Being Looked Upon as an OOJ

[BretMan]

This past weekend I had to enforce, over and over, batters leaving the box, on-deck batters using the wrong circle, multiple on-deck batters being out of the dugout swinging bats all at once and pitchers stepping onto the plate with their hands already joined.

Every time, it was like no one had ever heard of that before...

[EsqUmp]

"As the head coach, it is your responsibility to ensure that your players play by the rules, right coach?"

Dump the onus back on the coaches. Get them to work with you, rather than against you if possible.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by BretMan

This past weekend I had to enforce, over and over, batters leaving the box, on-deck batters using the wrong circle, multiple on-deck batters being out of the dugout swinging bats all at once and pitchers stepping onto the plate with their hands already joined.

Every time, it was like no one had ever heard of that before...

This all stems from LRAMBF. They play all season under absurd rules and then are suddenly taken aback when asked to play real softball.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

This all stems from LRAMBF. They play all season under absurd rules and then are suddenly taken aback when asked to play real softball.

Or is it lack of enforcement by the "regular season" umps.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Or is it lack of enforcement by the "regular season" umps.

Could be.

However, when I see some team trying to put their ODB's in the wrong circle, I know that team is coming from some place that has made up rules, and I'm anticipating something idiotic from that coach (or parents or both) at some point.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

However, when I see some team trying to put their ODB's in the wrong circle, I know that team is coming from some place that has made up rules, and I'm anticipating something idiotic from that coach (or parents or both) at some point.

I've umpired in leagues, baseball mostly (can't recall ever seeing it in softball) where they have a local safety rule to keep the ODB behind the batter up to bat because there is very little room in foul territory. I don't have a problem with that.

But in this case, the ODB went to the wrong circle because she was a lefty. That obviously has nothing to do with safety.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Manny A

I've umpired in leagues, baseball mostly (can't recall ever seeing it in softball) where they have a local safety rule to keep the ODB behind the batter up to bat because there is very little room in foul territory. I don't have a problem with that.

But in this case, the ODB went to the wrong circle because she was a lefty. That obviously has nothing to do with safety.

You never know what people think is "safety" related.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Could be.

However, when I see some team trying to put their ODB's in the wrong circle, I know that team is coming from some place that has made up rules, and I'm anticipating something idiotic from that coach (or parents or both) at some point.

I have no problem with the on-deck batter being behind the hitter in youth sports. It's amazing, though, that this is a question I have to ask just about every game I'm coaching this year, though.

[jmkupka]

ON-DECK CIRCLE: The area nearest the offensive team’s dugout in which the next batter is restricted to before the release of the pitch.

ODB is on her side of the field, regardless of handedness of the batter.
If the facilities don't allow for safe enough distance, they stay behind the fence.

Between innings, I'm positioned on the defense side of the plate & first batter warms up on her side.

[bigsig]

Coach complaining: parents being sarcastic? Was the team from NY or NJ?

[Andy]

Are chin straps required to be on the helmets at the pre game inspection?

If they are not there, I ususally ask the coach...."you have chin straps for the helmets, right?"

If a batter comes to the plate without a chin strap, I will stop play and not let her bat until there is a chin strap in place.

My experience is that a team will have a number of chin straps that they switch between helmets.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

ON-DECK CIRCLE: The area nearest the offensive team’s dugout in which the next batter is restricted to before the release of the pitch.

ODB is on her side of the field, regardless of handedness of the batter.
If the facilities don't allow for safe enough distance, they stay behind the fence.

Between innings, I'm positioned on the defense side of the plate & first batter warms up on her side.

Local rules and all that. I ask because it's been 80% behind the batter for us this season. Only 2 umpires have mentioned proper ASA rules. I do whatever they ask in this regard...I pick my battles.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

...However, when I see some team trying to put their ODB's in the wrong circle, I know that team is coming from some place that has made up rules, and I'm anticipating something idiotic from that coach (or parents or both) at some point.

I don't know if expecting something idiotic necessarily follows.

The "ODB uses the circle behind the batter" is almost 100% universal in MN for girls fastpitch.

The MSHSL (high schools) adopted this as an experiment with permission from the NFHS several years ago, and has retained it. At least a couple of years before that, the predominant girls fastpitch association in MN wrote it into their rule book, and it has since been adopted as a local rule by most fastpitch leagues.

It is viewed as a safety rule.

It is silly and unnecessary, of course. Besides the fact that being behind the batter is not actually safe, if the field really is too small to accommodate a proper distance from the ODC and the plate, just keep the ODB in the dugout!

Nonetheless, I wouldn't expect that all MN teams' coaches would be idiotic just because of this!

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Dakota

I don't know if expecting something idiotic necessarily follows.

The "ODB uses the circle behind the batter" is almost 100% universal in MN for girls fastpitch.

Nonetheless, I wouldn't expect that all MN teams' coaches would be idiotic just because of this!

Well in your case that makes sense. It's not out of the ordinary there.

The reason I expect something nonsensical from a coach who does that here is that it's NOT normal here. It means they come from some area that felt compelled to add that to their rules AND the coach is not even aware that it's abnormal. (One would think that once tourney season starts, they would have had the opportunity to have the odd-rules-stuff knocked off of them after just one weekend).

IOW - if they are doing this abnormal thing in the summer, then I can usually expect them to do something or say something equally abnormal.