Federation to add developmental and identification opportunities at new National Team levels

DURHAM, N.C. -- USA Baseball will offer more National Team developmental and identification opportunities in 2012, the federation announced Thursday.  The move will affect youth-level on-field programming -- USA Baseball National Teams and associated identification events -- for athletes ages 13-17.

The changes more closely align USA Baseball with the new competition calendar adopted by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) at its congress in Dallas last December.  The IBAF announced that beginning in 2012 it will host 12U, 15U, 18U, 21U, and Women’s championship events, each on an every-other-year basis.  An 18U, 15U and Women’s Worlds are scheduled for this year.

Effective immediately, USA Baseball will add a 15U National Team that will compete internationally, and 14U and 17U National Team Development Programs.  The federation will no longer field National Teams at the 14U and 16U age groups.  While the 15U National Team will be selected, train and compete using traditional models, the development programs are new for USA Baseball.  
Each development program will feature a select number of invited players -- chosen from sanctioned USA Baseball selection events -- who will train with National Team coaches and compete in intrasquad exhibitions.  The 14U and 17U National Team Development Programs will serve as additional identification opportunities for the following year’s 15U and 18U National Teams.  

USA Baseball will continue to compete in continental events that serve as qualifier for World Championships at each of the new National Team age levels.  The COPABE-sanctioned tournaments are traditionally held every-other-year during IBAF off-years at each respective age level.

“This is an exciting initiative not only for USA Baseball, but for all youth-level athletes playing our national pastime,” said USA Baseball President Mike Gaski.  “Our goal as the national governing body of amateur baseball is to grow the game at the grassroots level and to further develop the sport through all age groups.  We feel like these changes only further our efforts in both of those areas.”

Rules and Mechanics

In last month’s article we covered rules changes and mentioned that we would cover the 2012 Points of Emphasis this time around.  Quite often the POEs are at least as significant as the rules changes and I believe that for 2012 many of us will spend more time working with these points than with the changes.

Before we go to the National Federation POEs I know that this month many of you will be receiving rule books from your high school association and want to remind you that when your National Federation rule book arrives you are asked to make a correction.  In Rule 8-6-16 on page 68 several articles were consolidated but it is important to note that item “c” here includes a printing error and the tenth word - “intentionally” – is to be deleted.  There is really no change in enforcement from 2011 as these items simply have been reorganized and umpires are being asked to correct this printing error.

Pitching Regulations:   Last year, pitching got the year off after having been emphasized for many consecutive years.   There are two primary items mentioned.  First, we have a reminder that the high school pitcher may begin with one or two feet on the pitching plate.  The pitcher also may step back prior to bringing the hands together and may then step forward to gain momentum in the pitching motion.  This provision is now unique to the high school rules and this spring the NF did survey constituents prior to deciding to make no changes to the rule.  As Federation rules are designed to serve school age pitchers of all skill levels the interscholastic community believes this rule is appropriate for its participants.  Umpires who work games under multiple codes need to be familiar with this difference and enforce the rule as written.

Secondly, the NF Rules Committee continues to be concerned with the enforcement of the 24 inch width pitching requirement.  It seems that some pitchers are starting and/or finishing with an entire foot outside the width of the pitching plate.  I suggest that umpires review Figure 6-1 found on page 48 of the 2012 rule book.  Both umpires must work together in an attempt to enforce violations of this rule.  We know that the plate umpire must give priority to tracking the flight of the pitch but every effort should be made to detect and call violations of this rule.  In addition, depending on position the base umpire may also be able to help with this call.  As umpires know, there are some rules codes that have drawn lines to assist umpires in making this call.  Unfortunately not all high schools are able to do a good job with existing field markings so there is a natural reluctance to add these markings.

I’ll also add my comments concerning the importance of umpires making a great effort to penalize illegal pitches.  In my home state, Ohio, our associations are being asked to spend time in their local meetings covering all types of illegal pitches including the 24 inch violation, crow hop, and leap.  Umpires need to work hard to get these calls right as to ignore violations give the defense far too great an advantage.  With education and effort we can and will do a better job of enforcement.  We expect illegal pitches to be called when they occur but at the same time remind umpires that they should not guess an illegal pitch but just be sure to call what they see.  Don’t call an illegal pitch because you are “pretty sure” – instead concentrate and call it when it is there.  Many pitchers are good enough to adjust their styles and will go as far as the umpires will allow.  By making these calls early in the game the pitcher will be able to adjust and throw in a legal manner.  An injustice is done when we let the illegal pitch go early and then call it in the late innings.

Legal Apparel and Equipment:  Those involved in the administration of high school softball continue to have concerns about the use of illegal equipment.  This is reflected in the new rule that increases the penalty for the use of an altered or non-approved bat.  While the head coach is responsible for seeing that players use legal and proper...

Houston Astros’ reliever Wesley Wright was recently in the middle of some interesting pitching substitution rules.  Let’s start with the Aug. 27 game AT&T Park where the San Francisco Giants beat the Houston Astros 2-1 in 10-innings. In the bottom of the eighth inning the Giants had runners on first and second and two outs when Astros’ manager Brad Mills brought in Wright to replace Wilton Lopez. Mills then left the field.

Wright was scheduled to pitch to Pablo Sandoval who was pinch-hit for by Orlando Cabrera. At that point Astros’ pitching coach Doug Brocail attempted to visit Wright on the mound before he threw a pitch to Cabrera. Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy complained to plate umpire Tony Randazzo that Brocail was not allowed  to go to the mound because that would illegally constitute a second visit with the same spot up in the batting order.

Randazzo agreed and improperly prohibited Brocail from meeting with Wright.  Brocail argued to no avail.  Unfortunately, the umpires and Bochy both misinterpreted the rule regarding visits to the mound by a manager or coach. As outlined in section 7.12 of the Major League Baseball Umpire Manual, when a new pitcher comes into a game and the manager meets with the pitcher, that does not count as a visit to the new pitcher. When Mills originally went to the mound to bring in Wright, that visit was charged to Lopez, the pitcher he was removing from the game. Therefore, when a manager changes pitchers and leaves the mound, he (or a coach) may come out again to visit the pitcher while the same batter or pinch-hitter for that batter is at bat. And that would count as the first trip that inning to the new pitcher.

Four nights earlier (Aug. 23) rule 3.03 came alive when the Astros met the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with the Astros trailing, 8-6 and lefty batter Carlos Gonzalez leading off, Mills brought in the southpaw throwing Wright in relief of Fernando Rodriguez. Wright retired “CarGo” on a foul pop-up to catcher Humberto Quintero. Mills then brought in right-hander David Carpenter to pitch to Troy Tulowitzki and sent Wright to play right field to replace Brian Bogusevic. Carpenter, who was placed in Bugusevic’s fifth spot in the order, retired “Tulo.” When lefty swinging Todd Helton came to the plate, Mills brought Wright back in to pitch and sent J.B. Shuck to right field. Wright struck out Helton looking.  

Keep in mind that a pitcher may change to another position only...

For many years changing a call was considered a sign of weakness and strictly taboo. Only in the past 10 years or so has the officiating world (with probably some influence from instant replay technology) recognized the importance of getting it right. Umpire dignity is important, but not as important as being correct. Except where noted, the material applies equally to NFHS, NCAA and pro rules.

Bill Klem, who umpired from 1905 to 1941 and is one of the few umpires in the Hall of Fame, was one of the first to recognize the need to get it right.

In a May 14, 1922 game between the Chicago Cubs Park and the New York Giants, Giants pitcher Jesse Barnes smacked an easy grounder in the top of the sixth. Cubs first baseman Ray Grimes juggled the throw, but first base umpire Paul Sentelle's called him out.

The Giants immediately claimed that Grimes was not in control of the ball as Barnes passed over the base. Several Giants gathered around Sentelle and began arguing vehemently. The Giants eventually appealed to plate umpire Bill Klem. The crew met, discussed the call, and Klem reversed Sentelle's decision, ruling Barnes safe.

The Cubs, to no surprise, erupted in anger. The crowd began hurling bottles and seat cushions onto the field. The umpires endured abuse beyond anything that would be tolerated today.

Umpires are prohibited from criticizing or interfering with another umpire's decision, unless asked by the one making it (NFHS 10-1-4; NCAA 3-6f; pro 9.02c). However, if there is a possible misinterpretation of a rule, it should be brought to the attention of the umpire-in-chief. Under no circumstances should an umpire allow a rules error to go uncorrected. Minor League umpires are told that if they lose a protested game, they will be released after the season.

An umpire should seek help when his view is blocked or his position is such that his view of critical elements of a play may have been blocked. An umpire should also seek help when he has any doubt and he believes a partner may have additional information that could result in getting the play right. Umpires should not seek help on plays on which they are 100 percent confident in their judgment and view of the play.

The most visible example of a changed call is the half or checked swing. When the pitch is called a ball, the defense may request the plate umpire get help from a base umpire as to whether or not the batter swung. If so, the plate umpire will change his call to a strike.

In cases where the pitch is a possible third strike and the batter is entitled to run to first, the appeal should be made instantly by the plate umpire without a request. But if he doesn’t do so immediately, the base umpire should voluntarily call a strike if he is going to reverse the call. This will give the batter the immediate opportunity to run.

While umpires have specific responsibilities, there is joint responsibility in some cases. The preceding is one example. Another situation is when a batted ball goes straight downward and rolls into fair territory. If the plate umpire points fair or makes no call and the base umpire is certain the ball hit the batter in the box, he should immediately call it foul.

The larger the size of the umpire crew, the greater the opportunity for...

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. -- A former youth baseball coach has been found guilty of punching a 16-year-old umpire and ordered to pay $860 to the teen for his medical bills.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports that a judge found Samuel Cody guilty this week of misdemeanor simple assault and ordered him to make restitution.

Assistant District Attorney Dustin Dow said the judge rejected arguments from Cody's attorney who said he acted in self-defense.

Police said the umpire was struck after the coach started to argue with him over a call in a game in May at a Fletcher park for 11- and 12-year-olds
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If you are interested in improving your umpiring skills, then the ABUA is the perfect association for you to join. We want umpires to improve and enhance their skills, wherever they might be working, whether it is at a youth league or a college league. We provide educational programs and resources for umpires, so if this is something you are interested in taking up, why not browse through our site and sign up? 

If you have always been interested to continuously learn more about a game so you can improve your skills and knowledge, whether it is reading gaming tips on OnlinePoker.com, or reading up on the latest sports news in a baseball magazine, you might find this article very useful and informative. Here you will learn some interesting baseball facts which you can share with your friends, or other umpires. 

Did you know? 

That the first five players to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (situated in Cooperstown, New York) were Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson? Since their entry in 1936, almost 300 people have been entered. These not only include expectational players, but also umpires, pioneers, executives and managers. 

The French did what? 

It is thought that it was in fact the French who came up with the concept of baseball. A manuscript, dating back to 1344, shows illustrations of clerics who seem to be playing a game very similar to baseball. Other old French games, including théque, la balle au bâton and la balle empoisonée, show clear similarities to baseball. 

A whole new meaning to 'stumped'.... 

The false wooden leg of General Santa Anna was used as a baseball bat by American soldiers in 1847, just a couple of days after the Battle of Cerro Gordo. The leg was seized by the Fourth Illinois regiment and was thought to be the first baseball game ever played in Mexico at Parque Los Berros in Xalapa, Veracruz. 

There is a common myth in baseball that when a pitcher commits a balk the ball is dead immediately. True under NFHS rules but not so under NCAA and Pro rules. If a pitcher balks before delivering the pitch, the ball remains alive and if all runners including the batter-runner advance at least one base on the play, the balk is nullified per rule 8.05 (m) Penalty. A balk can be followed by a batted ball or a throw to a base. Let’s take the batted ball scenario first.

The Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees played at Progressive Field on July 5. In the top of the second inning the Yanks had Mark Teixeira on first and Alex Rodriguez at bat with two outs. Indians’ right hander Carlos Carrasco then balked before delivering a pitch that A-Rod hit for a single, moving Teixeira to second base. Because Teixeira (the runner) and A-Rod (the batter) both advanced one base on the play, umpire Jeff Nelson, by rule, properly nullified the balk as if it never happened.

Let’s say that Teixeira was on second base at the time of the balk and he heard Nelson yell, “That’s a balk,” and because he thought the ball was dead, remained at second base after A-Rod hit safely and advanced to first. In that case because the runner and the batter both did not advance at least one base (only the batter did), Nelson would then invoke the balk penalty. He would send Teixeira to third and A-Rod would remain at bat with the count he had prior to the balk. That is precisely what happened in the following play. 

The Yankees hosted the Toronto Blue Jays on April 19, 1977. In the bottom of the fourth inning the Bombers had Jim Wynn on third with two outs when third base ump Dave Phillips called a balk on Blue Jays’ pitcher Jerry Garvin just before he delivered a pitch to Lou Piniella. Despite the balk call, Piniella drove the ball to center field off the glove of Gary Woods for an apparent RBI-double. But Wynn, apparently thinking the ball was dead, remained at third base. Because he did not advance the one base necessary to nullify the balk, the umpires had to invoke the penalty aspect of the rule. They scored Wynn from third and ordered Piniella to remain at-bat with the same count prior to the pitch. Phillips explained to Billy Martin, the outraged Yankees’ manager, that if Wynn had advanced home on the play, Piniella’s double would have counted since in that situation both the batter and the runner would have advanced at least one...

There are several ways a batter can be declared out for illegal acts in and around the batter’s box. Two of them involve illegally batting the ball. Except where noted, the material applies equally to NFHS, NCAA and pro rules.

Batter steps out of box. The batter must have both feet in the batter's box at the time of the pitch (NFHS 2-7-2, 7.3.2 Cmt; NCAA 1-3a, 7-1e; pro 6.03, PBUC 1.9). The lines are part of the box. The umpire should insist both feet be entirely in the box before the pitch is delivered. This means the batter can have part of a foot touching a line as long as no part is outside the box. There is no penalty for the batter being out of the box before the pitch. He is simply told to comply and if he doesn’t, he can be ejected.

In NFHS and pro, a batter is out if he hits the ball (fair, foul or foul tip) with a foot entirely on the ground outside the batter's box. Under NCAA rules he is only out if he bats the ball fair or foul. Since a foul tip is a strike and the ball remains live, it is treated as if the batter missed the pitch (NFHS 7-3-2, NCAA 7-10a, pro 6.06a).

The distinction in position before the pitch and when the ball is batted is important. Before the pitch no part of the batter’s foot can be outside a line, but when he bats the ball he is considered to be in the box if any part of the foot is touching the line.

Play 1: B1 is in the front part of the batter's box. As he swings, his front foot is in mid-air outside the box. He contacts the ball and hits a single as his foot lands (a) inside; or (b) outside, the batter’s box. Ruling 1: Legal. For the batter to be declared out, he must have at least one foot on the ground outside the box when contact occurs.

The rules differ if the batter’s foot is touching the plate while part of his foot is inside the box.

Play 2: B1 squares around to bunt, but the pitch is outside. He steps on home plate...

The 2012 rules have been finalized and both the high school and ASA codes have few major changes. Let’s first look at what umpires need to know about the NF changes where all the major items relate to equipment and uniforms.

In Rule 1-3-1 the color “white” was removed from the list of permissible colors for softballs.  All softballs used for high school game competition must now be optic yellow.  Surveys indicated that white softballs were seldom, if ever, used for high school games.  It should be noted that the ASA National Council was presented with a similar rules change proposal but did not make a change.  In ASA Men’s Fast Pitch the white ball is still widely used and with this in mind the ASA will still permit Fast Pitch balls to be of either color.  Since 2010 the optic yellow ball has been required for all Slow Pitch play with the exception of 16” Slow Pitch where the ball shall have a white cover.  This is all covered in ASA Rule 3-3-B&C.

The Federation also changed two rules relative to bats.  First, in Rule 1-5-2a, the ninety degree angle requirement for the knob has been eliminated.  This change will permit the use of ax handled bats that are available on the market provided they meet other rules requirements.  Also, grip devices, attachments and wrappings will be permitted provided the knob does not become flush with the handle.  Under NF Rules the required safety grip must still extend at least ten inches and no more than fifteen inches from the small end of the bat.  The rules committee has stated that their primary concern is with the performance portion of the bat (barrel) and that the NFHS will continue to use the ASA Bat Performance Standard.  There were also two editorial changes relative to bats – in rule 1-5-1c it has been clarified that shaving, rolling, or artificially warming the bat barrel is prohibited and in rule 2-4 the definitions of legal and illegal bats were updated.

The second NF change relating to bats is found in the penalty for violations of Rule 7-4-2.  When an altered or non-approved bat is used the batter will be out and both the batter and the head coach will be ejected.  This change is consistent with the National Federation’s emphasis on both player safety and the integrity of the game.  Existing rules have placed a responsibility on both players and coaches for the legality of equipment used in a game whether it is school issued or not.  This change is supported by a 2012 Point of Emphasis – the pregame equipment check conducted by the umpire crew.  This is a major difference from the NFHS baseball rule.  We will review all POEs in next month’s article.

The last major NF change has to...

Whenever a game ends on a bases loaded walk don’t leave the ballpark too early or turn your TV set off because there are certain requirements that need to be met by the team at bat. Rule 4.09 (b) reads, “When the winning run is scored in the last half-inning of a regulation game, or in the last half of an extra inning, as a result of a base on balls, hit batter or any other play with the bases full which forces the runner on third to advance, the umpire shall not declare the game ended until the runner forced to advance from third has touched home base and the batter-runner has touched first base.” The exception to the rule is if fans rush onto the field and physically prevent the batter-runner from touching first or the runner on third from reaching home plate.

The Sept. 10 game between the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field ended in a bases loaded walk giving the D’Backs a 6-5 win. The game was originally protested by Padres’ manager Bud Black before being withdrawn the following day. Here’s what happened.

In the bottom of the tenth-inning with the score tied 5-5, the ‘D’Backs had Justin Upton on third, Miguel Montero on second and Geoff Blum on first when Lyle Overbay drew a two-out walk off Joe Thatcher. Overbay ran to first and touched the bag while Upton jogged home and touched the plate. Game over. However, Montero, the runner on second, began his celebration a bit early and never reached third base.

Black protested the game because Montero never touched third base, but per rule 4.09 (b) the game ended when Overbay touched first and Upton touched the plate. After talking to Padres’ general manager Jed Hoyer, the coaches and the umpires...