Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Are you an SMSUA member?
IF You are a member of SMSUA And you have not completed your ASA test or your background check THEN WHAT IN THE FLYIN FLIP ARE YOU DOING READING THIS? Get it turned in.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Having fun at the ball park
Tonight I had the pleasure of doing a 5-Star game in Renton.
I say pleasure because THAT IS WHAT IT WAS. Really. And, it was a reminder to make sure it's always fun for you, whether you have the honor of umpiring 5-Star, co-ed slowpitch at Loyal Heights, a 31-5 JV game, or something else.
I say pleasure because THAT IS WHAT IT WAS. Really. And, it was a reminder to make sure it's always fun for you, whether you have the honor of umpiring 5-Star, co-ed slowpitch at Loyal Heights, a 31-5 JV game, or something else.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Background checks
It is beyond the scope of my understanding why everyone hasn't filled out their ASA background check form and turned it in.
If it's because you think it is a violation of your rights, consider the following. Every coach on the field at an ASA tournament has to go through such a check EVERY YEAR. No one is permitted in the dugout at an ASA sanctioned JO tournament without going through the ACE program.
As an umpire, you are an independent contractor. This would be much like a painter or woodworker or landscaping guy. You probably want to check them out.
I know this: if I have to work 5 in a row again on the weekend of the Sidewinders, I will be a very unhappy umpire. Please, please, please fill out and submit your background check form.
If it's because you think it is a violation of your rights, consider the following. Every coach on the field at an ASA tournament has to go through such a check EVERY YEAR. No one is permitted in the dugout at an ASA sanctioned JO tournament without going through the ACE program.
As an umpire, you are an independent contractor. This would be much like a painter or woodworker or landscaping guy. You probably want to check them out.
I know this: if I have to work 5 in a row again on the weekend of the Sidewinders, I will be a very unhappy umpire. Please, please, please fill out and submit your background check form.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Time of pitch
When a fair batted ball bounces over a field fence, goes under or through a fence or enters dead-ball territory, the ball is dead and all runners, including the batterrunner, are awarded two bases from their positions at the time of the pitch.
That is not a ground rule as many umpires believe. That’s called a TOP (Time Of Pitch) book rule award.
A ground rule covers a situation that is unique to a specific field situation, such as a fair batted ball entering a drainage ditch. All rulebooks (NFHS, NCAA, ASA) specifically cover two-base awards when a fair ball bounces over a fence or enters a dead-ball area.
Don’t be duped into making greater awards because a coach argues, “My batter was already at first base when the ball went out of play.” All such awards are two bases from TOP.
That is not a ground rule as many umpires believe. That’s called a TOP (Time Of Pitch) book rule award.
A ground rule covers a situation that is unique to a specific field situation, such as a fair batted ball entering a drainage ditch. All rulebooks (NFHS, NCAA, ASA) specifically cover two-base awards when a fair ball bounces over a fence or enters a dead-ball area.
Don’t be duped into making greater awards because a coach argues, “My batter was already at first base when the ball went out of play.” All such awards are two bases from TOP.
Pitching rules
The rules that cover pitching can be organized into: set position / signal, windup, step/stride, delivery and other requirements for the pitcher.
Be aware of what is acceptable while the pitcher is in the set position. The legal position for both pivot foot and non-pivot foot is listed in the rulebooks and range from the feet being on, partially on, in contact with or completely off the pitcher's plate. Other requirements for the set position include where the ball can be held, how the pitcher may remove herself from the set position without commiting an illegal pitch and the pitcher taking or simulating taking a signal from the catcher.
The rules for the windup are straightforward. There can be no motion without immediately delivering the pitch. The pitcher also cannot separate her hands and then bring them together again, stop or reverse the forward motion, or make more than one-and-one-half forward revolutions of the arm in the delivery of the pitch.Most illegal pitches, such as a leap or a crow hop, will occur during the step/stride.
An umpire must be well-trained in the rule, not only for what is illegal, but also for what other strange things the pitcher may do that have been interpreted as legal. For example, if the pitcher twists her pivot foot during the step/stride and loses contact with the pitcher's plate, the action may be considered legal in some codes, with certain caveats. The step/stride had been the subject of a lot of attention recently as an emphasis is being placed on pitchers staying within the 24-inch width of the pitcher's plate with her non-pivot foot.
Know these rules well, call the illegal pitch when appropriate and apply the correct penalties.
Excerpt from Referee Magazine April 2009.
Be aware of what is acceptable while the pitcher is in the set position. The legal position for both pivot foot and non-pivot foot is listed in the rulebooks and range from the feet being on, partially on, in contact with or completely off the pitcher's plate. Other requirements for the set position include where the ball can be held, how the pitcher may remove herself from the set position without commiting an illegal pitch and the pitcher taking or simulating taking a signal from the catcher.
The rules for the windup are straightforward. There can be no motion without immediately delivering the pitch. The pitcher also cannot separate her hands and then bring them together again, stop or reverse the forward motion, or make more than one-and-one-half forward revolutions of the arm in the delivery of the pitch.Most illegal pitches, such as a leap or a crow hop, will occur during the step/stride.
An umpire must be well-trained in the rule, not only for what is illegal, but also for what other strange things the pitcher may do that have been interpreted as legal. For example, if the pitcher twists her pivot foot during the step/stride and loses contact with the pitcher's plate, the action may be considered legal in some codes, with certain caveats. The step/stride had been the subject of a lot of attention recently as an emphasis is being placed on pitchers staying within the 24-inch width of the pitcher's plate with her non-pivot foot.
Know these rules well, call the illegal pitch when appropriate and apply the correct penalties.
Excerpt from Referee Magazine April 2009.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Background checks
The Weekend JO tournaments are well under way and the rec slowpitch leagues are starting soon and many many of you have not submitted your release for a background check. Without that release you will not be assigned any ASA games. That’s all slowpitch games, all JO games and all tournament games.
The release form is available on the SMSUA website under the Links button, then the documents tab, then Other Important Documents. It can be e-mailed to me, sent by snail mail, or you can make arrangements to hand deliver it to me or any SMSUA Executive Board Member.
As of today I have 89 releases filled out. To put that in perspective, 95 umpires have worked games through game assign and 26 others have worked weekend crew games. SMSUA has also received 117 contracts. If you are one of the many that has completed all of your paperwork, thank you very much, if you haven’t you need to ASAP.
On May 1st if you have not submitted a release for background check, you will not be assigned any ASA games.
The release form is available on the SMSUA website under the Links button, then the documents tab, then Other Important Documents. It can be e-mailed to me, sent by snail mail, or you can make arrangements to hand deliver it to me or any SMSUA Executive Board Member.
As of today I have 89 releases filled out. To put that in perspective, 95 umpires have worked games through game assign and 26 others have worked weekend crew games. SMSUA has also received 117 contracts. If you are one of the many that has completed all of your paperwork, thank you very much, if you haven’t you need to ASAP.
On May 1st if you have not submitted a release for background check, you will not be assigned any ASA games.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Non-approved bats
The ASA recently changed the non approved bat listings located at asasoftball.com. This was a recommendation by the ASA Equipment Testing and Certification Committee. The reasoning behind this was an attempt to make it easier for ASA leagues, tournament directors and umpires to clarify questions surrounding legal and/or illegal bats.
The original master list has been removed and replaced with two lists that separate bats that have been declared illegal that bear the 2000 mark and bats that bear both the 2000 and 2004 mark. This master list contained bats that were never intended to be certified by ASA that were made by bat manufacturers. The committee felt like this was confusing the issue and making it more complex than needed out in the field.
Bat manufacturers, against ASA’s guidance, will continue making bats intended for HR derby’s, outlaw leagues and other associations thus making it nearly impossible to continue listing every non-certified bat along with a photo.
All of these new non ASA certified bats do not contain the ASA certification mark so the easy answer for umpires and league/tournament directors is as follows:If a bat does not contain the ASA certification mark (either the 2000 or 2004 mark) it should not be allowed in ASA Championship Play unless in the sole discretion of the umpire was made prior to 2000.As always, the complete list of certified bats can be found in the certified equipment section of asasoftball.com.
The original master list has been removed and replaced with two lists that separate bats that have been declared illegal that bear the 2000 mark and bats that bear both the 2000 and 2004 mark. This master list contained bats that were never intended to be certified by ASA that were made by bat manufacturers. The committee felt like this was confusing the issue and making it more complex than needed out in the field.
Bat manufacturers, against ASA’s guidance, will continue making bats intended for HR derby’s, outlaw leagues and other associations thus making it nearly impossible to continue listing every non-certified bat along with a photo.
All of these new non ASA certified bats do not contain the ASA certification mark so the easy answer for umpires and league/tournament directors is as follows:If a bat does not contain the ASA certification mark (either the 2000 or 2004 mark) it should not be allowed in ASA Championship Play unless in the sole discretion of the umpire was made prior to 2000.As always, the complete list of certified bats can be found in the certified equipment section of asasoftball.com.
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