Offensive Conferences

[JamesV]

Reference: NFHS rules; Age: U-14

Defensive coach complains about the 3d base coach requesting more than one offensive conference in an inning.

The third base coach would beckon each batter to him sometime during their respective time at bat for instruction, clarification, etc.

I explained the rule of "Only one offensive conference per inning". Coach said he never heard of such a thing and no one has ever complained in the past. He then asked what is the penalty. I told him I would not grant him time after the first conference.

I refused to grant hime time when the next batter stepped out of the batters box to meet with him. I then called a strike on the batter without having the pitcher throw the ball.

Was this the proper course of action on my part?

Comments please.

Jim

[IRISHMAFIA]

Don't know about Federation, but ASA's penalty would certainly get his attention - ejection.

[CelticNHBlue]

First, I am unaware that NFHS has age groups since it is the High School governing body so the U-14 puzzles me. Maybe someone else with more focus and experience with NFHS can clarify this.

As for NCAA and ASA, and NFHS in general (I believe they all agree on this ruling), a coach who insists on an additional offensive conference in an inning will not be granted that conference and if s/he ignores that rule and in fact holds another conference will be ejected/relegated to the bench upon convening the conference.

Your appropriate mechanic should have been to, as you did, inform her/him of the rule. When s/he responded as they did, you would inform her/him of the appropriate penalty for breaking the rule. You probably won't be able to actually stop a conference if the coach wants to have one so when the second conference starts you inform her/him of removal from her/his position on the field. They will complete the conference prior to addressing you and your ruling so don't try to actually prevent the conference from happening.

At this time you ask her/him to leave the field quietly, respectfully, and with dignity (LOL). Once their voice is gone from the screaming, don't be surprised when they resort to sign language. If things do escalate, if you have a partner, s/he should interject to remove the coach with the assistance of a tournament official/school administrator, again, if available.

Also, many coaches will use the line 'nobody has ever questioned/done/said anything about that before' in an attempt to get away with something. They are counting on the official to not have a clear understanding of whatever rule they want to circumvent and back down from the confrontation, or like you did, invent a penalty. I will go as far to say that at least you seemed to try and find a rule (batter pre-pitch time limit) to base a ruling and a penalty on. Sometimes inexperienced umpires resort to baseball rules, sandlot rules, dodgeball rules, croquet rules, whatever comes to mind to make a ruling.

I am curious how the coach reacted to your calling a strike on the batter?

[JamesV]

The league is using NFHS rules while using age brackets.
Jim

[JamesV]

CelticNHBlue,
The coach did nothing, accepted the strike, and never had more than one offensive conference following my assessment of the strike.

To be honest, I knew about the one conference per inning however, I could not recall the penalty, so a called strike did not seem inappropriate.

In the future, should this ever come up again, the assessed penalty will be "per the book".
Jim

[AtlUmpSteve]

NFHS 7-3-1 allows a penalty strike if batter steps out of the box without time being granted. In an instance where the batter did exactly that after you verbally refused to grant time, I submit your call was most appropriate.

If you accomplished your task without a second offensive conference, and thus avoided the unpleasnat result, I think you did a great job of preventative officiating; and it was all in the rules, not made up.

[Dakota]

I agree with AtlUmpSteve's comments. You did fine. One comment: I would have ordered the batter back into the box, and after she did not comply, then called the strike. I couldn't tell if you instructed the batter to return to the box or just called the strike after not granting time.

[WestMichBlue]

NO to calling a strike. 7.3.1 does not provide a penalty strike for stepping out of the box (when the pitcher is on the pitcher's plate). It only puts the batter at risk of having a strike called if the pitcher continues with the pitch. It also puts the batter at risk of being charged with delay (20 sec rule) which then will allow a penalty strike to be called.

Offensive conferences have no direct penalty. The rule only states that the umpire will deny the request for a conference. If, after being told "NO" to the second conference, the coach continues to approach his batter then you have a disciplinary issue between the umpire and the coach. Use your umpire authority and USC rules to put the coach on the bench.

WMB