Showing a player a rule.........

[dsimp8]

Okay. The other night in a men's SP ASA game, I had the BR run through first base like you are supposed to on an ball hit in the infield. He turned towards the dugout (like you're supposed to)and then,he saw the ball bouncing off the fence. Keep in mind that he has turned and is about 6 ft in foul territory. He runs 4 steps towards 2B,then he sees that the C has backed the play up and has the ball about 10ft away from him.

The C walks over and tags him and I pump him out. Their whole team goes beserk hollering about how he never crossed the foul line to which I told him that he made an attempt to go to 2B therefore he was out.

I then told all of the players that had come out of the dugout to get back in,get their gloves,and hit the field.I could have ejected a few of them but it was a close game and I wanted to decide it on the field.One of the players said on the way out,"He missed it. he missed it. Let's just move on." The BR walked up to me and said,"I'm gonna look that rule up to check it myself." I said,Go ahead."

Here's the situation......I've got this same team tonight. Should I pull the BR aside or the coach to show them the rule in the rule book? I don't want to do it in an"I told you so " manner-I just want them to see it in print if they didn't take the time to look it up or should I let it go unless they say something to me?

[tzme415]

Let it go unless they bring it up. The last thing you want to do is make it look like you are holding a grudge from the week before. The other option if they don't bring it up is to show them after their game is over. You also want to word in such a way as you just want them to know why you called it the way you did. Like you said you don't want to give the impression that you are bettter than they are or I told you so.

[bkbjones]

Someone on here has a sig that sums it up...something to the effect of "Don't go looking for trouble. It will find you soon enough."

IMHO going out of your way to show them the rule is nothing but looking for trouble. If your ASA commissioner is doing his/her job the team HAS a rule book and can look it up on their own.

[mcrowder]

Here's what I'd do.

Make sure you know what page the rule that was in question is on. If THEY approach YOU, in a cordial manner, say something like, "Oh, that was you guys? I do so many games that the teams run together. But anytime there's a serious question on the field, I look it up that night just to make sure I have all of the wording right. I looked that up that night after our game." Turn to the right page, and let him read it.

If they don't approach you, act as if you truly do so many games that the teams run together, and you never carry anything forward from previous games. (Which should be what you do anyway). When given the chance after a sitch like this, I often try to defuse any leftover hostility by acting (and it isn't always an act) like (and talking like) I don't mentally keep track of which teams I've had disagreements with. Each game is new, and the past is in the past.

[Alameda]

Well said mc.

Good plan.

[gsf23]

I've only once gave a player a rule book and told them to look it up. It was my second ejection of a player.

This guy was about 6'8 and a pitch came across the plate about chest high, the catcher caught it like a baseball catcher about knee high, and I called it a strike. Batter kinda gave me a smirk and the next pitch, pretty much the same spot, pops up to the shortstop. Well he just goes off on me about how the ball has to land in a "drop zone" to be a strike and that there is no way that pitch was a strike. I try to explain the zone briefly to him, but then he takes his bat and draws a line in the catchers box and says the ball has to hit in front of that line for it to be a strike.

Well, that was enough for me, I walked over to my bag, pulled out a rulebook (no, I don't carry a book with me anymore, this was only my second year when I did this) and handed it to him. Told him that when he can show me anything about a drop zone or where that line is supposed to be drawn, I'll let you play again, until then you're on the bench, told the manager I needed a sub and went on.

After the game, he came up, handed me back the book, said he was wrong and apologized. Told him not to worry, it was already forgotten. Never had a problem with him or his team again.

[SRW]

Originally posted by gsf23
I try to explain the zone briefly to him, but then he takes his bat and draws a line in the catchers box and says the ball has to hit in front of that line for it to be a strike.

I would have erased the line with my foot, and told him that if he questioned balls and strikes again, he could watch the game from the parking lot.

Or like I did last week - batter points to where it dropped and said something to the effect of "how the heck could that be a strike?" I baited him: "Are you questioning balls and strikes?" He responsd with "Yes, I'm questioning where it landed!" I told him that he was done, and he could go sit on the bench for the rest of the game.

[officialtony]

No No No No No.
Hopefully that is clear enough to state my opinion.
Let it be. If he did look, he knows he's wrong and you don't need to put salt in the wound. If he didn't look, then it is forgotten and you don't need to open old wounds. As was said, you are looking for trouble if you do it. You can't teach these guys " new " info anyway. They are adults and should know already - or at least their coach should.
OK, I've said my piece.
My humble opinion.