SOFTBALL MEMO #3

JUNE 28, 2007

CHANTS AND CHEERS---We allow chants and cheers as long as they are positive and for your team. As soon as they become negative or demeaning or critical of the opponent, they are inappropriate. VERY IMPORTANT-- screaming, squealing, or yelling when the opponent is ready to pitch or bat is definitely not considered appropriate. Rule 3-6-13 mentions unsporting acts to include “intimidation tactics and baiting or taunting” along with “behavior not in accordance with the spirit of fair play”. Coaches---get control of your kids and their behavior. Umpires---if screaming and yelling is taking place—(1) issue a team warning and instruct the coach to get it stopped; (2) if it continues—restrict the coach and offending player to the dugout; and (3) if it still continues—eject the offender.

COACHING BEHAVIOR---Rule 3-6-15 clearly defines that arguing ball and strike calls and other judgment calls is prohibited. There have been six coach ejections so far this season and all involve arguing and making critical comments regarding judgment calls by an umpire. Great call or poor call, coaches simply do not have the right to argue if it involves judgment. If the situation is truly a rule interpretation (for example, the number of bases awarded on an over-throw), then a coach could speak with the umpire to receive a clarification and state his/her case in a proper manner. Realize that if the umpire does not change his ruling, a conference should then be charged to you.

Coaches---making rude or degrading comments toward an umpire places you in jeopardy of being restricted to the dugout or ejected from the game. Comments such as “that was a horrible call” or “you guys are terrible” or “we are going to blackball you guys” or “you certainly won’t be getting a recommendation from us” are totally inappropriate and should not be tolerated by umpires. In situations where coaches make such comments, the umpire has three options---(1) ignore; (2) restrict the coach to the dugout; or (3) eject the coach. Some coaches watch too much TV and think they have to perform like some of the major league managers. There is no place in high school athletics for negative and unprofessional behavior and antics.

EJECTION---If an ejection is made, umpires need to make sure the coach knows he/she has been ejected and then the coach must leave the vicinity of the field (out of sight and sound). It is not OK to hang around behind the dugout or somewhere in the crowd. The school of the ejected party is expected to fax the ejection report to the IGHSAU Office the following work day. The umpire must either fax or email a written summary of the incident to the State Office also the following work day. I should not have to call the school or umpire several days later to get this information. Under normal circumstances, the ejected party (coach or player) will be suspended for the next DATE at that level of play for a first offense.

UMPIRE CONDUCT---Do not touch players or coaches! I understand that most times no harm is intended---but it only takes that one time when someone takes offense to it to cause a problem. The best practice is simply---HANDS OFF!

MEDIA AREA---Iowa Adaptation #9 clearly spells out the procedure for media protocol in girls’ softball games in Iowa. Quite simply, there is no marked media box!!!!! Media is allowed inside the fence from the far end of the dugout toward the outfield and along the fence. They must be standing and no equipment may be placed on the ground during play. Media shall not be allowed inside the dugout. Umpires---you do not have the authority to create a media box or to create other rules---our protocol is simple and shall be followed!

WARM-UP CATCHER---Just a reminder that any non-adult who is warming up a pitcher must have the proper helmet and mask. We are having reports where the catcher is on base when an inning ends so a sub comes out to warm up the pitcher (great idea) but only has a helmet on.

3^RD STRIKE HITS THE GROUND---RULE 2-9-5f states “a pitched ball is considered trapped if it is a strike but touches the ground on a short hop before being caught by the catcher.” So if first base is not occupied or there are two outs, a third strike that hits the ground would cause the defensive team to either tag the batter or throw to first to secure the out. If first base is occupied and there are less than two outs, the batter shall be declared out. This is the second year where it is not considered a catch and out if the pitch hits the ground and is caught cleanly on a short hop!

BATTED BALL STRIKING AN UMPIRE---A line drive which strikes an umpire----1) prior to touching any fielder or having passed an infielder not counting the pitcher (can’t imagine why an umpire would ever position himself in front of a fielder) would result in a dead ball being called and the batter being awarded first base---all other runners would return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch unless forced to advance by the batter being awarded first base Rule 5-1-1f; and 2) after having touched a fielder See Case Book2.10.5 Situation A---“B1 hits a fair line drive that is touched in flight by F4 after which it hits an umpire standing behind F4. The ball is then caught by F6 before it touches the ground---RULING—B1 is NOT out. The ball remains live because it touched a fielder before touching an umpire. When a batted fair ball in flight hits an umpire, it is ruled the same as the ball hitting the ground where the umpire is standing” Rule 2-10-5b.

SITUATION---R2 is on first base with no outs. B7 hits a fly ball toward the left fielder. R2 advances to and touches second base---R2 thinks the ball will be caught so retreats several steps toward first base. Upon the ball being dropped, R2 then heads toward third base. Since R2 had already touched second base, does she need to re-touch it again? Ruling----YES Rule 2-24---“if a forced runner, after touching the next base, retreats for any reason towards the base she had first occupied, the force play is reinstated and she may again be put out if the defense tags the base to which she was forced”. So that runner must re-touch second base before legally going to third base.

OBSTRUCTION AWARDS---Iowa Adaptation #12 states the obstructed runner shall be awarded a minimum of one base beyond the last base legally touched prior to where the obstruction occurred. The umpire may award more than the one base. In the umpire’s judgment, what would the runner have achieved had the obstruction not occurred? BE LIBERAL---if there is any question or doubt, award the additional base. For example---R3 is on second base and B3 hits a single to the outfield. As R3 is running between second and third base, the shortstop is guilty of obstruction. R3 attempts to score and is called out at home plate on a close play. The minimum award is third base since R3 had already touched second prior to the obstruction. But did the obstruction prevent R3 from scoring? PROBABLY! The obstruction would normally cause the runner to stop, slow down, break stride, etc. which would likely affect her ability to continue running in a normal fashion which would probably affect her ability to score. Otherwise there is really no penalty for the obstruction and coaches could intentionally instruct their fielders to obstruct and actually gain from the out call at home since an obstructed runner is no longer protected after passing the base she would have reached had there been no obstruction.

COLLISION---If the catcher has the ball waiting to make a tag, the runner must either slide or attempt to avoid contact. If the runner collides with the catcher who has the ball, the runner shall be declared out and could be ejected if the umpire’s judgment ruled the contact flagrant.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE VERBAL COACHING---Coaches shall not verbally instruct their runners to “run over” a defensive player who might be illegally in the baseline. Telling your athlete to “run over them if they are in the way” is unsportsmanlike and could cause the coach to be restricted to the dugout or possibly ejected.

HEADBAND---A headband is a piece of cloth or other material usually 1-2 inches in width worn around the forehead. It may legally have a manufacturer’s logo on it. It shall be a single solid color and all members of the team who choose to wear one must be the same color.

HAIR DEVICE---Anything worn in the hair must be soft and unadorned. Ribbons, rubber bands, elastic shoestrings, scrunchies, etc. are hair devices. They may be any color, multi-colored, and do not have to be the same among teammates. They may not have words, initials, pictures, etc. Anything hard worn in the hair is illegal (barrettes, bobby pins, beads, etc). We do not consider these as jewelry so players shall simply be required to remove them prior to participating. Players and/or coaches should not be placed in the dugout for this unless it becomes a repeated offense or there is refusal to remove them in a timely manner.

INTENTIONAL WALK---Yes, you must throw the four pitches. The act of telling the umpire and the batter just being placed on first base is a slow pitch rule and not applicable for us.

LIGHTNING---Play should be stopped immediately and players removed from the playing area if you see lightning. We do not want umpires or coaches trying to be a weatherman and predict distance or time. Be safe---take them off the field. Good judgment must be used in bringing the teams back out to warm up or play. As a rule of thumb, it is realistic to wait up to 30 minutes after you witness the last strike of lightning. We would rather error on the conservative side than on the risk-taking side.

RUNNER INTERFERENCE---Interference called on a runner creates an immediate dead ball. The runner shall be declared out, all runners returned to their previous base unless forced to advance by the batter, and the batter being awarded first base. A double play can be called if the act is intentional to prevent a double play being made. Coaches---don’t teach your kids to interfere on purpose as this could risk the double play being called and/or that player being ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct.

ON-DECK CIRCLE---This circle shall be five feet in diameter and located a safe distance to the side and away from home plate. This circle should be at least 30 feet from home plate if space allows. Be safe!

3 FOOT RUNNING LANE---The batter/runner shall be declared out for running outside the three-foot land and in the judgment of the umpire interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base (there must be a throw made). In addition, if the batter/runner chooses to run inside the baseline prior to reaching the running lane, she cannot interfere with a fielder attempting to make a play on the ball.

BATS---Coaches should check the bats (and other equipment) on a regular basis to detect any broken, cracked, or flawed equipment. We have heard about several bats recently that have had a crack near the handle area and cracked or broke into two pieces upon contact. Good idea to just check them over carefully to avoid injury and any possibility of an umpire ruling defective equipment,

WARM-UP BETWEEN INNINGS---Coaches are strongly encouraged to get your kids on and off the field in a timely manner. By rule a team is allowed one minute or five warm-up pitches. Coaches having their team huddle on the way out are placing their team in jeopardy of not getting their full five warm-up pitches. Umpires do not like to restrict the number of pitches so they may well verbally encourage the kids to hustle out and may discourage these team huddles so as to not have to restrict or limit the number of warm-up pitches allowed.

SUBSTITUTION---We have received numerous questions regarding the DH and other substitutions. The DH can be withdrawn and re-enter back into the same batting position. The DH can also be moved to the #10 (non-batting position) with the #10 person or another legal substitute replacing them as the DH---but that counts as the re-entry for both the DH and the #10 player.

Situation: DH is batting in the third spot in the batting order. In the fifth inning S4 pinch runs for the DH. At the end of the inning the coach re-enters the DH into the third spot. In the sixth inning the coach wants to have the DH become the pitcher. Ruling---Illegal as moving from DH to a fielding position is a change in status thus counting as a re-entry and the DH has already used up her re-entry.

CONFERENCES---If a game goes into extra innings, each team is allotted one additional conference. That is in addition to any they may have remaining from their original three.

SUSPENDED GAME---Any game that gets suspended due to inclement weather, power outage, etc---shall be resumed from the point of interruption when the game is resumed. Everything remains the same---score, inning, outs, runners, substitutions, etc. You simply pick up from the point you were at when the game was suspended. So it is very important that line-up cards and scoresheet be kept so they are available when the game is resumed.

PROJECTED SUBSTITUTION---We continue to hear about problems and situations caused when coaches announce substitutions ahead of time and umpires accept them. “Projected substitutions” should not be permitted. For example---Coach pinch runs for the DH who has singled and immediately announces that the DH will re-enter. This would cause the DH to have used up her re-entry. Now when that team is ready to begin the next inning on defense, the pitcher becomes injured and the coach now wants the DH to become the pitcher. Since the projected substitution would have caused the DH to use up her re-entry, the DH would now not be able to move to a defensive position as that is a change in playing status and also takes a re-entry. Had the coach waited properly until the next time the DH came to bat, the DH would have been available to use as this pitcher.

Tournament pairings have been released and district and regional umpire contracts mailed out. Let’s hope the weather cooperates during the final two weeks of regular season and for our tournament series.

Mike Dick

Associate Director