Winter Information

Hello MVUA umpires!

It has been a long time since anyone posted here, since it is the off-season. But it is never too early to start talking Baseball or Softball.

Here are a few items for your attention:

1. Ebay has some good deals on umpire equipment, both new and used. Take a look today if you need new gear.
2. FED Rules changes/Points of Emphasis for 2009 Season:

Rule changes:

1. 1-2-2: Change: All non-permanent lines on the playing field shall be marked white with a material not injurious to the eyes or skin. Lime or caustic material of any kind is prohibited. Rationale: Clarification for proper lining of fields
2. 6-2-3: Change: Intentionally pitch close to a batter.
Rationale: To reinforce the responsibility of the pitcher while he has engaged the pitcher's plate.
3. 7-3-4 Penalty: Change: Penalty: The batter remains at bat (pitch is a ball or strike) unless the pitch was a third strike or ball four.
Rationale: Clarification.
4. 10-1-9 and Umpires' Manual: Delete: ... word "heather" gray
Rationale: Heather gray slacks are slowing becoming difficult to acquire. Equipment dealers are transitioning into charcoal gray slacks. This rule change will provide umpires the opportunity to purchase any shade of dark shade and be in compliance.

Notes:
1. Most school already use good field lining, none of your business.
2-3. Cover and reiterate the Hit Batsman rules, to try and make your judgment and rules crystal clear.
4. OHSAA is very slow to change when it comes to umpires' uniforms, usually with good reason. The darker gray/charcoal pants have been used by OBR and NCAA for several years, since Black shirts became popular and mandated by MLB and NCAA. My guess is we will all have to spend some $$ this year. Shirt colors are also up for states to choose.

Points of Empahsis (in two versions):

1) simplifying illegal pitch penalty administration,
2) re-emphasizing that team personnel remain in dugouts,
3) keeping the pace of play steady
4) having all coaching staff members display professional behavior.

Or:

1. Team Personnel Location: Big topic is the infamous coach on the bucket, followed by extending the dugout lines towards home plate
2. Pace of Game Play - enforcement of the batter's box rule, counting warm-up pitches, handling of charged conference time-outs.
3. Coaching staff professionalism: Generic in nature, also mentions: Remember that the head coach is solely responsible for communications with umpires, and it is not the role of the assistant coach to dispute or appeal play situations and rulings.
4. Pitching requirements: Most notable is going to the mouth while on the rubber - not because of going to the mouth but because of simulating the start of the pitching motion.
5. Good sporting behavior: The same as always.

Notes:

1. How the coaches on buckets details affect us is still unknown. Unless OHSAA says something different, Crooksville and JG can still set up buckets on the outfield side of of the dugout.
2. We usually have no problem in our association with this. A post for later will have more discussion. Several of our top umpires have great game management skills, and need to be followed.
3. Ho hum, nothing different here. Maybe a problem in other places. Remember, treat everyone with respect, but assistants are there to be seen by you, not heard by you.
4. Again, no new ground here, though it begs the question why FED just doesn't go to the OBR pitching rules.
5. Again, it must be nice FED has so little to change about their rules.

One note: NCAA has changed rules about pregame equipment checks, so now umpires do not have to be in the dugouts to check equipment before a game, their job is to ask if the coach certifies the equipment is legal. Several states petitioned FED to do the same thing, but proposal was tabled this year. Let's hope the FED has the same good sense next year.

Talk at you again soon.