HI NOTES: Enforcement, Warmongering, Stealing & Bad Seeds

Former MU Coach Gene McArtor
NCAA National Coordinator
of Baseball Umpires

UMPIRES


Among plenty of other information at the official NCAA Umpires page is a link to this interesting pdf document:

♦ NCAA 2012 Preseason College Baseball Umpires Guide (NCAA Baseball)

• It doesn’t matter if it’s the first batter in the game or with a 3-2 count with bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. The batter is not guaranteed to have time granted just as the pitcher comes set. . . Batters have been lax on this rule and umpires have been lax in its enforcement. . . For 2012, every umpire should use a hand motion that all can see and verbally encourage and ask batters for their compliance and cooperation. If the problem continues, then penalize. . . That is the reason the rules committee wants specific emphasis, improvement and enforcement by all teams and umpires.


• The baseball rules committee reviewed a lot of information related to some inappropriate, disrespectful, vulgar and lengthy communication between coaches and umpires and placed responsibility for improvement upon all parties. Continued monitoring will occur which could lead to additional actions in the future.


• Gene McArtor, NCAA National Coordinator of Baseball Umpires: "The rules committee and I continue to stress the need for civil and professional conduct between studentathletes, coaches and umpires. Each group is under greater stress for results. Each group has a few members who harm the game and its image by their unsportsmanlike actions, conduct and language on the field. In addition to the rules committee, more and more institutions and conferences are paying attention and addressing these items. It is not the same game as it was even a few years ago and we all must recognize and do our part to adjust. Unsportsmanlike or out of control conduct has no rational justification in today’s game.


• The half swing is to be called a strike if the barrel head of the bat passes the batter’s front hip. The position of the batter’s hands is not part of this definition.


• There's lots of other interesting information at this link, including a Test Your Rules Knowledge quiz.  

MEDIA NOTES


♦ The first official 2012 Media Notes are available at mutigers.com.  A few of the high notes:

• Heading into this weekend’s series with Auburn, redshirt sophomore Jeff Cline has claimed [the Sunday starting pitching] spot. Cline, who transferred to Mizzou from Maplewoods Community College, boasted a 6-3 record and a 2.30 ERA last season.


• As a team, the 94 steals [in 2011] were a school record, topping the previous mark of 83 stolen bases, which was set on two separate occasions.


• Video webcast for all Missouri Baseball home games in 2012 is available at mutigers.com as part of Mizzou All-Access. All-Access is the Tiger fans home for live and archived games for Mizzou Athletics, along with coaches’ shows, press conferences and much more. 

"You may dispose of me very easily.
I am nearly disposed of now.
But this question is still to be settled"
~ John Brown

WAR: WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?


Both MU and KU benefit from the attendance and revenue boost of the Border War games.  Check out Poor attendance plagues baseball team (kansan.com)

In 2011, Kansas did not finish in the top 44 in average attendance, and that’s as far as schools are ranked. The Jayhawks averaged 1,105 people for home games last season, leaving them just below the last school that made the rankings, South Alabama, which averaged 1,214 people per game. 

. . . In the middle of the season, Kansas played No. 4 Texas, in Hoglund Ballpark. The team had been playing well of late, sitting one game over .500 on the season and in conference play. Heck, if the series had gone well, the team would have been in a position to make the NCAA Tournament. Instead, on a Thursday game at 6 p.m., 904 people showed up to cheer on the Jayhawks. And that number is inflated, as season ticket holders are automatically counted into the attendance figures.

By the way, that average 1,214 attendance is greater than the largest crowd at Taylor Stadium in 2011 (1,176, April 30th vs. Texas A&M)

♦ Tigers eager for final go-around (Columbia Tribune)

Jamieson said he might get some advice from football Coach Gary Pinkel and basketball Coach Frank Haith on what to expect when his Tigers stop in hostile territory.

“I'm curious to see how, when we go to Kansas the last weekend of our season, when we go to Texas Tech, when we go to Oklahoma, how are we going to be treated?” Jamieson said.

POLLS, RANKINGS & OTHER GUN-JUMPING

♦ The preseason polls are interesting, just so you can get an idea what the full-time fans expect from the season.  But I draw the line at the detailed bracketology before a single game has been played.   On the other hand, Our Pre-Season Projection Of The Field Of 64 (Baseball America) does have at least one thing in its favor:  Their 3rd seed in a very interesting Fayettevile Regional.

QUOTE

"The base paths belonged to me, the runner. The rules gave me the right. I always went into a bag full speed, feet first. I had sharp spikes on my shoes. If the baseman stood where he had no business to be and got hurt, that was his fault." 

Ty Cobb