Field Conditions Question

[JPRempe]

When in doubt of the safety of the players, DO NOT PLAY!

Would you let the players play during a moderate thunderstorm? Would you let them play with rattlesnakes on the field (no joke - seen it happen in southern CA)?

You have to think of it from a standpoint of liability. If you allow players to play in conditions where either you, the ASA or whatever association you're umping for can be held liable for injury/death/dismemberment/snakebite (as there are rules in place which allow you to stop game play), and that's something you do not want to do (and if you do...you should stop umpiring or field managing immediately).