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