I have been converted. Ten years ago, maybe as recently as five, I thought rules were the most important part of umpiring. Now, with experience (some would say age), I firmly believe that game management is #1.

But I have 20 years of experience and an extremely sound grasp of the rules. In Blair’s case, he had a very good grasp of the rules — for a third-year umpire. While I don’t spend the hours and hours reviewing rules annually like I used to, I still review them every year. I can’t afford to be thinking about rules where my decision should be automatic, immediate. So, what do you think happens when someone in his third year takes a shortcut and reviews only enough to pass the exam?

From Blair’s diary:

Continued...