USA change 1 - inspections

[CecilOne]

Rule 3, Section 7C: (JO Only) All equipment that shall be inspected by the umpire is to be placed outside the dugout/bench area prior to the start of the game for pregame inspection.

Comment: Requires teams to put all equipment to be inspected by the umpires outside the dugout/bench area before the game begins.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Rule 3, Section 7C: (JO Only) All equipment that shall be inspected by the umpire is to be placed outside the dugout/bench area prior to the start of the game for pregame inspection.

Comment: Requires teams to put all equipment to be inspected by the umpires outside the dugout/bench area before the game begins.

That is another follow-the-leader joke that just places the umpire in that much more a precarious position throughout the game.

[3afan]

IMO checking equipment is a joke ...

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

That is another follow-the-leader joke that just places the umpire in that much more a precarious position throughout the game.

Can you elaborate? (About the precarious position; I get the follow-the-leader comment, I think ...)

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Can you elaborate? (About the precarious position; I get the follow-the-leader comment, I think ...)

Does a cheat show you his hand before cheating? If someone knows a piece of equipment isn't going to pass inspection, they probably aren't going to offer it up.

The precarious portion, IMO, is the imminent questioning of equipment during a game and liability risk should a non-inspected piece of equipment enter the game unknown to the umpire and a player is injured. Twenty years ago, I would have scoffed at the supposition I just offered, but not in today's world.

[Stat-Man]

I find it interesting USA is adding this after NFHS quickly scrapped it after just one season.

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

I find it interesting USA is adding this after NFHS quickly scrapped it after just one season.

Equipment checks (hats & bats) were part of the HS game for a long time, but there was no explicit requirement to have the equipment outside the dugout. I'm just glad they removed the inspection requirement...I believe the coach should bear all the responsibility and liability for ensuring players are legally and properly equipped. If only umpires were required to ask the head coach before each game ...

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Stat-Man

I find it interesting USA is adding this after NFHS quickly scrapped it after just one season.

I figure that will cause some confusion.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Does a cheat show you his hand before cheating? If someone knows a piece of equipment isn't going to pass inspection, they probably aren't going to offer it up.

Such a cheat can also hide the bat during in-dugout inspections, too.

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

The precarious portion, IMO, is the imminent questioning of equipment during a game and liability risk should a non-inspected piece of equipment enter the game unknown to the umpire and a player is injured. Twenty years ago, I would have scoffed at the supposition I just offered, but not in today's world.

You don't protect yourself from this with an inspection anyway.

Here's a radical suggestion for youth fastpitch: remove detection of illegal equipment from the umpire's responsibility altogether. Make it purely the coach's / parent's / player's responsibility. Opposing coaches can protest if they want the gear inspected; umpires stay out of it. IOW, treat it like player eligibility.

[3afan]

Originally Posted by Dakota

...
Here's a radical suggestion for youth fastpitch: remove detection of illegal equipment from the umpire's responsibility altogether. Make it purely the coach's / parent's / player's responsibility. Opposing coaches can protest if they want the gear inspected; umpires stay out of it. IOW, treat it like player eligibility.

yes!

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Such a cheat can also hide the bat during in-dugout inspections, too.

You don't protect yourself from this with an inspection anyway.

Here's a radical suggestion for youth fastpitch: remove detection of illegal equipment from the umpire's responsibility altogether. Make it purely the coach's / parent's / player's responsibility. Opposing coaches can protest if they want the gear inspected; umpires stay out of it. IOW, treat it like player eligibility.

Because, whether we like it or not, the game official will always be near the top of list of any litigation and there is no one who can prevent it.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Rule 3, Section 7C: (JO Only) All equipment that shall be inspected by the umpire is to be placed outside the dugout/bench area prior to the start of the game for pregame inspection.

Comment: Requires teams to put all equipment to be inspected by the umpires outside the dugout/bench area before the game begins.

I'm going to assume that outside the dugout literally means anywhere visible and organized. That would even include outside the fence, etc. when we are trying to keep a tourney on schedule.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Rule 3, Section 7C: (JO Only) All equipment that shall be inspected by the umpire is to be placed outside the dugout/bench area prior to the start of the game for pregame inspection.

Comment: Requires teams to put all equipment to be inspected by the umpires outside the dugout/bench area before the game begins.

Do you inspect equipment and if so, for which games?

[Dakota]

How can an umpire be liable for anything over which the umpire has no authority and no responsibility to rule one way or the other?

If a fielder's mask breaks and puts an eye out, is the umpire liable?

Of course, anyone can bring any frivolous lawsuit they want, so, the umpire can be named as a party in a lawsuit if the league schedules a game between teams of different skill levels and someone on the less skilled team gets injured.

Remove the umpire's responsibility and authority over all equipment and the liability goes with it.

I'm talking about actual liability, not the legal equivalent of the TWP or the need to defend against frivolous lawsuits.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

How can an umpire be liable for anything over which the umpire has no authority and no responsibility to rule one way or the other?

If a fielder's mask breaks and puts an eye out, is the umpire liable?

Of course, anyone can bring any frivolous lawsuit they want, so, the umpire can be named as a party in a lawsuit if the league schedules a game between teams of different skill levels and someone on the less skilled team gets injured.

Remove the umpire's responsibility and authority over all equipment and the liability goes with it.

I'm talking about actual liability, not the legal equivalent of the TWP or the need to defend against frivolous lawsuits.

How is UPS liable when one of their drivers damages another's property? How can a bat company be liable for a player injured because their bat hit a ball that injured another player?
How is a car mechanic liable if someone is injured by a car recently serviced by him/her?
How is regional pizza company responsible for the death of an unauthorized passenger in a delivery man's personal car when he had an accident?
Or a hotel for someone using a room as a sniper's perch? Mandalay Bay

How is ASA/USA (or any organization) responsible for any injury to player simply because it has been determined to be too good a product?

I agree that some of these may be ridiculous, but is tht is real life and apparently are considered valid legal positions.