KyleUmp

This was the most ambiguous and least consistent (in terms of style of the questions & answers) that the NCAA Baseball Committee has put out.

Kyle, I can assure this attitude is small here in comparison to other umpire forums. In my opinion, it's one of the reasons this site thrives with information and discussion while the others seem to be declining in traffic. Ive been a member of several different forums. I havent been on any of them in over a year. This past week I decided to come back to U-E. I decided that because I know the guys on here know their stuff and there isnt a "god" complex on here save for a couple guys. I will not go back to those other sites. But I will stay here as long as Warren has the site going. I am not suggesting the site is inherently bad. I wouldn't have joined the discussion if I felt that way. It has just became pretty obvious to me who on here thinks they know everything and everyone else is beneath them. Yes, it's only a small handful of people, but that minority can still disrupt what this forum is all about. You want people to freely speak up and ask questions and get a dialogue going. That's all. Just my soapbox for the day.

1 - Get an NCAA rule book 2 - Open it 3 - Read it 4 - Answer the question I don't mean to sound harsh but for golly gee, do your own damn work. This applies to all tests as well. Do you really pass when you get an answer from a message board? I agree with the "do your own damn work" comment, however asking fellow umpires what they think, etc. doesn't mean someone isn't doing their own work. I was on a conference call last week with several D1 umpires with whom I work conference ball with and each of us had questions about how the other was interpreting the questions & answers. These are guys with years of Regional and Super Regional experience. If you had read his question then I think you would agree that your post was out-of-line. I am new to this board because I found it generally caters to the high school & travel/rec league umpire. I just started posting recently and this "holier than thou" attitude that some have it a huge turnoff. Forums, in general, are a great tool. It's a way to get guys talking about baseball, talking about umpiring, and learning. Nobody has anything to prove on the computer screen. It's not one persons job to judge another's question. Alienating someone on a message board because you don't like their question is silly. Yes, take the test yourself. Dive into the rulebook and work for it. If you have a question or just want to talk about something that's in there then I say, by all means, ask away. Ignore the negativity.

I answered D and at least one other college umpire I know did the same. I will admit I was clueless when I saw this question. It's not B or C for sure. In A, does "baserunning infraction" mean missing a base or leaving early? First thing that is key to understanding for this question is the definition on an appeal. The NCAA (which is all that matters for this test) defines an appeal as "the act of a player or coach claiming a violation of the rules by the opposing team or misinterpretation of them by the umpires." (2-1-Appeal). The key here is violation of the rules by the opposing team or misinterpretation of them by the umpires. No judgment calls. A. Batting out of order - violation of the rules by the opposing team & baserunning infraction - judgement B. Half swing - appeal allowed & interference - judgement C. Half swing - appeal allowed & coach aiding a runner (interference) - judgement D. Half swing - appeal allowed & runner missing a base - appeal allowed D is your answer. So how is your answer in "A" a judgment play.. but not in "D"?... its the same things... anytime a runner mises a bases or leaves on early or gets a running start it is judgment. They are all judgments. (Most) everything an umpire does involves judgment. The rules specifically allow for certain things to be appealed and those are what I am refering to and I think you know that. Obviously whether or not a runner missed a base or left early is a judgment by the umpire, however the rules dictate that the defense must appeal to the umpire in order for that to be called. What do you take "baserunning infraction" to mean and why? Just curious, because there is only one place in the entire rule book that even mentions "base-running infraction." It's under the definition for Last Time By under the approved ruling. "Baserunning infraction" is not defined.

Who in the world told you that black goes with every shirts?

The more I read this question and read the last couple of responses the more I think this question is ambiguous to the point where it's nearly impossible to answer. B & C are not the answers. When I took the test, I read "a baserunning infraction" in A as interference by the baserunner, possible force play slide rule violation, etc. I still believe that D is a correct answer. Both of those things can happen. In reading what Haid has said it also appears as if A is a correct answer because you could read "baserunning infraction" as a missed base, failed tag up, etc. It depends what the committee meant by "baserunning infraction."

I answered D and at least one other college umpire I know did the same. I will admit I was clueless when I saw this question. It's not B or C for sure. In A, does "baserunning infraction" mean missing a base or leaving early? First thing that is key to understanding for this question is the definition on an appeal. The NCAA (which is all that matters for this test) defines an appeal as "the act of a player or coach claiming a violation of the rules by the opposing team or misinterpretation of them by the umpires." (2-1-Appeal). The key here is violation of the rules by the opposing team or misinterpretation of them by the umpires. No judgment calls. A. Batting out of order - violation of the rules by the opposing team & baserunning infraction - judgement B. Half swing - appeal allowed & interference - judgement C. Half swing - appeal allowed & coach aiding a runner (interference) - judgement D. Half swing - appeal allowed & runner missing a base - appeal allowed D is your answer.