The NFHS rules we choose not to enforce

[Scotty_Ump]

NFHS Varsity game, bottom 1st. The starting pitcher had been using the windup legally for 2-3 pitches. On a 2-strike count, after stepping back with his non-pivot foot, he came to a complete stop -frozen like a marble statue for 1-2 seconds - before continuing his delivery. Probably trying to disrupt batter's timing.

 

As the base umpire in A, I called time, called an illegal pitch, and added a ball to the count.

 

When I walked toward the mound to explain, the HC - a coach I've had a good relationship with over several years - immediately said, "He's been doing that all year!"

 

I honestly believe him. I'd bet no umpire had addressed that pitcher completely stopping mid-windup.

 

And while that's not my problem - prior non-enforcement doesn't change the rules - it got me thinking about the broader issue.

 

There must be rules that coaches are justifiably frustrated about, not because the rule may be unclear, but because umpire enforcement is so inconsistent they genuinely don't know what to expect.

 

A few that come to mind right now:

 

• Pitchers wearing white or gray below the elbow / white or gray on the glove
• Fielders wearing play sheet wristbands on their belts
• Running lane violations

 

What rules do you think belong here?

 

And do you think inconsistency is more of an attention problem (umpires not noticing violations), an ambiguity problem (the rule itself is unclear or isn't covered well in local meetings or clinics) or an appeasement problem (the umpire doesn't want to be the "bad guy" by enforcing it)?

[SeeingEyeDog]

The inconsistency is an amalgamation of all three of those things equally...33.33% to each of those items. As for the rules you cited, I grab those. I know people will disagree with the enforcement of wristbands on belts but, to me, it's about the slippery slope. Well, if I allow that equipment to not be legally and properly worn, what else do I have to allow? (The industry could fix this by packaging and marketing those as wrist/belt bands but, I digress...)

As for the common, "He's been doing that all season..." or the garden variety, "This wasn't a problem last week..." well, that's simple. "Coach, this is my first time umpiring your team this season." or, "Coach, I wasn't here last week." You don't say the next obvious thing. You don't NEED to say the next obvious thing after saying either of those statements. The implication is...had you been there, it would have been called then, too. 

As for your illegal pitch, FED 6-1-2...After the pitcher starts the movement to pitch, the pitcher must continue the motion without interruption or alteration.

As a caveat, in a NON-scholastic, NON-tournament, and or NON-showcase NFHS game, I will bring this to the attention of the head coach DURING warm ups. "Coach, your pitcher is not continuing his windup delivery motion without interruption or alteration. With no runners on, that is an illegal pitch and a ball would be awarded to the batter. With runners on, that is a balk and all runners would be awarded one base."

Does your association have regular meetings? Do you have a rules interpreter and or a training director? These kinds of inconsistencies make great topics for association meetings. It gets all the umpires on the same page and calling it the same way.

~Dawg