2015 ASA Umpire Exam questions
 

I downloaded the exam and started working on it using my 2014 manual and the posted changes on the ASA website.

Following are a few questions I have on the questions.

31. With one out, R1 on 3B, R2 on 1B, B4 singles to right field scoring R1. R2 rounds second, then becomes confused, retouches 2B while moving back toward 1B where they are tagged out. The Umpires rule correctly that R1’s run counts as it was scored before R2 was tagged.
a.) True
b.) False

It seems that this scenario makes more sense if there are 2 outs instead of 1 out. With 1 out, we simply have a runner tagged off a base for the second out and of course R1's run counts.

36. Men’s 40-Over, Men’s Masters 50-Over & Seniors 60-Over) When after completion of 7 innings of play, the score remains tied, starting at the top of the next inning and each half inning thereafter, the offensive team shall begin its turn at bat be placing:
a.) The player who is scheduled to bat last in that half inning on 2B.
b.) The player who made the last out of the previous inning on 2B.
c.) A substitute for the player who is scheduled to be placed on 2B.
d.) Both a. and c.

54. (Women’s and JO Girls Fast Pitch) When after completion of 7 innings of play or 1 hour and 40 minutes in JO pool play and if the score remains tied, starting at the top of the next inning and each half inning thereafter, the offensive team shall begin its turn at bat by placing:
a.) The player who is scheduled to bat last in that half inning on 2B.
b.) The player who made the last out of the previous inning on 2B.
c.) A substitute for the player who is scheduled to be placed on 2B.
d.) Both a. and c.

These questions, virtually identical except for the references to Slow/Fast pitch respectively, are meant to evaluate the tie-breaker rule regarding which member of the batting order should be placed on 2B. I'd prefer answer d.) to be "either" instead of "Both" because clearly we can't have 2 runners place on 2B.

43. In a game played in the Senior Slow Pitch Division, the game is over after four complete innings with the score:
a.) Home 26 - Visitors 10 delta 16
b.) Home 31 - Visitors 9 delta 22
c.) Home 18 - Visitors 3 delta 15
d.) None of the above.

So this is an updated rule as posted:
Rule 5, Section 9A [3]b: Senior Slow Pitch Run Ahead Rule will be – 20 after 4 innings and 15 after 5 innings.
Comment: Removes Run Ahead Rule after 3 innings and defines the new run ahead rule for Senior’s Slow Pitch Classification of Play.

Responses A. & C. clearly don't get to the 20-run differential. I am curious about how in a complete game with the home team winning, how the score got to a differential of 22. Shouldn't the game have been stopped when the differential of 20 was reached? Keep in mind that the scenario indicates that we have completed 4 innings. The only way it makes sense to me is if folks lost track of the score and then tallied after the inning was over.

24. In the third inning, the umpire notices that two bats in Team B’s dugout are leaning against the fence with warming sleeves on them. The umpire should:
a.) Remove those bats for the duration of the game.
b.) Give the manager a warning and remove the warming sleeves.
c.) Eject the manager immediately.
d.) There is no penalty.

I don't have my 2015 manual yet, but couldn't find a specific reference to what an umpire should do. The closest I could find was 3-7-B:
The National Championship UIC, Assistant UIC, or Staff has the right to remove any and all equipment not meeting Rule 3 including bats and helmets, through pregame inspection, bat testing or during a game. Removed equipment will be marked properly with the name of the team and will be returned after the team's final game...
And the last sentence in 3-7-A: Warming devices for bats are not approved.

Unless there is new verbiage that wasn't included in the 2015 Playing Rule Changes and Comments, my guess would be a. but it doesn't go as far as removing the bats for the duration of the tournament, only that particular game. Unless the bats themselves have an issue, it probably doesn't make sense to restrict them beyond the immediate game, but the wording in the manual doesn't seem to support that.

Even though R2 is a force out, it is only the second out, not third. :rolleyes:

The final batter hit an out-of-the-park homer, and all runners on base (plus the batter) score, even if it exceeds the run-ahead rule.

Yabbut, that wouldn't be considered a complete inning. I.E. "winning" run scored with 0, 1, or 2 outs.

Exactly why I questioned why the scenario was written with only 1 out. Curious to see if the answer supports a starting scenario with 1 out or 2 outs. Since the question touches upon the force play being reinstated, and when runs can score, why bother to even mention a possible timing play unless the inning would have be over?

So, the answer is true

Or maybe it was worded perfectly with the intention of catching the umpire looking for something that isn't there. That can be an issue as is demonstrated with this thread :)

That's giving way too much credit to the author of the question.

Wait... did you submit that question for the test? ;)

You need to remember, it was simply a true/false question and no. I could offer the best question in the world and ASA would not use it until they could find a way to make it theirs :)

My guess is that the writers used the normally-plural pronoun "they" in an effort to be gender neutral. Both sexes play this sport under basically the same baserunning rules: I wish they (the writers) would use he and she more often to reduce confusion.

My point is that any pronoun, he, she, it, we, they, etc is bad form. Add to it they got singular and plural mixed up...well.

Why not stick with standard rules nomenclature, such as "R2 was tagged" in this case.