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👍 I believe NCAA is the only one that followed suit to align with OBR

The rule changed a few years ago from 'share and direct from the bat to the catcher's hands' to 'sharp and direct from the bat to the catcher' A FOUL TIP is a batted ball that goes sharp and direct from the bat to the catcher and is legally caught. It is not a foul tip unless caught, and any foul tip that is caught is a strike, and the ball is in play.

For OBR - a foul tip is a ball that goes sharply and directly to the catcher and is then caught. Other rule sets still require that the foul tip go sharply and directly to the catcher's hand or glove and then be caught.

I was watching the Mets/Sox the other day and with 2 strikes on him Brett Baty foul tipped a ball that hit Boston’s catcher (Carlos Narvaez) off his glove, his shin and settled in the crook of his arm. The ump called strike 3 and both team announcers (Ron Darling/Gary Cohen and Lou Merloni/Dave O’Brien) said that it is a strike out because the ball never hit the ground. I was under the impression that a foul-tipped 3rd strike had to be caught CLEANY by the catcher (can’t hit any part of his body or uniform) for it to be strike 3. Am I right and the 4 announcers don’t know the rule or even raised it as a possibility? Thanks

We don't have to be. But did they understand what they wanted and will get with the change? Did they want to showcase the athleticism of F2s with a cannon?

Shorter throw by approx 12" for F2. Article says 2B-1B delta is approx 9". shorter run for R1. Did they do the math and decided to show the athleticism of F2. "provide additional opportunities for players to showcase their athleticism. I'm not going to do the math at this hour but I suspect 12" for a throw gets it there faster than 9" for a runner.

I'm not very good at math. So, whatever is out there, is what I'll umpire.

Really? Challenge accepted! Let me go pull out my kids ACT study notes from years past to help me. BTW, I see where I still was thinking the base was centered instead of and moved to the edge. Plus, I was thinking of the 15" to 18" change. So I am probably wrong. Lets see how wrong. Lets remember that the home plate size isn't changing. So the bag would move from the middle of the bag to the corner of the bag, in other words, half an hypotenuse. 18" squared + 18" squared= 648 324+ 324= 648 square root of 648 is 25.5" Half of 25.5 is 12.75" So the 18" bag's nearest point to home plate would decrease 12.75" I think that is an advantage to the defense. what do you think?

Where is this list?

and if the exact same situation of 7 openings had happened in the past, i would think a lot of people would bet the farm that Gerry Crawford would be one of the seven hired, Brian Gorman would be one of the seven hired, Paul Runge would be one of the 7 hired, Brian Runge would be one of the 7 hired, Hunter Wendelstedt, Jr. would be one of the 7 hired, Mark Hirschbeck would be one of the 7 hired, and Bill Welke would be one of the 7 hired.

If I was a betting man, I would bet the farm that Pawol will be one of the 7 hired.

Like it says, I am just getting started in SE Michigan. My youngest daughter is starting her HS year, and just committed to play Softball in college. As I saw our time on the field starting to go away, I wanted to find a way to give back, so I thought I would give this a try. I got lucky and have a good friend who has been doing this for a while, and has offered to mentor me! I also found out Battlefields to Ballfields from this forum, I was accepted this week, and placed the order for all of my gear today. If you are a Vet, definitely check this resource out (I served 23 years in the Army before retiring). The plan is to do some LL games this fall to get my feet wet, and my mentor said he could get me on a crew with him for some fall tournaments, so that will be nie. Hopefully by spring I will be ready for HS ball. Anyway, looks like a great forum, and I have a lot to learn!!

Just please only promote those worthy of true MLB umpire material. It should be based scores and game-keeping ability, not anything else. I don't want to bring politics in here, but let it be merit-based... please.

I see there are about 14 call ups on the wiki list (with numbers < 100). Are there more, and do any have numbers >= 100? Obviously number is not a predictor, but I find it hard to think that MLB would assign a low number then release them. Ballou, Thomas and Traynor have low numbers.

Though supported by rule, I hate the idea of the pitch staying live with the potential for the offense (ie. the coach's team) benefiting...eg. a ball, HBP, wild pitch allowing R3 to score, fair batted ball where the entire defense has stopped playing, etc, etc, etc. We simply got lucky here that the batter stepped out and it hit the strike zone. I like trying to kill the play, if we can, before the batter has a chance to swing the bat. It's simply dangerous for the fielders. At this age, I prefer no pitch, strike for stepping out, warning (at minimum) for the coach...if there's history where you've experienced the coach doing this stunt in a previous game, dump him.

This will be interesting - would have to think Brock Ballew, Derek Thomas are in line. Also seems like Willie Traynor is a fast track and would crack this new hire group. Bacon has been up and down for a while but hasn’t been as up this year as he was last year. I felt like the hirings of guys like Mackay, Clemons, and Walsh lately were “out of left field” so who knows? Feel like James Jean and Dexter Kelley haven’t been up in a while. Also don’t think they can pass up Pawol with how much they have invested in her.

They don't have a clue how a pitcher gets comfortable while engaging the rubber and is not engaged until the pivot foot is parallel and touching the rubber.

I should add that he said it's because he was in front of the rubber and not behind. I said, I think he was more on the side. When I asked the field umpire he said slightly forward from the side. He was backing the other guy and i have no problem with that. I said, what if he's on mound but close to the grass in front and he said that's ok.

Umpire has not ever been in proximity to a rule book or clinic. He seems adept at pulling sht out of his hat. (halfway clean anyway)

Show your math, I get approx 12" closer to HP. It's martini time so not going to do the delta for 2B - 1B distance. 😀

https://photos.app.goo.gl/44wa8KZxmVHQdLfu9 I've tried to add a photo for reference but I'll explain. 14u Babe Ruth. Right handed pitcher walks up mound and stops before and little to side of rubber. Looking at the runner on third who is standing watching just off the base. Pitcher does a little pump fake towards third before going to step on rubber to get sign. Everyone can see that he isn't on rubber, field umpire right behind mound doesn't say anything. Home umpire calls balk, I explain he isn't on the rubber and doesn't have to step off to fake throw. Umpire says balk on deceiving throwing motion in proximity of rubber.

So, second base will be 6 inches closer to the others and a little over 3 inches closer to home base. Who will have the advantage, the BR trying to steal the base or the F2 with the shorter throws?

I will say no. The label 90 feet is in a red/brown color and is on the outside of the diamond. Plus, it looks like same color as the baseline.

Yes, a common question here but we don't expect newcomers to use the search function. Right out of the OBR, MLB's rulebook: "5.08 Comment .......................................APPROVED RULING: One out, Jones on third, Smith on first, and Brown flies out to right field. Two outs. Jones tags up and scores after the catch. Smith attempted to return to first but the right fielder’s throw beat him to the base. Three outs. But Jones scored before the throw to catch Smith reached first base, hence Jones’ run counts. It was not a force play." It's what we call a "time play".

Runners on 1st and 3rd, 1 out. Fly ball hit to the outfield as the runner breaks from 1st in an attempt to steal 2nd. Ball is caught and the throw goes to 1st, trying to double up the runner. In the process, the runner from 3rd tags up legally and touches home plate before the runner is doubled off at first. Does the run count?