These 5 Study Guide questions were missed by more than 20% of HS Umpires

[sdix00]

Here are the Study Guide questions that were missed by more than 20% of  California HS Umpires.

 

What do YOU have?

 

 

 

29. PLAY: With the bases loaded and one out, the batter squares to bunt. At the last moment, he ducks away from a high fastball. The ball hits his bat and rises several feet in the air toward the pitcher’s mound. The pitcher makes the catch. 

RULING: This is not an infield fly.

 

 

Question 42: The umpires notice the home team is video taping the game from the dugout. Video taping a game from the dugout is not legal.

 

 

Question 82: A runner is always out if he initiates malicious contact.

 

 

Question 103: Umpires are required to have their pregame meeting from a printed form.

 

 

Question 110: When the batter is hit with a pitched ball, the correct mechanic for the plate umpire is to raise his hands slightly over his head and verbalize, "Dead ball, dead ball."

[UmpJM]

29. False (Poor question. It's not a bunt, bt it could be considered a "line drive" depending on how you picture "several feet".)

 

42. True

 

82. False (If he has already scored when he initiates MC, he's not out, but he is ejected.)

 

103. False (Unless CA requires it.)

 

110. False. (Time!)

 

JM

[BRUMP]

103 sounds like it could be a state by state thing.

[grayhawk]

29. False.  This is not a bunt attempt, and not a line drive.  It's a terrible question that was originally marked as True on the answer key.  After I emailed Ken Allan, the answer was corrected to False.

 

42.  False.  Video taping for coaching purposes is not legal.  The rules do not prevent taping from happening in the dugout.

 

82.  True.  Where people get confused is when a runner scores and then initiates MC.  He is technically not a runner after he has scored.

 

103.  True.  The Fed Umpire manual states that the pregame discussion "should be conducted from a printed form."

 

110. False.  Never say "dead ball".

[scrounge]

Very poorly worded questions....and not to get too pedantic, but if the Fed umpire manual for 103 says "should", that's not the same as "shall". The former is a suggestion, the latter is an order.

[noumpere]

29. False (Poor question. It's not a bunt, bt it could be considered a "line drive" depending on how you picture "several feet".)

 

42. True

 

82. False (If he has already scored when he initiates MC, he's not out, but he is ejected.)

 

103. False (Unless CA requires it.)

 

110. False. (Time!)

 

JM

42. videotaping is legal but using it for coaching purposes during the game is not

 

82. once the runner has scored hes not a runner hes a "retired runner"

[UmpJM]

noumpere,

 

 

29. False (Poor question. It's not a bunt, bt it could be considered a "line drive" depending on how you picture "several feet".)

 

42. True

 

82. False (If he has already scored when he initiates MC, he's not out, but he is ejected.)

 

103. False (Unless CA requires it.)

 

110. False. (Time!)

 

JM

42. videotaping is legal but using it for coaching purposes during the game is not

 

82. once the runner has scored hes not a runner hes a "retired runner"

 

 

Then perhaps you can explain 3.3.1HH(a) to me.

 

JM

[sdix00]

"Dead ball" was the approved mechanic in 2012.  Changed in 2013.

 

I'm serious.

[Aging_Arbiter]

What is a FED umpire manual?

[UmpJM]

dix,

 

Nonsense. 5-2-1.

 

JM

[bam]

T,T,F,F,F

Unless CA specifically requires the pregame being read from a card. Wouldn't surprise me

[maven]

29. False 2-19-1

 

42. True 3.3.1 HH

 

82. True 2-21-1b (treating a retired/scored runner as no longer a runner)

 

103. True FEDUM p. 8

 

110. False FEDUM passim

[bam]

What is a FED umpire manual?

Google it. It's out there. One of the question on this year's test (for us anyway) came DIRECTLY from the foolish thing.

[grayhawk]

In our association, we have study guide meetings where each umpire is to arrive with the 125 question study guide already completed.  We go around the room and read each question, discuss if necessary, and compare to the answer key.  Question 29 was originally marked true on the answer key, and someone who had already taken the online test confirmed that he answered true and got it correct.

 

Well, I had previously identified this question as the worst of the bunch, and emailed Ken Allan (Fed rules interpreter for the west) to let him know that there simply wasn't enough information to answer one way or the other, but that as written, you cannot say that it's not an infield fly.

 

1.  It's clear that this did not meet the definition of a bunt.

2.  "rises several feet" is not necessarily the same as "an appreciable height" which is the definition of a fly ball.  But it's also not necessarily a line drive either.

3.  We don't know how F1 caught it - it could have been with ordinary effort, and it could have been a shoestring catch.

 

In any case, the answer was changed to False.  He said the point of the question was that it wasn't a bunt.  He said that "rises several feet" indicated that it was not a line drive, so IFF is indicated.

[noumpere]

noumpere,

 

 

 

 

Then perhaps you can explain 3.3.1HH(a) to me.

 

JM

Well, no I can't. lol.

 

But the rule specifically says "for coaching purposes" and the 2013 interps have two plays numbers 3 and 4 where the problem doesn't seem to occur unless the video is reviewed.  So, now I'm just confused.

[Thunderheads]

"Dead ball" was the approved mechanic in 2012.  Changed in 2013.

 

I'm serious.

 

[bam]

noumpere,

 

Then perhaps you can explain 3.3.1HH(a) to me.

 

JM

Well, no I can't. lol.

 

But the rule specifically says "for coaching purposes" and the 2013 interps have two plays numbers 3 and 4 where the problem doesn't seem to occur unless the video is reviewed.  So, now I'm just confused.

How are you supposed to determine whether they're reviewing it or not?

ME: "Coach, please remove the camera from the dugout."

RAT: "No, we're not using it for coaching purposes."

ME: "Coach, you have 2 options. Option A, which is what I would recommend, is removing the camera from the dugout. Option B, which I wouldn't recommend, is removing both the camera and yourself from the dugout. Regardless of which option you choose, this camera is NOT staying in the dugout"

[Jimurray]

noumpere,

 

 

29. False (Poor question. It's not a bunt, bt it could be considered a "line drive" depending on how you picture "several feet".)

 

42. True

 

82. False (If he has already scored when he initiates MC, he's not out, but he is ejected.)

 

103. False (Unless CA requires it.)

 

110. False. (Time!)

 

JM

42. videotaping is legal but using it for coaching purposes during the game is not

 

82. once the runner has scored hes not a runner hes a "retired runner"

 

 

Then perhaps you can explain 3.3.1HH(a) to me.

 

JM

Where is 3.3.1HH(a)?

[UmpJM]

Jim,

 

Page 34 of the 2013 FED Case Book. 

 

JM

[Mudder]

.

2.  "rises several feet" is not necessarily the same as "an appreciable height" which is the definition of a fly ball.  But it's also not necessarily a line drive either.

 

The "rule of thumb" we typically use is the ball should reach the height of the highest fence height around the infield to qualify as an infield fly.  So at most of my diamonds that's about 20 ft., maybe more

[SoCal Lurker]

 

.

2.  "rises several feet" is not necessarily the same as "an appreciable height" which is the definition of a fly ball.  But it's also not necessarily a line drive either.

 

The "rule of thumb" we typically use is the ball should reach the height of the highest fence height around the infield to qualify as an infield fly.  So at most of my diamonds that's about 20 ft., maybe more

 

 

Why should it vary by the height of the fence on a particular field?

[Jimurray]

Jim,

 

Page 34 of the 2013 FED Case Book. 

 

JM

Interesting, my NFHS rules app and the casebook on Arbiter both don't have that caseplay.

[sdix00]

"Dead ball" was the approved mechanic in 2012.  Changed in 2013.

 

I'm serious.

 

 

dix,

 

Nonsense. 5-2-1.

 

JM

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK - so it was in there for a batted ball that hit the batter, not for a pitched ball that hit the batter.   But funny as hell any way.  

 

 

XV. 2-Man Mechanics

GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

U2:

 

4. In Position A, call fair/foul on balls hit down the first-base line from the

front edge of the bag to the foul pole, especially on balls bounding over

the bag. Be alert to help U1 on a slow roller or bunt down the line where

he may be blocked out by the catcher or batter-runner. If you see a batted

ball, contact the batter in the batter’s box, call “Dead Ball!â€

 

 

 

 

 

[noumpere]

 

Jim,

 

Page 34 of the 2013 FED Case Book. 

 

JM

Interesting, my NFHS rules app and the casebook on Arbiter both don't have that caseplay.

 

It's new this year so maybe that's it.

[Rich Ives]

 

.

2.  "rises several feet" is not necessarily the same as "an appreciable height" which is the definition of a fly ball.  But it's also not necessarily a line drive either.

 

The "rule of thumb" we typically use is the ball should reach the height of the highest fence height around the infield to qualify as an infield fly.  So at most of my diamonds that's about 20 ft., maybe more

 

 

So an identically hit ball could be a IF at one park but not at another just because the fences are different heights?  I think that should be rethought.