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TOPIC: Tournament tips |
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| Dennis (Hosanna)
August 13, 2009
1:25:53 PM
Entry #: 3245191
| The tournament is nearing, so I thought I'd post some tips particularly for the new teams in the league.
1) The league supplies carded umpires certified under Softball Canada. Note that even carded umpires are not infallible. . .especially in a one-umpire system. If you disagree with a judgement call, you simply have to live with it. If you disagree with a rule application, there are ways to deal with that (i.e. protest, if it's important enough). Ask politely if you have a question. And please realise that the umpires will be putting in a substantial time commitment, and depending on umpire availability, they may or may not be getting any breaks.
2) Jewellry. Please leave it at home. This includes earings, necklaces, watches, bracelets, etc (but NOT medic-alert devices). We're there to play ball, not to look good. Softball Canada says jewelry needs to be removed. We have no league houserule on jewellry to modify this, so if the umpire sees you come to bat with jewelry, he is to ask you to remove it. If you refuse, then he removes you from the game (i.e. you are ineligible to continue in the game). But please also note that most leagues around here have an auto-out rule if a batter enters the batter's box with jewelry, so don't be surprised if a carded umpire calls the out (though he shouldn't).
But please make it simple and leave the jewelry at home. If you have something small that you really don't want (or cannot) take out, then here's a tip cover it with opaque (not clear) tape! Umpires are told by the association not to go looking for trouble, so they won't question taped jewelry (if they didn't see the jewelry beforehand).
3) Schedule. The games are on a tight schedule. Please be there on time! Warm up outside the diamond BEFORE your game time. Hustle on and off the field between half innings. Do not bring a ball onto the field for practise after the first inning. Keep track of the time even if you made a great comeback, it may not count for anything if you run out of time. If the umpire didn't announce the last inning, and if neither team was hindered by the 7-run cap, then you have no case for pleading for another inning. By rule, the umpire should be invoking the Softball Canada mercy rule if the run differential is met. And when your game is over, clear the dugouts to make room for the next teams.
4) Fences. The diamonds at John Fry are all fenced. This means that unlike our regular-season diamonds, very few overthrown balls will likely go out of bounds, so the ball will usually be live and in play. As a runner, this means you can advance as far as you'd like though you'll be in jeopardy. As a fielder, this means you want to retrieve stray balls quickly to either stop the runners or make a play.
5) Team at bat. Keep your bats and gloves off the field. Keep players off the field except for active runners, batters, on-deck batters, and base coaches. Everybody else should stay off the field.
Other tips?
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| Jon W
August 14, 2009
12:29:54 PM
Entry #: 3246134
| #6) No Ringers! It is specically stated in our league rules that only players who have played at least 3 round robin games (this year!) can participate in the tournament, yet every year there are teams that bring in at least one, and sometimes multiple players who haven't played during the season. (It's pretty clear when you watch teams explaining rules to some of their players either before or during a game)
There is really no way for the league to keep track of this, so it is completely based on the honor system. So please honor this system.
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