Baseball Rules Committee
July 6-9/Indianapolis

• Added the NCAA lightning policy to the rules book.

• Changed the penalty for a base coach assisting a runner to read: "A delayed dead ball shall be called. At the conclusion of the play, the assisted runner shall be declared out and all runners not put out shall return to the base occupied at the time of the interference." This clarifies a situation in which a home run is hit and a base coach assists a runner -- now, only the assisted runner is out and all other runners are allowed to score.

• Agreed to prohibit logos or insignias not related to collegiate baseball (for example, professional baseball) on any part of the umpire's uniform. The committee believes that professional patches must not be worn in college games. This is an issue mostly in early-season tournaments not administered by NCAA institutions.

• Reviewed the NCAA rules and umpiring clinics, which last year reached more than 1,100 umpires in person, all Division I coaches and many Divisions II and III coaches. Committee members continue to support the clinics as educational tools.

• Heard a proposal from the Amateur Baseball Umpires Association to create a program designed to assist in tobacco education. The committee offered time at the NCAA rules clinics for a presentation.

• Met with a representative from Major League Baseball and the National Football League about drug testing. The committee agreed to support further drug testing for college teams and will work with the NCAA health and safety staff to improve enforcement in this area.

• Recommended that Chris McKnight, head baseball coach at Frostburg State University, be named chair of the committee beginning in September.