Incorrect instructions at plate meeting...
 

I'm BU. Partner is conducting the plate meeting, and for some reason is going into detail on the courtesy runner rule.

He explains it incorrectly, stating that once the player used as a courtesy runner enters the game, that the position she was running for (e.g. pitcher) can no longer have a courtesy runner. I keep quiet.

Comments?

Was this the same guy that did the punch-out on strike 2?

Yup. I hadn't worked with him before. Other than these two things, he called a very good game. Near as I could tell, the CR issue never came up.

I would have waited till the coaches cleared out and told him privately that he misspoke and that he could correct it if the situation comes up in the course of the game.

I might have said: "You mean she can not have that player as CR anymore"

A couple of weeks ago, in the plate meeting before the state 12u Babe Ruth final (I was BU), the PU refreshed the coaches and captains on several ASA rules, mainly regarding INT and OBS. Not a usual topic for a plate meeting, but the main problem was, these were in areas where BR is significantly different from ASA. I could see reminding everyone of BR rules, since most teams hadn't played under that code, but a specific pre-game reminder that was wrong seemed to be asking for trouble.

But I kept my mouth shut, figuring that the chances were that the game would be a blowout and that nothing would come up. Luckily, it was, and nothing did.

Last year, in a Pennsylvania showcase with teams from Alaska, Texas, Colorado, Georgia, New England, etc., the PU, after going over the field ground rules, reminded the coaches and captains that it's "Two from the field, one from the mound." Everybody (except me) nodded in agreement.

Why do umpires believe it is their responsibility to "remind" teams of what they are already supposed to know? Same thing with pre-game warnings. "I don't what to hear this" or "I don't want to see that" should never be part of a pre-game meeting.

A meeting should be introductions, check and double check and administer the exchange of line-up cards, address any special rules for THAT particular field, answer any questions as would pertain to those ground rules and finally, conduct the coin toss, if applicable.

This meeting is NOT a rules clinic, NOT a platform to warn of pet peeves, NOT a situation where an umpire threatens teams if they do something the umpire doesn't like, etc.

I had a PU tell the teams what the awards for out-of-play would be. Problem was his awards were wrong. Because recently I had had a BAD game with a partner where he accused me of stealling his call, I did't say anything. The real problem was it came into play. Lesson learned. I will now gently offer the proper awards.

Bugg

Thanks for the comments.

I agree the issue should never have been brought up in the first place at a plate meeting. He had a fairly lengthy plate speech, but this was the only error in it; he just said more than needed to be said about several other things, too. (JMO)

I chose to keep quiet since the "harm" would be minor and even unlikely to come up, whereas a disagreement between umpires at the plate meeting would damage our crediblity as a team.

And, as I said, he called a very good game.

The last two weeks, I have had the opportunity to work with umpires from different areas of the country that I would not normally work with. I had a situation where my partner explained an NCAA rule for catches against and over the fence that differs from the ASA rules we were playing under.

After the plate meeting, I told him that he explained the NCAA rule..after thinking for a few seconds, he agreed. As this was a B level game, it did not come into play at all during the game.

NCAA rule for catches against and over the fence that differs from the ASA rules

I do both NCAA and ASA. What is it?

Dakota did your partner also give the defenition of a force play.:D Just kidding but unless your doing a very low level of ball there's no reason for explaning the C/R rule unless asked by a coach or player ,just my two cents.
I give them the basics
1)No Jewelry
2)Good sportsmanship
3)Ground rules for that field.

NCAA rules - 1-22:

A catch shall not be credited when:
f. The fielder is standing on the fence as it is lying on the ground when she
contacts the ball.
(copied from the NCAA rulebook online)

The ASA rule allows the fielder to be standing on a fence that is lying on the ground and make a legal catch of a fly ball for an out.

I am paraphrasing the ASA rule as I do not have the book handy right now. Perhaps someone can post the ASA rule reference.

The ASA interp comes from RS 20.

Thanks. In fact, one NCAA field I worked on did have a temporary fence, and the wind kept blowing sections of it over. (And there were several homers in that doubleheader, too.) Glad I didn't have a fielder standing on the flattened fence, or I would have erroneously called it an out as per ASA. I better review my NCAA book.