|
2009 EXAM
Here are the results from a group of umpires that took the Part 2 Exam, and the questions that were missed at least 25% of the time. The assumption made by me is that these eight questions were more than likely missed by others.
#90 - (missed by 65% of the group): An illegal pitch will be declared when the pitcher delivers a pitch while wearing tape on the fingers of his pitching hand. FALSE. I heard about your displeasure with this question by many. If you look closely at 6-2-1g Penalty you will see that the proper punishment is to ask him to remove the tape.
#45 - (59%): A starting player who hits in the leadoff position, and later re-enters the game in the No. 4 spot in the lineup, is considered to be batting out-of-order. FALSE. This is a much harsher penalty that batting out of order. This player is considered to be an illegal substitute and is subject to much harsher penalties. 2-36-3b.
#23 - (43%): A runner may run more than 3 feet away from a direct line between bases except to avoid being tagged or to hinder a fielder. WHY NOT? They copied this right out of the rule book, 8-4-2a.
#67 - (39%): If a pitcher, using a glove with white or gray on it, used the glove to field a batted ball, the batter shall be awarded three bases. FALSE. 6-2-1h. Very similar to the tape question. The only penalty is to have the pitcher now remove the glove. (Why didn't you make him take it off in the first place?)
#79 - (39%): Awards will be made from the time of the throw when a runner, who is returning to touch his base following a caught fly ball, is prevented from doing so because the thrown live ball becomes dead. FALSE. 8-3-5. Time of the pitch, not throw. This question is also copied right from the book, p.54.
#97 - (29%): The assistant coach, even if the head coach is present, may represent the team in communications with the umpires. FALSE. 1-1-2. The assistant coaches should pick up the bats and keep their mouths closed. (Just a personal opinion.)
#17 - (25%): The runner who initiated malicious contact is out and ejected, if the malicious contact occurred before he scored. TRUE. 3-3-1n, Penalty. I had an enormous amount of problems trying to figure out why so many marked false.
#63 - (25%): When a fake tag occurs, the umpire will warn the coach of the team who committed the fake tag and eject the next offender. TRUE. 3-3-1b, Penalty. That's what the book says.
Hope this is useful, have a good season.
Ron
2008 EXAM
Hi Men,
I did a study with a small group of members on the Federation Part II Exam. What follows are the questions most missed. The percentage that follows the question number is the percentage MISSED.
#1 By far the most missed question on the exam - Question #15. (65%) Lineups become official when they are presented to the umpire-in-chief. This is false!
I believe 99% of us get it right on the field, but on this particular exam, a majority of umpires missed the question.
Ex. - A coach in the pregame presents you with his lineup card - you notice as you count the players that there are only eight starting players listed. My assumption is that you would not accept this card, and give it back to him for a corrected version. There is no penalty for this, because the lineup card is not official until ACCEPTED by the umpire-in-chief. (1-1-2)
#2 - Question #61. (46%) A defensive coach, once playing action is over and before the next pitch, may make a live-ball verbal appeal on a possible missed base. False.
If the ball has remained live, and an appeal is made, it must be made by a player. What a good reason to have a dead ball, once you realize that an appeal is about to be made, then just about everybody except Gramma can ask for the appeal. (8-2-6b,c)
#3 - Question #49 (33%) When a player is injured, time cannot be called until all playing action is completed. False.
You might want to argue with this one, but the rule book states that the previous statement is false if a medical emergency is at hand. (5-2-1d1)
#4 - Question #44 (33%) A runner, obstructed as he returned to first base on a pick-off play, would be awarded only first base as that was the base he was attempting to achieve. False.
This baserunner would be awarded second base. As the Rule Book and Case Book clearly state in 8-3-2: 'The obstructed runner is awarded a minimum of one base beyond his position on base when the obstruction occurred.'
#5 - Question #34 (28%) A coach may be warned or ejected if he allows his team to line up near the foul line by home plate to observe the opposing team's infield practice prior to the start of the game. True.
Pretty much copied right out of the book. (3-3-1g5 Penalty) This is considered an unsporting act.
#6 - Question #3 (28%) A batted ball will be ruled fair when it strike's the pitcher's plate and rebounds into foul ground between third base and home, where it comes to rest. False.
If you look at the field diagram on page 11, you will notice that the pitcher's plate is in front of the imaginary line between first and third. Therefore, rule 2-5-1g makes this batted ball foul.
There you go, if you have any questions on these or others, feel free to drop me a line.
Think strikes,
Ron
FROM 2007 Exam
What follows is a compilation of the most widely missed questions on the Part II Exam. I kept stats for a small group of NYSBUA umpires that took this exam. After each number, 1-6, is the number of the actual question and the percentage of umpires that missed this situation.
#1 (Q50) 62% A pitcher may attempt a legal pick-off from both the windup and set position. FALSE. In high school baseball a pick-off move from the rubber while the pitcher is in a wind up position is a balk. (6-1-2.)
#2 (Q93) 36% A run will score when: with the bases loaded and two outs, the batter hits a home run. The runner from second fails to touch third and the defense properly appeals the mistake. FALSE. No runs can score when the third out is a force out. (9-1-1, exception b).
There are also a series of plays in our case books that this deal with this play, p.79. By the way, I want to be there when you make this call and negate all four runs, not on the field with you, just watching will be OK for me.
#3 (Q74) 28% Batting out of order: When no appeal has been made on an improper batter, the next batter shall be the batter whose name follows that of the proper batter who should have been at bat. FALSE. Think about this - if #6 improperly bats for #5, and gets on base, then who is going to bat? The batter that should bat would be #7, who follows #6. (7-1-1, Penalty 5 is the exact play.)
#4 (Q91) 26% Umpire judgment shall be used to determine base awards when: Loose eqipment interferes with play. TRUE. (1-3-7 Penalty). If you read this rule, it tells us that we can give the bases that we feel are needed. It would be easier to police the area for loose equipment.
#5 (Q97) 26% It is umpire interference when: A base umpire collides with a base runner. FALSE. This is not interference by the umpire. Umpire interference is spelled out in 2-21-2. This is just a situation where you suck it up and get ready for the cavalry, because they'll be coming to see you. (Similar to #2, I want to be watching this game when this happens.)
#6(Q100) 24% Also on umpire interference: When a pitch lodges in the plate umpire's chest protector. TRUE. Same rule reference and further clarity in 5-1-1g4.
I hope you'll take this back to your groups and it proves helpful.
Call strikes and outs.
Ron
|
|
