Submission for quote of the year, 2006

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by blu_bawls

The umpire enforces the rules.

Thank you for making the argument for the other side. As much as I like getting 42 outs as quickly as possible...I will do my best to not allow a coach to do something like this contrary to the rules.

If they INSIST, that's one thing, but I will lead them away from the path to perdition as much as possible.

I am not out there to coach...but I am out there to maintain the integrity of the game. Preventative umpiring is part of that.

And as far as being the one who tallies the runs, what say you if, for instance, a runner misses the plate. The scorekeeper (home book or someone employed to keep the book) marks the run. Then you have a proper, legal appeal. Do you somehow tell the scorekeeper that run didn't score (by calling the runner out through some pronouncement)? Of course you do (at least I hope so).

As an amateur baseball historian, I would throw a reference at ya from 98 years ago, Cubs v. Giants. Hank O' Day was base umpire, Bill Emslie was PU. Bases loaded for Giants. Ball hit to outfield. Runner from third scores. In the ensuing celebration, Fred Merkle didn't go to second - he stopped and joined in the celebration. Cubs retreieved a ball (likely not the game ball, but who knows) and tag second base after getting O'Day's attention.

Only people who knew the score were O'Day and Emslie. Went down as a tie, teams tie for the pennant, Cubs win Cubs win Cubs win in a playoff - all becaue an umpire cared enough to do his job.

OK, I've gone off on a tangent, but my point is that your lineup is much more than a piece of paper. You may not be the scorekeeper, but you are the gatekeeper. No one comes in or out of the game without coming through you. No one scores unless you say they score. No one is safe or out or hits fair or foul unless YOU say they do.

My humble advice is to be very assertive in not letting folks hang themselves - within reason.