Season has Started
Fellow Umpires,
The season is HERE and it’s off to a roaring start there is a chance of rain ALL WEEK…..Check arbiter 2 – 3 times a day for changes DO NOT DEPEND on the Commissioners calling if your game changes.
(PLATE UMPIRE)
Please contact the school to verify game, time,date, and location (DON’T FORGET TO ASK ABOUT ANY COVID REQUIREMENTS BY THEIR SCHOOL)
Contact partner to discuss meeting time, location, dress etc….
Ensure as a representative of RCUA that you are following FHSAA -Contest Specific Considerations regarding COVID 19 Restrictions and Limitations.
Considerations for Umpires:
- Bring personal hand sanitizer. Wash hands frequently
- Do not share equipment.
- Umpires should not handle equipment on the field during play.
- Contact with the game balls should be limited.
- Masks/cloth face coverings and disposable gloves will be permitted.
- Line ups should be handed to the umpire, the umpire will verbally approve or ask any questions. Line up exchange with opposing coach and scorekeeper should be done electronically via text or photo.
- The verbal exchange of substitutions should occur 6’ from the coach to the scorer and opposing team when making lineup changes.
- Keep catcher and batter at a 6’ distance when dusting off the plate.
- Base umpires should maintain 6’ from any player as a starting position when rotated and/or counter rotated.
- The umpire-in-chief should wear a face mask behind the plate.
- Clean equipment after each game.
- Follow social distancing guidelines. Consider six feet minimum distance when talking to others (players, coaches, other umpires) at plate meetings.
- Do not shake hands and follow pre and post-game ceremony guidelines established by state associations.
- Evaluate pre-existing health conditions.
If the pitcher puts her hands to her mouth and touches the ball, “Time” is called, a new ball is inserted and the pitcher must sanitize her hands before throwing the next pitch.
Meeting Dates and Clinics
Please Mark Your Calendars and Make Plans to Attend
RCUA Field Clinics 12PM Baseball and Softball
January 9 @ Bishop Snyder HS
January 16 @ Trinity HS
January 23 @ Christ Church HS
January 30 @ Providence HS
RCUA Membership Meetings 12:00-1:30PM
Teamsters Union Hall
FEBRUARY 21
MARCH 7, 21
APRIL 11, 25
MAY 16, 30
Softball Quiz Number 2
Softball Quiz Number 2
1. Which statement is an incorrect ruling of interference?
a. If a retired runner impedes a fielder making a play on another runner, the runner closest to home is always declared out.
b. If a runner has not yet been put out and interference occurs to break up a double play, the immediate succeeding runner is out.
c. Interference is only awarded in situations where the runner physically contacts a fielder.
d. B4 hits a fair ground ball but R2 hinders F6 making an initial play. The batter-runner is never called out as a result of the interference. If there is less than two outs she is always awarded first base
2. The batter is standing in the batter’s box when an inside pitch hits her in the knee completely in the batter’s box. The proper call is:
a. Dead ball and the batter is awarded first base.
b. Strike on the batter because she needs to make an effort to get out of the way of the pitch.
c. Strike on the batter because the pitcher is entitled to throw over the inner part of the batter’s box.
d. None of the above.
3. A fair batted ball is wedged into the fence. The umpire should:
a. Call a dead ball and award the batter two bases.
b. Call a dead ball and award the batter a home run.
c. Call a dead ball and award the base the umpire judges she would have reached had the ball not become wedged in the fence.
d. Award the batter the base she was closest to when the ball became wedged in the fence.
4. Which of the following are appealable plays?
a. Missing a base.
b. Batting out of order.
c. Leaving a base early on a caught fly ball.
d. All of the above.
5. With no outs and R1 on first base, B2 hits a ground ball on the first-base side of the infield. F4 moves into the baseline to make an initial play on a batted ball. R1, using normal movement, alters her base path going either behind or in front of F4 to avoid contact with F4 fielding the ball. The correct call is:
a. The umpire signals obstruction on F4 for causing R1 to alter her path. Awarding the base to R1 would have achieved had it not been for the obstruction on F4.
b.If R1 runs in front of F4, the umpire should signal dead ball and call interference because R1 is never allowed to run in front of F4 when she is making an initial play on a batted ball.
c. R1’s movement is to avoid interfering with a fielder attempting to make the initial play on a batted ball, so as long as in the umpire’s judgment there is not interference, this is a legal play.
d. R1 is called out because she is not allowed to alter her base path. She must stop to avoid contacting F4 making the initial play on a batted ball.
6. Starting at first base, R1 overruns second base on a hit by B2. In the ensuing rundown, both runners end up on second base. F6 tags both runners. The correct ruling is:
a. R1 and B2 are both out.
b. B2 is out.
c. R1 is out.
d. Neither runner is out.
7. In Florida, a regular season game is complete when
a. The visiting team is ahead by 10 or more runs at the end of five innings.
b. The home team is ahead by 15 or more runs at the end of two-and-a-half innings.
c. The home team is ahead by twelve runes at the end of four-and-a-half innings.
d. All of the above
8. What factors should umpires consider in determining when to leave the field at the end of the game?
a. Leave the field before all fielders have left fair territory and the catcher has vacated her normal fielding position.
b. Return to the field after they have left to make every attempt to get the call right.
c. When teams line up to shake hands following the completion of the game.
d. Umpires should remain on the field to watch for unsporting behavior by either team in the handshake line.
9. B1 fails to promptly take her position in the batter’s box within the 10 seconds after the ball is returned to the pitcher to prepare for the next pitch. What is the correct ruling?
a. The umpire awards an additional five seconds and play continues.
b. The umpire grants the batter time until she is ready for play to resume.
c. The umpire declares the batter out for delaying the game.
d. The umpire calls a strike on the batter
10. Any player who exhibits signs, symptoms or behaviors consistent with a concussion shall not return to play until cleared by:
a. The head coach.
b. A parent or guardian.
c. The athletic director.
d. An appropriate health-care professional.
e. None of the above.
Softball Quiz 1
Good morning SB Umpires,
Pre-Game Checklist
Pre-Game Checklist
FAIR/FOUL RESPONSIBILITIES
LINE DRIVE AND FLY BALL COVERAGE IN THE INFIELD AND OUTFIELD
BASE UMPIRE GOES OUT ON TROUBLE BALL; GO OUT & STAY OUT
TOUCHING OF BASES & TAGUPS: BASE UMP: 1st & 2nd: BASE; PLATE UMP: 3rd & HOME
ROTATIONS: TO THIRD:
1) 1st & 3rd BALL HIT TO THE OUTFIELD THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE A FAIR/FOUL RULING ON 1ST BASELINE
2) 1st & 2nd TAG UP ON HIT TO OUTFIELD PLAY AT 3RD **COMMUNICATION**
RUN DOWNS: TAKE 50/50: UMP WHO HAS THE RUNNER COMING TOWARDS HIM HAS THE CALL
SIGNALS & COMMUNICATION
BALKS; ECHO CALL
CHECK SWINGS
BALLS IN THE DIRT, SWINGING THIRD STRIKE
FOUL TIP THIRD STRIKE, CATCH OR NO‐CATCH
FOUL BALLS OFF THE BATTER
DOUBLE TAG UPS
INFIELD FLY
SWIPE TAGS AND PULLED FOOT PLAYS AT FIRST
INTERFERENCE AT FIRST – 45 FOOTRUNNING LANE VIOLATION
INTERFERENCE AT SECOND AND FORCE PLAY SLIDE RULE
OVERTHROWS, DEAD BALL AREAS, AND BASE AWARDS
APPEALS
OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE TIMEOUTS – KEEPING TRACK
ARGUMENTS AND EJECTIONS *SHOW TEAMWORK*
GETTING TOGETHER TO CONFER: BE HONEST, LETS GET THE CALL RIGHT
USE OF INDICATOR?
TIMING DEVICES/WHOS IN CHARGE OF KEEPING TRACK OF TIME
MEETING BETWEEN UMPIRES INBETWEEN INNINGS
ENFORCEMENT OF THE TIME BETWEEN INNINGS; 1 MIN OR 5 PITCHES
PLATE MEETING: * ONLY PLATE UMPIRE SPEAKS AT THE PLATE MEETING, UNLESS BASE UMPIRE IS REQUESTED TO SPEAK*
Meeting 3/15/2020
The meeting will be held at the Teamsters Union Hall as will all remaining meetings
Rules Meeting Reminder
Rules Meetings 6:00-7:30pm @ Ed White HS
Field Clinic 1/10
All Umpires: if you are able please wear your full FHSAA uniform to the field clinic at Bishop Snyder HS. 12 – 2pm
Softball Umpires: per Gary Roberson please bring plate gear if you can. A pitching machine will be available to call balls and strikes.
- Future Rules Meetings @ Ed White HS are scheduled for 6 – 7:30pm 1/15, 1/ 22, 1/29
Let your Booking Commissioner know when unable to attend
Please do the following ASAP
New umpires must register and returning umpires must re-register each season.
http://fhsaa.arbitersports.com/front/103524/Registration
Thanks to everyone who has helped get the season off to a great start!
2020 FHSAA Rules Changes
2020 NFHS BASEBALL RULES CHANGES
Designated Hitter (DH) can be used in two ways. The DH can be listed as the tenth starter replacing one of the other nine players when it is their turn to bat. The other method is that that any one of the starting defensive players can be their own DH (in effect having two positions) within the confines of the rule requirements.
Rationale
This rule change assists coaches with an alternative to keep their better players in the game to contribute to the offensive output of the team and give another player a chance to participate on defense. In addition, considering the pitch count rules, this change would help pitchers to keep their bat in the game, but can come out of the game defensively to protect their arms from overuse.
2020 BASEBALL EDITORIAL CHANGES
- 1-3-2b1
- 3-1-1
- 4-1-3b
- 4-2-4
- 5-1-1f5
- 7-4-1
- 8-3-3c
- Dead Ball and Delayed Dead Ball Table
- Baserunning Awards Table and Rules by State Association Adoption
2020 BASEBALL POINTS OF EMPHASIS
Game Ending Procedures
Player/Designated Hitter
Proper Pitching Positions
Force Play Slide Rule
Enforcement of NFHS Jewelry Rule
Compliance of Player’s Equipment