15-16U Tourney w/ OBR rules [modified]

[Thunderheads]

Ok ...

Second [and final] game of our tourney yesterday, ...my dish ........

 

We call the coaches in and introduce ourselves ....

 

I start in with the tournaments rules which is a mish-mash of OBR, FED, and the tourney company's own rules.   The first thing I say is, we're playing this tournament with OBR pitching/balk rules which means the feint to 3rd is a balk, which in turn makes the "Third to First" move also a balk.  Before I get it out of my mouth the VT coach says "that's outlawed" .... reconfirming, ...."yes sir" I say, ..."that's a balk" .....

 

Meeting concludes and fast forward to the bottom of the 3rd inning.  VT is getting pounded and coach finally gets a pitcher that can find the plate.  R1, R3,...and what does F1 do?    YEP, .... he feints to 3rd and runs R3 back....  "that's a balk ...time!" my partner and I yell out in unison as we point to the infraction....F1: "no it's not!" Again in unison my partner and I say " yes it is" ...and we point / direct the runners to their bases.

 

I turn to go back to the plate, my partner (because F1 asked him what happened) explains the new balk rule....  as I make my way back to the plate....sure enough .....here comes the VT coach .... "blue, sir, ....why was that a balk" ....... me:  "well, it's a feint to 3rd base, that's a balk in this tournament because we're using OBR pitching rules like I said in the plate meeting"  .... coach: "ok, but he didn't try to throw to first?"      Me: "I know, ... the 'no feint to third' balk, makes the 3rd to 1st move a balk ......  coach " OHHH.... I didnt' know that, let me go tell him"   Me: Coach, that'll be a visit if you do, my partner just discussed it with him"  coach: sighs...."ok, ok ...I won't go talk to him"

 

NOW .... let's review kids,....what was the first thing we discussed at the plate meeting?!

 

Lesson:  Coaches don't listen and /or only hear what they want to hear!

[Mike Prince]

Sounds like it was a waste of breath to review the rules at the plate meeting.  In tournaments I usually just ask if there are any questions about the local/tournament rules to get acknowledgement that the coaches have received them.  Otherwise you have a 3-5 minute plate meeting to review and discuss rules.

[Thunderheads]

Sounds like it was a waste of breath to review the rules at the plate meeting.  In tournaments I usually just ask if there are any questions about the local/tournament rules to get acknowledgement that the coaches have received them.  Otherwise you have a 3-5 minute plate meeting to review and discuss rules.

YMMV Mike, but the plate meeting was 2 minutes max because we have to flip, etc ....I know my description sounds like it takes long, but .... it didn't ....

 

It was semi-like you said .... OBR balk, 'any questions with any other rules of the tourney, etc, ...'   then ground rules at that field .....flip, done 2 mins max ...if that

[Mike Prince]

Not being critical, sometimes the TD asks you to review every rule at the plate meeting often times because he has been too lazy to review them properly with the coaches.  I had a tourney a few years ago where the TD only sent the rules out to the umpires (inadvertently according to him).  That was a mess.

 

I wish these tournaments chose one rule set and stuck to it with minimal modifications.

[Thunderheads]

Not being critical, sometimes the TD asks you to review every rule at the plate meeting often times because he has been too lazy to review them properly with the coaches.  I had a tourney a few years ago where the TD only sent the rules out to the umpires (inadvertently according to him).  That was a mess.

 

I wish these tournaments chose one rule set and stuck to it with minimal modifications.

Oh, I know .... I was just clarifying myself .....

 

Yes, this TD isn't the greatest with things!!

 

CONCUR!!  And get this Mike, this tournament was called "The State JV Championship" ..... the tag line on their site was "while the Varsity teams have their districts and tournaments, who's the best JV team?   Something like that .....so ....... assumption is FED, right ?!?!   Try again!

[plateumpire]

I had a coach who wasn't paying attention during part of the plate meeting. I was explaining the jewelry rule in this league and I got to the part about warnings and ejections and one of the coaches said something like, " Is that about jewelry?"

[BigUmpire]

Not being critical, sometimes the TD asks you to review every rule at the plate meeting often times because he has been too lazy to review them properly with the coaches.  I had a tourney a few years ago where the TD only sent the rules out to the umpires (inadvertently according to him).  That was a mess.

 

I wish these tournaments chose one rule set and stuck to it with minimal modifications.

All about kissing ass and getting money for the TDs.

[mstaylor]

I had a coach who wasn't paying attention during part of the plate meeting. I was explaining the jewelry rule in this league and I got to the part about warnings and ejections and one of the coaches said something like, " Is that about jewelry?"

This why we stress a short plate meeting, coaches tune out quickly. After that all they hear is the sound you hear on Charlie Brown for the adults.