That was a fun game to work (I was the third base umpire in the championship game).
Bretman - I wish I'd known that was you (as you are somewhat of a celebrity on OFC!)
Hey, interesting thing happened on Saturday evening I'd like your thoughts on. Runners on base - ball was pitched (no swing) catcher comes up out of the catchers box and walks a few steps
IN FRONT OF THE PLATE to "take a look" at the runners. My batter steps out of the batters box and takes a practice swing. The plate umpire (pony tail) then "very passionately" tells my batter to keep a foot in the box. Being 3 feet away with no fence between us at that park I said, "blue - the catcher came out of the catchers box - my batter is allowed to step out of the batters box" Pony Tail then tells me (again passionately) IT'S MY RULE!!! IT'S ASA RULES - Very angrily as though I've never bothered to read the rules.
I have read the rules and I know all of the exceptions to "batter has to keep one foot in the box" There is a ton of them! Did I mishandle the situation. What could I have done to better point out that my batter had a right to step out of the box and he shouldn't be "passionately" telling her to keep a foot in. Why did the umpire feel the need to be a jerk about it???
I would just like to know so I can better approach a similar situation in the future.
Thanks,
Dan