Blue

• A rule that should supersede any and all rules, that should always be kept in mind, sell your call(s). Be loud and sure of your call, don’t rush your call but make it loud.




• Always by far keep your eye on the ball, where ever it goes, always, always keep your eye on the ball, weather working the plate or the field in a one, two, three or more man system



• Teams may not temporarily extend the dugout any closer toward home plate. Teams may only extend the dugout in a direction away from home plate and in line with the current dugout.



• Assistant coaches are not permitted to leave the dugout or the coaching box for the purposes of arguing with an umpire. The assistant coach is restricted to the dugout or ejected and the head coach is restricted to the dugout. If an assistant coach has left the box for another purpose (for example, returning to the dugout in between innings), he may still be ejected for arguing with an umpire, but the head coach is not affected.



• A pitcher is in the set position may have his arm hanging at his side or slightly in front of him. This stance, commonly called the “gorilla stance” is legal as long as the arm is not moving. If the arm is moving, the pitcher is committed to pitch. If he fails to do so with a runner on base, the pitcher has balked.



POINTS OF EMPHASIS:



• For the head coach, the duties of controlling the dugout and team behavior includes being both accountable and responsible for the actions of assistant coaches and all other team personnel. The head coach is the only coach responsible for communicating with umpires, and it is not the role of the assistant coach to dispute or appeal play situations and rulings.





• Umpires and coaches need to work together. Each contest is another opportunity for coaches and umpires to teach not only baseball, but also a model good sporting behavior as well. The positive values that are learned will serve the players long after their baseball experience has concluded.



• Altering bats by such methods as rolling, shaving the bat wall, flattening or otherwise manipulating the bat from its original manufactured condition is not legal and can result in the bat being declared illegal by the umpires. Coaches must insist that the players use only legal equipment not only because it is a rule, but it is in the best interest of the principals of fair play and sportsmanship.



• Rule 10-2-3a requires that umpires inspect all bats (and helmets) prior to the start of a contest. That is a rule to ensure that only legal equipment is used and helps protect the health and safety of the players, coaches and umpires. That important duty cannot be ignored by umpires and must result in cooperation from team members and coaches.



• The sports Medicine Advisory Committee has set forth guidelines on concussions. The Committee is concerned that players are being allowed to competitive activity sooner then the guidelines recommend. Coaches and athletic trainers are encouraged review the guidelines and to strictly adhere to them.



• No weather condition poses a greater danger for baseball participants than lightning. NFHS has developed guidelines to assist schools, coaches and umpires in handling instances where lightning poses a threat. From the time thunder or lightning is observed, play should be suspended for a minimum of 30 minutes from the last sound of thunder or observed lightning flash.



• The baseball rules committee is concerned that the application of the “Three-Foot Running Lane Violation”, this rule is not being enforced consistently or properly. The batter-runner is required by rule (8-4-1g) to be in the running lane when the ball is beings fielded or thrown to first base. The runner is allowed to run outside the running lane to avoid contact with the fielder who is in the act of fielding or throwing a ball. The batter-runner must be entirely inside of the running lane. If either foot is outside the running lane, the batter-runner is considered to be outside the running lane.



• At this level the most basic rule of baseball is the first in the book: ”Each team is permitted seven turns at bat during which it attempts to score runs by having its batters become base runners who advance…to home plate. The team in the field attempts to end each turn at bat of the opponent by causing three… to be out.”



The first section of the rules deals with the field on which the game is played and the equipment that is used by all players.



Unlike other sports, where the court or field size and the equipment are standard throughout, baseball a 90-foot square. The equipment that the players use also vary widely, as different participants prefer various size gloves and bats.



With all of the possible difference, the Baseball Rules Committee has instituted limits as to size of equipment to ensure an equal balance between offense and defense.



• Each team’s head coach and captains (if available) shall attend the pregame plate meeting with the umpires. The name and shirt number of each eligible substitute should be listed on the lineup card. There is no penalty if substitutes are not listed.



• The first baseman with a runner on base, is considered to be in fair ground, since he has at least one foot in fair ground, even on first base and the other is in foul territory. He would have to have both feet in foul territory at the time of the pitch to be violation of the rule.



• A diamond (or infield) shall be a 90 foot square. When measuring the distance to first base and third, measuring from the apex of home plate to the back edge of the plate. The outfield is the area between two foul lines formed by extending two sides of the diamond.