]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

It's always been my impression that crew chief is, well, the chief of the crew. The one responsible for leadership and administration (that is the duties you describe in the second paragraph). I don't see that as being inherently incompatible with with the plate umpire being the UIC of a particular game.

Until this thread, it never occurred to me that the PU was not the de jure UIC in the MLB, even though it's quite clear that the crew chief is involved in major game administration issues.

It is not necessarily "incompatible". However, it is simply not how it is done in practice on the professional level. The crew chief is in complete control of the game on the professional level.

I'll give you another example: In the late 1990's there was an MLB game in which two different base umpires made two different calls on the same play. (Two umpires went out on a fly ball and one ruled "catch" and the other ruled "no catch". There were runners on base. Hence, it was a major SNAFU.) The other base umpire (not the plate umpire) was the crew chief. It was the crew chief who got the umpires together (not the plate umpire) and who ultimately decided the ruling on the play after consulting with his crew.