Baseball Umpire's Downfall (Grammage)

The main resource that umpires use to help make those split second decisions are baseball rule books.  Every level of play has their own rule book.  Many umpires work many different levels and they are expected to know the many different rules at every level. 

I have found these rule books have a unique language and grammar format. I have found it’s so unique and perplexing, I have decided to create a unique word to describe their language and grammar.  (Grammage).

Reading and understanding (Grammage) can take minutes if you’re lucky, days and years if you’re not. If the powers to be have created  (Grammage) in order to help umpires be able to quickly retain and recall baseball rules, they have failed.

In an English class making five completely different statements in one sentence is called an F, but in the baseball rule book I call it (Grammage). Provide the following sentence to an English teacher and let me know what they think, “The pitching arm shall be at the side or on the hip of the pitcher with the ball in the glove or pitching hand.” Now instantly apply a ruling on the field. How did you do? What did the English teacher say?

(Grammage) is confusing, it’s slow, it produces multiple interpretations, it’s bizarre and yet every baseball rule book uses (Grammage).

Demand an End to Grammage!

Confirm and Verify

Having twenty years of umpiring under my belt and having written Baseball Rules in Black and White, it only makes sense that I follow dozens of umpire sites on line.

Unfortunately what I have come to recognize is what’s sometimes posted as sarcastic humor, half or completely incorrect can soon become an accepted blurred or factual ruling.  There is nothing funny about an incorrect ruling in the middle of a ball game.

Seldom does the umpire’s post list the specific level of play or a rule number that his interpretation applies to. Shouldn’t these be a requirement when defining a rule for others?  

Not all, but some of these threads and posts are helpful. The problem is that umpires cannot accept getting some of their calls correct!

I am not telling anyone to not use these sites, but what I am saying is this.  Use caution, confirm and verify level of play and rule numbers from the official rule book or Baseball Rules in Black and White.

"Your Not Getting Mine!"

After writing Baseball Rules in Black and White, a great sense of appreciation, humility and pride grows daily as powerful events unfold, now months after the book was released. 

Receiving unsolicited praises from National Umpire and Coaches Rules Committee members, Umpire Association Board Members and many dozens of other umpires from across the country is a powerful tribute to the unique format and content of Baseball Rules in Black and White. 

Recently a baseball fan-grandfather (Larry) bought my book, then a week later Larry tells me his baseball coach son-in-law (Buzz) saw the book, and had to have one.  Larry tells Buzz, “You’re not getting mine!”, but I will get another copy for you. Not only did he buy Buzz a copy, Larry asked for additional copies to take to his grandson’s games for other interested fans.

Many more coaches having seen the book immediately understood what it can do and then bought the book. This illustrates the obvious beneficial format and content of Baseball Rules in Black and White.

CWS Div I Umpire Billy Haze endorses Baseball Rules in Black and White

In addition to all this, watching single book sales now becoming one sale of sixteen books is telling, rewarding and inspiring.

Put all these events together, and what it tells me is that Baseball Rules in Black and White is now selling itself, and isn’t that the best testament a book and author could have?

Judgement Call and What it Really Means

Definition of “judgment call”: a subjective decision, ruling, or opinion.              

Definition of “subjective”: based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes or opinions.

Judgement calls are a ball or strike, fair or foul and safe or out, and each of these calls are based on each umpires personal experience, opinion and feelings.  These rulings cannot be argued, but are still frequently questioned. Anyone ever hear, where’d that miss?

                     Baseball Rules in Black and White

When talking to a coach if you want all

all other rulings to be questioned less, (define what the rule book says) and minimize your opinions.

In reality, half of those in attendance at a ball game do not want to hear an umpire’s opinion anyway, no matter what the call is!