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Home , Umpire (baseball)

PROCEDURES AND COMMON RULES TO DISCUSS

1. Umpire dress code- Umpire hat always worn forward, Navy blue collared shirt, red undershirt (optional), grey slacks with black belt, grey or black shoes not cleats (turfs OK). NO jewelry/watches. Cell Phones stored and NOT accessed during game. If both agree ahead of time to wear an alternate matching collared shirt/undershirt, that is also OK. 2. Umpire arrival time- min 30 min before game (45 for plate to gear-up). 3. Umpire to Umpire pre-game talk. 4. Equipment/bat checks- safety. All helmets for cracks/padding/stickers or paint, add-on jawbones, ’ helmets for dangling throat guards. BATS now required to have USABAT STANDARD STAMP/MARKING. MAX 2 5/8” BARREL/33” LENGTH. WOOD OK. 5. Game coordinators- Identify early and must be present at plate talk. Don’t start game without them. Game coordinator responsibilities are primarily to help with start/finish of games (rain-outs, suspensions etc.), warnings and ejections, available to help with rules interpretations to prevent protests upon request by umpires. They do NOT make calls on field. 6. Plate talk (5 min before scheduled start of game). Clear the field of players and only managers/umpires/game coordinator present. 7. Control speed of game. Don’t let pitch happen until both umpire partners have communicated the situation and have gotten in correct position. Make sure to keep game moving between innings (1 minute/max 8 warm-up pitches). Remind coaches every inning to get / ready to go when there are 2 outs. 8. For AA, “A time limit shall apply to ALL regular season games. The official scorekeeper shall record the time of the 1st pitch as the start of the game. Any inning which begins after 90 minutes from the time of the first pitch will be declared the final inning (unless tied) and will be an “unlimited run inning”. Time Limits will be suspended in play-off games.

For AAA, “A time limit shall apply to all weeknight games before daylight savings time. No new inning shall begin after 90 minutes from the time of the first pitch.

A time limit shall apply to all games that have been scheduled “back-to-back” when there is a reasonable likelihood of darkness preventing the completion of the subsequent game or when 3 or more games are scheduled on the same day. In these “back-to-back” games, no new inning shall begin later than ½ hour prior to the scheduled start of the next game. If the preceding game start was delayed, the subsequent game start time shall be delayed by the same time interval.

9. The 6th inning or any extra-innings are unlimited run innings in AA and AAA, but remember if a game is called due to darkness/weather or other conditions deemed unsafe after 4 innings (3 ½ if home team is ahead) it is a complete game despite never having played an unlimited run inning. 10. Pitch plate umpire mechanics- practice same slot position/ball tracking but only signal swinging strikes. Keep track of number of pitches. No walks. No HBP free base. No bunts. Player receives 5 pitches or 3 swinging strikes before being called-. Foul balls on the 5th or subsequent pitches entitle batter to another pitch. 11. Coach pitch MUST have foot in contact with pitching plate (rubber) and throw over-hand from standing position. 12. AA- Runners are only allowed to attempt to advance 1 base after FIRST over- throw of a play. 13. AA – No . 14. AA- Make sure the pitching circle is correctly drawn (8’ radius) and player pitcher has BOTH feet within circle for every pitch. If batted ball hits coach pitcher first, then it is a dead-ball/do-over. 15. Base Umpires alert and watch for obstruction/, leave early, pitcher contact with rubber, base touches, and help plate partner with balls fouled off foot/HBP- LOTS TO DO, NO TIME FOR DISTRACTIONS! 16. Plate umpires remember to put ball in play after every /time-out situation. Call all fair/foul//no catch. When no one is on base and there is an infield hit, trail runner up to get a look at pulled-foot at 1B etc. Help your partner only if asked by your partner. 17. Coach requests for time-out/rules clarification/help on a call. We are there to get it right, but also to teach coaches/players proper sportsmanship and etiquette (see Game Protocol/Etiquette).

Manager/Coach game protocols/Etiquette-

Pre-game-. Bat/helmets out front ready for inspection Only players warm each other up playing catch No players on field during plate talk The line-ups exchanged at plate talk are official

During game- Pre-inning warm-ups-coaches and on-deck batter stays on his/her dug-out side until catcher throws down to 2nd base.

Coaches//players do NOT leave field except for bathroom and only after clearing with umpire. No "mingling" with spectators.

ONLY 3 coaches on-field. No trading at 1/2 game unless new coach arrives at same time as previous coach leaves the complex entirely.

ALL player changes (coming in or going out) go through plate umpire to score-keeper (AAA and Majors). Announce number for number (No Names) and announce if player is pitcher/catcher.

Request time-out ONLY after all play has stopped. Don't leave dug-out until granted.

Pitch requests- No need to leave dug-out or ask time-out, just verbally request .

Only MANAGERS discuss calls/ask for appeals with umpires. Appropriate questions- screened umpire?, Pulled-foot?, Missed tag?, Dropped ball?, Rules interpretation? NOT "I think you missed that call can you get help" nor Balls/Strikes.

How to appeal a missed base/failure to tag with live ball vs. dead ball

Official scorebook/counter is the official record, but managers are also responsible for knowing counts and pitching/catching eligibility requirements and are held accountable for errors.

Official scorekeeper ONLY notifies umpire/manager when a pitcher has reached his max pitch limit. NO other communications/hints/suggestions etc.

Bench coach responsible for having "warm-up" catcher ready between innings.

Hustle the team out on defense between innings. Don't keep team in dug-out mouth to assign positions or have pep talks while they are supposed to be having their 1-minute warm-up between innings.