Proposed 2011 ASA Rule Changes Part I

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by youngump

Yes, I know. But here's what we haven't yet communicated.
You say that:


It's just not what the change says at least not if you don't know what it meant in the first place. The change says that it applies if the ball hits only the white portion.

There are two things, hitting the white portion only and the rule applying only if it hits the white portion. As written, it seems to indicate the former but it means the latter.

This may be the smallest nit I've ever seen picked. You have to literally go out of your way to misinterpret this rule to mean what you're reading it to mean. I suppose there is, each year, in the entire country, a SINGLE new umpire that has never heard of the sport - and yes, THAT guy might read it wrong (or he might read it right ... or read the whole book and get it right anyway). But hopefully, whoever this guy's scheduler is will be smart enough to work him with someone who's been on the field before.

Truly ... EVERY person who has played this sport (including my 10 year old - I read her the rule and then created your example, and she got it right ... and thought it was an idiotic question) already knows this rule. If you feel we need to write every rule so that the Norwegian guy now living in Bassackward, South Dakota will get it on first glance without any training, the rule book is going to be 3 times as long.