Train Wrecks

[AtlUmpSteve]

The current and past process of the ASA rulebook revisions is the problem. This may change, with the new management, but, through this year, here is the process. The ASA National Council meets the first week in November to vote on proposed rule changes. That same week, during the council meeting, for the first time, the ASA NUS meets to discuss the proposed rule changes, the implications and ramifications, possible resultant effects, editorial changes which may be required, etc. The National Council votes on rule changes the last day of the council meeting, and 2 or 3 members of the NUS stay ONE DAY to edit the rulebook. Those selected may or may not be the penultimate guru of that area, and may or may not realize all of the ramifications and resultant discrepancies. I don't know exactly what additional proofreading and editting is done, but I suspect the document has to be to the printers fairly shortly to be available in January!

What is right? Why, the rule is right. In any discrepancy, the wording of the rule takes precedence. POE and casebook plays are intended and designed to explain intent, rationale, and fill the gaps where the rule doesn't explain every possibility. As a result of the process, 1) we find rules passed which may appear to contradict other rules, 2) rules printed may appear to be out of place in the wording sequence, 3) rules amended or appended when a full rewrite would be clearer, 4) POE's amended or appended or mistakenly left the same, 5) casebook plays which may not reflect the nuances of a new rule, and 6) MOST OFTEN an outdated and unrevised umpire manual. If you reread the above, you will note the umpire manual has not been routinely editted to reflect the rule changes, and has, for many years, included older language no longer consistent with the rules.

For this year, the umpire manual was updated to reflect the revised slow pitch mechanics (which were revised a year earlier). It is my understanding that other sections were reviewed and updated, but the process needs to be addressed by the new Director to minimize the ongoing issues.