Dear Coaches and Parents:
This year BC (Minor) Baseball has made important changes regarding its rules related to interactions with umpires for 13U, 11U and 9U. Most of our umpires in these divisions are youth umpires and we owe it to them to protect them from interactions with adult coaches. Every year we lose youth umpires because of the treatment they receive at the hands of our coaches and we want to work with you and BC (Minor) Baseball to protect them and keep them with us through the years.
Please note that the 2018 BC Baseball Rules read as follows:
13.11.2 FOR 13U AND YOUNGER
Before, during or after a game coaches or players may not approach an umpire for any reason except that they may:
- attend the plate meeting;
- request the Umpire to call “Time”;
- raise a safety concern;
- approach the Umpire to make a substitution on defense or offence;
- request the plate umpire to ask their partner for help on a half swing when the plate umpire calls the pitch a ball, but not when the pitch is called a strike. The plate Umpire will consult with the other umpire for a determination which will be final;
- approach the Umpire to protest a game based on an interpretation of the Rule of Baseball on terms as set out in this Rulebook. (No protests are allowed at 11U and younger divisions.)
- shake the Umpires hands post game;
- thank the umpires and or offer words of encouragement;
- Coaches and/or Players at any time may NOT:
- Argue any Umpire’s decision which involves judgment, such as, but not limited to, whether a batted ball is fair or foul, whether a pitch is a strike or a ball, or whether a runner is safe or out, is final. No player, manager, coach or substitute shall object to any such judgment decisions. Players leaving their position in the field or on base, or managers or coaches leaving the bench or coaches box, to argue on BALLS AND STRIKES will not be permitted. The umpire shall immediately eject any manager, coach, player or team representative that continues to approach an umpire after his/her decision has been made;
- harass or verbally abuse any official on the field of play before, during or after any game. Contravention will result will be the person being ejected from the game subject to further possible discipline by B.C.B.A.
- on a half swing, if the manager comes out to argue with first or third base umpire he can be ejected as he is now arguing over a called ball or strike.
This is a dramatic shift in practice. There is now ZERO TOLERANCE for coaches questioning, seeking clarification or even discussing calls with the umpires. Coaches MAY NOT directly or indirectly influence or question calls even if the coaches believe the call was incorrect.
Coaches acting contrary to these rules will be ejected at the game or deemed to be ejected after the game if they do not completely comply with the rules and the matter is reported to the NSBA. Ejections will be followed by a minimum one game suspension.
Thank you for your support and understanding.
Mark Goddard
Umpire in Chief
Patrick Poyner
Chair, Disciplinary Committee
North Shore Baseball Association