bats*&!@! and other stuff

I expect a lot of questions about the bats and the concussion focus at my rules interp meeting tonight....

I was presenting the rule changes Sunday and I had a guy complaining about it being our responsibility to track bats. I told him that NFHS said it is our job so we have to do it. He got pretty sarcastic about it and I finally told him it is our job, do it or don't umpire.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael S. Taylor:
I was presenting the rule changes Sunday and I had a guy complaining about it being our responsibility to track bats. I told him that NFHS said it is our job so we have to do it. He got pretty sarcastic about it and I finally told him it is our job, do it or don't umpire.

Good luck... so far here 2 days into the season 3 weeks since the start of practice and I know that TASO here in TX is having a real issue with coaches calling in about bats being thrown out by umpires... it is not as easy as it comes across to check the bats. A lot of the bats have so many scuffs that you can barely make out the BESR logo let alone a model number to verify on the 1600+ list of approved bats.

I am a little concerned about a besr metal that an ump or opponent might say, "that's composite and it ain't on the list."

I don't want to argue ball strikes and I dang sure don't want to argue bats!

It is a legitimate concern so you could carry a bat list that lists all of your bats, alloy and composites. Next year it will be easy because everything has to be BBCOR. Remind parents they buy in the future should have this marking.

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Originally posted by TX-Ump74:
A lot of the bats have so many scuffs that you can barely make out the BESR logo let alone a model number to verify on the 1600+ list of approved bats.

If in doubt, throw it out.

That is what we are doing... and if a bat is challenged the team that is challenging must have the list with them... we are not carrying it..

The bat either has BESR or BBCOR or it cannot be used unless it is wood.

quote:

Originally posted by TX-Ump74:
That is what we are doing... and if a bat is challenged the team that is challenging must have the list with them... we are not carrying it..

Lists, even with FED letterhead, can be altered. We will not accept a list from a coach.

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Originally posted by Jimmy03:

quote:

Originally posted by TX-Ump74:
That is what we are doing... and if a bat is challenged the team that is challenging must have the list with them... we are not carrying it..

Lists, even with FED letterhead, can be altered. We will not accept a list from a coach.

You have to be kidding right.. you have to expect some integrity in the coaching ranks... is a coach going to risk losing his job over a bat... I would think that is not the case is 99% of the time

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Originally posted by catsbackr:
The bat either has BESR or BBCOR or it cannot be used unless it is wood.

That is not a correct statement... It is people like you who make comments like the one above that cause grief among the ranks...

A bat can be BESR and be illegal if it has a composite barrel and IS NOT on the NFHS list of approved composite bats...

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Originally posted by TX-Ump74:

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Originally posted by Jimmy03:

quote:

Originally posted by TX-Ump74:
That is what we are doing... and if a bat is challenged the team that is challenging must have the list with them... we are not carrying it..

Lists, even with FED letterhead, can be altered. We will not accept a list from a coach.

You have to be kidding right.. you have to expect some integrity in the coaching ranks... is a coach going to risk losing his job over a bat... I would think that is not the case is 99% of the time

I have had coaches try to sneak bats back into a game that I've tossed out. I've had coaches put phony decals on bats, I've had coaches tell me that they had an email from FED telling them that a bat was legal, which was not.

FED has said that umpires are responsible for bats, not coaches. We will assume that responsibility.

One of my favorite coaches was from a small school in Elgin, Il a few years ago. An aluminum bat had a flat spot that I found. In addition to not allowing it, I said something like "please see that this bat doesn't make it to the batter's box", he said OK, and promptly cracked it open on a corner of the dugout. "That work for ya"? I was aghast, not knowing if he was pi**ed at me or what ... till he said "#(XX) keeps bringing that bat and the umps keep finding it. When I tell the kid to get rid of it ...". Isn't there an award umps can give to those guys? In Illinois we have the SAWA (Sport A Winning Attittude award); but I couldn't bring myself to write one ... especially when it came to the subject line.

/QUOTE]I have had coaches try to sneak bats back into a game that I've tossed out. I've had coaches put phony decals on bats, I've had coaches tell me that they had an email from FED telling them that a bat was legal, which was not.

FED has said that umpires are responsible for bats, not coaches. We will assume that responsibility.[/QUOTE]

If you know the coach is "trying as you say" then that is easy dump him then let his AD know along with the district superintendent... it will take care of that

quote:

Originally posted by TX-Ump74:
/QUOTE]I have had coaches try to sneak bats back into a game that I've tossed out. I've had coaches put phony decals on bats, I've had coaches tell me that they had an email from FED telling them that a bat was legal, which was not.

FED has said that umpires are responsible for bats, not coaches. We will assume that responsibility.

If you know the coach is "trying as you say" then that is easy dump him then let his AD know along with the district superintendent... it will take care of that[/QUOTE]

Oh, I know how to handle it. I wasn't posing a question, I was explaining, in part, why we will take charge of checking bats, as per FED, rather than rely on the coaches.

Without trying to start a bleepity bleep contest I think both parties should have the list. There are coaches who have no ethics and need to be watched and there are umps who are clueless and need to be checked. Obviously what the ump says is what goes but let both of them get together on the list and make a decision.

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If you know the coach is "trying as you say" then that is easy dump him then let his AD know along with the district superintendent... it will take care of that

I don't think this is in the umpire's jurisdiction. If you see the coach doing wrong then dump him, write the report and send it in. After that your responsibiliy is over. Now if the AD, principal or superintendent contacts you then you can give a more detailed report but I don't think you have the power to take that upon yourself.

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Originally posted by coach2709:
Without trying to start a bleepity bleep contest I think both parties should have the list. There are coaches who have no ethics and need to be watched and there are umps who are clueless and need to be checked. Obviously what the ump says is what goes but let both of them get together on the list and make a decision.

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If you know the coach is "trying as you say" then that is easy dump him then let his AD know along with the district superintendent... it will take care of that

I don't think this is in the umpire's jurisdiction. If you see the coach doing wrong then dump him, write the report and send it in. After that your responsibiliy is over. Now if the AD, principal or superintendent contacts you then you can give a more detailed report but I don't think you have the power to take that upon yourself.

AD's are automatically copied on ejections.

Well I guess I can see why AD's would be contacted. Sadly I've been tossed more than once and my AD was never notified. But I still don't think it should go above that person though.

This is for coach 2709.

I'm just curious and would like to hear your perspective on your ejections. Were they warranted?

Oh heck yes they were warranted. I was young, dumb and knew everything - all you had to do was ask me. Honestly, I'm surprised I stayed as long as I did on some of them.

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Originally posted by coach2709:
Well I guess I can see why AD's would be contacted. Sadly I've been tossed more than once and my AD was never notified. But I still don't think it should go above that person though.

Is it possible the umpire never completed a report on the ejection?

As far as I know they did because I sat out the next game.

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Originally posted by coach2709:
As far as I know they did because I sat out the next game.

Did you sit out because someone told you to, or because you knew that was the penalty? I find it very hard to believe that the AD never knew of an ejection.

He knew because I told him and it was on the state website but he never checked it on his own. Only way he knew I got tossed is because I told him. Plus it was a minimum one game suspension. I couldn't coach again until the AD had called the state office to tell them I had sat out.

Overall though if I had kept my mouth shut I could have probably kept coaching until word of mouth got back to him or the state called wondering why the AD hasn't requested for me to be reinstated.

The umpires never sent anything to the school or any person at the school.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael S. Taylor:
I was presenting the rule changes Sunday and I had a guy complaining about it being our responsibility to track bats. I told him that NFHS said it is our job so we have to do it. He got pretty sarcastic about it and I finally told him it is our job, do it or don't umpire.

I understand the "do it or don't umpire". I do all the tasks the FED and IHSA asks. But someday, somewhere, (maybe already happened) if a bat that is found to be defective caused an injury - or worse - and civil action is initiated ... I know it is likely one of us would be subpoenaed to give our story as to the thoroughness of our bat check. Take for example, a bat that was good in checks gets damaged later. We don't catch it at the plate. A piece somehow hits the catcher/other/us(!) in the swing. You know where I'm going with this. If umpires were not allowed to check equipment before a game, we would not be a party in a lawsuit. Have the team trainer be responsible for checking each time a batter goes out with a bat for example. I know the likelyhood is very slim of a bat that is defective causing an injury; but the risks when it does are great. In summary, I wish we weren't required to do it ... but I do it nonetheless. As far as the cheating component of an altered bat (that we are supposed to catch), when I ask "are all players legally and properly equipped?" ... just also ask, "is all your equipment checked for legality and for safe play?". Checking bats before a game always gives me the feeling that I've been added to the component of a possible lawsuit; and I don't like that feeling.