Triangle Umpires Association
2007 Rules Clinic
20 Jan ‗07
As a umpire you have one of the least forgiving, least understood, and most underappreciated jobs in the world. You must be prepared, before you walk onto that field, for “anything” to happen, and expect that “anything” to happen on every pitch. Training, understanding and applying rules will prepare you for that “anything”.
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Rule Changes ~ 2007
– Pitch Count – Ejections
• • •
Equipment Safety Likely to see
– – – – Infield Fly Leaving early (Majors and Minors) Appeal Double first base
• •
Not likely to see but misunderstood
– Interference – Obstruction
Substitutions and Batting out of order
2007 RULE CHANGES
For the 2007 season, Rule 3.03 (c) as printed in the 2007 Big League Baseball Rules is not applicable. This rule, which was to have been omitted, but was inadvertently left in the books, states: ―A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a different position, can return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of the game, but only once in the same inning he/she was removed.‖ As a result, Rule 3.03 (c) for Big League Baseball is superseded by Regulation VI (b) which states, ―Junior, Senior, and Big League Divisions only: A pitcher remaining in the game, but moving to a different position, can return as a pitcher anytime in the remainder of the game, but only once per game.‖
2007 RULE CHANGES
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No limit to the number of pitchers a team may use in a game Manager must remove pitcher when pitcher reaches pitch limit for her his/her age group:
17-18
13-16
105
95
11-12 10 & under
85 75
If pitcher reaches the pitch limit, the pitcher may continue to pitch until that batter reaches base or is put out.
2007 RULE CHANGES
League age 16 and under:
61 > 41 - 60 21 – 40 1 – 20 3 calendar days of rest 2 calendar days of rest 1 calendar day of rest 0 days of rest
2007 RULE CHANGES
League age 17 - 18:
76 > 51 - 75 26 – 50 1 – 25 3 calendar days of rest 2 calendar days of rest 1 calendar day of rest 0 days of rest
What Does the Pitch Count Mean for the Umpire?
• Umpire is not responsible for tracking-only enforcing • League must designate the scorekeeper or another game ―official‖ as the official pitch count recorder – find out who this is at the plate conference • Failure by the pitch count recorder to notify the UIC and/or failure of the UIC to notify the manager, does not relieve the manager of his responsibility to remove a pitcher when that pitcher is no longer eligible • The official recorder always wins
2007 RULE CHANGES
Ejections – All Divisions
• 4.07 (page 58) A manager or coach ejected from a game must not be present at the game site for the remainder of that game
Equipment
• 1.11 Pitcher shall not wear any items on his/her hands, wrists or arms which may distract the batter—no white long sleeve shirts
– If batter/coach complain, direct the pitcher to remove item
• No watches, rings, pins, jewelry or other metallic items – only medical alerts tags authorized
– If I see it I tell them to remove it before play begins
• No casts of any type
Equipment
• 1.15 Pitcher‘s glove shall be of one solid color other than white or gray, if multicolored it can‘t be white or gray
– Don‘t wait for a complaint
Safety
Refer to the Safety Code for Little League T-22
• 1.17 The "dangling" style throat protector is required on any and all types of catchers‘ helmets/masks in all divisions of Little League Baseball and Softball. So whether you have the standard frame, the extended frame, the hockey style, etc., the "dangling" throat protector is required.
– Enforce it ALWAYS
Safety
• No on deck batter - no player should handle a bat, even while in an enclosure until its his/her time at bat. Applies only to LL (Majors and below) • Except when returning to base, head first slides are not permitted, applies to LL (Majors and below) • Catchers helmet, face mask, throat guard used to warm up pitchers-applies between innings and in bull pen practice
Infield Fly
• Rules 2.00, 6.05, 7.08 • Conditions: 1st and 2nd bases occupied, or bases loaded before there are 2 outs • Fair ball which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort. • Immediately call Infield Fly—if ball is near foul line call ―Infield fly, if fair‖. • Ball is live and runners may advance
Leaving Early LL Majors and Minors
• 7.13 (page 75) When a pitcher is in contact with the Pitcher‘s plate and in possession of the ball and the catcher is in the box ready to receive delivery, base runners shall not leave their bases until the ball has been delivered and has reached the batter
– Penalty varies; general rule: the violation by one base runner shall affect all others
Appeal
• 6.07 (b), 7.10 (page 74) An act of a fielder in claiming a violation of the rules by the offensive team
– Batting out of order, failing to retouch after a caught fly or failing to touch a base while advancing or retreating on the bases – Must be made while the ball is in play (live) and after action has stopped. When the ball is dead, it becomes in play when the pitcher has the ball and is on the rubber and the umpire says, "Play." Rule 5.11.
Double First Base
• 7.15 (page 76) Soon to be a mandatory LL rule (2008)
– Ball hits white (fair), hits colored base (foul) – Defense must use white section of base – Batter-runner must use colored bag on his first attempt to touch bag (extra base hits don‘t count) – White must be used on tag up
Interference
• Offensive interference is an act by a member of the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play
• 4 types of interference:
– Offensive – Defensive (only applies to interfering w/batter) – Umpire – Spectator
• On any interference the ball is dead runner is out
Obstruction
• Obstruction is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. A fake tag is considered obstruction. Shall be called on any defensive player who blocks off a base line or home plate from a base runner while not in possession of the ball
Obstruction?