Brain Teaser question

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Problem is, IMO, too often you try to apply baseball rules, interpretations, philosophies and logic to the softball game and associated rules. And occasionally when they do not fit where you believe they should...

I haven't uttered the word "baseball" in this discussion. I have not criticized your rulings - I think they are all correct.

You are reading too much into my background and subscribing to me, an agenda, that simply exists as a ghost in your own mind.

The problem is that you know a lot about baseball rules, probably more than the average softball umpire. You are frequently aware of these differences, as I am, also.

Since you raised the subject, allow me to clarify my position on the issue that you have now decided to raise:

1. Softball umpires, who have a certain degree of familiarity with baseball rules, have to be careful not to confuse the two. There are differences!

The same could be said of a baseball umpire who has familiarity with softball rules. You have to be careful.

Hell, it doesn't even have to be a baseball/softball thing. It could be ASA/NFHS/AFA/NSA/NCAA/ISF/USFA/USSSA type of thing

2. There are always going to be poorly worded rules. If one does not have a solid background on why a rule exists or some official interpretation regarding that rule, they can be easily tripped up by a poorly worded rule; whereas a more experienced umpire has a difficult time seeing the poor wording because his mind has already concluded (almost always correctly) what the rule is trying to say without really having an appreciation of how poorly it's saying it.

Sometimes "clarifications" of rules do more harm than good with equally poor wording.

Believe me, softball doesn't have a corner on this market.

* * *

Everybody has their "thing." In the world of umpiring, my "thing" is the firm belief that rules can be made better, or, at a minimum, more understandable. If you simply must subscribe an "agenda" to me, it would be that.

I am critical of bad rules, poorly-worded rules, or ill-conceived interpretations.

Although it was not my intent for this thread, we just happened to have stumbled across what I happen to consider a poorly-worded rule. I didn't say that it was necessarily a bad rule, or that there are any ill-conceived interpretations of this rule.

It's my opinion that it is poorly-worded. Simply that and nothing more.

Mike, I think you have more of a problem with me than the things I have to say and it shows in everything you write. You have a difficult time with the message because you want to shoot the messenger so desperately.

Oddly, I don't seem to have this problem with others.

By the way, the comment about "your daughter" was a metaphor. Hell, I don't even know if you have a daughter, let alone if you're even married.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN