SLOW PITCH AND FAST PITCH
CAMPS
As we begin to get the feeling that the Softball season is
just around the corner, or in some places, moving toward full
speed ahead, it is time to think about getting enrolled into
the two premier Advanced Umpiring Camps offered by the Amateur
Softball Association.
This year the Slow Pitch Camp will be held in Cincinnati,
Ohio, from June 18 through June 22nd. The Fast Pitch Camp, on
the other hand will be running from June 11 through the 15th,
and it will be held again in Cumming, Ga., just outside
Atlanta.
These Camps are designed to enhance umpiring skills by
allowing umpires to spend time in the classroom, time on the
field using drills designed to fine tune umpiring mechanics
and ultimately work in live game situations allowing those
skills that were just learned and rehearsed, to be put into
practice. Sessions in the drill portion, as well as live game
portion are recorded on a CD for each umpire. These discs
prove very helpful in allowing umpires to evaluate their
performance through videos.
Specific information regarding both the Slow Pitch and Fast
Pitch Camp can be found on this very ASA Web Site. Click on Umpire
Schools and then scroll down to the last two lines which
are labeled Fast Pitch and Slow Pitch camps, click on More
Info which will give you the basic information for each camp,
and provide applications for the same.
For anyone holding a clinic or an umpire school in the next
few months, don't forget to mention these camps and direct
your umpires to the Web Site for more information.
Again, don't wait to register, call or E-Mail the Camp
Coordinators today:
2008 Rule Book Errors
Rule 2 Dimension Table: The batter's box distance
from home plate shows to be 6' and should be 6" for all
batter's boxes.
Rule Supplement #33 A 1 e: References RS # 14 and it
should be RS #13.
Rule Supplement # 33 G 2: A word (Interference) was
left out in the last sentence of the paragraph. The last
sentence should read Umpire interference may not be called in
any other case.
Rule Supplement # 33 H: References RS # 18 and it
should be RS # 17.
Rule Supplement # 50: Stealing: Base stealing in not
legal in youth and Women's C & D Slow pitch, in CO-ED play
and Master's and Senior's play. Because of the rule change
this year All Adult SP, which includes Men's and Women's, can
steal. The supplement should read Base stealing in not legal
in youth, CO-Ed, Master's and Senior's play
.
Fourth Out Appeal
The question of a fourth out appeal has been raised again
and the ability to appeal a batter-runner not making it to
first base or missing first base as a fourth out appeal to
nullify a run that has scored. We need to remember, the reason
the fourth out appeal was added to our rules was to penalize a
runner for missing a base or leaving a base too soon and who
has scored. Not to penalize a team for a batter-runner just
stopping on the way to 1B because the third out has been
recorded. How many times have we seen the batter-runner stop
when the third out was recorded because they do not have to
run to 1B any more? The same is true when they do run to 1B
but miss it when going to 2B or just over running the base. In
these cases they can be appealed for the third out but not the
fourth out. The rule was made to nullify a run scored by a
runner but violated a rule like missing a base or leaving a
base too soon.
Play: R1 on 3B and R2 on 2B with 1 out. B4 hits a
fly ball to F8 who catches it for the 2nd out. R1 and R2 both
tag up, R1 scores and R2 is thrown out for the third out. The
defense wants to appeal R1 for leaving to soon.
Ruling: If appealed properly R1 is out and the run
is nullified by our Fourth out appeal. Rule 5 section 5 C
Play: R1 on 3B and R2 on 2B with two outs. B4 hits a
ground ball in which R1 scores before R2 is tagged out between
2B and 3B for the third out. B4 never runs all the way to 1B
because the third out has been recorded. Now the defense wants
to appeal the batter-runner not reaching 1B.
Ruling: This appeal will not be granted since the
third out has already been recorded. To nullify a run the
fourth out appeal has to be on a runner who has scored and has
missed a base or left a base too soon.
Remember the defense always has the opportunity to appeal a
force out or the Batter-runner not making it to 1B as the
third out before making the third out somewhere else. Once the
third out is made elsewhere a Fourth out appeal has to be made
on a runner who has scored and THAT runner has violated a
rule.
For additional information and plays involving this rule
refer to the 2007 Plays and Clarifications the April Editions.
Illegal Pitch / Runner
leaving Early
The question has been asked what to do when an illegal
pitch is called in fast pitch and also a runner leaves before
the release of the pitch. If an Illegal pitch is called and
then a runner leaves before the pitch is released then the
base umpire should also call dead ball. Since dead ball is
called and no pitch happens the umpire should enforce the
Illegal pitch, a ball on the batter and the runner leaving the
base too soon will be called out. If there is more than one
runner on base then the runner leaving the base too soon is
out and all other runners are advanced one base because of the
illegal pitch.
PLAY: R1 on 1B and no count on B2. F1 commits an
illegal pitch, by bringing the hands together a second time,
which is called by the plate umpire, but continues the pitch.
Just before releasing the ball R1 leaves the base before the
release of the pitch. In (a) B1 does not swing at the pitch.
In (b) B1 swings at the pitch and gets a base hit. In (c) R1
is on 1B and R2 is on 3B at the start of the play.
RULING: The illegal pitch happened when the pitcher
brought their hands together, paused, the hands separated to
begin the pitch, then the hands came back together prior to
the release of the pitch. In (a) and (b) the ball became dead
when R1 left 1B before the pitch was released. The fact that
the batter did not swing in (a) or got a hit in (b) is
irrelevant because the ball became dead when R1 left 1B early.
Enforce both the leaving early and illegal pitch infractions,
The Ball is dead and R1 is out and a ball is awarded to B2. In
(c) The plate umpire should call illegal pitch when it occurs
and then dead ball when R1 leaves 1B too soon. R1 is out, R2
is awarded home and B2 is awarded a ball in the count.
Rule 8, Section 7-S, Effect, Rule 6, Section 3-B, Effect-A
Illegal Pitch
Umpire Manual
Last year the part of rule 10 which described the
procedures of the Umpires checking the field and equipment was
moved to the umpire manual. However the portion on the umpires
checking equipment before each game was left out. The
questions are coming in asking if the umpires should still
check equipment. Prior to each game in championship play it is
the responsibility of the umpire crew to complete a walk
through inspection of the playing field. Prior to meeting with
the managers, the umpire crew will complete an equipment
inspection of each team which will include inspection of all
batting helmets and bats. The umpire's will permit corrective
action by the teams to make questionable equipment playable.
The purpose of the inspection is to identify illegal or
non-approved equipment.
Illegal or non-approved equipment must be confiscated by
the umpire crew at the time it is identified, marked with the
owner's information and held by the tournament UIC until the
team is eliminated from play in that event.
Rule
Clarifications and Plays
Index