http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/cussing.gif http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/frust.gif http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/madgo.gif What is it with the cheap binding???? For 2 years in a row, if I use the book at all, it starts falling apart!! C'mon ASA - make a book that can be USED!!!

A spiral bound book would be nice. You could open it to a page and then lay it flat. Laminated pages would be a help, too. However, $$$.

I have no problem with mine, and I'm sure your aware it gets used quite a bit.

I guess I was assuming the binding was the same everywhere, but last year by the end of the season, my rule book had almost as much scotch tape holding it together as it had pages. So far this year, my rule book is already in three pieces - I haven't taped it back together yet. Yours must have a better binding 'cause I don't abuse it - I just use it (although I've never been able to read a paperback without creasing the back in several places & when I do that with the ASA rule book, it just comes apart!)

Mike,

I think Diane takes her book to KINKOS, and they make her a book with a spiral. Looks pertty good. I think it costs about 10 bucks.

Good to hear that I am not the only one having the problem
of my rule book falling apart. I thought I was abusing it.
Both this year's and last were in pieces. I sent last years
to a member of this board by request and had to apologize for
its condition.

The associations that have the "book" on-line, I print and put
in a binder.

Maybe Mike can get ASA to on-line theirs so we can do the same.
Just funning you Mike. [guess I could type it, and print it, but
then I would not have time to call any ball.]

glen

[Edited by whiskers_ump on Jun 14th, 2003 at 01:50 PM]

Same with mine the past two years. I went back and found books from 2000 and 2001 and the bindings on both are perfect. Dave

Glen,

You might recall that I addressed this issue with the Deputy Director of ASA Umpires.

I think I can comfortably say I've done my share on this issue.

:)

It works
 

We did this with a few for members of our association and it is very handy,
I think we paid about 5 or 6 buck for it
I intend to do this same thing every year now.
No torn cover, no lost pages...

Look into it

I haven't had any problems with any of my ASA rulebooks past or present.

I've been taking all my rule books to Staples & had them bound for the past several years. I think the cost was about $14 to get the following:
Fed rule book, case book, umpire manual into 1 binding
Fed bb rule book & case book into 1 binding
ASA book bound
NCAA book bound

It is convenient & takes less than 20 minutes.

Steve M

Now thata's gooda ideal

Thanks Steve,

glen

You can take the rule book to Kinko"s and they will put a spiral binder on it and tab each section for you.

The binding idea (Kinkos, Staples, whatever) is a solution, but it should be unnecessary, and it doubles the cost of the book each year. Before last year, the book would be battered, dog-eared, back broken, marked up, etc., but it held together.

Now, all you have to do is open it to more than a 45 degree angle, and pages break away from the binding. Cheap, cheap, cheap. I guess ASA saved a nickel per copy with the low bidder for publishing their book, but in the process, only made the book useful for those who drop it in the bottom of their equipment bag and never use it.

Go back to your previous printer, ASA, or crack down on the shoddy workmanship of the current printer.

ASA has made the Case Book so it can be used... how about doing the same for the rule book? Offer a $double price rule book with a loose leaf binder, and tabs for each rule, the POE section, the index, and the umpire manual sections. Then, offer annual refills at the current paperback price. I'd go for that.

Do you think your registration amount will change? That may happen, but not because of a change in the rule book. Other than that, double zero is still zero.

And, once again, must note that I don't have the problems you are experiencing. But, then again, I make a point of not abusing them in any manner. By "abuse", I'm not speaking of intentionally testing the boundry of the binder. I just make a point of not cracking the spine, not folding back the portion of the book not being read, etc.

However, I wouldn't mind a full-size rule book and wouldn't mind paying for it.

Well, as you know, the cost isn't really zero - it's built into the registration fee (which did increase here this year). I was going by the listed cost ($9.95 is it?) and assuming we do get a bit of a discount with the registration package.

I wouldn't mind paying more for the option of a loose leaf rule book, although it would complicate matters for the local ASA office (now every umpire's package is the same).

But, actually, I would be satisfied with the quality of the book from a couple of years ago, when it held together.

I'm just not anal enough (sorry, Mike, no offense intended) to avoid opening the book a full 180 degrees (I don't bend it back, but I do open it as flat as I can for such use as these boards), however, the current binding gives way <big><b>WAY</b></big> before 180 degrees - more like 90 degrees.

As a new ump whose read and re-read several times over each of the last two years, both of my books have had pages come out from the current binding process.

How about using this as a barometer to judge whether or not an umpire is "studying" his craft enough?

If you ain't hurting the spine, then the umpire ain't fine!

Well, Mike might not agree with that!

I don't know, Sean may be Johnny F Cochran in disguise.

And I don't agree with it. Just because one doesn't abuse a book, doesn't mean it is not being used.