Catcher Obstruction

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by ukumpire

With no disrespect, but we are the people who enforce the rules and therefore have the Freedom to suggest which rules or mechanics may need to change the game for the better.
If every umpire, never ever said anything, the rules of our game would of never changed.
I semi understand your point of view, but I believe that nobody, more than us as Umpires, change the rules for the better, this in no way must understate the consensus of players coaches and other officials, God Bless them!

If you lived in the litigious society that we do.....

In ASA, all rule changes are submitted by a voting member of the ASA General Council. ANYONE can submit a proposed change, but it must be "sponsored" and signed by a voting member.

They are published, reviewed in numerous committees (of council members), voted upon by each committee which sends recommendations to the final Playing Rules committee which takes the recommendations into consideration, then votes on these rules. The result of this vote is reported to the chair as recommendation for approval or rejection.

These recommendations are read in a general meeting of the council and at which point any voting member may challenge the recommendation. To reverse the recommendation, the motion must receive 60% of the vote.

Of course, there are also rules involving safety issues which are handled more as an operating policy until an emergency vote of the council can be executed.