South Atlantic Conference s1

BASEBALL UMPIRES POLICY GUIDE WESTERN PIEDMONT UMPIRES 2017 DIRECTORY

Seth Keener - Regional Supervisor of Officials 115 32ND AVE. NW HICKORY, NC 28601 PHONE: 828-310-8084 (cell) 704-462-1496 (work) FAX: 704-462-1988 www.westernpiedmontbaseball.org

Scott Stilwell - Chairman of Board of Directors Cell: 828-291-3453 [email protected]

Brad LeVine - Umpire Representative Cell: 828-289-0411 [email protected]

Mark Fitzgerald - Umpire Representative Cell: 704-740-6638 [email protected]

Clifton Bennett – Umpire Representative Cell: 828-390-4339 [email protected]

Rick Curtis – Education Committee Chairman Cell: 828-217-1976 [email protected]

Kevin Bumgarner – Greivance Committee Chairman Cell: 828-217-4367 [email protected]

Chris Reynolds – New Officials / Umpire Relief Committee Chairman Cell: 828-320-8196 [email protected]

Clifton Bennett – Umpire Relief Committee Chairman Cell: 828-390-4339 [email protected]

2 WESTERN PIEDMONT OFFICIALS ASSN BASEBALL UMPIRES POLICY GUIDE INSTRUCTIONS TO UMPIRES

INTRODUCTION

The Western Piedmont Baseball Umpires Policy Guide has been prepared to compliment and support the NFHS rule book and the NCHSAA handbook.

As a member of the Western Piedmont umpiring program, umpires should be aware of its content and committed to the conference goal of assisting self improvement and upgrading the quality of umpiring for the entire area covered by Western Piedmont Officials.

INSTRUCTIONS TO UMPIRES

Appearance and Conduct: Western Piedmont baseball umpires are reminded that they are in the public eye. Each umpire should be reminded that they are an official representative of the WPOA, both on and off the field. An umpire should dress in a manner becoming his profession. Umpires are not allowed to wear any cap, shirt, jacket, or pants that have another high school's logo, whether they are in the WPOA area or not. An umpire’s behavior should always be within legal limits and in conformity with all rules of the Western Piedmont Officials Association.

Traveling: For all WPOA games, all members of the umpiring crew are to arrive at the stadium and be present in their dressing area, 30-45 minutes before game time. Any conflict in traveling to the destination which may prevent the umpires from arriving within the designated time is to be reported to the following: (1) Regional Supervisor and (2) Home School's Athletic Director or Head Baseball Coach. Umpires must be aware of the predicted weather in their assigned city. Far too much information is available for the predicting of inclement weather and not making auxiliary plans or changing travel plans for weather is not an acceptable reason for failure to comply with association time schedules. If an umpire incurs mechanical problems when traveling by car, that umpire is expected to seek and obtain additional means of travel, regardless of cost, and arrive to the stadium on time. Always be prepared for a mechanical breakdown, and keep the necessary self-repair items in your trunk. Any problem in this area is reason for suspension or dismissal from the approved list. Lateness or missing an assignment is a serious breach of obligation. These situations will not be tolerated and each situation will be subject to review by the WPOA office.

Illness or Injury: Each umpire is required to contact the Regional Supervisor to inform him of illness or injury as soon as it occurs. The coordinator shall assign a replacement. Any cancellation for an unacceptable reason will be subject to review by the WPOA office. You are free to accept any other assignments; however, in the event that you are called, you must be prepared to travel immediately and sometimes with less than 24 hours notice.

3 Injury to Umpire: If an umpire working a game is injured or becomes ill, and is unable to continue working the game(s), the following procedure will be followed:

1. If another NCHSAA umpire is present in the stadium and able to work, inform said umpire that he is to take the place of the injured umpire. If the plate umpire is injured, the umpire who is working in the field will go behind the plate.

2. If no WPOA umpire is present, you will either work one umpire from the best position available or place a team representative on first and third base, rotating them not to be at first when their team is at bat.

3. At no time are you to use an umpire who is not a member of the NCHSAA or was a former NCHSAA umpire.

Baseballs: The home club may deliver a supply of regulation NFHS official baseballs to the umpires prior to the start of the game. Should the home team send baseballs over to the crew, the crew will rub up the baseballs. Baseballs are the single most costly item of playing equipment for a club. Every effort should be made to get as much use of a baseball as possible before discarding it as unfit. Stealing baseballs will be grounds for immediate dismissal.

At Home Plate Before a Game: All umpires are to enter the field together and proceed to home plate for the pre-game meeting 10 minutes prior to the start of the game. In the event that a doubleheader is played, the crew will begin the home plate conference 5 minutes prior to the start of the second game.

Ground Rules: Be very sure that you are familiar with the ground rules before the game is started. Crews working a park for the first time should survey the park in ample time prior to the game to acquaint themselves with all peculiarities of the park. Do not hesitate to ask questions in the pre-game conference if you have any doubts or do not understand one of them. Remember: No ground rule may supersede or be in direct conflict with an official rule.

National Anthem: During the national anthem, the umpires may stand together at home plate with their cap in their right hand over the heart. It is permissible for the catcher to stand with the umpires. If the national anthem is played after the players take the field, it is permissible for the umpires to observe the national anthem at their positions.

During the Course of the Game: During the course of the game, umpires are not allowed to enter any team area, except for an emergency or illness. Entering the dugout for water is not acceptable or professional. It has been the policy of most institutions to provide liquids at regular intervals. If you should desire liquids, summon the team manager or trainer to bring it out to you.

After the Game: After the completion of the game, the umpires will leave the field together. If a team attendant is waiting, the plate umpire may give him/her the remaining supply of baseballs. If a team attendant (not a coach or a player) is not waiting, then the plate umpire drop the balls at the home dugout entrance. Immediately after the last out, the umpires will wait for all crew members and leave the field together.

Official Watch: The base umpire will carry the official watch. Once the umpires are in control, all NCHSAA contests require a minimum 45 minute waiting period before a decision can be made to call the game.

4 Fraternization: Umpires are not to carry on idle conversations with coaches or players during the progress of the game or with other umpires, unless the proper officiating of the game requires it.

Appearance and Hustle: All umpires should take pride in being an umpire for the NCHSAA and WPOA. Slacks and shirts should be neat and pressed, caps should be clean, and shoes shined. Your other uniform items should be neatly kept. Hair length and facial hair should be in a manner consistent with your profession. Hustle should be maintained on every play. An umpire should never be out of position because of poor hustle.

Rule Book: You should read some portion of your rule book each day. Good umpiring means knowledge of the rules, the application of good common sense, and an ever- constant review of NFHS baseball rules. In addition, each umpire should carry the Case Manual, and study it as often as possible.

Between Innings: Between innings during the game, base umpires are to go to the shallow outfield near their base. The plate umpire is to go to the line of the team that is in the field, unless there has been a particular problem with the other team. Always be sure to stand. Resting on a knee is not permitted. Never go into the dugout unless you need to use the restroom or are ill. Never go to the stands to converse with spectators. At no time will an umpire enter the dugout for water. Ask the trainer or manager.

Ejections: All ejections that occur during the season must be on the Arbiter game report and e-mailed to the Regional Supervisor immediately after the game. Give only the facts and not your opinion of what the outcome should be. The ejection must then be phoned into the Regional Supervisor immediately after the game. All details should be given by the umpire who ejected the offender. Make sure that you work as a team during an argument, ejection, or fight. Keep coaches and players not in the argument away. Do not attempt to physically break up a fight once it has broken out. You will only run the risk of injury, and the coaches and players will usually help you restore order.

Game Reports: Immediately after the game, the Plate Umpire assigned to the game is to complete the game report on the Arbiter. The Plate Umpire will complete all sections of the report and note any unusual situations, ejections, etc. The game report will be filled out within 24 hours of the completion of the game.

Uniforms: The following is the official uniform of the NCHSAA, and is not to be altered by any umpire. Both umpires must wear the same color, if a color cannot be agreed on, Black is the standard.

Black sized hat with NCHSAA logo Navy sized hat with NCHSAA logo Black belt Light Blue (Polo) Shirt with black and light blue collar and black undershirt Black Shirt with Black undershirt Navy Blue Shirt with Navy undershirt Black pullover (Black and White stripes) Black pullover (Black with Polo & White stripes) Dark Charcoal Gray Plate Slacks Dark Charcoal Gray Base Slacks Black socks Black ball bags Black gloves

5 Black (mostly) protective plate shoes Black (mostly) base shoes

The plate umpire may dress as he sees fit to be comfortable. However, if both umpires wear shirts, they should be of the same style and color. If jackets are worn, they should match.

Rain Situations: After the plate umpire has received the home team lineup cards, the umpires are in charge of the game. Use extreme caution when dealing with rain. If you remove the players from the field because of heavy rain, you must wait a minimum of 45 minutes before making a decision to postpone the game. Lightning in the area is immediate cause for delaying the game. Never make a decision prematurely or discuss your plans with coaches or players. Do not try to predict the weather.

Pre-game Meeting: Prior to the start of the game, the Plate umpire will conduct the pre-game conference in accordance with the topics listed below. The Plate Umpire and crew may also add other pertinent items to the pre-game.

Items to be discussed in Pre-game Meeting:

1. Fair and foul coverage up to the base will be covered by the plate umpire. Any batted ball, from the front of the base on will be called by the base umpire when he is on the line. Only the umpire making the call will signal.

2. Discuss line drives and trap catches to all infielders, including the pitcher. Know who will call them for each possible position the base umpire may be in.

3. Discuss the infield fly signal, infield flys, and who will call them when they are near the line or not near the line.

4. Discuss check swings.

5. Discuss foul tip third strikes that may or may not be caught by the catcher. Know which mechanics you will use. Know how to wait for the foul tip signal on this play.

6. Discuss coverage of overthrows and foul fly balls near dead ball territory and dugouts. Discuss any unusual ground rules.

7. Discuss the rotation and coverage when the base umpire goes out to cover a trap catch or line drive.

8. Discuss the plate umpire’s responsibilities on covering third and covering plays back into first. On rotations, know who is responsible for which plays into and back into bases.

9. Discuss outfield coverage when there are no runners on base.

10. Discuss the slide rule at any base on a force play and the obstruction rule.

11. Discuss appeal plays and who is responsible for watching the touching of bases and tap ups.

12. Discuss the Designated Hitter rule.

6 13. Discuss the rule concerning the number of trips to a pitcher, offensive conferences, and defensive conferences.

14. Discuss how ejections and warnings will be handled.

15. Take a few minutes after the game to discuss any unusual situations that may have occurred. Strive to improve each game.

Pitching Changes: If the coach goes to the mound and does not make a pitching change, you should always obtain a position on the opposite foul line that he will cross. If he asks how many trips he has, tell him from there. Always umpire ahead of the game. Avoid simple errors that can lead to major problems or ejections. You are not there to make friends, only to umpire the game to the best of your ability. It is not necessary or proper for an umpire to go to the mound to obtain the pitcher’s name. If you do not get his name, use his number instead until you can obtain his name. You are not to go to the mound to inform the pitcher of the count or the outs. You may simply inform the catcher if the new pitcher inherits a count or you can signal the count and outs. This will go a long way in avoiding trouble and speeding up the game. After the completion of an inning, if a player tosses you the ball, you are to check the ball for damage and then immediately roll the ball towards the mound. You are not to wait and throw the ball to the pitcher or another player, unless the ground is extremely wet or it is raining.

Umpires’ Changing Area: I've asked each school to note the place on campus where they want our umpires to park and dress. I have further asked each school that if there is bad weather to try to provide a sheltered place to change. Make sure you park and change in the area indicated. This will prevent game management from worrying whether or not your are on site.

Assignments: All crew assignments are made through the Arbiter. The rotations are set through and are not to be changed except in the event of an injury or rare emergency. Crews are not allowed to randomly change assignments or rotations.

Tobacco Products: The use of all tobacco products by umpires is prohibited at all times while on campus or on the playing field. Violations of this rule will be dealt with directly by the Regional Supervisor. In addition, umpires will be directly responsible for policing the use of tobacco by participants before and during the game. Consult your NFHS rule book for applications and penalties. This is a zero tolerance policy.

Ejections and Suspensions: Arguments are an inevitable part of the game. However, when they do occur, you must be firm, fair, and impartial in your judgments. Keep sarcastic comments to yourself, and confine your answers to the question in front of you. The more you talk, the more you open the door for further argument. If a coach, player, or team attendant commits an act that by rule is cause for ejection, he/she should be ejected.

Arguing of judgment calls: In addition to the NFHS, the NCHSAA prohibits coaches, players, and team attendant(s) from leaving their position on the field, coach’s box, or dugout to argue judgment calls. This includes but not limited to checked swings, or balls and strikes. If after a warning by the umpire that they may not do so, they will be restricted to the dugout or ejected. 1. Checked swings. Checked swings are judgment calls concerning balls and strikes. The arguing of checked swings will not be tolerated.

7 2. Balls and strikes. Balls and strikes are not to be argued, and will not be tolerated. If, after warning, the individual(s) continue to argue, they will be ejected, and the warning will remain in effect for the entire team and coaching staff for the remainder of the game.

3. Balks. Balks are judgment calls and are not to be argued in accordance with Rule 3-6e. In particular, no team personnel are allowed to leave his position to argue a balk concerning a pitcher stepping to a base. Specifically the left handed pitcher stepping to first or the right handed pitcher stepping to third or any balk called because the pitcher’s entire free foot crossed the plane of the back edge of the rubber, or any part of his stride leg breaks the plane of the back edge of the rubber, and the pitcher does not throw to home, or throw, or feint a throw to second base. In the event the umpire calls the above balks, he will indicate by tapping his leg or foot to the coach. If the coach comes out to argue, he will be informed that he is not allowed to do so, and must leave immediately or be subject to ejection if he so continues. Ejected personnel must leave the playing field and dugout area immediately and will not be allowed any further contact with their team. They are not allowed to stand in any runway or behind the plate in the scout area at any time.

Turning on Lights: The plate umpire, at the request of the crew, or on his judgment, shall order the playing field lights turned on whenever, in his opinion, darkness makes further play hazardous. After a game has been started, the Plate Umpire is to be the sole judge as to when the field lights are to be turned on. The turning on of lights should be called for before the beginning of a full inning unless some extraordinary condition or abnormally long inning prompts otherwise. Umpires are instructed to use good judgment when asking for the lights.

8 EQUIPMENT AND SPECIALTY

Baseball Rubbing Mud (Major League Baseball) Mr. Jim Bentliff 186 Forge Road Delran, NJ 08075 856-764-7501

Gear Ref 2225 W. Millbrook Road Raleigh, NC 27617 1-800-577-9229 www.gearef.com

9 SEVERE WEATHER

Basic Guidelines

1. Designate a chain of command as to who monitors threatening weather and who makes the decision to remove a team or individuals from an athletic site or field.

2. Obtain a weather report each day before the game. Be aware of potential thunderstorms that may form during the scheduled event.

3. Be aware of National Weather Service-issued (NWS) thunderstorm “watches” and “warnings” as well as the signs of thunderstorms developing nearby. A “watch” means conditions are favorable for severe weather to develop in an area; a “warning” means that severe weather has been reported in an area and for everyone to take proper precautions.

Pre-event Weather Conditions can be checked at the following:

 WeatherData www.weatherdata.com 316-265-9127

 National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) www.nssl.noaa.gov 405-325-3620

 Weather Channel www.weather.com 770-226-0000

Lightning

1. As a minimum, it is strongly recommended that by the time the weather monitor obtains a flash-to-bang count of 30 seconds (equivalent to six miles), all individuals should have left the athletic site and reached a safe structure or location. Athletic events may need to be terminated.

2. Know where the closest “safe structure or location” is to the field, and know how long it takes to get to that safe structure or location.

a. Minimize contact with the ground, because lightning current often enters a victim through the ground rather than by a direct overhead strike.

b. A person who feels his or her hair stand on end, or skin tingle should immediately crouch, as described in item b.

c. Avoid using the telephone, except in emergency situations.

10 Tornadoes

Listen for the following before the day of and the day of the event:

 Tornado Watch: Tornadoes are possible in the area. Remain alert for approaching storms.

 Tornado Warning: A tornado was sighted or indicated by weather radar. If a tornado warning is issued and the sky becomes threatening, move to your pre- designed place of safety.

Remember: Tornadoes occasionally develop in areas where a severe thunderstorm watch or warning is in effect. Remain alert to signs of an approaching tornado and seek shelter if threatening conditions exist.

If a tornado is detected near the game site, relocate the game participants and spectators to the inside of a building. Have event staff open buildings surrounding the stadium to be used as emergency shelters.