Rules Interpretation

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

I'll jump on here. Introduction, check line-up cards, recheck line-up cards w/coach, ground rules SPECIAL tournament rules, request for confirmation/questions concerning what was just covered, coin flip, play ball.

Once you deviate where do you stop? If you start covering this and that and miss a particular issue or part, now you may have just added to the confusion. Not only that, but as noted, you have already predetermined how situations should be handled. Well, by this point you have noticed, not all situations play out in the same manner. This can easily create a "not one more word" situation.

You talk about "defusing" a situation when there is no situation to defuse. Much like when you have umpires who spend 10-20 seconds WARNING teams about their pet peeve du jour whether profanity, collisions, getting out of the way if ODB, complaining about balls/strikes, throwing a bat, conferences, smack talk, whatever.

And when I talk to these umpires, they give me the same spiel, it's preventive umpiring. Well, no it is not, it is antagonizing and opening up a can of worms that need not be open the entire game, but you have already done so.

You know, I just don't see how telling a coach that s/he can come ask you a question is antagonizing them, especially in the polite and upbeat tone in which I deliver the message.

The Umpire Manual does give an excellent outline, but that's exactly what it is: an outline. It's a framework that leaves the umpire to fill in as s/he sees fit, and if I have green coaches, I see nothing wrong with informing them of how to approach us.

Many of the coaches in the local leagues are very green. They come out of the dugout and are halfway to me before asking for time, and before the runners are on their bases with the ball in the circle. They have no clue that they're putting themselves at risk of complicating the game for everyone.

I don't see this as a deviation. I see this as filling in part of the outline, not script, that ASA gave us.