FED 4-1-2 Ground Rules

[jpperez14]

FED

Rule 4 Starting and Ending Game - Section 1 - Article 2

If there are unusual conditions, such as spectators or obstacles too near the playing field, the home coach shall propose special ground rules. If sanctioned by the visiting team, these shall be in force. If the teams cannot agree, the umpires shall formulate ground rules. Ground rules do not supersede a rules book rule. All special rules shall be announced.

 

Recently in our meetings, some mentioned this, but I don't understand it. I've been trying to picture or come up with scenarios, but nothing comes to mind. Could you share some ground rules that coaches try to put in place that supersede ground rules?

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[Jimurray]

Foul pole inside fence, coach wants ball hitting pole at or above fence line to be a HR. No can do. Although I think @maineump has a field with a flag pole inside that does violate a book rule.

Many times coaches will point out dead ball territory and use OBR foot position rules. We have to point out the FED difference (one foot in).

[ricka56]

HS field has a 4 foot strip of cement across/in front of the dugout. HTC wanted a live ball if it hit/crossed the concrete and came back on the grass and a dead ball if the ball stayed on the concrete. We said, no can do. They eventually put rubber-like mats on the concrete and keep that area now in play.

[Mike Walsh]

There's no fence, but there is a stand of trees that is so far out there in left center that if a bounding ball goes into it they want the award to be a) 3 bases, or b) 4 bases.

Mike

[BT_Blue]

Mike nailed the main one. The ever infamous "ground rule triple." Can't have it because it doesnt exist in the rule book. It sould supersede a book rule, which would be the ground rule double.

@Jimurray, we have a field like that here in Vancouver, WA.

[Richvee]

Field has a very short RF fence. HTC wants everything over the fence from the right center field light post to the foul line a"ground rule double". Sorry coach, rulebook says any ball over the fence is a HR. Ground rules can't change that.

[BT_Blue]

Field has a very short RF fence. HTC wants everything over the fence from the right center field light post to the foul line a"ground rule double". Sorry coach, rulebook says any ball over the fence is a HR. Ground rules can't change that.

You forgot the part about the part where they look at you like you have 8 eyes and are from Mars.

[Richvee]

You forgot the part about the part where they look at you like you have 8 eyes and are from Mars.

Yep..I get that look every time go to this field. Along with the obligatory "We've been using these ground rules for years"

[mhoffman]

Yep..I get that look every time go to this field. Along with the obligatory "We've been using these ground rules for years"

i know the field LOL.......my varsity game got rained out last year and I was moved on to this JV field as BU to pick up a game.  I listened to the ground rule and my plate guy starts doing his thing and HTC says it to us and those 3 (HTC VTC and PU) are like yeah yeah thats the normal rule here.........being a polite BU I looked up gave my partner a puzzled look and he started to explain and point things out...I said ball over a fence in fair territory is a HR even if its 220 feet away that's the rule so we going to stop with that light pole out there and play fair ball  is a HR.  They assisted they been doing it years, I said "you been doing it wrong for years!"  and we played whole fence HR for that game......i never really try to step on my partners toes or go against him out right but this had to be done this time.  He later asked me in the parking lot that I don't do many jv games, I said why because I balked both teams 10 times total?  Balk is a balk.....his like you must be a varsity guy..........I HATE WHEN THEY SAY THAT!  I have nothing good to say so I just play it off and say I do my share of varsity games......

[Richvee]

i know the field LOL.......my varsity game got rained out last year and I was moved on to this JV field as BU to pick up a game.  I listened to the ground rule and my plate guy starts doing his thing and HTC says it to us and those 3 (HTC VTC and PU) are like yeah yeah thats the normal rule here.........being a polite BU I looked up gave my partner a puzzled look and he started to explain and point things out...I said ball over a fence in fair territory is a HR even if its 220 feet away that's the rule so we going to stop with that light pole out there and play fair ball  is a HR.  They assisted they been doing it years, I said "you been doing it wrong for years!"  and we played whole fence HR for that game......i never really try to step on my partners toes or go against him out right but this had to be done this time.  He later asked me in the parking lot that I don't do many jv games, I said why because I balked both teams 10 times total?  Balk is a balk.....his like you must be a varsity guy..........I HATE WHEN THEY SAY THAT!  I have nothing good to say so I just play it off and say I do my share of varsity games......

We might be the only 2 who make 'em play by the rules there! They have been playing the "ground rule double" there a long time. My son, now 24, played JV games there and as a lefty, was victimized by the rule a few times. That's back when balls would fly off the bats. Since the BBCOR bats, the fence is now a legit shot, and there's not even a need for thinking about calling it a double anymore. 

[Kevin_K]

We might be the only 2 who make 'em play by the rules there! They have been playing the "ground rule double" there a long time. My son, now 24, played JV games there and as a lefty, was victimized by the rule a few times. That's back when balls would fly off the bats. Since the BBCOR bats, the fence is now a legit shot, and there's not even a need for thinking about calling it a double anymore. 

Ahem...... excuse me? 

[Richvee]

Ahem...... excuse me? 

My bad.

So you're telling me they're lying when they tell me at the plate meeting no one has ever told us we can't call a ball over the fence a double? I'm shocked.