2011 Introduction to RWLL Umpiring Simplified

2 2 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training – umpire scheduling tool – Demo Uniforms - Shirts / Hats (free) Masks, shin guards, chest protectors, indicators, plate brushes  In H1 umpire cupboards Reward - $5 at the snack shack before/after your game Incentive program - tiered Umpire stores  Honigs.com  Ump-attire.com  Risan  Athletic Supply (Kimmels)

3 3 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training It’s not about you It’s not about the parents It’s not about the manager or coach It’s not even really about baseball It’s about kids and character development using baseball as a tool Rule 1.01: Baseball is a game…

4 4 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training RWLL – AAA time limit; 2 hour no new inning, 2:15 hard stop (weekend & weeknights) RNLL – no time limits at any level unless there is a game following. RWLL – AAA can have 4 in outfield RWLL – AAA Coach pitch for beginning of season RNLL – Swinging the bat, may put an offensive coach in dugout for rest of game 2 youth umpires on field, Home team should designate an “official” Volunteer form

Plate UmpireField Umpire Hat Shirt Slacks Belt Indicator Water Ball bag Mask Chest Protector Shin Guards Cup Plate shoes Hat Shirt Slacks Belt Indicator Water Cleats/Turf shoes Red Flag Plate gear in the car!

6 6 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Meet 30 minutes before the game. Discuss your game plan:  Coverage—who’s looking for what.  Signs: Infield fly, #outs, count, 1 st -to-3 rd, etc.  What you’re working on improving; ask your partner to help you watch. Do this every single game. Be done by 15 minutes before game time.

Why the partner meeting is important: We want to have an odd number of umpires making a call. We really don’t like it when this happens: The pre-game meeting to review responsibilities can avoid this…

8 8 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Bases  Safety  Double first Foul lines Pitcher’s mound/rubber Home run fence Rainouts

9 9 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Adults may not warm up pitchers  Before a game  During a game  After a game Players standing near the bat during fielding practice must wear a catcher’s helmet. Teams should leave their gear out of bags ready for inspection while they take infield practice.

10 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Bats  BPF 1.15 and no Combats! (“fastpitch softball” for softball)  Exception list must be shown to you by coach or player (not umpire responsibility) Batting helmets: look for cracks Catcher’s gear  Dangling throat guard Gloves Uniforms Jewelry: watches, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, etc.

11 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Ball becomes live when the umpire points at the pitcher and says “Play!”  Wait until the pitcher has the ball on the rubber.  Wait until fielders are in fair territory.  Wait until runners are on the correct bases.  Usually wait for a batter to be ready. Ball becomes dead when the umpire says “Time” or “Foul.”  Sometimes it’s implied or obvious.  Nothing can happen when the ball is dead. Almost.  No one except the umpire can call time.  The offense will not be granted time-out to confer with a player more than once per inning (except for injury).

12 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Two legal pitching positions: set and windup. Softball has one legal position/motion. Illegal pitches:  Quick pitch (batter not reasonably ready)  Pitching while not in contact with the rubber Penalty for illegal pitch: Ball.  Ignored if batter reaches 1 st and all runners advance. The pitcher does not have to come to a stop (60’ diamond)

13 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training It’s a strike if:  The batter attempts to hit the ball and misses.  The batter hits a foul with less than two strikes.  Any part of the ball crosses any part of the strike zone before hitting the ground. Otherwise, it’s a ball If the pitch hits the batter, it’s a dead ball.  Usually, the batter goes to 1 st.  If he was swinging or hit in the strike zone, it’s a strike.  If he doesn’t try to get away (leans into it), it’s a ball.

14 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Umpire Positioning Diagrams The following Diagrams are derived from the publication “The Umpire in Little League” The “KEY” below is used on the following Diagrams: Umpire Infielder Line of Vision If a runner violates the rule by “leaving the base too soon”, be sure to drop your signal flag (hat) immediately indicating what has happened. Continue to move to position yourself to properly call the ensuing play. After the play is completed, “time” should be called by raising your hands overhead. The violation should then be announced and the batter and base runner(s) should be sent to their appropriate bases. Make sure your signal flag (hat) is retrieved. NOTE: You may need to “adjust” your position in order to see “around” an infielder. Allow the infielder to take his/her position and then adjust your position accordingly – do not ask the fielder to “move”.

15 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training One Base Umpire – Bases Empty Take position along foul line in foul territory just back of the 1 st baseman. One Base Umpire – Runner on 1 st Take position about halfway between 1 st and 2 nd base and outside the baseline to be able to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runner on 1 st. Umpire

16 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training One Base Umpire – Runner on 2 nd Take position 2 or 3 steps behind and to the left of the shortstop to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runner on 2 nd. Umpire One Base Umpire – Runner on 3rd Take position 2 or 3 steps behind and to the left of the short stop to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runner on 3 rd.

17 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training One Base Umpire – Runners on 1 st and 2 nd Take position 2 or 3 steps behind and to the left of the shortstop to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runners on 1 st and 2 nd One Base Umpire – Runners on 2 nd and 3 rd Take position 2 or 3 steps behind and to the left of the shortstop to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runners on 2 nd and 3 rd. Umpire

18 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Umpire One Base Umpire – Runners on 1 st and 3 rd Take position 2 or 3 steps behind and to the left of the shortstop to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runners on 1 st and 3 rd. One Base Umpire – Bases Full Take position 2 or 3 steps behind and to the left of the shortstop to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runners on 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd. Umpire

19 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Two Base Umpires – Bases Empty The 1 st Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory just back of 1 st base. The 3 rd Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory just back of 3 rd base. Two Base Umpires – Runner on 1st The 3 rd Base Umpire moves over between 2 nd and 1 st to cover any play at 2 nd. The 1 st Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory behind 1 st to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runner on 1 st. 1 st Base Umpire 1 st Base Umpire 3 rd Base Umpire 3 rd Base Umpire

20 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Two Base Umpires – Runner on 3 rd The 1 st Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory behind 1 st base to cover any play at 1 st. The 3 rd Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory behind 3 rd base to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runner on 3 rd. 1 st Base Umpire 1 st Base Umpire 3 rd Base Umpire 3 rd Base Umpire Two Base Umpires – Runner on 2 nd The 1 st Base Umpire moves over between 1 st and 2 nd to see the pitched ball reach the batter and also keep an eye on the runner on 2 nd. The 3 rd Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory behind 3 rd base to cover any play at 3 rd.

21 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Two Base Umpires – Runners on 1 st and 2 nd The 1 st Base Umpire is stationed between 1 st and 2 nd to see the pitched ball reach the batter and keep an eye on the runners on 1 st and 2 nd. The 3 rd Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory behind 3 rd base to cover any play at 3 rd. 1 st Base Umpire 1 st Base Umpire 3 rd Base Umpire 3 rd Base Umpire Two Base Umpires – Runners on 1 st and 3 rd The 1 st Base Umpire is stationed between 1 st and 2 nd to see the pitched ball reach the batter and watch the runner on 1 st. The 3 rd Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory behind 3 rd base to see the pitched ball reach the batter and watch the runner at 3 rd.

22 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Two Base Umpires – Runners on 2 nd and 3 rd The 1 st Base Umpire is stationed between 1 st and 2 nd to see the pitched ball reach the batter and watch the runner on 2 nd. The 3 rd Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory behind 3 rd base to see the pitched ball reach the batter and watch the runner on 3 rd. 1 st Base Umpire 1 st Base Umpire 3 rd Base Umpire 3 rd Base Umpire Two Base Umpires – Bases Full The 1 st Base Umpire is stationed between 1 st and 2 nd to see the pitched ball reach the batter and watch the runners on 1 st and 2 nd. The 3 rd Base Umpire is stationed in foul territory behind 3 rd base to see the pitched ball reach the batter and watch the runner at 3 rd.

23 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Redmond West UICs Allen Gear – Jeremy Gulley – Eric Christianson – Redmond North UIC’s Drew Carlson – Mike Bodach - Umpire alias – includes RWLL / RNLL UIC’s (all of us) -

24 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training District 9 Training  District 9 Field Mechanics; Hartman Field 6 CorseDateTimeLocationDescription Field Training 110SAT March 129:00 AM - 12:00 PM Hartman Park Fields 110: Base mechanics, start positions, basic rotations, making calls. Field Training 210SAT March 121:00 PM - 4:00 PM Hartman Park Fields 210: Handling special situations Field Training 210SAT March 199:00 AM - 12:00 PM Hartman Park Fields This is a repeat of the 3/12 session, but with the times for 110 and 210 reversed. Field Training 110SAT March 191:00 PM - 4:00 PM Hartman Park Fields This is a repeat of the 3/12 session, but with the times for 110 and 210 reversed. RWLL Midseason Field Training SUN May 19:00 AM - 12:00 Hartman Park Field (5 or 6) Basic Field Training - new umpires, midseason tuneup. (some plate)

25 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training District 9 Training (cont)  District 9 Classroom; LWRC CourseType of ClassDateTimeLocationDescription Umpire 101ClassroomWED March 96:00 - 9:00 PM LWSD - Resource Center Introduction to Umpiring: Working the bases. Umpire 102ClassroomTHU March 106:00 - 9:00 PM LWSD - Resource Center Introduction to Umpiring: Working the plate. Umpire 103ClassroomFRI March 116:00 - 9:00 PM LWSD - Resource Center Introduction to Umpiring: Playing Rules. Umpire 201ClassroomWED March 166:00 - 9:00 PM LWSD - Resource Center Intermediate Umpiring: Working as a team. Umpire 202ClassroomFRI March 186:00 - 9:00 PM LWSD - Resource Center Intermediate Umpiring: The rest of the rules. Umpire 301ClassroomTUE March 226:00 - 9:00 PM LWSD - Resource Center Advanced Umpiring: Game management. Umpire 101ClassroomWED March 236:00 - 9:00 PM LWSD - Resource Center Repeat: Introduction to Umpiring: Working the bases.

26 RWLL Simplified Umpire Training Check RWLL Website for the training schedule! Thank you for volunteering!