New rules learned in fall ball
 

Learned some new fall ball rules this weekend. Unfortunately there were only six of them. Some of you already know #2

1. If the pitched ball hits off the end of the knob on the bat, it's not a foul ball if the batter didn't offer.
2. Hands are part of the bat.
3. The PU is the "over umpire and he is over you and you have to go to him."
4. "You have to go to your partner for help on that (judgement call, sliding tag play at 3B) if I ask you to. That's the rule."
5. Not only is there no longer a batter's box when the lines disappear, there is also no longer a catcher's box -- so how can THAT rule apply? (catcher was so close to the plate she was about to get mugged --- and in the next game when one of my brethren let her set up wherever the hell she wanted, she got a free ride to the hospital so they could treat her "probably broken" injury.
6. It is ok for a coach who has been ejected to sit in the stands later on to "see some of his former players play" ... and while he is there to continue to harass the umpires who ejected him earlier in the day for being a total ucking fidiot.

Ahhh, sounds like the summer ball crapola has carried over into fall ball. :rolleyes:

"Hands are part of the bat."

Hasn't that been the rule for years? ;) :D

This does seem to be a rule I have been hearing for 24 years now. you shouldn't have just learned it in Fall ball. LOL:D

I got the "Is that your rule?" recently...

Bases loaded - ball to F6 - run of the mill INT on R2 - BU db, int.

R1 had crossed the plate and went into the dugout.

Of course, fall ball right now is running about 100F so I'm a little cooked... start to get ready for the next pitch - my little cooked brain synapses click a little... and I realize, hey that runner needs to go back. Call time, put the runner back..

"Are you sure thats the rule?"

"Is that your rule or is that rule in the rule book?"

"Is it a new rule."

The hat trick of most irritating questions.

And they b*#@hed only because it took a run away. That's why you got the irritating questions. I know how this feels, very irritating.

Ahh.....yep!:cool:

Ahh.....yep!:cool:

Ahh....apparently just for you ;)

Here's the answer you really wish you could give:

Coach, you're right; I should have given you an option. The run hasn't scored on the play, but if you would rather take an out for that runner, too, you don't have to put her back on the bases where she might still score a run for you.:eek::eek:

Sad part is the coach might actually take the option! :eek::eek:

2. Hands are part of the bat.

There are words added to the "official" dictionary each year. This "rule" is quoted so often that it might actually become part of sporting lexicon.

Here's a new one from the other day, which was a very very windy day (actually had a wind advisory!): Any pop-up in the infield is an infield fly. :rolleyes:

They continue to come up with new ones. I guess I need to read the rule book better.

1st, when over running 1st base, it is not necessary for the player to immediately return to the base if the coach is standing there talking to them.

2nd, if a runner stays in the base line it is perfectly legal for her to run over the short stop fielding a batted ball. Are you sure blue? Is this a new rule blue? But she was in the base path! Same sentiment coming from the stands.

3rd, rocker step is not legal when a player gets thier lead on the pitch. They must remain stationary until the pitch is released.

The one I've been hearing lately is when the batter hits a quick chip shot 50 feet into the outfield, "that's not a legal swing, blue! His wrists are supposed to break when he swings! It's in the book!"

First time I heard that, I seriously thought the player was smoking crack. WTF is he even babbling about? And then I heard it again on another field, different team, a couple of weeks later. "He's gotta break his wrists when he swings, blue! It's in the book!"

I'm wondering, "where are they GETTING this stuff? It HAS to come from somewhere..."

Finally, on another forum, I found the source.

ASA RS #10 - Check Swing / Bunt Strike. :eek:

I set them straight. :rolleyes:

Not a "new rule", but in the same vein...

Last night, Womens SP. After a hit with the bases loaded (two runs scored), older, male 3B coach tells me "a good umpire would have gotten the bat out of the way".

Sounds like this was in men's leagues? I've had this crapola line in coed wreck.

Yep. I even heard this at the Nationals. Twice.

One of the guys I work with told me he had a coach arguing for a left handed batter/slapper to be called out for a fouled 3rd strike bunt on a check swing. Very next pitch the girl did the exact same thing except this time the ball bounced off the left center fence for a double.

What did you have, a couple bored EMTs looking for something to do?:D

What about a right handed batter? :rolleyes:What appears to be a check swing "could" be a bunt, but I certainly wouldn't expect it or go looking for it.

Not that kind of wrist break. ;)

Heard in the past week alone:

- Close play at plate. Ball, runner and catcher all get there about the same time. Runner stays upright, sticks a foot across the plate, totally avoids any contact with the catcher and is safe.

From the defensive dugout: "Hey Blue, doesn't he have to slide?".

- Runners on first and second, one out. Sky high pop up to F6, who is settled under it for the catch. Infield Fly called while ball is near apex. Runner on second takes off before the catch and is easily doubled off the bag.

From the offensive coach: "But you called an Infield Fly. Isn't the ball dead on that?".

- Runner on first. Ball hit to the fence. R1 rounds second, then collides with an oblivious F6. I signal and call obstruction. Ball is still not picked up by the outfielder and I decide that I'm protecting the runner to home.

Relay throw comes in and the runner is tagged out by a step at the plate. I call time and award the runner home.

Defensive coach wants the out (naturally). "Hey Blue, doesn't he just get one base?".

Me: "No".

Coach: "How do you know that he would have scored?".

Me: "That's my judgment. I can award any base that negates the effect of the obstruction".

Coach: "You can't just give them a run like that!".

Me: "Yes I can!".

And finally...

- Batter-runner beats out a grounder at first, overruns the bag, then casually and without making any move toward second base turns to his left and heads back to the bag.

Defensive coach: "Tag him, tag him, he turned the wrong way!".

Come to think of it, maybe these aren't "new rules" after all. Different coaches seem to make these same arguments several times a season, year after year! :D

First night of fall ball last night. Pop up in the vicinity of third base. F5 makes the catch in foul territory, I say "Out" give a hammer and turn back towards the plate. 3B coach says "Hey Blue" and I stop and turn around. "How can that be an out? It was in foul territory." I give him the wrinkled up face WTF look for about 5 seconds. He gets a sheepish look on his face and says, "Oh man. Can we pretend I never said that?"

Ugh... Caught absolute HELL tonight. 2 outs, top of 7th, visitors down by a run after coming back from a 9-1 deficit. Close play at the plate, but the runner had to slow down because F2 was in the base path before the ball got there. He gets tagged out about half a step from the plate, which he probably would've made had F2 not been in the base path. I kill it, award home, and all HELL broke loose.

Home team ended up winning anyway, but I think I felt like wade did a couple years ago.

Where was the runner when he checked up?

6-8' from the plate or so.

*cough*cough*cough* badcall*cough*cough*letemplay*cough*picken boogers *cough * cough * cough *OOO * cough *cough *cough * looken for trouble * cough * cough

Damn allergies. :cool:

Need a Benadryl? :p

I had at least 3-4 people go up to the field supervisor, asking for my name so they could file complaints.

Even spectators!

Good, there will be that many more people who will be educated on the rules of softball.

Had one a couple weeks ago, similar to this. Long hit down the 3B foul line, stays in the air. LF running like a bat out of hell towards it. I'm PU (slow-pitch, 2-umpire), and running down the 3B line to watch where the ball is contacted. The ball is clearly over foul territory when LF tries to catch it, instead it hits his glove and falls to the ground. Of course, LF is in fair territory (I know, but bear with me). I give the foul ball call. Offense goes nuts, saying that LF was in fair territory therefore the ball has to be fair. I explained to them that it all depends on the ball's location when it's contacted by LF. They don't believe me, so they went to my partner. He confirmed my ruling. They didn't believe us, so they started talking to the other umpires after the game, and of course, ruling affirmed (why do I feel like it was court system night???). Finally the coach of the team said "That is the stupidest rule in softball!"

I had the same team the next week, and the coach came up and apologized, saying that he had called the softball office (which coordinates all the leagues in Omaha) and they had confirmed that my ruling was correct because that was the rule. Ahhhh...the joys of being right. :)

ATTEMPTED to be educated on the rules of softball :rolleyes:

My only HS coach ejection was just like this (assistant coach running on the field abusively insulting us). :(

Of course, they also claimed I didn't make the call immediately (before the ball hit the ground). :rolleyes:

And that would make a difference because......? rolleyes:

Wishful thinking, Mike. :D

I'm surprised I haven't received any phone calls yet. I already called my assignor after the game and explained everything to him. Unfortunately, the director of the league is not known for standing his ground when players and coaches start calling and complaining.

You know, I am absolutely opposed to verbalizing obstruction; in 99% of the cases, it stops play (and we know that is why they do it in baseball; if the play stops, awards are so much simpler!!).

But, this is one case that I think you should point and yell "THAT'S OBSTRUCTION!!" at the top of your lungs, as the play develops, so that you made the call before the part where everyone sees the runner apparently tagged out.

It won't change that they hate you called it, it won't change that they want to be able to block the base path in that case, it won't change that they swear it didn't happen as you called it. But, it takes away part of the venom when it is assumed you made it up after the play just to screw THAT team.

High school playoffs starting this week here in Georgia, and had a first round game last night. Home team batter hits a 5 bounder down the third base line, which jumps foul just as it reaches the third baseman. Foul ball. The fans get up as if one, and say "She touched it!!".

PU (me) turns and says "Thank you!! When she touched it over foul territory, that is the definition of a foul ball."

Sheepish looks (and silence) from the home crowd, quiet laughter from the visiting side (that would have made the same argument, of course).

Third base coach comes in, asks me what I had, says "That what I had, too; I'm just here to cover the embarrassment my parents are feeling."

My partner is out behind the bases, shaking his head, not believing I did that.

The exact sequence was: saw the OBS, barely got my arm out, saw the tag. Immediately, without hesitation, at the top of my lungs: "DEAD BALL! DEAD BALL!" A lot of cheering, so I had to say it twice, maybe three times before anyone knew what was happening, despite the fact that I'm not exactly "quiet." "Obstruction by the catcher!" Point to the plate with left hand. "Runner, you get home!"

I sold the hell out of that call, but still took crap. Oh well, that's all one can do, really. I knew all hell was going to break loose as soon as I saw the catcher drifting into the base path.

Had an obstruction last night, in which I protected the batter-runner to 2B. Gave the DDB signal, and she saw it. When she got to 2B, and time was called (slow-pitch), she asked "I get third, right? That's automatic when you gave that signal, right?" I said "no, I only had you protected towards second because that's as far as you would have gotten in my judgement." She tried the line that it wasn't judgement based, it was an automatic award. I told her she needed to read the rules, and if she harped anymore, the night was over for her. Women playing coed ball shut up really fast when you say that. :)

Had a player round 1B and get bumped by F3 enough to where he got knocked to the ground 10' from 1B. A second later, the throw came in to F4 standing at 2B. The runner got up, dusted himself off, and casually trotted to 2B, where he was tagged and was told to return to 1B.

"I thought I automatically got 2B..." :rolleyes:

Not even Willie Mays-Hayes would've made it to 2B.

16u FP this weekend. I am PU.

R1 at first, BR hits a shot to the right center gap. R1 rounds second, heads for third, great throw from F8 beats R1 by about two steps, but F5 can't handle the throw and the ball bounces away from her. R1 did not slide and sees the ball get away from F5. As R1 is rounding third, she brushes F5 still standing near third. The contact wasn't much, but it did cause R1 to break stride. My left arm goes out and R1 heads for home. F1 was backing up the play at third and easily retrieves the ball and throws home. F2 tags R1 about 6 feet before home.

DEAD BALL! OBS on F5, R1 back to third, BR back to second!

I start waiting and looking to see which coach is going to come out and want an explanation of the call. Nobody says a thing....players, coaches, fans...nothing.

I have a hard time believing that everybody there understands the OBS rule that well.....

Are you sure you weren't being filmed for "The Twilight Zone" revivial movie? :D

"Blue, youre not supposed to call them out for leaving early during fall ball. The whole purpose is for a college coach to time her with a stop watch."

What you want to say, but will not: "See if that stop watch will tell you how long it takes you to get to the parking lot".;):D

I told him his runners could keep running when I yelled dead ball but they are going to be called out.

10U game last night I learned the strike zone is where ever the batter stands. Typical 10U pitcher throwing nice 8-10' arcs, offensive coach has his batters all standing up in the very front of the box. Pitches are crossing them about their eyes, but dropping right through the strike zone.

Come on blue, those pitches are over their heads!

Whenever people ask me if I work SP I ask them , "I work 10U rec ball, does that count?" :)

When I get asked if I call kids' games, I say, "no, supposedly adults."

Consider that Line stolen. LOL

For some of you that have been around a while and remember the old McGriff's board....

There was a regular poster on that board that umpired only slowpitch rec leagues..he referred to the players as "AA's"....







Alleged Adults :D

I thought we all referred to them as AA's!

Did you know that all of the boards are still there? They are just not working.

We did, but Ed started it.

Yep, me too!

Hands part of bat
 

Why would anyone want the hands considered as part of the bat?

So they can claim it was a foul ball, not a swing and a miss or a HBP.

It would be called a strike, right?

If the batter swings, yes. If not, it is a HBP unless in the strike zon.

"If I was that good coach I wouldn't be working your crappy game!"

And of course, yesterday I learned "the runner has to slide when there is a play" (no contact occurred). :rolleyes:

Now that you mention it, fall ball started for me with a men's league doubleheader in which one of the teams was one of the more famous local travel teams in the past, whose players "came out of retirement" to play some ball just for the fun of it. The catcher on this team was one of the top players regionally in his days, and didn't like it when he was jumping up for the overthrow and nearly got wiped out by the runner coming home (keep in mind, he was in front of the plate when he was jumping, and the runner was going for the back of the plate). He turned to me and said "he's supposed to slide". :rolleyes: Snide remark I wanted to make, but didn't: You been in retirement too damn long. :cool:

And your teammate is SUPPOSED to throw the ball to you, not over you!

;)

Another snide remark I had dancing in the back of my mind, but kept it filed back there. ;)

"Yeah, blue, it can't be interference. She chose that path to get to the ball. Had she chose a different path, my runner would not have run into her. If she choses the wrong path, its not interference, is it?"

Are you sure this coach wasn't a lawyer in disguise? :D

Cappy on T's?

An old standby:
Coach: You're missing a good game, blue!

Umpire: I know, but I was assigned to this one.

:cool:

Nope...the old Wahl's team. I forget his name.

What disguise ? :rolleyes:

Said to me during a Slow pitch Rec game 1 man system.

"Blue you got to hustle out for the call at first"

What I wanted to say, "What was I not hustling enough when I passed your fat *** running down to 1st and had to force myself to stop to keep from smuthering the play.. I'll try to get on the outfield side of first next time."

I can become very unlikable if a fat piece of crap tells me I need to hustle after I was just hustling.

I had this happen once, and what I wanted to say was "Hell, some of us hustle in slow motion yet we beat the hell out of you to first. Who ain't hustling now?" :D

Speaking of fall ball, something happened to me last week that hasn't happened in a long time.

I had a catcher's box chalked.

Now, granted, it was about 3' wide and 4' deep...

...but it was there.

;)

Did someone help you up after you fainted? ;):D

Better question is, did you enforce it as chalked? :rolleyes:

I wasn't sure what to do with it, since no one has ever seen the elusive catcher's box. ;) So I called for coaches and captains, and had a fun moment with the girls on each side as I had them scuff out the chalk with their cleats.

Not the catchers' box, just some extraneous lines. ;)

Ta hell with the foul pole ....
 

This just happened tonight. I am the League Guru not the ump. 14U and a 200ft field. Had a girl cream the ball down third base line with base loaded. The ball went air born and kept going up. It sliced to the left passing into foul territory before missing the pole by inches.

PU: FOUL BALL!!
Coach: WHAT?!?!? You gotta be kidding me, you can't rob a girl of a hit like that!!!
PU: Sorry coach it went foul.
Coach: Ahhh, your full of it, that was an awesome hit and your robbing her.

So apparently if the ball clears the higher portion of the pole as it goes over the fence, it is always considered fair.

New one on me. :confused:

Speaking of foul/fair ball, the one question I get every time I call a ball close to the line foul when the person is still in fair territory but touching the ball when its in foul territory: "But blue, his feet were in fair territory...doesn't that make the ball fair?" *sigh*

Here's a response given to a coach after a blown call from one of the umpires earlier this year:

Well coach, the umpire exam had 100 questions on it and I got 80 of them correct. This situation must involve questions I missed.:eek:

Again with the fall-ball firsts...

For those who don't know, our fall-ball up here is all one-man mechanics, and all 7th and 8th grade, NFHS rules, with most leagues having some kind of per-inning run rule, and usually a "no new inning after 5:30pm" rule due to no fields having any lights.

So Team A has 4 to 5 players playing select/ASA ball. They're facing Team B, who has one or two select ball players. B2 on Team A hits a 200'+ shot to center field on her second pitch in the first inning, and winds up getting a home run.

2nd inning, B2 again hits a bomb, but this time only gets to 3B.

4th inning, Coach B instructs her F1 and F2 to intentionally walk B2. F1 and F2, being the novice 12 and 13 year olds that they are, have no clue WTF to do. After a little help, they get the walk. B2 is upset she doesn't get to hit.

5th inning, bases loaded. B2 up to bat. Intentional walk again put on. B2 takes the first two pitches, and is grumbling about it the whole time. 3rd pitch F1 rolls in... kind of like bocci (sp?) ball.

B2 golfs the ball past F4 into right center for a stand up, 3-run double. Inning run rule kicks in, and that inning's over.

First time for me in fall ball that a coach decided to intentionally walk a 13 year old for fear of her hitting ability... twice... then got burned by it.

Ha! I just let the coaches know that I like to screw up a couple calls every game - just to keep everyone on their toes.

Sadly, there's an umpire I work with who does this just be an a**hole of a jerk. :(

Rules expert coach, according to him... definitely an obstruction expert. :rolleyes: Both of these are same guy - ASA 18U "A".


1. I'm BU. Bunt Grounder down the line to F3 who is shallow. F3 fields the ball and turns to toss to F4 who is covering 1B... BR goes around F3 and is thrown out on the banger at 1.

Blue.. she just cant get in the way of my runner like that. My runner gets a lane.

2. I'm still BU, F2 up the line a little awaiting throw, Runner coming from 3. R1 makes contact with F2, F2 misses ball.. Runner scrambles to home. R1 safe. Partner has no call. Contact was not USC, just some minor contact from F2 in the way but it did cause F2 to miss the ball I'd guess. Coach is all over PU wanting runner out for not sliding. Coach is walking away from the convo in a huff, I've been hovering in vicinity... he looks at me. "What about you, do you have the same thing as your partner." ..

"No".

"Ok, so what did you have."

"Obstruction on your catcher."

"WHAT!!!".


Priceless... :D

Well, I guess there are times when an umpire should answer a coach's question about their partner's call :rolleyes:

More new/old rules learned tonight. Men's SP Fall Ball

If a runner leaves a base early on a caught fly ball, you do not recognize a subsequent appeal unless the defense makes a serious effort to retire that particular runner.

The umpire cannot call a batter out for stepping in the middle of the plate to hit while hitting the pitch in the championship game.

A batter isn't required to enter the BB when directed by the umpire if he is trying to find out how many HRs his team has available.

The pitcher cannot run up to the PP even if he comes to a complete stop while in contact with the PP prior to delivering the pitch.

Bases are awarded based upon the runners location when the ball leaves the field of play and, BTW, the award is two from the outfield, one from the infield.

Did I mention the umpire is required to call a ball if the pitcher does not present the ball?

Oh, and the best of the night, it is okay to have a bat with a crack if it is "longitudal" (their word, not mine).

Making up a rule and a word should count for some type of bonus points.

From Websters Dictionary and Thesaurus; longitud'inal, of or in length; running or placed leghthwise; of longitude...

Hey, they were close.:D

Scrabble must be interesting with those guys... :rolleyes:

Wow...just...wow...wth? :confused:

Man...you got schooled!!!! :rolleyes:

At that point...I just tossed him...end of the "fair/foul,you can't rob her" discussion.

Yeah, maybe you should talk to the state UIC and see about a couple of clinics... ;)

The real sad part is:

1. The honestly believe they are right

2. I end most arguments just be giving them the date January 25th. That derails what little intelligent thought they may have thought they had at the time and the usually sit down when I tell them what it is, the next meeting of the local umpire association!

I also like giving them my number to call, so that when they call, they can tell me how I am a horrible human being and shouldn't be allowed to umpire 'that level of ball'. Best after a 12u Rec ball game ans then they can call me on my way to an NCAA game. Happened 3 times last year. Never failed to get a chuckle, at least out of me.

Another rule learned tonight in my 7th grade girls FP game:

On a 3-2 pitch, if the ball comes in directly over the plate but at a height of the batter's eyes, and you call a ball, it's ok for the 12 year old pitcher to hold her hand up to her chest and, while the batter-runner is advancing to first base, loudly ask you from the pitching plate, "What's wrong with that pitch? It was right here, at her chest!"

When you call time to bring the coach over to explain to both of them that showing you up and arguing balls and strikes is not a wise thing to do, it's ok to not charge them a defensive conference while the coach has a "come to Jesus" discussion with his battery. Even at the insistance of the offensive coach.

Found out last weekend that there's a new procedure for "getting it right" and a coach asking an umpire to get help.

Pitch comes in, F2 bobbles it, runner on second steals third, F2 throws and runner slides in on a close play. Base umpire calls her safe.

Defensive coach wants time and I grant it (I'm the plate umpire).

He comes out and asks me if it's okay for him to go talk to the base umpire to ask if the base umpire will check with me and see if I had something different. :confused:

Since it was late at night, the third straight game that evening and about 38 degrees with a good steady gust, I told him I'd save him the trouble. I didn't have anything any different than my partner had. Which was true, since the batter jumped out of the box and right in front of me when the tag attempt was made. It seemed kind of pointless to stand around in the cold while he goes out to talk to the base umpire, then the base umpire comes in to talk to me, just to tell him I don't have anything for him!

Next time, Coach, cut out the middle man! Go straight to the umpire that made the call!

Sounds like the coach is a lawyer by day. :rolleyes:

Worded like that, I'd just say "no".

I learned 2 things in an ASA 12U this weekend in North Texas:

1 - on a walk all forced runners cannot deviate more the 3' from a direct line to the base they are entitled to else they should be called out for "running out of the baseline"

2 - after a pitch has been thrown the umpire cannot correct the count on the batter, the last count "announced" must stand

I kid you not!

Wow, sounds like you just left the twilight zone. #1 obviously was uttered by a very anal retentative coach. #2 must have been uttered by some ucking fidiot of a coach who likes to stir things up. Of course, that all could have been the same coach.