Volunteer Umpire Tip of the Month –
April 2006
The first requisite of an umpire is to ultimately get all decisions
correct. Umpire pride is important, but never as important as
getting the play right. This may involve the reversal of a
previously rendered decision.The correct decision — not the pride
of any umpire — must prevail. Following are general guidelines for
this policy:
- Little League rule 9.02 (c) states, “No umpire shall
criticize, seek to reverse or interfere with another umpire’s
decision unless asked to do so by the umpire make it.”
- An umpire is urged to seek help when his/her view is blocked
or positioning prevents him/her from seeing crucial elements of
a play. An umpire is also encouraged to seek help in instances
when he/she has any doubt and a partner has additional
information that could lead to the proper ruling.
- In the situations listed below, a partner who is 100 percent
certain he/she has additional information unknown to the umpire
making the call should approach unsolicited and alert
(privately) the other umpire to such information. However, the
ultimate decision to change a call rests with the umpire who
made the initial call:
- Deciding if a home run is fair or foul.
- Deciding whether a batted ball left the playing field for a
home run or ground rule double.
- Cases in which a foul tip is dropped or trapped by the
catcher.
- Cases in which a foul fly ball is caught or not caught.
- Cases in which an umpire clearly errs in judgment because
he/she did not see a ball dropped or juggled after making a tag
or force.
- Spectator interference plays.
- Balks/illegal pitches called by an umpire who clearly did not
realize the pitcher's foot was off the rubber.
- Umpires are not to seek help on plays on which they are 100
percent confident in their judgment and view of the play.
Managers are not entitled to a second opinion when the calling
umpire is certain his/her decision is correct. On the other
hand, and contrary to past practice, umpires are not to “die
with a call” in cases where a) the calling umpire is not 100
percent certain he/she is right and, b) another umpire has
additional information that could lead to a proper ruling.
- When an umpire seeks help, he/she should do so shortly after
making his/her original call. He/she should not have a lengthy
discussion with the manager or others and then ask for help. If
the calling umpire seeks help, he/she should include other
umpire(s) who would likely have been in the best position to see
the elements of the play. That conversation must take place away
from players or coaches. All umpires involved should meet at
once. Multiple meetings unnecessarily delay the game.
- Judgment calls, which are not subject to reversal, include:
steal and other tag plays (except if the ball is dropped without
the umpire’s knowledge; force plays (when the ball is not
dropped and foot is not pulled); balls and strikes (other than
check swings).
- Overall, umpires are urged to seek help on reversible plays
in which they may have erred by not seeing a crucial element of
a play. Such meetings, while necessary, should be infrequent and
not become a substitute for umpires seeking proper angles,
exercising sound judgment and having the conviction to stay with
a call that an umpire believes was properly made.
Remember, umpires can get rule updates, interpretations, useful
tips like these and much more, by signing up for the Little League
Umpire Registry.
Click here
for more details.
Also, chartered Little Leagues can order a copy of the Little
League E-Rules CD, which now includes videos of selected rules.
Click
here for more details.
Resources
For more information contact Little League International
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