Points of Emphasis for 2008

I got my 2008 rule book a couple of weeks ago and over the weekend I decided to begin checking it out and refreshing my memory since I have been officiating basketball all winter. I looked at the points of emphasis this year and I found them to be quite interesting. Here are the ones I consider big time important or significant with a short description (straight from the rule book with some commentary from me)

1. Batters Hit By a Pitch: They want us, as umpires, to watch more carefully players that are not "making a reasonable attempt" to get out of the way and avoid getting hit. The batter has to make every attempt to get out of the way of the ball. This will be an interesting and tough point of emphasis because each umpire will have a completely different interpretation. It's a good point of emphasis, just one that will require a little explaining to the coaches.
2. Obstruction: They are really talking about obstruction when it comes to first basemen and catchers denying access to a base without the ball. Also don't forget that obstruction is physical AND verbal (see A-Rod @ Twins last season).
3. Coaches Professionalism: Boy oh boy is this a good point to emphasize (again) this year. The emphasis specifically mentions the pregame conference and making sure the HEAD coach attends and, along with the umpires, sets a good, positive tone for the rest of the game and maintain control of the dugout. As we all know, there will be some coaches who will be less positive (especially toward us) as we would like and dugouts may get out of control from time to time. It will be important, as umpires, to snuff out issues and decent as quickly (and professionally) as possible, whether that be by restricting coaches (or players) to the dugout or removing a specific problem (coach or player) from the dugout.
4. Pitching Requirements: This is an interesting point and will need to be enforced for our own good. It mainly emphasizes balks and that, from the windup, the pitcher's non pivot foot cannot be in front of his pivot foot. This emphasis also points out that in the stretch, the pitcher's ENTIRE pivot foot must be in contact with the rubber. Not some of it, not a toe, all of it.

Those are the points I thought I would bring up for today. If you are reading the books and notice something else. Let me know!