Apple Watch on College Base Coach...Keep Mum?

[Manny A]

Last year while working as U3 in a D1 game, I noticed the third base coach in the coach's box had on an Apple Watch. I told her she couldn't wear it on the field, and she removed it and put it in the dugout, no questions asked.

But when I took the NCAA exam this year, one of the questions involved the use of information transmitting devices like smart watches, and the question said the opposing coach had to say something before an umpire could take action. Sure enough, when I looked it up in the rule book, the effect is that we aren't allowed to say anything until the opposing coach brings it to our attention. So I shouldn't have said anything to the coach last year. My bad.

Seems weird that we can't say anything when we see it, and we have to wait for the opposing coach to complain. On the flip-side, the rule on artificial noisemakers in the dugout changed such that we now can put a stop to it without the opposing team complaining. Last year, we couldn't deal with them unless the opposing coach brought it to our attention. Why the inconsistency?

[AtlUmpSteve]

Reference Rule 13.1. Then roll it back to EFFECT (8.9.1 to 8.9.8).

Your reference results in an official warning to both violator(s) and the head coach, when brought to your attention by a coach. This is for even wearing that smart watch.

Rule 13.1.1 allows you to give an "informal warning" to prevent being forced to act (an official warning would be that next step).

I would suggest that an informal warning is preventative officiating and good game management, while allowing it to continue is a "gotcha", that you MUST act on later. JMO.