How Many Rule Books Do You Need??

[NovaScotiaBlue]

Greetings from Canada..

I have a question to my brothers/sisters south of the 49th. How may rule books do you need to know?

Here in Canada baseball is played for the most part under OBR. When I read responses I read about FED LL PONY etc.

How do you keep all the rules straight when you bounce from one rule set to another? Do you have to attend annual recert clinics for each as well?

Just wondering.

[carolinablue]

For me I have mainly only done LL, which is a form of OBR. If the LL rulebook don't cover it, I look to OBR for the answer.

I am just starting to learn FED but it seems to be it's own animal.

I've only been doing this a couple of years and learning the rules correctly to me has been the hardest part. It's an ongoing project and this forum is very helpful with the experienced umpires here.

[Umpire in Chief]

It is a challenge at times not only do you have the numerous rules then you have to add in the local rules an organization has thrown in.

The rules are similar enough that the differences don't come into play too much, but to know them both well can be challenging. I have only learned the LL rules through forums and trial and error. It's been a bit rough.

For FED we have to test every year with a certain score just to work the games and an even higher score to be eligible for post-season assignments.

My association conducts about 10 regular meetings to discuss rules, situations and policies which is very helpful.

[mstaylor]

There are three main rule sets in the US, OBR,NCAA and Fed. Fed covers most of our high schools and is an animal all it's own. NCAA covers 99% of college and OBR covers the rest. What happens is there are many youth groups that add their take on OBR, they change things for age. The problem is except for Pony, they all overlay the changes. Pony uses sttraight OBR book and prints a seperate book for their stuff.

As far as remembering them all it's tough. The local rules are easy, show me a list or it isn't a rule.

[PeteBooth]

Greetings from Canada..

How do you keep all the rules straight when you bounce from one rule set to another?

As others mentioned there are 3 MAJOR rule Codes: OBR / FED and NCAA

Recommendation:

Learn each code SEPARATELY and do not try and co-mingle them until you have a firm grasp of the rules.

In order to fully understand FED rules IMO, you have to become HS certified. Most states in the US use FED rules for HS. There are a few that use OBR.

Once you start umpiring HS games, attend the meetings then you will start to grasp the rules. It's like anything else in life, there are books and then there is ACTUAL PRACTICE and IMO you need actual practice to firmly grasp the rules.

IMO, simply purchasing the FED rule/case book is not enough. You need to umpire HS games to grasp the rules.

Same is true for college. Even though NCAA rules are "close' to OBR they have their own rule /case book. As with FED, it behooves one to umpire at the collegiate level to firmly grasp those rules.

Which brings us to OBR. With the exception of PRO ball, no league that I know of uses what I call pure OBR meaning the STRICT OBR rule-book. The STRICT OBR rule book has no safety caveats added on as do many youth leagues that adopt the OBR rule-book.

Many leagues that I umpire are hybrids, meaning they borrow certain rules from each MAJOR rule-book.

Example: Legion baseball is OBR based BUT if you look on their web-site and download the rules you will see that Legion has the Collegiate FPSR and the Collegiate Collission rule.

Same is true for other leagues. They are OBR based but some have adopted some FED rules like the -3 bats, NOCSEA stamp on the helmets, FPSR (force play slide rule) and MC (Malicious Contact) rule.

LL (little league) is a separate animal altogether and unless you primarily umpire LL it's difficult to grasp their rules because LL has REGULAR season rules and then Changes them come tournament time. Also, IMO LL has the most convuluted of all rules which is rule 7.13 in dealing with 12 yr. olds on down.

I do not keep track of "house rules" which are specific to each league. House rules include: courtesy runner rules; CBO (continious batting order). can a team end with 8 and the like. I simply ask at the plate conference if there are any "special rules" we need to be concerned about. NO BIG deal.

In summary: You asked how do you keep all the rules straight when you bounce from one rule set to another? The simple answer is experience and also umpiring in leagues that use the various rules.

One other note: IMO a must to have is Carl Childress's BRD (baseball rule differences). In that book Carl has case plays which contrast the various rule codes. That is also a good way to learn the various rule differences in addition to experience.

Pete Booth

[SNIPERBBB]

What I really love with the local leagues are the exceptions.

IE: One base on overthrows...okay what is considered an overthrow and is the ball live or dead.

Runners cannot steal home on a pitch,passed ball....Now what happens when you combine this rule with the above rule and we now have the catcher trying to pick off the runner at third and "overthrows"

Here's one I was really not happy with and I will make sure the league next year gets it: LL can use the 2 5/8" bats. Didnt allow them the first game this year I had as the rules as I was given made no mention of that and was only changed 2 weeks later.

I really feel like writing some case books for the local leagues exceptions and sending it to them then let them redefine the rules the way they do every year.

[MCLEOD36]

Darn Canuck...

Ok, that was love from Miami. I keep all three rule books handy, home and in truck, and do a pregame with partner and go, OK, what rules are we playing under in this league if there is an issue. It can be difficult, but it does keep you mentally sharp to stay on top of them.

As for clinics and things like that, I do recommend them and I attend at least one a year; for both FED and NCAA. Both always have to polish my skills and the fees become very trivial, when you can pick up something at both... I hope that helps... 88 in the shade today.

[BrianC14]

A Jaksa/Roder manual will help you to figure out the differences in the rule sets in a quick hurry. :HD:

[nolanadair]

I have really only done little league and travel ball. I have the Little League rule book, of course, but I also have the OBR rule book. The travel ball I do is for an organization called OCBA. They mainly play under OBR, but have their own rules also.

[Jeff C.]

The leagues I have done have used FED so that is my only rule book. I also have the Jaksa/Roder book. That's a great book.

[Aging_Arbiter]

Rulebooks? We don't need no estinking rulebooks!

FED rules are primarily my reason for NOT doing HS ball.....if that makes sense. But, I shall elaborate. You have the OBR. Now Little League has taken that, added their "safety" to it (which can be understood from certain perspectives), and added a couple little "quirks" of their own. For the most part, you can take the LGR and the OBR and put them side by side in comparison. Now you involve the National Federations of High Scools. I believe someone mentioned in a different post that their is a rule in there regarding verbal obstruction. Holy sweet buhgeezes! Let the kids play good ol' fashioned baseball. The ball field should not be where one must worry about being politically correct (from a players standpoint). Yeah, we'll know when they aren't being good sports about something. That's what WE are there for!

I can't speak for everyone on here, but I recall growing up and having FUN playing the game. Remember when "hey batter batter" was something you chanted with your team mates religously? I'm talking serious business now folks!

Does anyone remember riding your bike down to the pick up games in the field next to someones house? You often used discarded items for bases, had less than 9 players on a side and little Bobby was always the last one picked?

Nowadays, you better have permission to be on that land, have your own transporation to and from the site, your own insurance, and better not tear up the grass. You shouldn't head first slide into a base if you haven't received proper instruction on how to slide, let alone the fact that 2nd base is a hub cap, and you may require stitches (see reference to insurance above) after doing so. Don't share players, have a minimum required amount to start, play, and finish the game. And sure little Bobby, even though you have the least amount of skills, and we are living in a day and age where litigation is always encouraged, you can be on the team so mommy doesn't take us to court.

Where did the fun go?

OK, I'm stepping off of the soapbox for now.

P.S. I did send the AD at our high school a (similar) email when the VARSITY FOOTBALL GAME was cancelled because it had rained most of the day. Another story for another time.