Base
Umpire - Tips for Working the Bases
Special thanks to Mike Ford for providing this information.
Base
Umpire - Tips for Working the Bases
Plate
Umpire - Tips for Working the Plate
Test Questionaire for Little League Umpires
1. Always keep your eye on the ball - remember a play cannot be made without the ball.
2. Strive to get in front of all plays and obtain the best angle possible.
3. Make sure all plays are finished before making your call - avoid a common fault of "Young Umpires" of making calls too soon.
4. In calling force plays, do not get too close. The angle is all important and you must see between the bag and the foot. Don't turn your head or take your eye off the ball for even a split instant after making your call.
5. Make sure fielder has ball under control - get as close to tag play as you can without interfering. You must get an angle where you can see between the base runner's foot or hand and bag.
6. On all plays get down low and support your "close" calls with a strong voice.
7. Indicate your out calls with a brisk move of the right arm outward.
8. Indicate your safe calls with both arms, stretched outward and apart - palms of hand downward.
9. On wide open plays just indicate safe or out with a mild gesture.
10. Never call a play on the run - it is better to be further away from the play and call it in a still position.
11. The base Umpire calls all trapped balls in the outfield and should make every effort to get as close to the outfielder as possible and obtain the proper angle to see the entire play.
12. Always be alert to avoid being hit by batted or thrown balls. Being in an upright position and moving a step forward or backward on each pitch will enable you to keep from being hit.
13. Do not turn your head too quickly on the first part of a possible double play or any other play. Follow the ball.
14. Make sure that the bases are secure and in proper position.
15. Be ready to assist the plate Umpire with half swings and batted balls that hit off a batter's foot.
16. Remember being out of position is inexcusable and never forget that hustle, common sense and mental readiness is always important in good umpiring.
1. Assume a position so that you can see the entire strike zone.
2. Follow the ball all the way to the catcher's mitt.
3. To be accurate on your calls, you must actually be able to follow the ball all the way to the catcher's mitt.
4. Be relaxed and don't call your pitches too soon.
5. Be consistent with your strike zone (arm pits to bottom of the knees, normal).
6. Don't call swinging strikes, just indicate strike by raising of right arm.
7. Support all called strikes, with a strong voice especially on third strike.
8. Never say strike three you're out.
9. Keep the plate clean and always brush the plate with your back to the field.
10. Between innings get away from the plate - avoid problems.
11. Hustle the teams between innings.
12. When calling foul balls use voice.
13. When calling fair balls do not use voice; indicate fair ball with motion towards fair territory.
14. Don't call ground balls hit along the first - third base foul lines fair or foul too soon.
15. When calling "time" yell loudly with both hands extended above head. Leave no doubt with your partner.
16. Don't call the "infield fly" too soon especially on windy days.
17. Always know where the ball is at all times.
18. On batted balls move out in front of the plate to be ready to assist your base Umpire.
19. The plate Umpire should handle the pre-game discussion and make sure that all ground rules are clearly understood.
20. Don't be too hasty in calling games due to weather conditions and remember you must wait at least 30 minutes.
21. Keep batters from home plate area when runners are advancing from third base.
22. Follow the ball from the fielder to the catcher(receiver) when calling plays at home plate or the bases.
23. There is no substitute for knowing the rules. If you don't know the specific rule for a given situation, consult the rule book.
Knowledge of the rules is essential to good officiating, but competent umpires must also know how, when and under what circumstances the rules apply. The following is a series of case problems which have come up in Little League play. These questions will test your knowledge of the rules of Little League. Answers to all questions are based on the Official Little League Rules.
QUESTIONS:
1. Fielder in making a catch has ball ricochet off glove and against the body where said fielder traps the ball with arm. Is this a legal catch?
A. - No. Rule 2.00 A catch...
2. Foul tip rebounds from catchers chest protector into catcher's glove without falling to the ground. Is this a legal catch?
A. - No. Rule 2.00 foul tip...
3. Pitcher delivers an illegal pitch with no runners in base. Batter hits pitch and is thrown out at first base. Would this be a legal play?
A. - No. Rule 8.02
4. Decision made by umpire is questioned by manager. Following the game, manager decides to protest the decision. Would this be legal?
A. - No. Rule 4.19 (c)(1)
5. Batter Squares around to bunt a pitch but does not move the bat toward the ball. Would this be a strike?
A. - No, unless pitch was in the strike zone. Rule 2.00 A bunt...
6. Dropping the bat after hitting a pitch, the batter starts for first base. The bat hits the ball. Should the batter be declared out?
A. - Only if in the umpires judgment the action was intentional. Rule 6.05 (h)
7. Runner on the third leaves too soon, batter hits fly ball to outfield. Runner returns and tags up, then starts for home reaching there safely. Would this run score?
A. - No. Rule 7.13
8. Batter squares around to bunt, the pitcher then interrupts or stops pitching motion. Is this considered a "Balk"?
A. - No. Rincon Valley Little League (local rule) stipulates "No balks in Minors or Farms level." Plate umpire should point out infraction to manager and pitcher and encourage proper technique.
9. Batter hits to infielder who throws wild in an attempt to retire batter at first. Ball hits coacher and rebounds toward outfield, runner moving to third. Is this legal?
A. - Yes. Rule 3.15
10. Runner on second, batter hits fly ball which bounced from left fielder's glove into the air and is caught by the center fielder before the ball touched the ground. Runner left second base when the ball touched the left fielder's glove. An appeal was made because the runner left before the catch was made. Would this appeal be legal?
A. - No. Rule 7.08(d)
11. Is it permissible for two infielders to change their positions if they retain their original batting order?
A. - Yes. Rule 3.08
12. Runner on second base advances to third base when a pitched ball gets by the catcher and strikes the umpire. Can this runner advance?
A. - Yes. Rule 2.00(c)
13. Bases full, one out, batter bunts fly ball into the infield. Should umpire rule this an "infield fly"?
A. - No. Rule 2.00 Infield fly...
14. Runner on first leaves too soon. Batter hits clean double into left field, scoring the runner. Should this run score?
A. - No Rule 7.13 (b)
15. Batted ball first strikes in foul territory without touching a fence, player or equipment. Due to spin on the ball, it enters fair territory before passing first or third base. Would this be a fair ball?
A. - Yes, Rule 2.00 Fair ball...
16. Batted ball hits third base then goes into foul territory. Should the umpire rule this a foul ball?
A. - No Rule 2.00 Fair Ball...
17. Runners on first and third bases, two out. Batter hits to shortstop who throws runner out at second coming from first to end the inning. Runner from third crosses home plate before out is made at second. Should this run count?
A. - No. Rule 4.09 Exceptions...
18. Runner on first steals base. Umpire unintentionally interferes with catchers throw to return runner. Would this steal be permitted.
A. - No. Rule 2.00 Interference...
19. Bases full, runner on second left too soon, batter hit a triple. Can any runs score?
A. - Yes (three) rule 7.13
20. Pitcher standing on the pitching mound ready to pitch, batter decides to change to the opposite batter's box before the pitch is delivered. Can this be done?
A. - No. Rule 6.06(b)
21. Runners on second and third base. Runner on second decides to move to third placing two runners on third base. Is the runner who was originally on third base forced to move toward home?
A. - No Rule 7.03
22. Infielder attempting to field a fair batted ball in the "base line" is interfered with by an advancing runner and is unable to field ball. Is runner declared out?
A. - Yes Rule 7.08 (b)
23. Runner on first base, batted ball hit sharply hits runner before that runner could move toward second. Would runner be out?
A. - Yes, if batted ball was in fair territory. Rule 5.09 (f)
24. Runner on second base, batter set to bunt. Third baseman comes in to field the ball which goes past third baseman and strikes runner moving toward third. Is runner out?
A. - No. 5.09 (f) note...
25. Batter hits to shortstop who makes a bad throw to the first baseman, ball rolling up the first baseman's arm who traps it against his shoulder. In the meantime the batter- runner crosses first base. Would the runner be out?
A. - No. Rule 5.09 A catch...
26. Catcher, attempting to catch a foul ball, has the ball bounce from his glove, coming down between the uniform and chest protector where it lodges. Would this be a legal catch?
A. - No. Rule 2.00 catch...
27. Batter receives a base-on-ball with a runner on first base. Runner in going to second, oversteps base and is tagged. Since the runner was entitled to second base, could that runner be called out on this play?
A. - Yes. Rule 7.08 (c)
28. Batter hits a fair ball which took an awkward bounce and hits the batter-runner as he passed by the ball. Would this be declared an out?
A. - Yes. 7.08 (f)
29. Runner on first base starts for and steals second base. However, on the pitch the batter is hit while swinging at the pitch. Would the runner be allowed to remain at second base?
A. - No. Rule 6.08 (b)
30. Runner going from second to third base runs behind the shortstop, who is attempting to field a fair batted ball. Would the runner be declared out for running out of line?
A. - No. Rule 7.08 (a)
31. Catcher attempting to put a runner out at home stands in the third base line while not in possession of the ball. Runner slides but cannot reach home plate because the catcher is in the base line. Catcher subsequently fields the ball and tags runner. Is the runner declared out?
A. - No. Rule 2.00 Obstruction...
32. Runner at first starts towards second on a batted ball but does not attempt to slide at base or avoid interference with infielders. Fielder makes the play at second but is blocked out from play at first by the runner. Are both the runner and batter-runner declared out.
A. - Yes. Rule 2.00 Interference...
