Observations From First Games of the Season

[BretMan]

On the NFHS glove rule...

Gloves/mitts shall not have an optic-colored marking on the outside or inside that gives the appearance of the ball.

So, do we as umpires get to decide if whatever bit of green on the glove gives the appearance of the ball or not? As this rule reads, it doesn't necessarily ban any and all optic-colored markings, only those that could be mistaken for the ball.

Some of the gloves I've addressed have looked like the example in the NFHS Preseason Guide, with a big optic logo running up the middle finger that maybe possibly might look like a sliver of the ball peeking through the space between the fingers.

Others only had a small optic logo on the velcro wrist strap.

Suppose I see a kid with an optic-colored logo on her glove but, in my judgment, it does not give the appearance of the ball?

Or, do we just remove the element of judgment (which is often the FED way of doing things) and toss all gloves with any optic color on them?