2022 NFHS BASEBALL RULES POWERPOINT

B. Elliot Hopkins, MLD, CAA

NFHS Director of Sports, Sanctioning and Student Services

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National Federation of State

High School Associations

ITEM TO REMEMBER

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• Have a pen or pencil and paper available to write down some items which will appear later in the presentation.

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RULES CHANGES

RULE 6-1-1�PITCHING

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Editorial Change

RULE 6-1-1

ART. 1 . . . The pitcher shall pitch while facing the batter from either a windup position (Art.2) or set position (Art.3). The position of his feet determine whether he will pitch from the windup or the set position. He shall take or simulate taking his sign from the catcher with his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate. The pitching regulations begin when he intentionally contacts the pitcher’s plate. Turning the shoulders after bringing the hands together during or after the stretch is a balk. He shall not make a quick-return pitch in an attempt to catch a batter off balance. The catcher shall have both feet in the catcher’s box at the time of the pitch. If a pitcher is ambidextrous, the umpire shall require the pitcher to face a batter as either a left-handed or right-handed pitcher, but not both.

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Rule Change

RULE 6-1-1

Rationale:

The pitcher acquiring the sign from the catcher is one of the fundamental rules of baseball. It not only signals the defensive team that action is about to be initiated, but it also establishes when an offensive base runner(s) can take a lead-off from his base. That simple act has evolved over the last decade but was not supported by an accompanying rule. This change validates the pitcher taking the sign from the dugout. This aspect of the game has become more sophisticated to match the skill level and ability of today’s high school baseball player.

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Rule Change

RULE 6-1-1 BOTTOM LINE

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• If the pitcher takes his sign from the dugout, he MUST simulate taking a sign from the catcher before delivering a pitch.

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Rule Change

NFHS BASEBALL POINTS OF EMPHASIS

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EXCESSIVE CELEBRATION

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Points of Emphasis

EXCESSIVE CELEBRATION

• The game has evolved from celebratory high-fives and cheers to choreographed celebrations that include props and players being assigned specific roles.

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• If coaches are unable to manage the emotions of their players or the theatrics of celebration, then the game umpires have existing rules that provide warnings, possible restrictions and ultimately ejections from the contest. (3-3-1-f-2)

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Points of Emphasis

PROPER USE OF EQUIPMENT

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Points of Emphasis

PROPER USE OF EQUIPMENT

• Equipment manufacturers spend millions of dollars to ensure that their products are held to high industry standards. Most products are tested as to how they are supposed to be worn or used. When someone alters that product, it violates the equipment’s warranty and leaves the end-user uncertain that the product will perform…or protect the wearer from injury or harm.
• Bats, helmets, chest and chin protectors should not be modified or used in a way that it was not designed by the manufacturer.
• Doing so violates the equipment’s warranty and creates a product that may not perform as intended nor protect the user from injury or harm.

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Points of Emphasis

SITTING ON BUCKETS (COACHES)

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Points of Emphasis

SITTING ON BUCKETS (COACHES)

• Coaches, players, substitutes, attendants or other bench personnel shall not leave the dugout during live ball for any unauthorized purpose.
• Coaches or team personnel may not sit outside the dugout/bench on buckets or stools. (3-3-1-a)
• We have an obligation to protect and set a good example for the students we coach and care about; not to entice them to break the rules. High school sports have always been about teaching skill and work ethic while modeling appropriate behavior. Staying in the dugout/bench area is another example of showing our students the “right” way to do things.

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Points of Emphasis

SITTING ON BUCKETS (COACHES)

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• Simply put, umpires must have the courage to enforce this rule. Deal with it the first time you observe a coach or player standing or sitting outside the dugout during a “live ball” situation.

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Points of Emphasis

LODGED BALL PROCEDURE

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Points of Emphasis

LODGED BALL PROCEDURE

• When a lodged ball situation occurs, there is always a question if the ball is truly lodged or is the defensive player practicing gamesmanship. We have seen at different levels that when a ball gets lodged in a glove, the quick-thinking fielder removes his glove and throws it to the respective base to register the force out. While it is an exciting play that takes skill and a little bit of luck to accomplish, we do not have that many lodged balls in high school baseball.
• A baseball that remains on the playing field but has become wedged, stuck, lost, or unreachable, is defined to be a lodged ball.
• If the ball impacts something, stops abruptly, and does not fall or roll immediately, it is considered lodged.

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Points of Emphasis

LODGED BALL PROCEDURE

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• Remember, a batted ball which lodges in a player’s glove is considered live and in play.

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Points of Emphasis

SPORTSMANSHIP

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Points of Emphasis

SPORTSMANSHIP

• Chants/intentional distractions/loud noises (natural or artificial) directed at the opponent’s pitcher prior to his pitching, the batter preparing to hit, or a fielder getting ready to make a play is not good sportsmanship and should not be accepted.
• Players are not allowed to stand or kneel outside their dugout/bench and make “cat-calls” or any other disparaging remarks to the other team. Rooting for your team is an integral part of high school baseball. Supporting your teammates is extremely important and encouraged, however, making disparaging remarks toward your opponent is not part of the game, in fact it detracts from the contest. The purpose of interscholastic sports is educational.

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Points of Emphasis

RULES REMINDERS

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DESIGNATED HITTER�RULE 3-1-4-A-2

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• There is no change from the previous DH rule.

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• The role of a standard DH is still terminated for the remainder of the game when the designated hitter or any previous designated hitter assumes a defensive position.

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Rule Change

DESIGNATED HITTER�RULE 3-1-4-A-2

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• Remember, when a team is using a DH/Position player, the DH is ended if a substitute either bats or runs for the DH.

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• Remember, also, that the defensive team can make as many defensive changes for the DH/Position player it wishes without losing the DH.

Rule Change

NOTES FROM INTERPRETER MEETING

• It’s expected that COVID-19/Omicron will have a significant impact on NFHS Baseball in 2022.

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• The NFHS Logo does not necessarily mean that a product has been approved by the NFHS.

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• Electronic scorekeeping may be allowed by base coaches in beginning in 2023.

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• NFHS rules tests are expected to be reduced from 100 to 50 questions beginning in 2023.

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NOTES FROM INTERPRETER MEETING (CONT)

• It is quite likely the jewelry rule will be rescinded in 2023.

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• Experts agree that wearing jewelry represents an insignificant injury risk.

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• The NFHS is perhaps the only baseball organization that prohibits jewelry.

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• Enforcement has been inconsistent.

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• Coaches see no reason to enforce it.

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• This is by no means a done deal, but it is quite likely to go into effect for 2023.

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IMPORTANT DATES

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• April 1, 2022 Video conference with state interpreters

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• Sept. 1, 2021- May 1, 2022 window for rule change suggestions for 2023.

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• June 5-7, 2022 Rules committee meeting.

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TWO ITEMS FROM THE CIF STATE WEBSITE

cifstate.org

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1. The Vault is a collection of game management-related handouts

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a) Main Menu

b) Officials

c) Baseball Official’s Resources

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TWO ITEMS FROM THE CIF STATE WEBSITE

cifstate.org

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2. The 2022 CIF Coach/Umpire memo

The latest information on new rules and points of emphasis

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a) Main Menu

b) Sports

c) Baseball

d) Rules

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NEW NFHS RULES APP

• Rules App features:
• Searchable
• Highlight notes
• Bookmarks
• Quizzes for all sports
• Easy navigation
• Immediate availability
• Free to paid members of the NFHS Coaches �and Officials Associations
• www.nfhs.org/erules for more information

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NFHS RULES BOOK AS E-BOOKS

• E-books features:
• Searchable
• Highlight areas of interest
• Make notes
• Easy navigation
• Adjustable viewing size
• Immediate availability

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• www.nfhs.org/ebooks

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NFHS LEARNING CENTER

OFFICIALS EDUCATION

CONTENT IS NOW FREE

TEACHING AIDS

RULES

CHANGES

DIAGRAMS

VIDEO

LIBRARY

OFFICIALS

COURSES

NFHS OFFICIALS EDUCATION�SPORT-SPECIFIC COURSES

• Courses Available
• Officiating Football
• Soccer – Fouls and Misconduct
• Swimming and Diving
• Officiating Wrestling
• Officiating Basketball
• Umpiring Softball
• Officiating Volleyball – Ball Handling

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• Interscholastic Officiating�www.nfhslearn.com

• Future Courses
• Officiating Baseball
• Basketball – Three-Person Mechanics
• Field Hockey
• Track and Field
• Volleyball – Overlapping
• Softball – Mechanics
• Communication Among Officials and Coaches
• Soccer - Offside

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INTERSCHOLASTIC OFFICIATING�WWW.NFHSLEARN.COM

• Introduction to skills and concepts used as an official
• Ideal for new officials or those in first few years �of officiating
• 30-45 minutes to complete
• Topics include: basics of becoming and staying an official, science of officiating, art of officiating, how to combine these skills for successful officiating
• Course is FREE to any NFHS Officials Association member
• Non-members course is $20
• API available to state associations to collect results

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NFHS LEARNING CENTER�WWW.NFHSLEARN.COM

• Professional Development For ALL
• Coaches
• Officials
• Administrators
• Parents
• Students
• Performing Arts

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WWW.NFHSLEARN.COM

• FREE courses include:
• Bullying, Hazing and Inappropriate Behaviors
• Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
• Understanding Copyright and Compliance
• Protecting Students from Abuse
• Hazing Prevention for Students
• Coaching Unified Sports
• ACL Injury Prevention
• Sportsmanship
• And many more

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WWW.NFHSLEARN.COM

• Much of this information is available in the NFHS Baseball Rule Book

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THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT BASEBALL SEASON!

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