2018 Blessings and Empowerment

Reflecting at years end on what we have done and where we are, can be an empowering instrument of revitalization and motivation. After dozens of exhausting weeks of battling the routine of daily life, it can become difficult to stay focused, overcome negativity and simply continue to believe in what you are trying to accomplish is worthwhile.

Baseball Rules in Black and White signed a five-year author’s agreement with The Cardinal Publishing Group and Blue River Press. The 2019 NFHS & NCAA Baseball Rules in Black and White manuscripts were produced and will be released January 2019.

Mr. Bradley Hungerford, The Executive Instructional Chairman of the California Baseball Umpires Association endorsed the 2019 NFHS Baseball Rules in Black and White.

The National HighSchool Baseball Coaches Association endorsed the 2019 NFHS Baseball Rules in Black and White edition and is partnering to promote NFHS rule education for umpires and coaches using their weekly newsletter.

We have broken ground on two future projects: Official Baseball Rules in Black and White and a Baseball Rules in Black and White IT prototype.

We have maintained and enhanced the Baseball Rules in Black and White website with an interactive umpire and coach’s education page.

I had the privilege to umpire over seventy awesome baseball games for the Northern California Officials Association and Rancho Cordova Officials Associations. 

I cannot express in words my gratefulness for having the loving support and encouragement of family, friends and peers over the years, and what it has meant to me personally. This is why looking back on 2018 was so important, to see the many gifts and rewards Baseball Rules in Black and White has been blessed to attain, we are truly in awe and empowered by these achievements.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Jim Bettencourt, look out 2019 - here we come!

Baseball Rules, Coaches and Umpires

BaseballRules in Black and White is honored to provide the National High School Coaches Association a series of informative articles pertaining to the rules of high school baseball.

Throughout the history of baseball coaches and umpires have had a strained love-hate relationship. At the pregame meetings smiles and handshakes, but once the game begins those welcoming gestures can soon become scorn and contempt by all. 

Personally, having been on both sides of this equation has provided me first hand insight. As a player who later coached, I was sure I had a solid understanding of the rules of the game and had little time for umpires. After becoming an umpire, I quickly realized that I knew the basic rules of the game and not much more beyond that.

One explanation why, I as a player and coach only knew the basic rules of the game, I was way too busy playing, coaching and having fun to ever take the significant time needed to study a baseball rule book. Besides after playing the game so long, I surely had learned all the rules. Right? Wrong!

Now after twenty years as an umpire, it has become too apparent that baseball rule books are complex, they are not fun and for many reasons. For starters, consider the perplexing rule book language and the extra small font. Another problem, one infraction can have several important related rulings scattered (hidden) throughout the book. It is also nearly impossible to quickly locate and process one ruling, that alone multiple related rulings. These are the realities of the baseball rule book and why many players and coaches choose to play the game and leave the exhausting rule book to the umpires.

The National High School Baseball Coaches Association and Baseball Rules in Black andWhite’s goal is to build a long overdue bridge, built with improved communication, mutual respect and enhanced rule knowledge. This is the beginning step in our efforts to create a bridge between Umpires and Coaches that can expand the respectful handshakes throughout every game.  

Umpires Undermined by Rule Committee Apathy

45 Foot Running Lane

The forty-five-foot running lane, begins half way between home plate and first base, then ends at first base. It is completely in foul ground. Even the description of the forty-five-foot running lane is confusing. I consider the official rulings regarding the forty-five-foot running lane as some of the most overly simplistic and frequently misinterpreted rules in baseball.

If you’re reading this book, it is a pretty good chance you saw the play in the 2019 World Series where with two outs the batter-runner Cody Bellinger ran the entire distance to first base in fair territory, the catcher’s throw was to the inside of the bag, batter-runner collided with and the first-baseman’s arm / glove and the ball ended up in right field allowing a run to score and no Running Lane Violation called. The next batter up followed with a three-run homer.

Months before the World Series non-call, I watched a play where a batter-runner hit a soft bouncer to the pitcher. The batter-runner was one-third the way down the running lane, with both of his feet clearly in fair-ground, clearly not in the forty-five-foot running lane. The batter-runner then runs full speed into the pitcher who holds the ball while tagging the batter-runner, while completely standing over fair ground. For all intent and purpose, clearly a running lane violation.

Umpires ruled obstruction and awarded the batter-runner first base. They stated the first baseman who was attempting to play the ball alongside the pitcher, was blocking the batter-runners path in the running lane. In reality neither of the defensive players or the batter-runner were ever inside the running lane during the playing action.

 It may seem like I’m committing the cardinal sin of bagging on fellow umpires, but you are wrong. I’m bagging on the rule language provided as the one and only resource umpires have to make rulings. The rule language for the Running Lane Violation is some the most limited and wishy-washy in baseball. There are official rule committees that oversee the baseball rule language, their inability to produce clear and precise rule language perpetuates this problem

Referee Magazine - NFHS article “Nine Rules You Thought You Knew”

proclaims the forty-five foot running lane violation is to protect the defense from being screened while making a play and goes on to state if the ball is not fielded in the plate area and thrown down the line to first base the forty-five-foot running lane doesn’t matter. Mind you, none of this language is in the official NFHS rule book pertaining to a forty-five-foot running lane violation.

Again, here we have an official rule committee that oversees high school baseball rule language, their inability to produce clear and precise rule language perpetuates this problem.  I could be way off base (no pun intended), but another line of thought regarding the forty-five-foot running lane, it’s for both safety and as an interference protection. Intended to provide a safe running lane for the batter-runner and at the same time protect defensive players from interference by a runner going at full speed.  

The one sure thing I can take away from forty-five foot running lane violation is that it does not happen often, but when it does happen its frequently misinterpreted. This is a perfect example of when rule language fails to give a clear and definitive meaning, it causes arbitrary, confusing or worse no ruling at all.

Confession of an Umpire in Black and White

After a lifetime of baseball and seventeen years of umpiring, I feared the convoluted rulings and scattered format in official baseball rule books, so I did what most people do when they dislike or fear something. I made excuses. I told myself I did not need to know the correct version of that ruling, I would give my opinion and then suffer with the consequences. Bottom line I was lying  to myself but not anymore!

Out of pure frustration, I faced my fears head on, and over the last three years we created a unique series of books called Baseball Rules in Black and White . These exceptional educational resources can successfully advance anyone's baseball rule knowledge and application on the field. For those who want to better understand, apply and articulate the rules of baseball, these are must read books.

How do I know these educational resources are effective? Because it's personal!  Baseball Rules in Black and White content and format have improved my personal umpiring rule knowledge and ability to recognize an infraction.  It has also greatly improved my ability to correctly apply related rulings and articulate why rulings were made.

Are the content and format in standard baseball rule books causing you to have lack of confidence, hesitation and doubt on the field? Even worse, are you like I was articulating opinions, then suffering with the consequences? I believe I have the answer to these problems in Black and White.  

If you want to feel empowered about the rules of baseball, you will be pleased to know that yesterday I submitted the 2019 High School Edition of Baseball Rules in Black and White to my publisher. The 2019 College Edition of Baseball Rules in Black and White will soon follow. These effective educational resources will be available January 1, 2019. 

If I Could

If I could, here are four things I would change about the Delayed Dead Ball & Immediate Dead Ball Tables in the NFHS rule book.  Here is my list, and yes some apply to the entire rule book

1.    Font size

Suggestion: Definitely make the font size bigger.

2   2. Categorize the activities

Suggestion: Categorize activities by Batted Balls, Thrown Balls, Interference or Obstruction. This could possibly help find what you’re looking much quicker.

3    3. Table Format

Suggestion: Maybe not cram 38 activates, awards & penalties onto two

small pages.

4    4. Location of penalties / awards to activities

Suggestion: Place the penalty / award directly under the activity. This would make it less likely to get the wrong penalty or award.

 If you like these suggestions or believe they have merit, there is good news. One of the new chapters in Baseball Rules in Black and White’s 2019 High School Edition is Dead Ball Guide, Delayed & Immediate. Because I could, I converted the old table into a Baseball Rules in Black and White reader friendly format by implementing my “If I could” list.

There will be some who say they like the Delayed Dead Ball & Immediate Dead Ball Tables in the NFHS rule book just fine. Some may even say its been that way for years, leave it alone and to everyone who enjoys the current format, please continue using it.

For everyone else there is now an alternative, Baseball Rules in Black and White’s 2019 High School Edition, coming January 1, 2019

"A Better Way to Learn and Apply the Rules of Baseball"!

Why “A Better Way to Learn and Apply the Rules of Baseball” for Baseball Rules in Black and White’s official tag line? Because, our book’s unique content and sequenced format allows the reader to easily learn the entirety of a ruling, which makes applying a ruling correctly when needed more likely.

When you only have seconds to make a correct ruling, your recall must be clear and accurate. Rule books that provide complicated, arbitrary, partial or scattered information, will quickly turn seconds into a very long day.

Nothing complicated, nothing fancy, just a simple statement, regarding an educational resource endorsed by umpires from all across the country. These are the reasons why Baseball Rules in Black and White truly is “A Better Way to Learn and Apply the Rules of Baseball”!

As the Executive Instructional Chairman, California Baseball Umpires I am well aware of the challenges umpires face every season simply interpreting the rules of baseball. These challenges of the baseball rule book can reduce an umpire’s ability to clearly retain and correctly call a ruling during a game. This is especially true for newer umpires, but also impacts veteran umpires.

I have waited years for an enhanced version of the high school rule book to become available to address these challenges and now, Baseball Rules in Black and White is here! Gone are the days of randomly searching for a rule, just to find arbitrary rule language.  Or have the rule book direct me to three additional rules that are possibly related, or not in two other sections of the rule book. 

2019 High School & College Editions - January 1

CBUA Executive Instructional Chairman Endorsement

We at Baseball Rules in Black and White are honored to have the  California Baseball Umpires Association  Executive Instructional Chairman Mr. Bradley Hungerford's official endorsement for our upcoming 2019 High School Edition. 

"It is my opinion Baseball Rules in Black and White’s 2019 High School Edition reader friendly content and format should be read and studied by every high school umpire and coach across the country."

Mr. Bradley Hungerford. 

CBUA Executive Instructional Chairman

Umpires Perspective

Many umpires have heard phrases such as “Don’t have rabbit ears” or “Don’t go picking boogers.” While the intended meanings of these terms may be to help an umpire’s game, they can also help lead to bigger concerns. By overlooking beginning signs of problems, you may also be ignoring bad behavior, harassment and fanning the flames for later innings.

Chirping about your strike zone, sitting on buckets out of the dugout, multiple players out of dugout during live ball play, are all warning signs indicating you are allowing things to degrade unchecked.

These infractions are against the rules, the rules we umpires get paid to enforce. If you do choose to ignore the chirping and infractions, you are telling everyone it is allowed, that you are easy and will take it. You are giving the keys to the zoo to the monkeys, and you are no longer managing the game. They are.

As an umpire it’s easy to get lulled into an everything is wonderful feeling as nothing of alarm has shown itself that day or ten games into the season. Then comes game 15 in the season, and then suddenly, it’s on. Two closely competitive Division I teams, one high octane coaching staff whose attitudes are driving their players and loud, over the top fans.

Then to add to your incoming storm we have the blaring sound system between innings. This is when you since that the game is becoming out of control and the game has all the elements needed to test your metal and sanity as an umpire.

As the game quickly continues going south, you should set boundaries, but this is now easier said than done.  The, fans, coaches and players at this point neither know or respect your boundaries, because you have failed to set them. This takes me back to my original point, it is much easier to prevent and control a problem when small and manageable before it gets out of control.

Baseball Rules in Black and White

Baseball Rules in Black and White and Cardinal Publishing Group, a Winning Team!

Here are a just a few of the reasons why “Baseball Rules in Black and White is a Better Way to Learn the Rules of Baseball”.

All the related components of an initial ruling are listed on the same page, stair stepped out in logical order of sequence and written in Basic English. No more scavenger hunt to gain all related rulings!

Exceptions and examples that apply are also included with an initial ruling. Each of our rulings has the corresponding rule and page numbers from the official rule book.

Finding the ruling you need is easy as reading the Table of Content in the front of our books, with rulings listed in alphabetical order. Our unique and beneficial format is not available anywhere else.

We have spent two years and many hundreds of hours developing these books while working with dozens of umpires, assignors, instructional chairs, rule interpreters, rule editors from across the country, these are just few of the reasons we believe “Baseball Rules in Black and White is a Better Way to Learn the Rules of Baseball”.

Cardinal Publishing Group and Baseball Rules in Black and White have entered into a contract agreement to produce the Baseball Rules in Black and White series through 2023. We are more than pleased that the 2019 College and High School Editions will be our first books published by Cardinal Publishing Group.

Inked it!

Inked It , OK EVERYBODY GREAT NEWS!!!.......Baseball Rules in Black and White has accomplished a major achievement! We are inking a deal with a national publishing company (name soon to be released) and they will be publishing the 2019 through 2024 Baseball Rules in Black and White series. Baseball Rules in Black and White

Baseball Umpires and Bad Behavior!

High school baseball games usually start out being all smiles and handshakes, by the fifth inning it easily can be nauseating loud, moans, groans, bitching and sniping from the stands or dugout . Unfortunately, games can and do end up here.

The good news is the majority of all games do not go this way. The majority of games for even mediocre umpires are relatively problem free, but at any game in a matter of seconds things can go south quickly. So where does the buck stop?

One option is straight out of the NFHS 2018 Baseball Rules Book, “Coaches Code of Ethics” page 76. The “Code of Ethics” says the buck stops with the coach. Whether it’s fans or his team the coach is ultimately responsible for resolving poor sportsmanship and bad behavior.

Umpires have all heard, do not have rabbit ears. Agreed! On the other hand, when subtle comments end and you are horrible begin, this is when umpires should act. This is where the coach should be made aware of the problem and asked to resolve it. It is the coaches job as stated in the rule book, not the umpires!

The umpires job is to make sure the coach resolves poor sportsmanship and bad behavior, but if the coach fails to do so the umpire must then make him accountable.

Poor sportsmanship and bad behavior has no place at a high school baseball game. None! If you think that letting it slide will help, it does not. Allowing bad behavior is a perfect recipe that will quickly grow an annoyance into a full-blown circus and congratulations, you’re the ring master.

Good coaches know better, but bad coaches allow and promote bad behavior when umpires permit it. Don’t be the umpire that rewards bad behavior and poor sportsmanship, make coaches accountable. The buck stops with the coach, it’s his job!

Baseball Rules in Black and White

Baseball's Misunderstood Forty-Five-Foot Run Lane

The forty-five-foot running lane, the most misunderstood one-hundred-thirty-five square feet in the game of baseball. It begins half way from home plate and ends at first base and is in foul ground the whole way. Even the description of the forty-five-foot running lane is confusing. I consider the official rulings regarding the forty-five-foot running lane as some of the most arbitrary and vaguely  defined rules in baseball.

I witnessed a MLB batter-runner hit a soft bouncer to the first baseman then as the batter-runner close to first base with both of his feet in fair ground, completely out of the forty-five-foot running lane explode full speed into a defensive player who tagged the batter-runner and held the ball, the batter-runner was then awarded first base. Umpires ruled obstruction, the defensive team protested the game.

Referee Magazine - NFHS article Nine Rules You Thought You Knew proclaims the forty-five-foot running lane violation is to protect the defense from being screened while making a play and goes on to state if the ball is not fielded in the plate area and is thrown down the line to first base the forty-five-foot running lane doesn’t matter. Mind you, none of this language is in the official NFHS rule book pertaining to a forty-five-foot running lane violation.

I could be way off base (no pun intended), I always thought the forty-five-foot running

lane was there both as a safety and interference protection. Intended to protect defensive players from interference, but everyone from serious injury as well. You would think that NFHS, safety would be especially important at the high school level.

The one sure thing I can take away from the forty-five-foot running lane violation is that it is the most misunderstood rule in the game of baseball. When the powers to be fail to give a clear and definitive rule language (not just talking umpires) it is beyond problematic, it creates inconsistency. Spell out the purpose and the rules for the forty-five-foot running lane, but don’t keep everyone giving their opinion or no ruling at all!

Baseball Rules in Black and White    

Baseball Rules in Black and White, Opening Day Sale!

Baseball Umpires, Coaches, Players and Fans take advantage of Baseball Rules in Black and White’s Opening Day Sale!

Click either the 2018 High School Edition or the 2018 College Edition to receive your 20% discount!

College World Series Umpire Billy Haze says: “Baseball Rules in Black and White’s content will empower anyone desiring improved baseball rule knowledge." 

Both eBook versions available at same everyday great price!

Baseball Rules in Black and White

Baseball Rules in Black and White

Baseball Rule Book Language Stymies Umpires!

Wanting to become an umpire, but your rule knowledge is lacking? Are you a beginning umpire and your rule knowledge is not as good as it should be?  Are you a journeyman umpire going to camps, but not advancing through the ranks while frequently questioning your own rule interpretations?  If your answer to these questions is yes you’re not alone, many thousands of umpires struggle with official rule book language and scattered rule information. The good news there is help.

Baseball Rules in Black and White has been developed especially to clarify the rule book language converting it into easy to read sentences. In addition rulings are not randomly scattered throughout the book.  Related rulings are listed together with the initial infraction, so the reader can understand and retain the entire ruling.

Finding a ruling in Baseball Rules in Black and White is as easy as going to the Table of Contents in the front of the book and locating the ruling’s page number. No more going to an index with tiny font in the back of the book only to find confusing rule numbers and even when you find the page it’s not what you were looking for.

You can wait twenty, thirty or fifty years of umpiring struggling to gain an accurate understanding of the confusing rule book language and format, or you can do what hundreds of NCAA D-I &II and NFHS umpires across the country have done. Buy a copy of Baseball Rules in Black and White.  Our latest books, the 2018 College Edition and the 2018 High School Edition are both available now at our website or Lulu.com.

As umpires we all want to be able to apply a ruling quickly and accurately. Baseball Rules in Black and White makes this happen! Our 2018 High School Edition is currently on sale.

Baseball Coaches & Ejections

When coaches comes out onto the field it’s usually for three reasons 1. Get more information. 2. Vent due to the outcome of a play. 3. Get themselves ejected. 

In number one, coaches want information for good reasons. They want to make sure they have a clear understanding why you made a call. Many umpires have given an explanation for a ruling, only to have a coach simply talk his way back through the playing action and then repeat your explanation for your call. As you are saying that is correct they have already begun the walk back to the dugout.

In number two, coaches live and die by the actions of their players and the calls we make as umpires. When a coach comes out onto the field and he is venting most umpires understand its part of baseball, but there are limits. It could be more about his player’s failures to execute a play correctly and less about the outcome of the call.  It can also be it is the fifth inning of a tied first round playoff game and a whacker call went against his team. Good umpires who experience both these scenarios have learned to listen, say little and understand the coach’s frustrations are not being personally directed toward them.

In number three, the majority of coaches who are ejected find themselves in that position due to their own choices and actions, with very little to do with what took place on the field. First or last inning, no score, tied score or blow out, great play or train wreck all is of little consequence with ejections. When a coach has determined he wants to get himself ejected the lord himself will not stop him.

In one and two coaches are intending to stay in the game, because that is their choice. In number three coaches are leaving the game, because that was their choice. Our job as umpires is to understand why a coach is coming out onto the field and respond respectively, professionally and accordingly.

Baseball Rules in Black and White

2018 High Edition Baseball Rules in Black and White is Now Available!

Baseball Rules in Black and White’s 2018 High School Edition is now available! Anyone having difficulty navigating through the difficult and confusing high school rule book language and format simply click here or above to get your copy. 

Hundreds of high school and college umpires across the country agree that no other baseball rules education resource is as effective as Baseball Rules in Black and White in clarifying difficult and confusing rule book language.

Great baseball umpires are not born, they are created by having an exceptional work ethic and a strong desire to expand their baseball rule knowledge. These two elements are the foundation umpires must have in order to become respected and advance to the next level.

Baseball Rules in Black and White expands your baseball rule knowledge! 

Have a great 2018 Baseball season!

James C. Bettencourt, NCOA, RCOA, SCVFU, PSI, Author

Baseball Rules in Black and White's 2018 High School Edition Just Days Away

As the first days of high school baseball quickly approach umpires everywhere are preparing for the upcoming 2018 season, from hours of field mechanic work to hours of classroom rule instruction. 

Anyone having difficulty navigating through the difficult and confusing high school rule book language and format we have great news! Baseball Rules in Black and White’s 2018 High School Edition is just days away from being released!

Hundreds of high school and college umpires across the country agree that no other baseball rules education resource is as effective as Baseball Rules in Black and White in clarifying difficult and confusing rule book language.

Very soon we will be announcing the release through social media including our Baseball Rules in Black and White Facebook page.  Both the 2018 High School Edition and the 2018 College Edition can be purchased from our website or at Lulu.com. 

Great baseball umpires are not born, they are created by having an exceptional work ethic and a strong desire to expand their baseball rule knowledge. These two elements are the foundation umpires must have in order to become respected and advance to the next level.

The 2018 High School Edition and the 2018 College Edition of Baseball Rules in Black and White expands your baseball rule knowledge! 

Have a great 2018 Baseball season!

James C. Bettencourt, NCOA, RCOA, SCVFU, PSI, Author

Perfect!

Maintaining perfect accuracy while publishing three baseball rule resources for two specific levels of baseball in 18 months for our Baseball Rules in Black and White series has been an incredible task, especially considering what was required. 

We collected and organized over a thousand related rulings, sub-rulings, and examples, then we converted them from rule book language into Basic English. Each converted ruling includes its official rule number. In order to formulate the complete ruling the collected rulings had to be formatted logically with rulings and sub-rulings placed together as appropriate and in order of importance. We produced a user friendly A-Z  Table of Contents so information can be found easily and quickly.

Baseball Rules in Black and White is extremely thankful to have a national

network of rule advisers (our readers) from all across the country who constantly help monitor every ruling  in our books! These sources help us produce the most accurate baseball rules resources possible.

We want to thank Doug McClure at Triple Play Umpires and his amazing staff for informing us of a proofing error in the 2018 College Edition. While over 95% of the initial ruling was correct, any percentage of incorrect information is not acceptable at Baseball Rules in Black and White. 

Any time we discover a ruling that needs to be amended we immediately amend the error at the publisher as soon as possible. We also post the amended ruling on our website Baseball Rules in Black and White for six months in order that the reader can copy it and insert it over the pages with an errant ruling.

While pursuing perfection mistakes will be made, but in order to improve mistakes should never be ignored!