Baseball 2019 EXAM Opens February 10 Closes February 28 Format - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Baseball 2019

EXAM

• Opens February 10
• Closes February 28

Format Section 1 Baseball Mechanics 10 questions Section 2 NJSIAA Regulations 10 questions Section 3 NFHS Rule Changes 5 questions Section 4 NFHS Points of Emphasis 5 questions Section 5 Baseball Rules 20 out of 50 questions

Committee ee Concer erns

• Large Group Test Review
• Umpires not opening the test until final 3 days and spending less than

30 minutes on the test. How do they achieve scores of 90-100?

• No issue if 5 or 6 guys print their test questions and then meet and

review their tests before submitting. The committee will take more restrictive action if sessions are held where all 80 questions are presented; especially if there is an admission charge, supposedly to cover refreshments.

NJSIAA Regulations and Policies

• Jewelry (Medical Reasons must be approved by NJSIAA)
• Social Media
• Adult Coaches must wear proper head protection in coaching box.
• Umpires wearing sunglasses.
• Eye Black
• Extending dugout / bench area
• Suspended game
• Lightning Detectors

NFHS Baseball Rule changes

Pivot foot and Pitching plate – Set Position Rule 6-1-3

www.nfhs.org

Pitchers are no longer required to have their entire pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s

• plate. This change

recognizes that many mounds are in the type of condition that it is problematic for the pitcher to have his entire pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate.

Legal

Pivot foot and Pitching plate – Set Position Rule 6-1-3

www.nfhs.org

The pitcher shall stand with his entire non-pivot foot in front of a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher’s plate and with his pivot foot in contact with or directly in front of and parallel to the pitcher’s plate.

Illegal

Pivot foot and Pitching plate Rule 6-1-3

• ART. 3 . . . For the set position, the pitcher shall have the ball in either

his gloved hand or his pitching hand. His pitching hand shall be down at his side or behind his back. Before starting his delivery, he shall stand with his entire non-pivot foot in front of a line extending through the front edge of the pitcher’s plate and with his entire pivot foot in contact with or directly in front of and parallel to the pitcher’s

• plate. He shall go to…of any other infielder.

www.nfhs.org

Pivot foot and Pitching plate Rule 6-1-3

• Rationale:

This rule change eliminates the requirement for the entire pivot foot to be in contact with or in front of the pitcher’s plate. However, the pivot foot still has to meet the requirements of the rule to be in front of and parallel to the pitcher’s plate. Many pitching mounds are constructed in such a way that it is problematic for a pitcher to have his entire pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate. No advantage is gained by having some of his/her pivot foot not in contact with the pitcher’s plate.

www.nfhs.org

NFHS baseball Editorial changes

Baseballs Rule 1-3-1

www.nfhs.org

The ball shall meet the current NOCSAE standard for baseballs effective January 1, 2020, which is an extension of the

• riginal implementation date of January

1, 2019. Balls that only have the NFHS Authenticating Mark are permissible for the 2019 season.

Baseballs Rule 1-3-1

• Effective January 1, 2020 the SEI/NOCSAE

mark is required on all baseballs that meet the NOCSAE standard that will be used in high school competition.

• Baseballs shall have the SEI/NOCSAE mark

along with the NFHS Authenticating Mark.

• Baseballs that have both marks (SEI/NOCSAE

and NFHS Authenticating Mark) or just the single NFHS Authenticating Mark are permissible for the 2019 high school baseball season.

www.nfhs.org

Baseballs Rule 1-3-1

• Rationale:

To maintain a consistent and uniform standard for high school

• competition. To ensure that every baseball manufactured meets the

same level of quality and playability. The deadline extension was granted to accommodate those schools that had a robust surplus of baseballs and allow them to be used and not be wasted or destroyed.

www.nfhs.org

Rule 8-2-6l

• l. Last Time By. If a runner correctly touches a base that was missed

(either in advancing or returning), the last time he was by the base, that last touch corrects any previous baserunning infraction (Exception 8-4-2q).

• Rationale:

Per 8-4-2q, a runner cannot correct the baserunning infraction once he touches a succeeding base while the ball is dead even if he correctly touches all bases the last time by.

www.nfhs.org

2011

Rule 8-3-1a

• ART. 1 . . . Each runner other than the batter-runner (who is governed

by 8-1-2) is awarded one base when:

• a. there is a balk (6-1-4, 6-2-4) or a pitch strikes a runner (5-1-1a);
• Sub-articles b-c remain unaltered.
• Rationale:

Clarification.

www.nfhs.org

NFHS Baseball Correction

Casebook play 2-9-1, 5-1-1

• Ball in glove (2-9-1, 5-1-1)
• With the change of interpretation by the NFHS

Baseball Rules Committee. CB 2.9.1 Situation D: No longer will be ball be immediately dead when a ball is “lodged” in a player’s glove. The player may take his glove, with the ball in it, and toss it to another fielder to record a force out at the base.

• CB 5.1.1 Situations Q and R should be removed.

They are no longer valid.

• Rationale:

Clarification.

www.nfhs.org

Rule 6-2-4d1

• Rule 6-2-4d1: “If the pitcher, with a runner on base, stops or hesitates

in his delivery because the batter steps out…

• Rationale:
• Clarification. The condition applies regardless of

whether runners are on base.

www.nfhs.org

Rule 7-3-5 penalty

Batter interferes with catcher’s throw or fielding

• PENALTY: When there are two outs, the batter is out. When there

are not two outs and the runner is advancing to home plate, if the runner is tagged out, the ball remains live and interference is

• ignored. Otherwise, the ball is dead and the runner is called out.

When an attempt to put out a runner at any other base is unsuccessful…two may be ruled out. (8-4-2g, 8-4-2l(1))

• Rationale:

Clarification.

www.nfhs.org

Rule 8-4-2h1

• Rule 8-4-2h1: Eliminated the words “except on a base on balls.” Last

year’s rule change now allows a runner to return to first without liability of being tagged out.

• Rationale:

Missed clarification in 2017.

www.nfhs.org

Points of Emphasis

Sportsmanship — National Anthem Standoff

www.nfhs.org

National anthem standoffs do not reflect education-based athletics. Staring down

• pponents after the national anthem to try

to intimidate them or refusing to leave the respective baseline before the other team departs is juvenile and disrespectful.

Sportsmanship — bench jockeying and celebrations

www.nfhs.org

Coaches, players, substitutes, attendants or other bench personnel shall not leave the dugout during a live ball for any unauthorized purposes.

Sportsmanship — bench jockeying and celebrations

www.nfhs.org

Coaches or team personnel may not sit outside the dugout/bench area on buckets

• r stools.

Sportsmanship — bench jockeying and celebrations

www.nfhs.org

Players are not allowed to stand outside their dugout/bench area and make “cat- calls” or other disparaging remarks while the other team is taking infield practice.

Sportsmanship — intentional distractions

www.nfhs.org

Chants, intentional distractions and loud noises directed at the

• pponent’s pitcher prior to his

pitching, the batter getting ready to hit, or a fielder getting ready to make a play do not represent good sportsmanship.

Compliant of Player’s equipment – Body/Chest protector

www.nfhs.org

Per a rule change approved in 2017, the catcher’s body/chest protector shall meet the NOCSAE standard effective January 1, 2020.

Compliant of Player’s equipment - Helmets

www.nfhs.org

Helmets must meet the provisions of Rule 1-5-2, including that all face mask/guards attached after manufacture are approved by the manufacturer and meet the NOCSAE standard at the time of manufacture.

Compliant of Player’s equipment - Helmets

www.nfhs.org

A face mask/guard specifically designed for a particular helmet model may be attached after manufacture, provided that procedure is approved by the manufacturer and meets the NOCSAE standard at the time

• f manufacture.

Compliant of Player’s equipment - Bats

www.nfhs.org

Bats shall be unaltered from the manufacturer’s

• riginal design and

production and must meet the provisions of Rule 1-3- 2.

Illegal

Baserunner’s responsibilities

www.nfhs.org

Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, it must be legal. A legal slide can either be feet first or head first. If a runner slides feet first, at least one leg and buttock shall be on the ground.

Legal

Baserunner’s responsibilities

www.nfhs.org

Runners may not pop-up into the fielder.

Illegal

Baserunner’s responsibilities

www.nfhs.org

Runners may not have a leg raised higher than the fielder’s knee.

Illegal

Baserunner’s responsibilities

www.nfhs.org

Except at home plate, runners may not slide through or beyond the base.

Illegal

Baserunner’s responsibilities

www.nfhs.org

Runners may not slide away from a base in the direction

• f the fielder. But a runner

may slide in a direction away from the fielder to avoid making contact or altering the play of the fielder.

Illegal

Baserunner’s responsibilities

www.nfhs.org

The runner is out when he illegally slides and affects the

• play. On a force play, the

runner is also guilty of

• interference. The batter-

runner is also declared out and all runners must return to the base occupied at the time of the pitch.

Illegal

Baserunner’s responsibilities

www.nfhs.org

Jumping, hurdling and leaping are all legal attempts to avoid a fielder as long as the fielder is lying on the ground.

Legal

Baserunner’s responsibilities

www.nfhs.org

When illegally executed, as shown in the PlayPic, hurdling, jumping or leaping

• ver a fielder supersedes
• bstruction.

Illegal

Baserunner’s responsibilities

www.nfhs.org

Diving over a fielder is always

• illegal. Diving

supersedes

• bstruction.

Illegal

Umpire mechanics

Umpire signals: Information available

www.nfhs.org

To assist in providing pertinent information between partners, a new umpire signal — “information available” — was

• approved. The umpire indicates

he or she has relevant information for their partner by tapping two times over the left chest (heart).

Umpire signals: Correct rotation

www.nfhs.org

In three- and four-umpire mechanics, umpires can signal to partners which direction they will be rotating to a specific base for coverage of an anticipated play. The new “correct rotation” signal involves umpires pointing with both hands in the direction of the base that they are moving toward.

Many revisions were made in the 2019 and 2020 NFHS Umpires Manual

Please read and review. Changes are highlighted in gray.

When does Plate Umpire take responsibility for plays at 3rd base?

• R1 on first base advancing to 3rd on a

base hit to the outfield.

• With R2 on second and R1 on first, a

batted ball to the outfield that is caught and R2 is advancing to 3rd.

• With runners on first and third, batter

hits a base hit to the outfield. Plate Umpire must be ready to cover 3rd base

• n a play there or retreat to home plate

if R1 attempts to score.

Umpire-in-Chief may rectify any decision in which a reversed decision places another team at a disadvantage.

• UIC also has the authority to make a final

decision on a point that is not covered in the rules.

There are calls in NFHS Baseball which umpires cannot change.

• Calls on close force plays.
• Tags on non-force situations where the ball is not dropped.
• Checked swing when a strike is first called.
• Catch/no catch of a fair fly ball with runners on base.

Plate Umpire must not make a called STRIKE

• r BALL call too quickly.
• Plate Umpire should exercise proper timing by watching the ball from

the pitcher’s hand into the catcher’s glove.

• Plate Umpire should use only his/her eyes and refrain from moving

the head to track each pitch.

Umpires may explain to coach or pitcher why a balk or illegal pitch has been called.

• Umpires should never DEMONSTRATE or coach what the pitcher did.
• Explanations should be short and concise as it’s the coach’s job to

instruct pitcher’s as to what is legal and is not legal.

Umpire calling “FOUL” halts all play.

• The call is not reversible on a batted ball that

hits the ground and then comes to rest in fair territory.

Umpires need to be sure that pitchers are given five (5) pitches between innings.

• Umpires should refrain from meeting with their

partners between innings.

• Only meet if necessary to discuss a particular play or
• rotation. Otherwise go to NFHS Umpires Manual

position.

• This should not happen more than once or twice a
• game. If you need to discuss more often, we have a

problem in communication.

Umpires should indicate the number of balls on his left hand and the number of strikes on his right hand when giving the count.

In a two man system and Base Umpire in the “C” position, on any batted ball within the infield:

• Base Umpire has responsibility for calls at 1st base and also any

subsequent plays at 3rd base.

With no runners on base, Plate Umpire takes all routine fly balls.

• Base Umpire will be responsible for trouble balls hit to center field

that moves F8 in or back towards right field.

What i is the status of High School baseball? What i is the future?

• Injury rate is stable; biggest issues are field conditions and force play

situations.

• Rise of Officiating Forums on social media.
• Wearable technology – Balance of Fair Play – Haves verses Have Nots.
• Game Ending Procedures – With pitch count, do we need to have an

alternative to the 10 run rule?

• Pace of Play – With the advent of NFHS network, it was observed that

umpires were allowing more than one (1) minute between innings. In some cases, team huddles lasted 2 and ½ to 3 minutes.

Thank You and have a great Baseball season!