Game Manager or Rules Guru?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Andy

This is my stance. Having a strong knowledge of the rules and when to apply what rule in which situation provides an inner confidence to make a call, know that you are ruling appropriately, and are able to confidently explain your call based on the rules. Knowing and using the rules appropriately is a foundation of good game management.

The colleague that I am having this exchange with likes to brag that he doesn't know the rules as good as he should, but he is such a good "game manager" that it doesn't really matter.

I used to love playing in games with umpires that thought it was okay to just work the game and worry about any rules when it came time to make them up.

[war story]

About 15 years ago, this one umpire told the batter that if the ball lands in front of his back foot (and across the plate) it was a strike and a ball if it landed behind the foot. Well, the catcher (umpire, local rules interpreter & DUIC) is laughing his ass off. The batter couldn't understand why, but moved up in the box. Next pitch was called a ball and the catcher asked if he called the pitch a ball because it landed behind his back foot. This putz said yes and the catcher informed him they were playing the game under protest.

The coach, also an umpire, came out with the scorebook and asked the umpire to sign it acknowledging the protest. He was at a loss for a couple seconds and then declares there cannot be protest the judgment of ball and strike calls and the catcher agreed. That is when he was informed the protest wasn't on the judgment, but the admitted non-existent parameters of the strike zone which isn't judgment, but defined in the rule book.

Now, this guy doesn't know the catcher because he rarely came to meetings or clinics and has no idea who the catcher is. This guy is used to dealing with regular players. This team had two other umpires on the roster and this guy was shocked when told why the protest. Now, the protest was going nowhere as this team was going to take two from this other team, but the catcher thougt of it as a training moment and the coach went along with it.

After the game the umpire stated that the protest wouldn't be honored and then the catcher introduced himself and teammates. I don't think he umpired softball much longer. Instead of going to a few clinics to learn how to be a better umpire, he took the low road.

[/war story]