RNLL Umpires’ training

RNLL Umpires’ training

Philosophy • It’s not about you • It’s not about the parents • It’s not about the manager or coach • It’s not even really about baseball • It’s about kids and character development using baseball as a tool • Rule 1.01: Baseball is a game…

Some Terms • Batter • Runner (R1, R2, R3) • Batter-Runner (BR) • Fielder (F1-F9) • Protest • Appeal • (Gripe)

Areas of the field • Fair territory: the area between (and including) the foul lines, up to the home-run fence. • Foul territory: the area outside the foul lines but inside the fences. • Live ball territory: Fair territory plus foul territory. • Dead ball territory: the area beyond the fences, in the dugouts, or other field-specific areas.

Pregame: Gear • Hat • Shirt • Slacks • Belt • Indicator • Water • Ball bag • Mask • Chest Protector • Shin Guards • Cup • Plate shoes • Hat • Shirt • Slacks • Belt • Indicator • Water • Cleats/Turf shoes • Red Flag • Plate gear in the car! Plate Umpire Field Umpire

Pregame: Partner • Meet 30 minutes before the game. • Discuss your game plan: • Coverage—who’s looking for what. • Signs: Infield fly, #outs, count, 1st-to-3rd, etc. • What you’re working on improving; ask your partner to help you watch. • Do this every single game. • Be done by 15 minutes before game time.

Why the partner meeting is important: We want to have an odd number of umpires making a call. We really don’t like it when this happens: The pre-game meeting to review responsibilities can avoid this…

Pregame: Field • Bases • Safety • Double first • Foul lines • Pitcher’s mound/rubber • Home run fence • Rainouts

Pregame: Teams • Adults may not warm up pitchers • Before a game • During a game • After a game • Players standing near the bat during fielding practice must wear a catcher’s helmet. • Teams should leave their gear out of bags ready for inspection while they take infield practice.

Pregame: Equipment • Bats • BPF 1.15! (“fastpitch softball” for softball) • No exception list this year! • Batting helmets: look for cracks • Catcher’s gear • Dangling throat guard • Gloves • Uniforms • Jewelry: watches, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, etc.

Pregame: Plate meeting • Umpires and 2 managers (only!) • Quick! Start 5 minutes before game time. • Collect lineups • Umpires control the game starting at this point • Brief synopsis of ground rules (specific to the field) • Get game balls • Confirm that all players are legal and properly equipped • Expectations: • Hustle between innings (warmup catchers!) • Respect for players and umpires • Warmup areas

Starting the game • 9 or more players on each team. • Fielders (except catcher) in fair territory. • Batter in the box. • No one on deck. All other offensive players in dugout. • Base coaches • Can be players! With helmets! • One adult in the dugout always! • 3-coach limit • Defensive manager location

Live ball/Dead ball • Ball becomes live when the umpire points at the pitcher and says “Play!” • Wait until the pitcher has the ball on the rubber. • Wait until fielders are in fair territory. • Wait until runners are on the correct bases. • Usually wait for a batter to be ready. • Ball becomes dead when the umpire says “Time” or “Foul.” • Sometimes it’s implied or obvious. • Nothing can happen when the ball is dead. Almost. • No one except the umpire can call time. • The offense will not be granted time-out to confer with a player more than once per inning (except for injury).

The Windup… • Two legal pitching positions: set and windup. • Softball has one legal position/motion. • Illegal pitches: • Quick pitch (batter not reasonably ready) • Pitching while not in contact with the rubber • Penalty for illegal pitch: Ball. • Ignored if batter reaches 1st and all runners advance. • The pitcher does not have to come to a stop (60’ diamond)

…and the Pitch • It’s a strike if: • The batter attempts to hit the ball and misses. • The batter hits a foul with less than two strikes. • Any part of the ball crosses any part of the strike zone before hitting the ground. • Otherwise, it’s a ball • If the pitch hits the batter, it’s a dead ball. • Usually, the batter goes to 1st. • If he was swinging or hit in the strike zone, it’s a strike. • If he doesn’t try to get away (leans into it), it’s a ball.

Bunts • A bunt is a batted ball not swung at, but intentionally met with the bat. • If a bunt goes fair, it’s just like any other batted ball. • If a bunt goes foul, it’s a foul ball. If there were two strikes, the batter is out. • If the batter holds the bat out to bunt but doesn’t move it toward the ball, it’s not an attempt (and thus not a swinging strike).

Defensive Interference • If any fielder interferes with the batter’s ability to hit the ball, it’s interference. • Usually it’s the catcher. If the bat touches the glove during the pitch, it’s interference • Can be a fielder trying to get in the batter’s vision or yelling “swing!” as well. • When this happens, umpire says “that’s interference” but lets the play develop. • Ignored if: • The batter reaches 1st and all runners advance. • The offensive manager prefers the play. • Otherwise, the batter gets 1st and other runners return unless forced.

End of an at-bat • Three strikes: an out • Four balls: a walk • Hit by pitch (when awarded 1st) • Batter interferes with play at plate or throw by catcher: batter is out • Defensive interference: given 1st • Hits the ball into play: the fun stuff starts happening!

Fair or Foul? • If the ball is in flight until after 1st/3rd, it depends on where it first touches a person, an object or the ground. • If the ball settles or is touched before it passes 1st/3rd, it depends on where it is touched or settles. • “Touched” means by a person or a foreign object. • There are no foreign objects in fair territory. • If the ball bounces before 1st/3rd, but passes the base before it’s touched, it depends on where the ball is when it passes the front edge of the base.

Catch or No-Catch? • It’s a catch when the ball is in flight and the fielder shows: • Secure possession of the ball in the hand or glove. • Complete control of the ball. • Voluntary release of the ball. • It’s a no-catch once the ball is no longer in flight: • It has hit the ground. • It has hit the fence or any other object. • It has touched any person other than a fielder. • When it’s a catch, the batter is out. • It can be a catch in foul territory (ball stays live).

Plays on the BR at 1st • He’s out if he’s tagged before reaching 1st. • With ball securely held in a hand • With a hand or glove securely holding the ball • He’s out if 1st is tagged before he reaches it. • With any part of the fielder’s body with the ball securely held in the fielder’s hand or glove. • He’s protected if he runs straight through 1st and returns. • He can turn either way! • He loses protection if he makes a move toward 2nd

How a Runner Can Be Put Out • Runner is tagged while off a base. • Runner or next base is tagged when runner is forced. • Runner passes a preceding runner. • With a fielder waiting to make a tag, runner goes more than 3 feet to the side of a line from the runner to the base. • Runner abandons the bases. • Runner slides headfirst while advancing • Runner fails to either slide or attempt to get around a fielder waiting to make a tag • Missed touching a base (appeal play: later). • Failing to retouch after a catch (appeal play: later). • Interference (later).

Angle over distance!

Force Plays • A force starts when a batter hits a fair ball. • A runner is forced if he must advance to make room for the BR going to 1st, or for another runner who is himself forced. • A force ends when the runner in question reaches the next base or when a following runner is put out. • Example: R1, R3. When the batter hits the ball, R1 is forced to 2nd, but R3 is not forced. If the BR tries for 2nd, R1 is not forced to 3rd. If the BR is put out at 1st, the force on R1 is removed. • A forced runner can be put out either by tagging the runner or by tagging his next base. • To tag the base, the fielder needs possession of the ball (in hand or glove) and contact with the base.

Tag plays • Unless forced, runners can only be put out by being tagged. • A tag requires control of the ball by the fielder. • A tag may be made with the ball itself or with the glove when the ball is inside. • If the ball comes out during the tag, the fielder didn’t have control.

Infield Fly • Runners on 1st and 2nd (and maybe 3rd). • 0 or 1 out. • A ball hit high in the air • Catchable with ordinary effort by an infielder. • Judge that the fielder looks comfortable under the ball. • When the ball peaks, call “Infield fly: Batter’s out!” • Removes the force play, even if the ball drops. The point is to protect the offense from a double play. • Runners can run. They have to retouch if the ball is caught. • If the ball is not caught and would be foul, it’s just a foul. • “Infield fly if fair!” • If you forget AND the defense turns a double play, fix it.

Scoring runs • Usually, a run scores when a runner touches 1st, 2nd, 3rd and home in order. • No runs can score on a play involving the 3rd out on the batter before reaching 1st or a force play. • Tagging a forced runner is a force play. • If the 3rd out is not a force, runs count if the runner touches the plate before the tag happens. • Appeals covered later…

Incomplete games • When a game is shortened (due to, e.g., time or weather), an incomplete inning might be discounted. • If the visitors tied the game in the incomplete inning, and the home team did not score. • If the visitors took the lead in the incomplete inning, and the home team did not at least tie the score. • Note that only the home team can benefit by this. • Never roll back more than one inning. • If the game is shorter than 4 (3 ½ if the home team leads) innings, or is tied, it’s suspended.

Timing rules • RNLL Majors and Coast: no time limit unless a group shows up to claim the field in the next slot. • When there’s a time limit: • No new inning after 2:00 from the start time • A new inning starts the moment the third out is made. • No new batter after 2:15 from the start time. • Avoid hitting time limits by limiting time between innings.

Balls out of play • When a ball enters dead ball territory or becomes lodged (in catcher’s or umpire’s gear), the umpire calls “Time” and moves runners depending on how the ball got there. • Foul ball: runners return to their TOP bases. • Fair ball and it goes over the home run fence before touching anything except a fielder: four bases. • Any other fair ball: two bases from TOP. • Thrown by a fielder (or a batted ball intentionally deflected): two bases from TOT. • First play by an infielder, TOP. Unless the batter and all runners have advanced a base. • Pitched: one base from TOP. If it’s ball four, the batter gets 1st only. • A fielder with the ball falls in dead-ball territory: one base

Disappearing ball trick

Leaving Early • On 60’ diamonds, runners must maintain contact with their bases during a pitch. • Requirement starts when ALL of these are true: • Pitcher has ball and is in contact with the rubber • Catcher has his mask on and is behind the plate facing the pitcher • The runner is not currently advancing. • Requirement ends when EITHER: • The pitcher disengages the mound • The pitch reaches the batter

Leaving Early: Penalty • If any runner leaves early, all runners left early. • When the play is over and nothing else is going to happen, call time. • If the batter hit the ball, the plate umpire judges the base value of the hit. • Don’t give the batter extra bases because of errant throws or because he advanced while a play happened. • Be guided by where the batter was when the ball was thrown back to the infield. • All outs stand. • Return all runners to their starting bases unless this would push the batter further back than the value of his hit.

Leaving Early: Examples • R1, R3. Wild pitch. R3 scores; R1 safe at 2nd. • R1, R3. Batter walks. R3 scores on the throw back to F1. • R1, R3. Batter singles; R3 scores, R1 to 3rd. • R1, R3. Wild pitch. R3 out at home; R1 safe at 2nd. • R1, R2, R3. Batter grounds to CF and takes 2nd when the throw goes home without a cutoff; throw puts R2 out. • R1, R2, R3. Batter doubles; runners all score. Batter thrown out at 3rd. • R1, R2, R3. Batter singles; R2 in rundown and out at home. R1 ends up on 3rd; BR ends up on 2nd. • R1, R2, R3. Bottom of 6th, visitors ahead by 2. 2 outs. Batter triples; runners all score. Batter thrown out at home.

Appeal Plays • Runners are required to touch all bases when advancing (even when awarded bases). • Runners are required to touch all bases when retreating (unless the ball is dead). • Runners are required to retouch the base they occupied at TOP after the defense first touches the ball if a catch is made. • If the defense appeals successfully, the runner will be called out.

Appeal Plays: Prerequisites • The defense (not the umpire or the scorekeeper) notices that a runner failed to touch or retouch a base as required. • The umpire also saw the violation (though he didn’t call attention to it). • The defense has not made a pitch or attempted a play since things settled down. • If the ball is thrown out of play during an appeal attempt, no appeals will be allowed. • If the play ended an inning, at least one fielder remained in fair territory. • The ball is live. • The defense tags either the base where the violation occurred.

Appeal plays and scoring • Of course, a runner called out on appeal can’t score. • If the appeal made the third out, any runners who scored after the guilty runner also can’t score. • If the appeal made the third out and was about the batter missing 1st, no one can score. • If the appeal made the third out and was about a runner missing a base to which he was forced, no one can score. • Otherwise, it’s a timing play based on when the runner touches the plate and the fielder makes the appeal. • Sometimes an appeal can result in a fourth out; the defense can choose the most advantageous one.

Interference: Types • A runner or coach prevents a defender from fielding a batted ball. • A runner (or BR) is hit by a batted ball in fair territory. • Unless immediately behind an infielder who misses the ball, and there are no other infielders with a play. • Unless the ball has touched a fielder. • Unless the ball hits the BR who still has one foot on the ground in the batter’s box: this is a foul ball. • A runner (or BR) intentionally deflects a ball in foul territory. • A runner intentionally touches or prevents the catch of a thrown ball. • A batter steps over the plate and hinders the catcher’s throw on a stealing runner. • A batter hinders the defense in a play on a runner stealing home. • A base coach physically assists a runner arriving at or leaving a base. • The batter runs in fair territory or more than 3 feet in foul territory in the second half of the path to 1st and hinders the fielder receiving the throw at 1st (running lane violation).

Interference: Penalty • Usually the ball is dead. • Exception: not on base-coach assistance. • Exception: delayed on batter interfering with catcher’s throw. If the throw puts the runner out, ignore the interference. • Usually the culprit is out. • Exception: if it was intentional and prevented a double play, the batter is also out. If the batter was the culprit, then the most advanced runner is the second out. • Exception: If a base coach or a runner already out was the culprit, the runner on whom the play was being attempted is out. • Usually all runners return to their last base at the time of the interference. • Exception: if the ball was hit into play and the batter hasn’t reached 1st (and the batter wasn’t the culprit), the batter is awarded 1st and runners forced to advance do so.

Substitutions • Continuous Batting Order (4.04) • If a batter is injured, bring up the next batter • Next batter assumes the count • If a runner is injured, find the most recent batter who is not currently on base. • An injured player who recovers may return • An injured player who does not recover is skipped in the batting order without penalty.

Pitching substitutions • A new pitcher gets 8 warmup pitches, or 1 minute. • Returning pitchers only need 5, depending on hustle. • Each pitcher must face at least one batter before being removed, including the starting pitcher on the lineup. • The pitcher must be replaced after the 3rd visit in an inning or the 4th visit in a game. • A visit is a time-out granted for the manager or a coach to confer with any defensive player. • When the pitcher is being replaced, a visit is not charged to the new pitcher. • In case of injury, the umpire should monitor the discussion and not charge a visit as long as the only topic is the injury.

Pitch counts • Pitchers must be replaced after 85 pitches in a day • 75 pitches for 9-year-olds and 10-year-olds. • Pitchers may finish the current batter when the limit is reached. • Pitchers must not pitch again for a time, depending on how many pitches were thrown: • 66+: 4 days • 51-65: 3 days • 36-50: 2 days • 21-35: 1 day • 0-20: 0 days (may not pitch the same day) • After throwing 41 pitches in a day, the player may not catch. • NEW: After catching 4 innings, can’t pitch that day.

Obstruction • When a fielder without the ball and not in the act of fielding a batted ball impedes the progress of a runner. • Only one fielder is protected on a batted ball (the umpire decides which one) • A deflected ball within a step and a reach is still “fielding a batted ball.” Further is “chasing a ball” and not protected. • Fake tags are always obstruction; fake catches and throws are OK.

Obstruction: type A • When a runner is obstructed while a play is being made on him. • When the BR is obstructed on his way to 1st with the ball in the infield. • Penalty: call “time” and put all runners where you think they would have gotten without the obstruction. • The obstructed runner MUST be awarded at least one base beyond the one he last occupied. • Type “A” most often happens in rundowns, pickoffs, and plays at the plate.

Obstruction: type B • When a play is not being made on the obstructed runner. • The play is allowed to continue; the umpire decides where the runner would have gotten without the obstruction. • Decide based on what’s happening with the ball at the time of the obstruction. • When the play is over, call time and award bases if necessary. • If the runner advances past the base he would have been awarded, he can be tagged out.

Batting out of order • BOO is an appeal. The umpires (and scorekeeper) never call attention to a batting order infraction. • Question 1: Who is the proper batter? • Hint: He’s the one after the last batter… • Question 2: When did the appeal happen? • While the improper batter is still at bat? • Just bring up the proper batter with the current count. • After the first pitch to another batter after the improper one? • It’s too late. The improper batter is now legalized. • After the improper batter has finished the at-bat, but before the next pitch? • The proper batter is out. Whatever happened on the final pitch is nullified. The batter after the one called out is now due up. • If the third out of an inning is made on a runner without the batter hitting the ball (i.e. caught stealing), the same batter is due up again in the next half-inning.

BOO: example • Order is A-B-C-D-E-F. We start with A on 3rd, B on 1st. No outs. • C should be up, but D bats instead. • If either manager notices: C takes over. • D flies out, runners don’t advance. C comes to the plate. • If the defense appeals: C is out and D’s out is erased; D is up again. • C swings and misses at the first pitch. B steals 2nd. • Again, if either manager notices: E steps in and assumes the count. • C walks, loading the bases. E comes to the plate. • Now if the defense appeals: E is out and F is up. B stays on 2nd. • E takes a pitch. • Once more, if either team notices: D steps in and assumes the count. • E hits a fly ball to CF; error charged to F8; A scores and we now have B on 3rd, C on 2nd and E on 1st. • Finally, the defensive manager appeals that E batted out of order. D is called out; runners are returned to TOP.

BOO: humor • ** This really happened. • Bottom of 6th. Visitors ahead by 2. • A bats, grounds out. • C (the stud) comes to the plate and hits a solo home run. • B comes to the plate. After two pitches, defensive manager comes out and says that C batted out of order. PU explains that the first pitch to B legalized C. Manager never says anything about B, so he keeps batting. • B walks. • D comes to the plate. Nobody says nuthin’. D takes a ball. • Offensive manager calls time, tells the PU “Sorry, we messed up the order. C should be up now.” • C comes back to the plate with a 1-0 count. Lots of folks yelling, stuff like “he can’t be allowed to bat twice.” One defensive coach ejected for vocabulary issues. • C hits another home run (2-for-2 with 3 RBIs in the inning isn’t bad…), and nobody can do anything about it because he’s the proper batter. • Home team wins by 1 run.

Ejections • Any umpire can eject a player, manager or coach for unsportsmanlike conduct. • Ejections carry an automatic 1-game suspension. • Ejected adults must leave the facility (drive away). • Ejections require a written report to the board within 24 hours. • Ejected players may sit in the dugout if a parent is not present. • They may not take any part in the game: warming up pitchers, being a base coach, etc. • Behavior: when it’s personal or threatening • “That’s a terrible call” vs. “You’re a terrible umpire.” • Throwing equipment in protest (including hats and helmets). • Any contact with the umpire during a disagreement. • Any spiteful words to the opposing team. • Any unacceptable conduct by an adult directed at his own team. • Physical contact between players: when it’s malicious • Watch for the player who knows the collision is coming. • Any obscene language.

Watch carefully…

RNLL Umpires’ training