Former NL Umpire and Union Pres Bob Engel Dies

Former Major League Umpires Association president and longtime National League umpire crew chief Bob Engel died in Nevada at the age of 84.

Engel, who officiated 3,630 regular season games from his 1965 debut until his final game in April 1990 and wore uniform #5, was selected to six League Championship Series and three World Series, ejecting 33 players and managers along the way (most common ejectee: Joe Torre and Davey Johnson, two times each).

After college and a stint in the US Army, Engel graduated from George Barr Umpire School in 1956 and was assigned to the Sooner State Class D League, working the California and Pacific Coast Leagues before his call-up to the National League in August 1965 and election to President of the Major League Umpires Association in 1974.

Engel withstood the 1979 umpires' strike, which ultimately afforded modern umpires in-season vacations, retirement plans and pensions, increased salaries, and better accommodation including per diems.

His career ended in controversy, charged with stealing over 4,000 baseball cards, cumulatively valued at $143.98, from Target; though Engel worked games even after being arrested, he eventually pleaded no contest to commercial burglary and petty theft, thus ending his baseball career.

A Bakersfield, CA native, Engel is a member of the Kern County Sports Hall of Fame.

Punishment Announced for ABL Dust-Up, Umpire Fined

The Australian Baseball League announced a series of fines for misconduct during February's ABL Championship Series between the Canberra Cavalry and Brisbane Bandits, disciplining two Brisbane coaches, umpire Takahito Matsuda, and both teams collectively.

In the 6th inning of the decisive game, benches cleared twice after a hit batsman and caught stealing play, respectively, drawing two ejections, including that of Brisbane first base coach Adrian Lamb for fighting; replays indicate Lamb pushed an opposing player at the start of the second bench-clearing incident.
Related Post: ABL Ejections - Takahito Matsuda & Bench Clearing (2/14/18).

According to the Disciplinary Review Panel's findings, Lamb and Matsuda each made unreasonable or unnecessary contact with a player/person (first offense), for which each was fined $150 AUS (approximately 117 US dollars). If Lamb and Matsuda plead guilty to the findings, the penalty will be reduced to $100 AUS ($78 US).

Brisbane Manager David Nilsson received a $100 AUS ($78 US) fine for throwing equipment (first offense), which may be reduced to $50 AUS ($39 US) upon an early guilty plea, while both teams were collectively fined $1,350 AUS ($1,052 US) because 27 players and coaches left their positions to partake in an on-field confrontation (27 x $50). No individual player received a financial penalty.

Matsuda's $100 early guilty plea fine exceeds the ABL umpire's game fee, according to a league source. The $150 "full" penalty amount constitutes 200% of the ABL's standard per-game officiating rate.

According to ABL disciplinary procedure, all parties have the option of contesting the panel's decision with the ABL Tribunal, whose decision may be appealed for a fee of $500 ($250 of which is non-refundable). If the appeal is successful, $250 is returned, but if it fails, the defeated party forfeits the entire $500.

Declaring a Tie - NCAA Game Ends After Ump Hurt

Tuesday's Florida Southern vs Mount Olive NCAA Division II baseball game ended in a scoreless tie after the home plate umpire left due to injury in the game's 7th inning.

Jim Joyce umpires from behind the mound.

Having sustained a foul ball injury in the 5th inning, Tuesday's home plate umpire persevered through the 6th and into the 7th, until a rotation play forced the issue as the afflicted plate umpire ran to cover a baserunner advancing to third base on a single to right field; the umpire ended up at a local hospital due to the game-related injury.

With a two-person officiating crew assigned to this inter-conference matchup, both head coaches agreed to end the game in a 7th inning tie rather than continue with one umpire. It was the finale of a brief two-game series.

College Rule: NCAA baseball rules allow for tie games: "Any regulation game called by the umpire with the score tied shall be declared a 'tie' game. Note: All individual and team averages from a tie game shall be incorporated into the official playing record" (5-10-b). Because the game was called in the 7th inning, it was a regulation ballgame (having gone at least five innings). Meanwhile, Rule 3-6-h states, "No umpire may be replaced in a game unless the individual becomes ill or injured." So while the umpire technically could have been replaced, with an out of conference Division II matchup (announced attendance: 25), it would have been highly unlikely for a replacement to be nearby.

Professional Rule: In professional baseball, a regulation game called with the score tied becomes a suspended game that must be completed at a future date (OBR 7.02(a)). If this same regulation suspended game is subsequently not completed prior to the last scheduled regular season game between the two teams, it becomes a "tie game" pursuant to Rule 7.02(b)(4)(B), unless either of the two teams involved would need to play the game in order to determine postseason eligibility or seeding, in which case the game must be completed prior to the playoffs. OBR 10.03(e)(1) instructs the official scorer to "record all individual and team actions up to the moment the game ends," with the exception of winning and losing pitchers.

OBR's replacement rule 8.02(d) states, "No umpire may be replaced during a game unless he is injured or becomes ill." Generally speaking, an umpire injured in a four-person game causes the crew to assume three-person mechanics, three umps beget two, etc.
Related Post: Dale Scott Exits with Injury, Joyce Umps Behind Mound (3/5/15).

Retrosheet maintains a repository of umpire changes during games dating back to 1871 (reason: "catch train"). According to the database, the last MLB umpire replacement occurred on July 14, 2011, when Cory Blaser entered the Brewers-Rockies game in its 4th inning to replace 2B Umpire Brian O'Nora, who had left shortly after the game began due to back pain.

From tmac:

Blaser umpired the AAA All-Star game in Salt Lake [on Wednesday, July 13] and was not scheduled to work another game until Friday [July 15] so he WAS sitting at home. When O'Nora got to the locker room [during the game on Thursday, July 14] and was deemed unfit to return, MLB execs called Blaser who must be able to drive very quickly (or was at the game having a beer (JOKE!)). This is a very unusual situation, as the ONLY time an umpire would be home (unless home is a city he works) would be during an all star break. I must start looking at a calender (or at least buy one).

Cubs-Pirates game ends in a tie.

Historical Note: The last tie in Major League Baseball occurred on September 30, 2016, when the evening's Cubs-Pirates game was called due to rain in the top of the 6th inning with a 2-2 score. Because that game was the last scheduled contest between the two teams for the 2016 regular season, and because the Cubs had already clinched home field advantage through the League Championship Series (best National League record...home field advantage for the 2016 World Series was decided by whichever league won the All-Star Game, the final year of MLB's 14-year "this time it counts" experiment), whereas Pittsburgh had already been eliminated from postseason contention, the game was declared final pursuant to OBR 7.02(b)(4)(B).
Related Post: Anatomy of a Tie as Cubs-Pirates Game Ends in 1-1 Draw (9/30/16).

High School Rule: Under NFHS Rule 4-2-2, any game called at the end of five+ innings with the score tied shall be recorded as a "tie game," unless the state association has instituted a specific policy to address ties. As in the other codes, all individual and team statistics count for seasonal totals, but the game doesn't factor into a team's win-loss record. The NFHS umpire replacement rule is 10-1-6 ("No umpire may be replaced during a game unless he becomes ill or is injured").

Tuesday's was the final game of the Mocs-Trojans series and game time had been moved up in the day due to forecasted inclement weather later in the evening.

Wrap: Florida Southern Moccasins vs Mount Olive Trojans, 3/6/18

Odd Position - Limits of a Legal Pitching Delivery

What exactly is a legal pitching delivery and is there a limit to what a pitcher can do on the mound?

Red Sox P Raudes brings hands over his head.

Meet Boston's Roniel Raudes, whose odd pre-pitch motion breaks the standard Windup vs Set Position rules with no runners aboard, and calls into question common conventions ordinarily associated with pitching.

The Legal Pitching Delivery Rule 5.07: Official Baseball Rule 5.07(a) identifies and describes only two pitching positions—Windup and Set—as legal, setting restrictions and penalties for misuse. To determine the legality of Raudes' ritual, in which he brings both arms above his head while knees buckle every which way, we need to figure out if Raudes is pitching out of Windup or Set Position.

The positions as described in 5.07(a)(1) and (2) are:

Simplified diagram of Windup vs Set Position.

5.07(a)(1), Windup Position: Occurs when a pitcher stands facing the batter, with the pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate (aka "the rubber") and the other foot free. In professional and college (NCAA) ball, the free foot can be positioned anywhere; in high school (NFHS), the free foot must be on or behind the rubber's front edge (the free foot needn't touch the rubber, but having both feet on the rubber is permissible). From here, any natural movement associated with delivery commits him to pitch to the batter without interruption or alteration. The pitcher is allowed to take one step backwards and one step forward with the free foot.

IN WINDUP POSITION, GENERALLY*: The pitcher's pivot foot is perpendicular to the rubber (⊤).

5.07(a)(2), Set Position: Occurs when a pitcher stands facing the batter with the pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate and the other foot entirely in front of the plate. In high school, the pivot food must be entirely inside the rubber's edges.

IN SET POSITION, GENERALLY*: The pitcher's pivot foot is parallel to the rubber (=).

SIDEBAR, BOTH POSITIONS: Pursuant to Rule 5.07(a) Comment, "The pitcher may not take a second step toward home plate with either foot or otherwise reset his pivot foot in his delivery of the pitch." Also known as the Carter Capps crow-hop, this is an illegal pitch with the bases empty, or balk with runners aboard.
Related Post: Carter Capps Throws Illegal Pitch, Ejected After Hitting Ump (6/26/17).

Raudes pitches out of Set Position.

Analysis & Conclusion: Returning our attention to Boston pitcher Raudes, because his pivot foot (right foot) is oriented parallel to the rubber, it can be presumed he is in Set Position. As for his odd maneuver in bringing his hands and arms above his head BEFORE COMING SET, the rule makes no point of prohibiting the action; because no runners exist, he needn't stop once set. Key is the following section of 5.07(a)(2):

Before assuming Set Position, the pitcher may elect to make any natural preliminary motion such as that known as “the stretch.” But if he so elects, he shall come to Set Position before delivering the ball to the batter. After assuming Set Position, any natural motion associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without alteration or interruption.

Preparatory to coming to a set position, the pitcher shall have one hand on his side; from this position he shall go to his set position as defined in Rule 5.07(a)(2) without interruption and in one continuous motion.

Therefore, Raudes' preliminary motion—a so-called extended stretch, as it were—is legal (and, oddly, "natural"), even though he is engaged and standing on the pitcher's plate throughout the move. It may be unorthodox, but as long as this preliminary motion occurs in one continuous motion, is consistently performed before every pitch (so as to be "natural") and concludes prior to entering Set Position, it is a legal play under OBR.

Usual: Perpendicular = Windup; Parallel = Set.

*SIDEBAR, Hybrid Position: As the accompanying diagram illustrates, a pivot foot at 90-degree angle to the rubber indicates Windup Position, while a pivot foot parallel to the rubber indicates Set Position...but what of a foot at a 45-degree (or so) angle?

After Dan Iassogna ejected Padres then-Manager Pat Murphy for arguing a balk call related to a hybrid stance, baseball's Rules Committee adopted 5.07(a)(2) Comment in order to address hybrid stances, noting that with a runner on base, a pitcher will be presumed to be in Set Position if the pivot foot is in contact with and parallel to the rubber, unless the pitcher notifies the umpire that he will be pitching from Windup Position.
Related Post: MLB Ejection 163: Dan Iassogna (3; Pat Murphy) (8/16/15).

A quick glance at the free foot requirement.

Thus, if any assumption or question exists, the "default" standard with runners on is to presume the pitcher is in Set Position.

It should be noted that "hybrid" is illegal in high school baseball (or, perhaps more accurately, there is no such thing as Hybrid Stance in high school), because the position of the free foot in Windup and Set Positions under this rules code are mutually exclusive; in Windup, the free foot must be on or behind the front edge of the pitcher's plate, while in Set, the free foot must be entirely in front of the front edge (the exclusivity prohibits an ambiguous "hybrid" state). In pro/college, however, the free foot in Windup is not restricted in the same way as it is in HS, so the "NFHS 'Tell'" graphic is not applicable to higher levels of baseball (OBR's change to Windup Position occurred prior to the 2007 MLB season). Hence, OBR's 2017 adoption of Rule 5.07(a)(2) Comment.
Related Post: Balk - Pitcher Blown Off Mound, OBR Adopts Hybrid Rule (5/7/17).

Video as follows:

Wanted Dead or Alive - Recording a Backswing Strikeout

Dodgers pitcher Brian Moran struck out Giants batter Andrew McCutchen Sunday afternoon on an eventual dead ball due to unintentional backswing contact that sent two stealing runners back to the bases whence they came. The following rules refresher clarifies interference vs. backswing contact, and busts a potential rule myth related to this play occurring with two strikes on the batter.

Plate Umpire Ripperger tracks the play.

With one out and two on (R1, R2) in the bottom of the 3rd inning of the Dodgers-Giants game, Giants batter McCutchen swung and missed a 3-2 pitch from Moran as baserunners R2 Joe Panik and R1 Brandon Belt attempted to advance, Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal's throw to third baseman Logan Forsythe arriving as Panik slid safely into the base.

With replays indicating McCutchen's follow-through made contact with Grandal during the course of his throw, HP Umpire Mark Ripperger ruled the play dead and sent the runners back to their bases of origin.

The Rule: OBR 6.03(a)(3) states, "A batter is out for illegal action when—He interferes with the catcher’s fielding or throwing by stepping out of the batter’s box or making any other movement that hinders the catcher’s play at home base."

Meanwhile, 6.03(a)(3) & (4) Comment states, "If, however, the catcher makes a play and the runner attempting to advance is put out, it is to be assumed there was no actual interference and that runner is out—not the batter...If a batter strikes at a ball and misses and swings so hard he carries the bat all the way around and, in the umpire’s judgment, unintentionally hits the catcher or the ball in back of him on the backswing, it shall be called a strike only (not interference). The ball will be dead, however, and no runner shall advance on the play."

Unlike Cutch, Travis was out.

Analysis: Plate umpire Ripperger administered this play properly. McCutchen's actions on Grandal did not cause the ball to become dead immediately, but once his throw failed to retire baserunner Panik, the ball became dead due to unintentional backswing contact.
Penalty: Runners return, batter is charged a strike (with a 3-2 count, McCutchen was out on three strikes, but NOT on interference).

As for the question of potential batter interference, McCutchen remained in the batter's box (a legal position) for the entire sequence, and, save for the bat contacting Grandal, committed no other infraction. Even though he swung and missed, he is still granted permission to stand in the batter's box through the completion of his natural swing/at-bat movement.

This is most certainly not an example of potential retired batter/runner's interference: because unintentional backswing contact is not "true" interference, this play cannot qualify for such "retired batter/runner's interference" consideration. For a related play that should clear up why backswing contact doesn't result in a runner being declared out if it's strike three on the batter, refer to the following Case Play link from 2016 concerning a 2-2 swing-and-a-miss by Red Sox batter David Ortiz. There is no "double whammy" in professional ball.
Related Post: Case Play 2016-9 - A Backswing on Strike 3 [Solved] (8/26/16).

• IMPORTANT NOTE (Baseball Rules Difference): NFHS (high school) rules does allow for a "double whammy" if the follow-through contact occurs with two strikes on the batter because, under high school rules, follow-through contact is interference. The double play isn't automatic, but it can be called if the umpire rules the interference prevented the defense from getting a second out.
• In NCAA (college), like in MiLBUD/PBUC, "on a third strike, the ball is dead and the batter is out." Return the runners; unintentional backswing contact is not interference.
• Finally, unintentional backswing contact is the term used in college and pro ball, while high school uses the term "follow-through interference." It does not matter whether the contact was intentional or not at the high school level; any follow-through contact between bat and catcher that hinders the catcher's further play is interference that causes the batter to be declared out (unless, for example, with less than two out, a runner stealing home is tagged out, in which case the ball remains live and interference is ignored), or, with two strikes on the batter, may subject the offense to a "double whammy" (both batter and runner declared out) if the umpire believes the interference prevented a possible double play.
• Backswing interference in high school is a different infraction entirely and occurs when the batter's bat contacts the catcher prior to the pitcher's delivery, and results in an immediate dead ball (reset the play).

By contrast, on April 24, 2017, umpire Toby Basner riled up Toronto with a batter interference declaration in Anaheim when he ruled that Blue Jays batter Devon Travis, in stepping out of the batter's box while swinging at strike three, interfered with Angels catcher Martin Maldonado's throw (which was unsuccessful in retiring a baserunner). The key difference, naturally, is that while both McCutchen and Travis made bat contact with the respective catchers on the backswing, Travis illegally stepped out of the batter's box, as in 6.03(a)(3), whereas McCutchen remained in the box. Travis = INT (batter out, runners return); Cutch = Backswing Contact (Dead ball strike, runners return).
Related Post: Sorry Toronto - Batter's Interference Call Was Correct (4/24/17).

Wrap: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants (Spring Training), 3/4/18 | Video as follows:

Sun Belt Suspends Umpires for Officiating Errors

Sun Belt Commissioner Karl Benson suspended four NCAA Division I baseball umpires for apparent erroneous judgment calls during Sunday's Wright State-Louisiana game in the wake of Louisiana head coach Tony Robichaux's ejection for arguing a reversed home run call in Wright State's 4-3 victory.

Pursuant to Game Misconduct Rule 2-5-15, Robichaux received a two-game suspension for his post-ejection actions. It is important to note that Robichaux's two-game suspension is a mandatory NCAA penalty, whereas the umpires' one-game suspensions were issued by the conference.

NCAA Baseball Rule 2-5-15-a-4 states:

No team personnel may continue to argue or to continue to excessively express themselves with prolonged actions or offensive language after an ejection. PENALTY—After an ejection an additional two-game suspension.

Robichaux's ejection followed a 7th inning fly ball to deep right-center field off the bat of Louisiana's Daniel Lahare, initially ruled a home run, but reversed to a double upon crew consultation. At the center of the debate was whether the ball hit the top of the outfield wall or whether it hit the trunk of a pine tree beyond the fence before caroming back into play.

According to the Ragin' Cajuns—who epitomized the team nickname on Sunday—the umpires erred on several calls, including an out call at home plate, a home run hit by Louisiana's Kole McKinnon that purportedly should have remained in play, and a game-ending play at first base that resulted in an out.

At his Tuesday press conference, Robichaux took responsibility for his team's "mediocre" start to the season, and said, "As I told them when I came out after the ejection...the umpires didn't do anything. We had runners at second and third...

"You've gotta own up to where you are and you can't start blaming anything. You have to have extreme ownership and from there, you have to up your conviction, not lower it...

"You've got so much low hanging fruit that you can hang onto right now, they could survive the rest of the year on it...If I went around blaming something on an umpire or injuries, who cares? Nobody wants to listen about your injuries; [we're] 2-5."

Commissioner Benson declined to comment on any specific play when announcing umpire suspensions:

The baseball umpire crew from the Wright State versus Louisiana series will be relieved of all duties for one game due to the multiple officiating errors that occurred on Sunday, February 25.  The decision was made by Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Karl Benson on Wednesday.

Wrap: Wright State vs. #20 Louisiana (NCAA Div I Baseball), 2/25/18 | Video as follows:

Perry Barber Wins SABR Lifetime Achievement Award

Veteran professional umpire Perry Lee Barber won the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR)'s inaugural Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to candidates with sustained involvement in women's baseball or any woman associated with baseball.

Barber began officiating baseball in 1981, encountering a coach in just her second game as an umpire who took his Little League team off a baseball diamond in Palm Springs in protest of Barber's presence, as a woman, on the playing field.

Perry Barber has umpired for over 36 years.

Said Barber, "My mother loved baseball and encouraged me to start reading about it. I didn't even like baseball until I was 27 years old."

Barber credits historian Larry Gerlach's 1980 book, The Men in Blue: Conversations with Umpires, as steering her toward the umpiring craft, which has drawn assignments in high school, college, amateur, and international baseball, as well as assignor and supervisor responsibilities in the independent Atlantic League. She also has officiated several Spring Training exhibition contests and campaigned for women's inclusion in professional baseball.

The complete list of women to have umpired in the Major/Minor League baseball system includes:
Bernice Gera (1972);
Christine Wren (1975-77);
Pam Postema (1977-89);
Theresa Cox Fairlady (1989-91);
Ria Cortesio (1999-2007);
Shanna Kook (2003-04);
Jen Pawol (2016-);
Emma Charlesworth-Seiler (2017-2020).

Kate Sargeant additionally made the PBUC evaluation course in 2008, finishing 43rd.

Barber attended Harry Wendelstedt's umpire school in 1982 ('83, '84, '85 & 2005) along with her late twin sister, Warren, "so that we could always work together and guarantee that I wasn't the only woman," and assigned several major league fantasy camps, most prominently, the Mets'.

She is a board member for the International Women's Baseball Center, an advisor at Baseball for All, and continues to assign and officiate several baseball leagues and tournaments.

The award is named for Dorothy Seymour Mills, who collaborated with Dr. Harold Seymour to author various baseball research publications. SABR's existing Seymour Medal is an annual award honoring the best book of baseball history or biography published over the course of the preceding year.

News: Perry Barber wins inaugural Dorothy Seymour Mills Award | Video via "Read More"

Injury Scout - Brian Knight Out on Spring Training Foul Ball

Brian Knight exited Wednesday's Indians-Angels Spring Training game for precautionary reasons after taking a foul ball off the mask in the later stages of Cleveland's blowout win over Anaheim LA.

Umpire injury befalls BK early in Arizona.

With one out and none on in the top of the 7th inning, Indians batter Will Benson fouled off a 2-0 fastball from Angels pitcher Luke Bard, the ball striking Knight in the center of his traditional-style facemask.

Knight remained in the contest through the completion of the 7th inning, after which he was replaced behind home plate by crewmate Jim Reynolds, as crew chief Ted Barrett and fellow field umpire Alfonso Marquez worked the bases for the remainder of the contest.

Relevant Injury History: Knight missed a majority of the 2017 season due to what he described as a "severe neck injury." Prior to that, Knight left the September 9, 2016 Dodgers-Marlins game on a deflected hit-by-pitch, and the April 18, 2015 Phillies-Nationals game when catcher Jose Lobaton failed to catch a Blake Treinen fastball.

Last Game: February 28 | Return to Play: March 2 | Time Absent: 1 Day | Video as follows:

So it Begins - Mound Visit Charged on Injury Timeout

When Twins pitcher Phil Hughes walked to home plate to check on catcher Mitch Garver, who had just taken a foul ball off his mask early in Monday's Cardinals-Twins game, Minnesota was surprised to learn that HP Umpire Jeff Kellogg had charged them with a mound visit, one of six allowed under baseball's new pace of play rules for 2018.
Related Post: 2018 Pace of Play Changes Limit Mound Visits, No Clock (2/19/18).

A pitcher conferring with an injured catcher?

Pursuant to MLB's new mound visit limit, any pitcher who leaves the mound to confer with a teammate during an at-bat shall cause his team to incur a charged mound visit. Although the rule provides an exemption for a pitcher who may be injured, there is no reciprocal exemption for another position player who may be hurt, and who is attended to by the pitcher.

Though Hughes stated his visit to Garver strictly pertained to a check on his catcher's wellbeing, rather than a discussion of strategy, he also understood from Kellogg that such a visit fits the pace-of-play bill—at least for now.

Twins Manager Paul Molitor vowed to take up the issue with MLB Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre in the hopes of carving out a formal exemption that would allow a pitcher to attend to a potentially injured catcher during an at-bat without being charged a mound visit, as already exists for a catcher who might attend to a potentially injured pitcher.

If the rulebook says "catcher," it's only F2.

SIDEBAR: We ran into a somewhat similar problem of pitcher vs. catcher language in the rules book during a June 2014 game at Dodger Stadium, when plate umpire Mike Everitt ruled Dodgers baserunner Dee Gordon out at home plate on a wild pitch that eluded Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who threw to pitcher Lance Lynn as Gordon slid into home plate. Though replays clearly indicated that Lynn appeared to block home plate in contravention of then-Rule 7.13, closer examination of the rule indicates that the catcher is the restricted fielder: the rule as written did not apply to the pitcher, and a Replay Review decision upheld Everitt's initial out/no violation call.
Related Post: MLB Instant Replay Review 618: Mike Everitt (04) (6/28/14).

The language issue persists in modern-day rule 6.01(i)(2), which states, "Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score." The language "or other player covering home plate" applies only to 6.01(i)(1), regarding a runner who may be declared out from deviating "from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate)."

Thus, it would be reasonable to conclude that if the Rules Committee wrote a pace-of-play rule to specifically identify "the pitcher" as opposed to "a fielder," then that rule only applies to "the pitcher"—at least for now.

Molitor hopes an exception will be made, a memo released, or the rule rewritten, to encompass any injury, such as a pitcher attending to an injured catcher or a catcher visiting the mound to allow a downed plate umpire time to recover from a foul ball injury.

Meanwhile, Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle, in the aftermath of his own discussion with Torre, reminded baseball fans regarding the new pace of play rules, "it's not a finished product."

2018 UEFL Draft and Registration Now Open

Announcing registration and UEFL draft, now open for the 2018 Umpire ejection Fantasy League season.

Welcome to the 2018 Umpire Ejection Fantasy League preseason. This year's registration and draft form is now available and shall be due in one month's time (see below for precise deadlines).

You may both register and draft your umpires at the same time or draft your umpires in phases, pursuant to UEFL Rule 1. All registrants will automatically be entered into both the standard and UEFL Express (umpire points only) divisions.

Relevant Links for the 2018 UEFL Season
2018 UEFL Registration and Draft Form | Free UEFL Digest E-mail Subscription
UEFL Rules Book | 2018 Season MLB Umpire Crews | Sortable Ump Roster

The UEFL Rules have been updated for 2018.

Registration Procedures, Eligibility, and the Draft
Participation in the UEFL is free and open to any visitor who wishes to play. Users play by drafting umpire crews consisting of one Crew Chief, two Primary Umpires, and two Secondary Umpires; there may be other opportunities to earn points during the season, such as through Case Play questions and scenarios.

In order to draft a crew of umpires, you will need to complete the 2018 UEFL Registration and Draft form; you may use the same username as before if you participated in the past. Although guest commenting is enabled, UEFL Rules 4-7 and 6-1 state that users must be logged into the DISQUS commenting platform in order to initiate challenges.

Registration, Draft, and Roster Deadlines as follows:
Friday, March 23, 2018: Last day to register for the 2018 UEFL (registration closed).
Monday, March 26, 2018: Last day to submit unrestricted Primary & Secondary Umpires.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018: Last day to submit unrestricted Crew Chief selections.
Thursday, March 29, 2018: Regular season begins.

Appeals Board - UEFL Rule 6-4-a
This season, there are no vacancies on the UEFL Appeals Board; thus, there will be no nominations.
The 2018 UEFL Appeals Board is as follows:
4x: Gil (Commissioner, Chair), Jeremy (Deputy), tmac (Assistant), RichMSN (Charter Member).
5x: Arik G, cyclone14, MarkCanada, jvick2017, MLBUmpireObserver.

You may reply to this post with any questions you may have. Registration form is embedded below: