Greater Lowell Umpires Association General Meeting

1. Greater Lowell Umpires Association General Meeting http://greaterlowellumpires.com/ John HansburyPresident March 6, 2016

2. GLBUA Agenda • Attendance - Lucien Tanguay, Ray Bellerose • General Business- President John Hansbury • Rules interpretation - Tom Clews

3. General Business • Mandatory Rules Interpretation Dates : • GLBUA meeting at Mount Pleasant Dates • - Mandatory - Must attend one (1) • Monday Feb 29 from - 630 to 830 pm or • Sunday March 6 from 10-12 am • General meetings - Must attend 2 of the 4 scheduled meetings • Wednesday Mar 16 (nominations) 7-9 pm • Wednesday March 23, 7-9 pm • Thursday March 31 - ( Banquet & Elections ) 6-10 pm • Wednesday April 27th. 7-9 pm • Sonny Robbins Award – 50/50 raffle will help fund the Award

4. General Business • Nominations- Wednesday Mar 16 for the following Positions • Vice President • (1) Executive Board At-Large Members • Banquet & Elections - Thursday March 31 - 6-10 pm - See Mark Byrne if you are attending • Forms for the Banquet & Sonny Robbins award Available at the attendance table please pick one up at the end of the meeting

5. MIAA • OFFICAL’S BACKGROUND CHECK UPDATE: The MIAA Board of Directors has approved a policy to conduct background checks for all game officials, beginning in this year • If you officiate HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL and have not registered with Arbiter, please go to miaa.arbitersports.com and do so as soon as possible.

6. MIAA Notes • OFFICAL’S BACKGROUND CHECK UPDATE: The MIAA Board of Directors has approved a policy to conduct background checks for all game officials, beginning in this year • If you officiate HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL and have not registered with Arbiter, please go to miaa.arbitersports.com and do so as soon as possible. • Deal with poor bench and on-field behavior early in the contest. • Making bench and on-field behavior a high priority. • Understanding ourselves—our pressure points, our hot buttons, our responses to stressful situations and our non-verbal messages. • Establishing a benchmark on what is or what is not acceptable to you

7. Presidents Report • Sonny Robbins Award • MBUA • Clinics -Winter Clinic • Questions?

8. Sonny Robbins Memorial Scholarship Fund • the GLBUA has established the Sonny Robbins Memorial Scholarship Fund. This award will be given to any umpire in good standing who has a son/daughter/grandson/granddaughter going to/or already in college. It also is available to GLBUA members who are members in good standing and are going to/ attending college. • It is a $500 Cash Award funded in part by the 50/50 raffle at the meetings -Tickets $5 for 1 or 3 for $10.- Please support this worthy fund named after a founding member of this board. The award limits 2 applicants per family. There shall be no duplicate winners of the award

9. Interpreter Tom Clews REVIEW OF MLB/MIAA RECENT BASEBALL RULES: 1. Rule 5.04(b)(4): Batter's Box Rule:  The MBUA will use its best judgment in applying the new rule.  In cases where a batter is flagrantly in violation of the rule, umpires may choose to invoke Rule 5.04(b)(3) "issuing a strike to the batter for failure to comply". 2. Rule 6.01(I): Collisions at Home Plate:  MLB has amended the rule to allow for "reasonable judgment and causative effect" in applying the rule (I.e) if, in the judgment of the umpire, the runner would have been out, despite the catcher's blocking of the plate, then the runner is to be declared out.  "the catcher shall not be deemed as having hindered or impeded the progress of the runner." 3. Rule 6.03(a)(4): Using an Illegal Bat:  MLB amended the rule to allow for base runner advances due to (steal, wild pitch, passed ball, balk) the same as Batting out of Order. Maximizing the Strike Zone: 1. Realization that the width of the Strike Zone is not 17 inches, but with the inclusion of the size of the baseball is more like 23 inches. 2. Not every "marginal pitch" has to called a "ball".  What if we called "balls and strikes" as if every pitch was 3-0. 3. Pitches above the belt are legitimate strikes and should be called as such.  Umpires need to be reminded they need to maintain the "proper height and distance" to be able to see the "Entire Strike Zone."   Plate Mechanics Suggestions: 1. Use of Voice: Can be so beneficial. 2. Use of "foul tip" signal: Generally not necessary and sometimes detrimental 3. Pointing at a Batter on a swinging strike: can be misconstrued and negative.

10. REVIEW OF MLB/MIAA RECENT BASEBALL RULES: Philosophy of Rules and Causative Effect: The Philosophy of a Rule and its "Intent and Purpose" are generally more important to know than the Rule itself. The following are just a couple to reinforce with our umpires, especially, "new umpires" 1. Infield Fly: The intent and purpose and philosophy is to protect the offense.  Thereby, any popup, where the umpire is convinced the defense will not be able to turn a double play, should not be deemed an "Infield Fly." 2. Offensive Interference:  Offensive Interference is:" the act of the offensive team or a player, which, in the umpires judgment, takes away the opportunity of the defensive team or player the opportunity to make or complete a play."  So important. 3. Balks: It is not sufficient to say: "I think the pitcher did something to deceive the runner", otherwise, pitchers would never pick runners off base.  The pitcher must be adjudged as doing something illegal and umpires must be able to articulate the illegal act, just not say "well it looked funny so it must not be ok." Causative Effect: So many times in the Rules of Baseball, especially, when dealing with Delayed Dead Ball Situations do we see the theory of "causative effect" come in to play.  It is, also, of great significance when dealing with the "force play/slide rule" and now the MLB Collision rule and I urge you all to incorporate its importance in your meetings. As always, I am so happy and proud to be and have been your Interpreter and wish you all my best wishes for your continued success and I will be here whenever you need.  "Have a great baseball season" and "God Bless and Take Care of You All."