Should Umpires Call Time
to Rotate Back to Their Basic Starting Positions After End of
Playing Action?
The question has been asked, should umpires who have
rotated to cover a playing action call TIME to rotate back
to their basic starting positions or should they move back one
at a time while the plate umpire waits and watches for a Look
Back Rule violation?
Many years ago the Look Back Rule was established to help
speed-up the game by stopping the pitcher and the runner from
toying with each other when the ball was being returned to
the infield after it had been put in play. The rule was not
established for the offense or defense to gain an advantage
through trick plays or by baiting the other side into a
violation. According to Rule 8, Section 7 T, the
batter-runner and / or runner(s) must return to the base or
advance to the next base once the ball is returned to the
pitcher in the pitchers circle. Once the pitcher has
possession of the ball in the eight-foot circle and the
runner(s) have completed their base running responsibilities
or all play has ceased, the play is over. Time can now be
called. On the other hand, if umpires can rotate to their next
starting position without calling time and still maintain at
least one pair of eyes on any possible action in the infield
because one umpire need not rotate or move very far, they
should do so when it is obvious all play has ceased.
Conversely, it is sometimes necessary for all umpires to turn
their backs to the runner(s) on base at the same time in order
to move after all play action has ceased and thereby keep the
game moving at an acceptable pace. In this case, the umpire
closest to home plate should call time and all umpires
should then rotate simultaneously, versus one umpire watching
the runner(s) while one umpire at a time moves to their next
position.
Additionally, according to Rule 10, Section 4 B and E,
the umpire will call time to brush off the plate or to
perform other duties rotations not involved with a play.
This keeps the game moving and the players are not
subjected to waiting on the umpires to get back to their
positions in order to resume play. This simple technique can
pick-up the tempo of a game and keep it moving. (Rule 8,
Section 7 T; Rule 10, Section 4 B and E; Rules Supplement 34)
Charged Conference?
Regarding a charge conference, should a coach be charged
with a conference for going to the area of the eight-foot
circle, talking to the pitcher, and then making a pitching
change? What if the coach informs the umpire prior to talking
to the pitcher?
In order to answer these questions we must visit the
definition of Charged Conference. The definition states that
a charge conference is: When a team representative requests a
suspension of play or DELAYS the game for the purpose of
delivering a message to another team member. In the first
question the team representative coach spoke with the
pitcher thus delivering a message to that player and then
informed the umpire that the pitcher was being removed. This
IS a charged conference. With respect to the second question,
if the coach informs the umpire that the pitcher is being
removed and then proceeds to the eight-foot circle, it is NOT
considered a conference. In this instance it is simply part of
the pitching change; therefore, a conference should not be
charged as the purpose of the visit is to change pitchers and
not to deliver a message.
The sequence is the key, not whether the foul line was
crossed by the coach. Again, if the umpire is informed of the
pitching change prior to a message being delivered, a
conference is NOT charged.
Player's Uniform
Several phone calls and emails have been received regarding
the legality of certain colors on player uniforms.
Specifically, the queries concern the use of the Optic Yellow
color as part of the uniform some teams are now wearing. There
is nothing in the Official Rules of Softball that prohibit the
wearing of the Optic Yellow color on a player uniform. Rule 3,
Section 6 states that uniforms must be like in color and
style; it does not prohibit a particular color.
Comments received along with the queries include that this
practice is being carried out to make the ball harder to see
when delivered by the pitcher. This could be true, however we
must be mindful of the fact that for many years while a white
softball was being used in the ASA game the predominate colors
of uniforms were white and gray. More importantly, the color
of the uniform being the same as the color of the ball is not
a violation of Rule 3, Section 6 or Rule 6.
Test Question
Questions have been received regarding Question #46 in the
Mechanics Section of the 2007 Umpire Exam. The question reads:
In the Three-Umpire System, with R1 on 1B, B2 hits an
obvious base hit to the outfield. The home plate umpire
should:
- Trail the batter-runner and then cover home plate.
- Rotate to the holding zone on the 3B side and determine
if there will be a play at 3B before moving inside the
diamond.
- Stay at home in case R1 advances to home plate.
- Rotate to 3B and commit inside the diamond in case of a
play at 3B.
The answer to this question is D. Umpires have asked why
the answer does not also have trail the batter-runner. The
Umpire Manual states, The plate umpire should always trail
with no runners on or with a runner at first base only unless
the play takes them elsewhere. Two items should be kept in
mind on this play: First, with the play being an obvious base
hit, the trailing of the batter-runner is wasted movement
since a play at first base requiring the possible assistance
of the plate umpire pulled foot, swiped tag, etc. will not
take place. Secondly, for example, on a fly ball to left field
near the foul line with a runner at first base only the plate
umpire should stay with the fly ball for a possible catch / no
catch, or fair / foul ball call because the play has taken the
plate umpire elsewhere, not trailing the runner. The play
action contained in the test question, an obvious base hit to
the outfield, translates to a possible play at third base, not
first base; and third base is the responsibility of the plate
umpire. The emphasis of the question is: In the Three-Umpire
System with a POSSIBLE play a third base, the plate umpire
should commit inside the diamond. They should not go to the
holding zone. Thus, answer D is correct.
Rule
Clarifications and Plays
Index