NORTH KITSAP LITTLE LEAGUE UMPIRE Introduction to Umpire Basics 101
Transcript
Slide 1
NORTH KITSAP LITTLE LEAGUE UMPIRE Introduction to Umpire Basics
101
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PHILOSOPHY Its not about you Its not about the parents Its not
about the manager or coach Its not even really about baseball Its
about kids and character development using baseball as a tool Rule
1.01: Baseball is a game
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YOU ARE THE ROLE MODEL Be a professional Dress Decisions
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=soy8ppBkvsE Be helpful and
instructive https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WEp7JBcDwQE Set the
example and enforce the rules, keep your eyes open
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=utBBCHBozpI
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9UywRu8QPXA
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OUTLINE What you need to do before a game How to make calls
correctly how to tell everyone what you decided How to make correct
calls where to stand as you decide Leaving early the runners, not
you
PREGAME: GEAR Plate Umpire Hat Shirt Slacks Belt Indicator
Water Ball bag Mask Chest Protector Shin Guards Cup Plate shoes
Base Umpire Hat Shirt Slacks Belt Indicator Water Cleats/Turf shoes
Red Flag Plate gear in the car!
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PREGAME: PARTNER Meet 30 minutes before the game. Discuss your
game plan: Coveragewhos looking for what. Signs: Infield fly,
#outs, count, 1 st -to-3 rd, etc. What youre working on improving;
ask your partner to help you watch. Do this every single game. Be
done by 15 minutes before game time.
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WHY THE PARTNER MEETING IS IMPORTANT: We want to have an odd
number of 1 umpire making a call. We really dont like it when this
happens: The pre-game meeting to review responsibilities can avoid
this
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PREGAME: EQUIPMENT Bats Baseball bats for baseball, softball
bats for softball BPF 1.15 (1.20 for softball) unless wood
Composite bats must be on the approved list The manager must supply
the list No bat rings, (donut style bat weights), sleeves OK
Batting helmets: look for cracks Catchers gear Long model chest
protector no longer required Dangling throat guard Gloves Uniforms
Jewelry: watches, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, etc.
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PREGAME: FIELD Bases... Double first? Foul lines Live ball/dead
ball territory Pitchers mound/rubber Home run fence
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PREGAME: TEAMS Adults may not warm up pitchers Before a game
During a game After a game Players standing near the bat during
fielding practice must wear a catchers helmet. Teams should leave
their gear out of bags ready for inspection while they take infield
practice.
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PREGAME: PLATE MEETING Umpires and 2 managers (only!) Quick!
Start 5 minutes before game time. Collect lineups Umpires control
the game starting at this point You are THE Little League
Representative now Only you can stop a game once you take the home
team lineup Brief synopsis of ground rules (specific to the field)
Get game balls Confirm that all players are legal and properly
equipped Expectations: Hustle between innings (warmup catchers!)
Respect for players and umpires Warm-up areas
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PREPARATION MATTERS! Be ready, speak carefully and confidently.
Know the rules. https://m.youtube.com/watch ?v=Qu9p9ykT8r8
https://m.youtube.com/watch ?v=hhoWM42StvM
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BETWEEN INNINGS Quick drink of water Quick chat between umpires
if needed NEVER after a controversial call, it gives the appearance
of a lack of confidence in the call. Just to clarify a signal or
rotation. Anything more can wait until postgame. Control the time
Returning pitcher only needs 5 pitches, allowed up to 8 By rule,
teams have 1 minute from the last out of the half inning to get
ready.
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STARTING THE GAME 9 or more players on each team. Fielders
(except catcher) in fair territory. Batter in the box. No one on
deck. All other offensive players in dugout. Base coaches Can be
players! With helmets! One adult in the dugout always! 3-coach
limit Defensive manager location
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LIVE BALL/DEAD BALL Ball becomes live when the umpire points at
the pitcher and says Play! Wait until the pitcher has the ball on
the rubber. Wait until fielders are in fair territory. Wait runners
are on the correct bases. Usually wait for a batter to be ready.
Ball becomes dead when the umpire says Time or Foul. Sometimes its
implied or obvious, stadium calls, hard off backstop Nothing can
happen when the ball is dead. Almost. No one except the umpire can
call time. The offense will not be granted time-out to confer with
a player more than once per inning (except for injury). 16
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BALLS AND STRIKES Its a strike if: The batter attempts to hit
the ball and misses. The batter hits a foul with less than two
strikes. Any part of the ball crosses any part of the strike zone
before hitting the ground. Otherwise, its a ball
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HIT BY A PITCH The ball is always dead (Time!) Usually, the
batter goes to first If the batter swung, its a strike If the ball
was in the strike zone, its a strike If the batter didnt attempt to
avoid the ball, its a ball The batter was born with hands. The bat
wasnt. If it hits the hands it is dead ("Time") No runners may
advance even if stealing
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FAIR OR FOUL? If the ball is in flight until after 1 st /3 rd,
it depends on where it first touches a person, an object or the
ground. If the ball settles or is touched before it passes 1 st /3
rd, it depends on where it is touched or settles. Touched means by
a person or a foreign object. There are no foreign objects in fair
territory. If the ball bounces before 1 st /3 rd, but passes the
base before its touched, it depends on where the ball is when it
passes the front edge of the base.
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FAIR OR FOUL?
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CATCH OR NO-CATCH? Its a catch when the ball is in flight and
the fielder shows: Secure possession of the ball in the hand or
glove. Complete control of the ball. Voluntary release of the ball.
Its a no-catch once the ball is no longer in flight: It has hit the
ground. It has hit the fence or any other object. It has touched
any person other than a fielder. When its a catch, the batter is
out. It can be a catch in foul territory (ball stays live).
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HOW TO CALL SAFE AND OUT Order is important! 1.Play is about to
happen: stop moving. 2.Play happens: watch. 3.Think about what you
saw. 4.Find the ball. Make sure its where you think it is. 5.Decide
what your call is going to be. 6.Announce the result to everybody
It aint nothing til I call it.
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BASIC 6 Some calls are rare: once per season, or once per
career 6 calls happen over and over again every game: Ball Strike
Safe Out Time Foul
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HOW A RUNNER CAN BE PUT OUT Runner is tagged while off a base.
Runner or next base is tagged when runner is forced. Runner passes
a preceding runner. With a fielder waiting to make a tag, runner
goes more than 3 feet to the side of a line from the runner to the
base. Runner abandons the bases. Runner slides headfirst while
advancing Runner fails to either slide or attempt to get around a
fielder waiting to make a tag Missed touching a base (appeal play:
later). Failing to retouch after a catch (appeal play: later).
Interference (later).
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FORCE PLAYS A force starts when a batter hits a fair ball. A
runner is forced if he must advance to make room for the BR going
to 1 st, or for another runner who is himself forced. A force ends
when the runner in question reaches the next base or when a
following runner is put out. Example: R1, R3. When the batter hits
the ball, R1 is forced to 2 nd, but R3 is not forced. If the BR
tries for 2 nd, R1 is not forced to 3 rd. If the BR is put out at 1
st, the force on R1 is removed. A forced runner can be put out
either by tagging the runner or by tagging his next base. To tag
the base, the fielder needs possession of the ball (in hand or
glove) and contact with the base.
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TAG PLAYS Unless forced, runners can only be put out by being
tagged. A tag requires control of the ball by the fielder. A tag
may be made with the ball itself or with the glove when the ball is
inside. If the ball comes out during the tag, the fielder didnt
have control.
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SCORING RUNS Usually, a run scores when a runner touches 1 st,
2 nd, 3 rd and home in order. No runs can score on a play involving
the 3 rd out on the batter before reaching 1 st or a force play.
Tagging a forced runner is a force play. If the 3 rd out is not a
force, runs count if the runner touches the plate before the tag
happens. Appeals covered later
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LEAVING EARLY On 60 diamonds, runners must maintain contact
with their bases during a pitch. Requirement starts when ALL of
these are true: Pitcher has ball and is in contact with the rubber
(softball: in the circle, not threatening to make a play) Catcher
has his mask on and is behind the plate facing the pitcher The
runner is not currently advancing. Requirement ends when EITHER:
The pitcher disengages the mound The pitch reaches the batter Or in
softball, on the release by the pitcher
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LEAVING EARLY: SOFTBALL Immediate dead ball ("Time!", no
pitch). The runner is out. If two or more runners left early, you
can only call one out. Pick the most advanced runner. Majors and
higher: Runners may leave when the pitcher releases the ball
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LEAVING EARLY: BASEBALL If any runner leaves early, all runners
left early. When the play is over and nothing else is going to
happen, call time. If the batter hit the ball, the plate umpire
judges the base value of the hit. Dont give the batter extra bases
because of errant throws or because he advanced while a play
happened. Be guided by where the batter was when the ball was
thrown back to the infield. All outs stand. Return all runners to
their starting bases unless this would push the batter further back
than the value of his hit.
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QUESTIONS? Credits WA-D9 and Drew Carlson without which this
would not have been possible. D9ump.org