Observations From First Games of the Season

[RKBUmp]

You may want to check your rule book.

FED 6-5-2 The pitcher may request the other ball before throwing a warm up pitch by giving the ball in her posession to the plate umpire, the pitcher has now made a choice and must pitch that ball until such time as the ball goes out of play or becomes blocked.

As for ASA it may be a rules supplement but it specifies this is the ball rotation procedure used in championship play. I have always been instructed at any clinic and national clinic to use the ASA ball rotation procedure in any ASA play.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

You may want to check your rule book.

FED 6-5-2 The pitcher may request the other ball before throwing a warm up pitch by giving the ball in her posession to the plate umpire, the pitcher has now made a choice and must pitch that ball until such time as the ball goes out of play or becomes blocked.

As for ASA it may be a rules supplement but it specifies this is the ball rotation procedure used in championship play. I have always been instructed at any clinic and national clinic to use the ASA ball rotation procedure in any ASA play.

I am fairly strict about ball rotation, even reminding coaches at pre-game not to allow spectators to throw a ball into the field (usually happens anyway because they don't tell them, until repeated out loud).

[CecilOne]

The biggest nuisance new rule is reporting subs to the head coach.
I'm hoping the interpretation is "if he/she should have heard" and the scorekeeper or assistant being a communicator to the head coach.

[Insane Blue]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

The biggest nuisance new rule is reporting subs to the head coach.
I'm hoping the interpretation is "if he/she should have heard" and the scorekeeper or assistant being a communicator to the head coach.

That's an easy one to me. I announce all subs verbally and loud by saying Coach ( I look to score keeper to make sure they are looking) # -- for # -- again # -- for # -- I do this announcement for every sub. I do not move more than a few step towards the team I am announcing changes to. The only change for me is that I don't say Scorekeeper any more.So far no problems.

[BretMan]

I always prefered to walk up to whoever was keeping the book and give them the subs in a normal conversational tone. I also prefer that the coach giving me his subs comes to me in the same fashion. It just seems like this has less chance of something getting misunderstood or confused compared to yelling at each other across the field from a distance.

Now, if we go directly to the coach to report a sub, who's to say if whatever I told him is going to be accurately relayed to his scorekeeper.

I haven't had to personally deal with this yet- my high school games have been on the bases, so far. I guess that my options will be:

- Yell loudly toward the dugouts from a distance and hope that everyone who is supposed to hear me does and that they hear it correctly. (Saves time, but the possibility of miscommunication increases.)

- Go to just the coach, as the rule requires, tell him, then hope that he relays the correct info to his scorekeeper. (Saves time, possible miscommunication from coach to scorekeeper.)

- Report subs to the scorekeeper as I always have, making sure that they have it right, then verbally give the same changes to the coach when I track him down somewhere else on the field. (Takes a little longer, but less chance of miscommunication.)

- If they're in the same vicinity, call the coach over to the scorekeeper and give the subs to both of them at one time. (Saves time and less chance of miscommunication.)

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Insane Blue

That's an easy one to me. I announce all subs verbally and loud by saying Coach ( I look to score keeper to make sure they are looking) # -- for # -- again # -- for # -- I do this announcement for every sub. I do not move more than a few step towards the team I am announcing changes to. The only change for me is that I don't say Scorekeeper any more.So far no problems.

I'm not bothering to do that. Quite often when a pitching change or other defensive substitution takes place, the offensive head coach is in the third base coach's box and his/her scorekeeper is in the first base-side dugout. I'd have to yell out from the top of my lungs what those changes are so both could hear. And that doesn't guarantee that the scorekeeper, who often is a fellow student, is paying attention.

If there's a significant separation between the two, I'll go to the scorekeeper first to make sure he/she gets it right in the book. And then I'll inform the coach with just a quick "18 for 22, coach" to meet the requirement. I think it's more important to make sure the book is informed.

[Dutch Alex]

Originally Posted by Insane Blue

That's an easy one to me. I announce all subs verbally and loud by saying Coach ( I look to score keeper to make sure they are looking) # -- for # -- again # -- for # -- I do this announcement for every sub. I do not move more than a few step towards the team I am announcing changes to. The only change for me is that I don't say Scorekeeper any more.So far no problems.

Well in ESF we have since last year a good one! The coach making a substitutian give PU a sheet with suitnumbers and positions of the out going and in coming players. The PU holds up the sheet to the scorekeepers until they give a sign that the sub is on the sheets, then the PU has to make sure it is also in his linesheet. We can't talk to the coach or scorlekeepers. This is a speed up rule... ... ...

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

The biggest nuisance new rule is reporting subs to the head coach.
I'm hoping the interpretation is "if he/she should have heard" and the scorekeeper or assistant being a communicator to the head coach.

If they want to be specific about the head coach, maybe s/he should be required to be in a certain location in the dugout or wear an orange hat, or optic yellow vest.

I will get the attention of a coach from the appropriate team that is in or near the dugout, and give that individual the change. I will be sure I am within a distance a normal speaking voice will be sufficient and will wait for acknowledgment. I'm NOT chasing down or holding up a game waiting on a head coach to finish whatever it is they may be doing to give them a change. Like umpires, they have many other duties involving the game and players that are far more important than acknowledging a change for the other team.

[EsqUmp]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

You may want to check your rule book.

FED 6-5-2 The pitcher may request the other ball before throwing a warm up pitch by giving the ball in her posession to the plate umpire, the pitcher has now made a choice and must pitch that ball until such time as the ball goes out of play or becomes blocked.

That addresses two different issues at two different times.

"The pitcher may request the other ball before throwing a warm up pitch." That addresses the start of the inning.

"The pitcher must pitch that ball until such time as the ball goes out of play." That does not say that she can't continue to pitch the ball AFTER it goes out of play. It just says she has to use it UNTIL it goes out of play.

Have you every asked a pitcher why she wants a new ball? Maybe the one you have has a nick in it you didn't see, she can't grip it as well or a ball got returned to you that looked like the game ball but really wasn't.

I want pitchers to throw strikes, so I give the pitcher a ball that she is comfortable with. It's not a protestable issue. It's really just a mechanic/procedure. I think we have bigger fish to fry than that.

[RKBUmp]

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

That addresses two different issues at two different times.

"The pitcher may request the other ball before throwing a warm up pitch." That addresses the start of the inning.

"The pitcher must pitch that ball until such time as the ball goes out of play." That does not say that she can't continue to pitch the ball AFTER it goes out of play. It just says she has to use it UNTIL it goes out of play.

Have you every asked a pitcher why she wants a new ball? Maybe the one you have has a nick in it you didn't see, she can't grip it as well or a ball got returned to you that looked like the game ball but really wasn't.

I want pitchers to throw strikes, so I give the pitcher a ball that she is comfortable with. It's not a protestable issue. It's really just a mechanic/procedure. I think we have bigger fish to fry than that.

So you are choosing to ignore a rule then? If the ball is truly unplayable, the pitcher can throw it in for you to inspect, and then yes you remove it from play and replace it. If after throwing a pitch, the pitcher just decides she wants another ball for no reason and you give it to her, you are violating the ball rotation rule. And any ball that goes out of play is not suppose to be put back into play until it has been inspected by the umpire. How do you know somone hasnt snuck in a ball that isnt legal? Wouldnt be the first time I have heard about mush balls being thrown back into a game.

[EsqUmp]

Originally Posted by RKBUmp

So you are choosing to ignore a rule then? If the ball is truly unplayable, the pitcher can throw it in for you to inspect, and then yes you remove it from play and replace it. If after throwing a pitch, the pitcher just decides she wants another ball for no reason and you give it to her, you are violating the ball rotation rule. And any ball that goes out of play is not suppose to be put back into play until it has been inspected by the umpire. How do you know somone hasnt snuck in a ball that isnt legal? Wouldnt be the first time I have heard about mush balls being thrown back into a game.

I'm not ignoring a rule. You are misapplying the "rule" in Federation and it isn't a rule in ASA. It is a procedure covered under the R/S.

What is the problem with getting the ball back from the pitcher, tossing out a new one and rubbing the old one up a bit and putting it back in the ball bag? And if Federation and ASA are so big on ball rotation, why doesn't it say that the umpire must inspect every ball that goes out of play? If the ball rolls an inch over the dead ball line, will you not allow that ball back in? If the ball hits equipment and becomes blocked, are you switching that ball? If the defender intentionally or unintentionally carries a ball out of play, are you changing that ball too?

[Manny A]

Not only do I inspect all balls that go out of play (I mean way out of play, not those that barely enter a dugout and are immediately retrieved, etc.), I also inspect balls that are sharply fouled off of backstop fencing and dugouts. In fact, I inspect balls that smack off the catcher's mask, but that's really to give the catcher time to recover.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Not only do I inspect all balls that go out of play (I mean way out of play, not those that barely enter a dugout and are immediately retrieved, etc.), I also inspect balls that are sharply fouled off of backstop fencing and dugouts. In fact, I inspect balls that smack off the catcher's mask, but that's really to give the catcher time to recover.

Any ball which leaves the umpire's sight should come back into play through the umpire's hands.

If a ball goes out of play, the ball in my bag is often in the catcher's hands before the batted ball stops rolling. Do not wait for a ball to come back. If it gets thrown back onto the field, I ask for that ball before it gets to the pitcher.

And unless it is the only ball available, if it goes out of play, it does not immediately return to play. Why? Basically, because it is the prescribed procedure and if consistent, the fairest manner in which the umpire can maintain order in the game.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by EsqUmp

"The pitcher must pitch that ball until such time as the ball goes out of play." That does not say that she can't continue to pitch the ball AFTER it goes out of play. It just says she has to use it UNTIL it goes out of play.

What do you think "out of play" means?

[RKBUmp]

I knew we had been over this before, and not all that long ago either.

Ball Rotation