And even if they understand what obstruction is, it won't stop it from happening. I see it hundreds and hundreds of times a year, from the top levels on down to the bottom. Simply knowing a rule means nothing.

My point was that players already play enough "pick and choose" when it comes to the rules, and this will not help them to gain any sort of clarity. If it's a truly rec league, why should they concern themselves with the rules so much? There's a time and place for a friendly neighborhood game without umpires making every call, and that's just fine with me. However, I can only imagine how ugly it would get if something like this were ever created.

a 1b that knows that standing on the base when the ball is hit to the OF is obstruction is less likely to commit OBS than a 1b who doesnt know that standing on the base when the ball is hit to the OF is obstruction. how less likely may be up for debate.

while it stop obs from happening? probably not, will it stop some of the complaining, by the offending fielder, when it does? i cant see how it wouldnt be possible.

i know a common argument i get is "i was waiting on the throw" or "i wasnt in the baseline"

heres a classic baseball example. pitchers who know what the balk rule is are far less likely to balk than a pitcher who does not know what the balk rule is. if a pitcher thinks they can stride to home then throw to first, they probably will try to do that to pick a runner off. pitchers who know they arent allowed to do that, arent going to do that intentionally bc they dont want to give the base runner(s) 1 base.

to stop players from arguing when they are 100% misinformed/wrong. if a player knows that on a foul ball, that there is no longer an above the head requirement for an out, they are far less likely to argue when a foul ball does not go higher than the batters head and is caught.

if a player knows that a batted ball that hits home plate does not mean a foul ball, they are more likely to run to first, and potentially get on base, than to stand in the batters box with their thumb up their *ss bc they think its a foul ball, and then whine, "but it hit the plate!"

think of it this way, if you moved to india and joined a cricket league, assuming you know 0 about the rules of cricket, are you more likely to read a 200 page convoluted rule book, or a 5 page brief overview of the common rules?

i dont understand your pt that players would "pick and choose" the rules.

Dave,

What you are suggesting is called "coaching".

It is not the purpose of the rules or officials to teach players how to play the game.

That is why the coach gets a rule book upon registration. The PROBLEM is that this usually goes one of two places, in the bottom of their equipment bag or under the short leg of the dining room table.

It is my experience that most coaches/players never even look at the book until they are trying to find something that they can hang their balls on if prove they were shortchanged on a play. Even then, they have no knowledge of the entire rule, just what will satisfy their argument.

Of course, when you try to explain the entire rule, proper application and interpretation all they will do is point at the one sentence they found in the rule book and believe it is the word of god when it comes to HIS/HER game.

I have no problem with players learning the rules, but they have to be open to the entire book, not just what they believe supports their point of view.

I agree. One of the better men's teams that I see very seldom has a player argue seriously about a call or ruling. They have a manager who does all of their discussing - and I have yet to see him get anywhere near being tossed over inappropriate actions when talking with an umpire. This guy is an exception in that he does know the rules and many of the interpretations.

This answer applies to any rule infraction, not just the quoted example.

I really like the answer about "coaching". Beyond the coach's responsibility to teach his players, I think that playing any sport will offer the players many learning moments.

The baseball pitcher that steps toward home then throws to first, or the F3 that stands in the basepath without the ball, or the batter who doesn't run because his batted ball touched the plate is about learn something! If you make this mistake one time and it costs your team, are you going to keep doing the same thing over and over again?

If you "whine" about it enough, you're going to learn another lesson and that one is going to be a bit more painful! I guess that Rule Number One of the Reader's Digest version of the rule book would need to be, "The umpire's ruling is final and if you argue to the point of being a jackhole you can be removed from the game".

Now that would be an easy rule for the coaches to teach their players before ever stepping out onto the field!

And again, the beat goes on...and on...and on...and on . . . . . . . . . . . .

Didn't Shane die at the end of the movie.......are the credits rolling yet?

You want respect??? Then show respect. I gave you a legitimate answer, that has been echoed by nearly everyone on here, and you call me a "jacksa$$." Prior to that, I was showing you respect. (You may not have liked what you heard, but I never disrespected you.) However, don't look for me to show you respect anymore.

One of my favorite novels/movies. Compliments of Wikipedia:

Shane – the traveller and ex gunfighter, a mysterious gunman who enters into the life of Joe Starrett and his family and carves a place for himself in their hearts. Although he tries to leave his gunslinging past behind, refusing to even carry a gun, he decides to fight Fletcher and Wilson, the town enemies, in order to save Joe Starrett's farm. After he kills Fletcher and Wilson, he feels he must leave the town forever. (There is an unstated implication that he may be dying, as he departs.)

5 minutes of my life that I'll never get back.

Maybe you werent trying to be a jack*ss but it sure comes off as that. why can a pdf that isnt found on the ASA website be the real rules???? why can you believe the veracity if a book, that obviously cant be read online, but not a digital version of it???? its when you use complete idiotic logic when trying to sound like you are omniscient that makes you sound like a jack*ss.

and if you werent trying to sound like a jack*ss, why even bother writing "quit trying to find one"???? no one said lets use a brief version of the rules to replace the official rulebook. all i was looking for was an easier way for PLAYERS to understand MORE, NOT ALL, about the rules.

Steve are you an A**hole in real life, or do you just play one on this website?:mad:

Maybe he spends lots of nights in Holiday Inn Express!! :D

I am sure you meant "why can't a PDF...."

Because, as I stated, and as many others have stated, there is no shortcut to understanding the rules of the game. Period. All of the rulebooks are as long as they are, because either players found a way to manipulate the rule as it was written, or else because the rule needed greater clarification. To take a part of a rule, out of context, will only lead to further misunderstanding. If, as you say, you really want the players to know the game, then hand them a rule book. Chances are just as many will read that as they would a "shortcut" PDF that you would give them if there was such a thing.

Let me see if I can translate what it is you are trying to say here....

People who transpose these things are liable to make mistakes. I have found all kinds of errors in peoples' attempts to compare rule sets in an easy to read handout. It happens. If it isn't from the source, then you cannot trust the legitimacy of the article. I thought that was a pretty simple concept. Now, if you are asking "why can't someone trust the veracity of a digital version of a rule book," then you can, as long as it is from the organization whose rules you are desiring to use. In the case of ASA, there is no such thing. However, for USSSA, NCAA and others, you can access a digital version of the rulebook. However, this is not what you were talking about in your OP.

If you are asking "how can I trust the ASA rulebook," which I hope you aren't, well that is simple. I get my ASA Rules Book from the ASA every year. They print it, they dessimenate it.


As stated previously, if you want respect, then give it, though apparently this is a very difficult concept for you to grasp.


It is sound advice that apparently you still don't wish to take. .

Have you ever heard the old saying, "You can lead a horse to water....?" Don't you really think that if the players wanted to know about the game, then they would take it upon themselves to learn about it? I have known some quite knowledgeable coaches and players. They are a rarity, but they are out there. They needed no short form PDF to learn the rules, and almost always had a book on hand.

Also, as has already been pointed out, "more" can sometimes be as dangerous as "none." A player, not armed with the complete knowledge of the rule, would attempt to interpret the knowledge they do have to fit a situation where it just doesn't fit. Then you would hear all of these players complaining to you, "but it was in that PDF that you gave me."

If a player comes to you wanting to know more about the game, then give them your rules book, or an old one, and tell them to read it cover to cover and to make notes on it, and then, if they have any questions, feel free to call or come up to you at the fields and ask these questions. You would much better serve them that way.

I wish you had told me this sooner!!!! :eek: