New ASA Mechanic for 2008
 

What do you make of this?

I do not understand this. Does baseline extended mean behind home plate? How far? All the way to the backstop? Otherwise, what prevents us from getting hit by a warm-up pitch?

If not, then are we are on the baseline in typical position (1/3 to 1/2 way between home and 1st base). If we are facing into the dugout, what protects our backside from getting hit by a wild throw? And what umpire wants to be standing there staring into the dugout like a policeman? (Or is that required in adult games to stop illegal activities {smoking, drinking, etc})?

Finally, what were we doing that put us near batter's warming up?

Any ASA folks want to respond?

WMB

Sounds like the NCAA mechanics.

My guesses:
Baseline extended = foul territory
How far = 10 to 20 feet
What prevents us from getting hit with wrap up pitches = watch the warm up pitches

First I've heard of this. Sounds like someone thinks they had a great idea and convinced the staff it was worth instituting. If this is a NCAA mechanic, I can understand why it was approved.

But, I'm with you. May I note that on many fields, even in championship play, there is no additional room to conduct routine business or to avoid an errant warm up pitch or be struck by a bat in the hands of the lead-off batter swinging it while approaching and watching the pitches.

I cannot think of a valid reason to support such a change.

Not sure why ASA would pick this mechanic to adopt, but I can say that I have never been in fear of being hit by a errant warm-up pitch while on either base line extended and 8-10' from the plate. Secondly, I am facing the team coming to bat and can't see how the lead-off batter could come up and hit me while I'm watching her. Besides, I don't allow hitters to approach the plate between innings.

Maybe you have better pitchers or fields with larger DBT behind the plate. It would be an issue around here

And when the defense is giving you a change and the ODB is walking behind the catcher to get to the RH box and watching the pitcher, you are doing what?

My point is that it is an unnecessary change (just like moving the BU onto the grass) that someone believes is safe everywhere. It is not especially in the fields with a close backstop.

If I had my druthers, I would move all umpires on the line between innings right where they were 6 years ago. It is a safe area, void of any traffic other than those who specifically need to talk to the umpire.

Meanwhile, before I drop a line to my regional UIC and a dep. supvr. about this, I would love to know from where this information came. It isn't posted on the ASA web site.

Having used the NCAA mechanic, I actually prefer it. For me, that isn't true all the time, but this one I like.

By taking the baseline extended 8' to 10', you are far enough away from the plate (using my age-old geometry, that makes you about 5' to 7' to the side of the plate, almost twice the width of the batters box. I have never felt uncomfortable in that location. I have felt like I could now observe the only things that there are to observe between innings; obviously the team taking the field, but now also the team coming in to play offense.

They can have a batter-to-be warming up in their on-deck circle, and an on-deck-batter-to-be warming up; in NCAA, at least, it is a rule that others are not to be out of the dugout swinging bats, and I find it a reasonable safety rule in other applications.

Mike, to your specific question, the answer is that the ODB is not allowed to walk around to the other side until you call "batter up". Stop it from happening as a rule, and that ends your concern. That person is not the batter, it is an on-deck-batter that must say on his/her side, until you call them to be the batter. And this way, you are facing them, and have stepped back to get that panoramic view you need to see the field.

Like you, I don't know where/when this was adopted, but I prefer it. I strongly suspect that the majority of NUS working NCAA has seen the value, not that this is a single person's idea or agenda.

I agree.

Put me in the camp that likes this change. For a few reasons:

• It lets me see the entire action - facing the OFF bench and the field. It also removes the ODB behind me, where I can't see him/her.
• It gets me off the line on the 3B side, where you're always in the line of fire for F3's warmup throws to F5.
• There's plenty of room to conduct business if needed - if you feel cramped between the backstop and F2 receivinbg warmup pitches, then slide a little toward 1B or 3B, depending on which side you're on.
• If you're getting hit by ODB's taking swings while stepping into the box, then you're not in the ready position to begin with. If they're stepping in the box, you should be behind F2 about to play ball, not standing in your inbetween-inning-spot. The batter's ready, why aren't you?
• It will discourage your partner from coming down the line to have an idle chit-chat. I've noticed that the primary reason the one-minute isn't enforced is that the PU is jabbering with the BU about something, and not paying attention to the warmup pitches or the time. Keeping the PU closer to HP will discourage the BU from coming over for no real reason.

Just my thoughts on this...

It came from Mike De Leo, Region 8 UIC to Gary Evans (MI ASA UIC) to local district UIC to ASA umpires in Michigan.

There are two changes, the one I posted here and the second (SP only) which moves the BU off and to the 1B side of F4 with no runners or one runner on 1B.


WMB

That is a correction they knew of. I have always used and taught this positioning UNLESS F4 is playing to his/her left and deep. Then I move toward the middle

Okay, I can understand why you would like this. This is the way I feel about it.

A. In my area, 10' will often put you on the outside of the backstop. Yes, I know this is for "championship play", but mechanics are something I prefer not vary.

B. Remember, this would also be for SP whose warm-ups are probably more dangerous then that of the youth game.

C. Just because you are off to the side of the plate doesn't mean you are out of range of an "accidental" errant pitch. They originally took the BU off the line to avoid possible confrontations with a player coming off the field. Now you are placing the PU in a position where they could easily be thrown at. Seems to be a little contradictory.

D. I prefer the PU & BU get together between innings. Always have since they are a team and should have the opportunity to communicate with each other without delaying the game or making a very noticable special trip to bring something to a partner's attention. I think it improves their game and if there is a chatterbox, removing that meeting isn't going to speed it up anymore. A chatterbox will talk to anyone within earshot. I'd rather have him on the line with his partner than talking to the fans. That way, the partner can just walk away and the chatterbox must move into position to continue the game.

I have seen games delayed by line-up changes, but I have never been involved in a game where the umpire's chatter has delayed anything.

Well, we will see how this plays out.

I agree with Mike's points, especially A and D.

There aren't many fields during the "regular season" where this mechanic would be reasonable or safe.

I have never liked the idea that umpires are to be kept separate during the game because they can't be trusted to not waste time.

I work NCAA and I like the positioning. When getting a change from a coach you move towards her dugout and out of the way of an errant pitch. By the way I have never had to dodge a pitch using this position.

Okay, lets go back a few steps. The NCAA is one thing, 10U, 12U, etc. is another world. Even moreso when the backstops are closer.

You, also, may have noticed that I mentioned that the SP warm-up can be just, if not more, dangerous. Remember, there is nothing requiring them to toss the ball is a SP manner. That means you get some idiots who wind up and try to do their best Lisa Fernandez imitation or just whip it in overhand. And, yes, there have been reports of umpires experiencing near misses in these situations when distracted by a coach or ODB.

You can give examples of how it works in the NCAA games all you please, this isn't the NCAA and that decorum established on the fields at that level doesn't always ring true throughout the different games, divisions and classifications of ASA softball.

Outside of collegiate or maybe HS ball, I think this is stupid as hell...

To be honest with you, the reasoning or "comment" offered is what I don't understand.

Up the foul line ISN'T where batters normally warm up, and why do I need to be "observing" the offense's dugout? Will they be "rolling" their bats in the dugout? I can see some umpires start looking for trouble, but then again, I'm a pessimist. :rolleyes:

How many batters does ASA allow out of the dugout and how close does it allow them to get to the plate between innings? The answers to these questions become meaningless if nobody is watching the offensive team area.

I don't see this mechanic change as that big of a deal. The majority of youth FP and SP umpires aren't going to put their noses in the manual to discover the change anyway. Unfortunately, in the Houston area, there are enough games to be covered each weekend that everyone gets work, whether they care to do things correctly or not. Down here, it is a numbers game.

Between innings? Don't care. The whole damn team can have a bat in their hand outside the dugout as far as I'm concerned. Once it is time to move into position to continue play, then the answer is obviously one. Nor do I care how close they get to the plate as long as they are on their side of the field., but will address the coach of the dangers to a player moving close to the plate during warm-ups

Yeah, it's a numbers game just about everywhere. However, I still need to train the umpires correctly so when it comes to championship play, there is no question as to the proper mechanics. As previously noted, many of the fields in this area would actually place the umpire in a more precarious situation if they try to follow the prescribed mechanics. Though I will instruct umpires in the manner described, I still don't care for what I consider an unnecessary change for ASA.

Maybe it is old school, but I still prefer the umpires have an opportunity to communicate in a position that is not near any zone or action which could be considered dangerous.

Of course, this is just my 42 years of umpiring experience opinion which carries no weight when it comes to training.

New ASA mechanic
 

Here another .02 worth --

1. The higher level ball, I absolutely like the NCAA mechanic

2. Low level ball, including 10-16 rec ball -- I won't use it unless I get an inning or two worth of confidence in the pitcher and catcher warming up -- too much of a circus going on, even w/ my superior game management skills (LOL)

3. I have a "rep" of working fast -- it's always 45-55 seconds and we're playing ball -- so I keep games moving. But before we get to that point -- I often use that interval in rec games to train rookie umpires -- OJT in a situation (rec ball) which is almost by definition, an OJT situation

4. It seems that folks who insist novice umpires blindly follow this mechanic are ignoring a greater need for them to have a good measure of "hand holding" from their partners -- and if you do follow that mechanic, then when you deviate to communicate during innings, it's gonna be noticed a lot more than the traditional mentor-mentee getting together on the first base line for 10 seconds of tweaking

Having said all that -- I love the mechanic for NCAA, and I wish Fed would adopt it as well

They only can do their best Lisa Fernandez imitation if you let them. SP can not pitch the ball with excessive speed, even warm up pitches. I also work 10u and 12u, if you pat attention it should not be a problem.

Sorry, but you are misinformed. There is no restriction on how a pitcher may deliver a warm-up pitch. A few years ago, there was an attempt to change that requiring a SP warm-up to assimilate a regular pitch. It was met with such opposition, it was promptly rescinded.

And if you are not there, you need not worry about it at all.