What would you do?

[FVBump]

Had a weird situation today.

VT has 9 players. Goes down to 8 players after one leaves the game, V HC goes bonkers. He mentioned that there was a house rule superceeding the NHSF rules that allows the player to be skipped in the batting order. I asked him if he had documentation eluding to such. He did not. HC is adament that the batter should be out.

Since we are playing Fed rules per the pre-game, I enforced 4.4.1. Based on the fact that there was no supporting documentation to allow otherwise.

2 innings later, the VT head coach shows me the house rules where a batter who has left the game can be skipped. Of course his batter missing is ruled out when he comes to bat.

VT coach asks why is he out? I showed you the paper that allows him to be skipped.

He wanted me to change the rule, which I had enforced earlier. I did not. Needless to say he was not happy.

Would you allow a rule to change when half the game is over, and you have already enforced a rule set forth at the pre-game meeting with coaches?

[mstaylor]

They started with nine, dropped to eight, was this discussed at pregame for some reason? If it truley Fed then enforce the proper rule. If it some other, AAU maybe, and he shows you the rule in writing then enforce it. If he can't show you then stick to the book.

[yawetag]

Depends on the protest rules for the league.

[noumpere]

Had a weird situation today.

VT has 9 players. Goes down to 8 players after one leaves the game, V HC goes bonkers. He mentioned that there was a house rule superceeding the NHSF rules that allows the player to be skipped in the batting order. I asked him if he had documentation eluding to such. He did not. HC is adament that the batter should be out.

Since we are playing Fed rules per the pre-game, I enforced 4.4.1. Based on the fact that there was no supporting documentation to allow otherwise.

2 innings later, the VT head coach shows me the house rules where a batter who has left the game can be skipped. Of course his batter missing is ruled out when he comes to bat.

VT coach asks why is he out? I showed you the paper that allows him to be skipped.

He wanted me to change the rule, which I had enforced earlier. I did not. Needless to say he was not happy.

Would you allow a rule to change when half the game is over, and you have already enforced a rule set forth at the pre-game meeting with coaches?

Just because you erred the first time through no fault of your own is no reason to err the second time. Skip the spot when it comes up again.

[FVBump]

They started with nine, dropped to eight, was this discussed at pregame for some reason? If it truley Fed then enforce the proper rule. If it some other, AAU maybe, and he shows you the rule in writing then enforce it. If he can't show you then stick to the book.

No, playing with 8 was not discussed at the pre-game. He did show me written rule after I had called his batter out for not being in the order a second time 5th.

After thinking about this last night, and recording the situation in my game journal, I feel I should have allowed the batter to be skipped with no penalty and dealt with the HC questioning why I changed my position on the rule.

It will be interesting when I call these guys again in about a week.

[FVBump]

btw, I have found a copy of their rules online and printed them out for my reading.

My organization calls many games with this particular league and will familiarize myself with them.

Live and learn, live and learn.

[Dean]

Had a weird situation today.

VT has 9 players. Goes down to 8 players after one leaves the game, V HC goes bonkers. He mentioned that there was a house rule superceeding the NHSF rules that allows the player to be skipped in the batting order. I asked him if he had documentation eluding to such. He did not. HC is adament that the batter should be out.

Since we are playing Fed rules per the pre-game, I enforced 4.4.1. Based on the fact that there was no supporting documentation to allow otherwise.

2 innings later, the VT head coach shows me the house rules where a batter who has left the game can be skipped. Of course his batter missing is ruled out when he comes to bat.

VT coach asks why is he out? I showed you the paper that allows him to be skipped.

He wanted me to change the rule, which I had enforced earlier. I did not. Needless to say he was not happy.

Would you allow a rule to change when half the game is over, and you have already enforced a rule set forth at the pre-game meeting with coaches?

Just because you erred the first time through no fault of your own is no reason to err the second time. Skip the spot when it comes up again.

This seems reasonable. After all two wrongs don't make a right.

[dumbdumb]

First of all---the assignor plays a major part in this area of concern. Each league that the umpire calls for is suppose to state what set of rules they play by, OBR, NFHS, etc., etc. The umpire should be provided or purchase all the rule books and case books and try to the best of his/her ability to learn each and every rule and situation and how they should be applied. This is the responsibility of the umpire to do their homework. Now, if there are special rules that apply outside of the rulebook, the assignor should have a copy of the special house rules if that is what you want to call them. He should provide a written copy for each league if they deviate from the rulebook that is used for their league. This would not be the responsibility of the umpire to run around and find a copy of these special house rules. Once again they should be provided and disseminated to all the umpires by the assignor. Now, once the umpires have the house rules, it now turns back into the umpires responsibility to know the house rules and enforce them.

In your situation, since I would not come under the term, a$hole coach or manager, I would have come out and asked if you had the special rules for our league. If you said you have never been given the special rules, I would have a list in my bag, and ask if you wanted to look at them. If by chance, you said no, probably because you might think I was showing you up, I would not make an issue of it, as long as you applied the book rule to both teams. I would give you a copy after the game and tell you I was going to call the assignor and ask why he wasn't keeping the umpires informed with a copy of the special league rules, since our league sent him a copy. If I wanted to pi$ anyone off, it would be the assignor and ask if he needed $20 bucks to go make copies or at least e-mail the umpires on his staff. My beef would be with him if I wanted to get ugly about the situation which I highly doubt I would. This type of situation where you did not know, is just not that important to me and of course that is why I would never be allowed to coach in the first place. However, I would as a coach, want to make sure the special rules were given to each umpire by the assignor to keep down these type of arguments. A league is only as good as how well the umpires are supported or backed up. I would not want your situation, where you did not know of the special league rules, to happen to you in the first place.

Since you did not know, and went by the book that would be fine with me as a coach. If, after I showed you the special rules, if you wanted them, it would be OK with me if you then changed your ruling the next time. I would not loose respect for you. I would understand you were put in this situation, not of your own violation. None of this has anything to do with my players making it to the big leagues or whatever coaches want to get off on. Just my 2 cents.

[Umpire in Chief]

I don't think we as umpires should be held responsible for local rules.

My association works with about 20 different local leagues each with their own house rules. Don't get me wrong I will brush up on their rules before the game and try to get their rules right, but when in doubt I'll default to the primary rule set if it is NFHS or OBR. If they want to protest so be it.

Like they say, "Local rules are for fools."

[mstaylor]

I worked a 9/10 game a couple of years ago and I asked at the plate meeting about special rules. They said they weren't using any until something happened and they wanted something enforced. I explained I asked before the game. They went over a couple and one was if the pitcher had the ball in the circle and the runner was less than halfway he had to go back. Well sure enough it happened and I scored a run, here comes Mr. DM. I told him I wasn't watching why the hell the pitcher was in relation to the runner.