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I’m going 🙋‍♂️

Ok. I emailed our NCAA association‘s interpreter today. He’s also a current D1 SEC umpire, has post seasons under his belt….alright, enough of his qualifications. I’ll start with a little background. our association puts out “you make the call” videos where we answer, then the correct answer is giving later in the week. A few weeks ago, we watched a play where there was a slow roller to f6 who is behind the bag, F4 stretches from the back edge of the base like a first baseman, and it’s a bang bang force play. R1, running full speed, cutting and stepping on the inside corner and continues on to third as one would on a base hit. The umpire calls safe and r1 continues to 3b. He never touched f4. The ruling is this is not a FPSR violation, due to the new exception. Here’s my email to him. Specifically, in our You Make the Call video, that runner is not in violation, as covered under the exception. The question is, does this change if that runner was called out, and ran through standing up? The argument being the exception only applies if a runner is safe. In general, if a runner goes in standing up, and is out, is it 100% automatic he has committed a FPSR violation? In other words, GB to f6, he flips to f4, who catches the ball on the run coming across 2B for an out, and is 5-6 feet to the 3B side of 2B when R1 reaches 2B going in standing up? I would think this would also fall under the exception. Am I wrong? Here’s his reply. ..just because someone does something wrong, doesn't mean there is a violation. There also has to be a hindrance, (or in the case of FPSR, a safety issue). If the runner goes in standing and has zero bearing on the play, he is not guilty of anything I rest my case.

1a) It's not a timing play. 1b) It's not even a time play. 2) It's not a force out. 3) It is, however, the third out being made by the BR before reaching first. So, no run scores.

Agreed this is an interesting discussion and thanks for everyone's patience as this didn't add up for me until just now: they are looking at Fielder and Runner similar to how I looked at my daughter going to prom on Saturday: Buffer zone. BIG buffer zone.

Batter interference. Batter is out, if it’s not the third out, runner returned to 2B.

I know this one has been sitting here a few days, but just to clarify: The umpire should have called "time" - "interference" on the initial hinderance of F6 fielding the ball. Interference is an immediate dead ball, not delayed. Then you have R2 out for interference, BR gets 1B, and R3 back to 3B. Just as @Tborze concluded. However, I think it's worth mentioning that if in the umpires judgement it prevented additional outs from being made, that could change the penalty. That being said, with no force outs available, I'm inclined to agree with no additional outs.

I could do Navy so dark it almost looks black with charcoal side panels. Wouldn't take much to tweak that 😀

I do. The separate tag attempt is enough to show control.

Obligatory...(he said he sleeps when HE wants "without interruptions"...) Championship Sunday... Random Umpire#1: I thought @wolfe_man was on this game today to close camp? Random Umpire#2: Nah, he ain't worked a game the entire week of camp. Random Umpire#1: Wow...so, he's workin' hard in his room on his mechanics and rule book study? Random Umpire#2: Nah...he just told his family he was "going to umpire camp" so he could enjoy a quiet hotel room to himself with the A/C cranked and get caught up on his sleep this week... Random Umpire#1: (thousand yard stare...) That's a pro move right there... Radom Umpire#2: That's Wolfe...always with the pro moves... ~Dawg

Agreed. My use of 6' or 10' was meant to imply that the fielder was not in the vicinity of the base. And, yes, in practice, it's easy to tell if F6 moved on his own or to avoid the runner who wasn't sliding. I have no problem giving the benefit of the doubt to the fielder; I have a problem with making it an absolute.

I’m Paul Harvey… Good ^Dây^! … … 🧐 Why’d you place R2 on 2B, instead of awarding him 3B?

Best advice from a coach ever.

100%. I have done this as well. Once, it had the effect of reminding the crowd that I was a human being with a life beyond calling little Billy out on strikes (which I do a lot, and, frankly, enjoy—pitching is hard).

Randy, I’m saying this kindly, and any ire or animosity you detect is not being directed at you, Randy the umpire, but at any “parent” association and/or Softball itself. Why do you need (still) heather grey??! Because your parent association / assigner is directing you to do so? To maintain some “uniform standard”?? Is that association or assigner providing the uniform items?? No?? Then they’ve got no say as to what specific items / colors / brands / tones / shades you wear, or more importantly… purchase. Associations – and this goes for Softball, too – have to get with the times. Everyone makes this big ta-doo about “looking like Major League Baseball”. All those uniform items are provided. Even in MiLB, those items are purchased under a directed stipend. Even in NCAA baseball, there’s a degree of friction between what the assigners expect, what’s provided (under stipend or otherwise), what the umpires actually purchase and use, and the assignments they receive. But outside that, especially at the amateur level, there is no way they should have that kind of grip and sway over us. It (whatever stylistic template the assigner or association PTB holds) doesn’t matter. Wear charcoal. Wear 3-years faded pants, especially on a 1:30pm JV game at a class 1 school in the middle of nowhere… no one cares. Heather grey umpire pants – that you were directed to purchase yourself – doesn’t mean you’re a better / great / effective umpire. It means that you’re fulfilling the direction (wishes, whims) of some stooges sitting at a desk.

I'm about to have an aneurism just reading all that. I really don't even know where to begin because there is NOTHING right in any of this. 1 umpire. 1 coach for one of the teams. No admin. Freshmen. This game should never have been played. You did what you could with the players. When the parents were involved, the direction should not have been "call an admin" but "coach, you ARE the game administrator, take care of it." I know many of you don't agree with me, but we HAVE TO STOP ACCEPTING SOLO ASSIGNMENTS. We have got to start holding schools accountable for having adequate personnel on site. A single coach and no on site administrator is NOT acceptable.

Please do something interesting with Navy shirts. I think the color of navy looks good on umpires, but for the love of all that is holy I cannot stand these: Please make some good looking Navy shirts that can eventually replace these. I really like the red side panel idea. Whenever I'm forced to walk onto the field with this dorky, ill-fitting shirt I feel like I'm gonna get tomatoes thrown at me.

5.08 How a Team Scores (a)  One run shall be scored each time a runner legally advances to and touches first, second, third and home base before three men are put out to end the inning. EXCEPTION: A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made (1) by the batter-runner before he touches first base; (2) by any runner being forced out; or (3) by a preceding runner who is declared out because he failed to touch one of the bases. In your play, (a) was satisfied but EXCEPTION (1) existed. It does not matter how the batter-runner was retired. He or first base can be tagged and the exception still exists.

I had a similar problem with a JV game this week. F1 kept toe-tapping his front toe and then just barely pausing before coming home. Of course, visiting coach had no issue with it until 5th inning when he wants (needs) a balk called so he could advance a runner. I love the game, but the coach stuff gets old sometimes.

Funny thing is that it doesn't work. If it did, he'd be in Cy Young territory which he isn't. Dumb gimmick...and I hate that this stuff trickles down.

Oh, Aaron certainly earned that EJ... His actions over the past several years has earned him a poor reputation and therefore he has lost the benefit of the doubt. You see actions and antics do have consequences. Ever hear of the boy that cried wolf? In Hunter's defense, he said that Boonie is the manager and thus responsible for the bench. In his mind, whether Boone or his bench made the comments, it's Boonie that gets the EJ there. I realize a fan said it, but we can't expect Hunter to know that during the game when he is focused on umpiring. Short version is this.... don't want to get ejected? Then, start being reasonable and workable with the umpires. Once they see you're being reasonable, you can start getting the benefit of the doubt again. But the old "act like a fool, get treated like a fool" applies here.

THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Those crazy freshmen. You just never know what they're going to do. Just can't trust them. And at that age Mom and Dad know that MLB and most D1 schools have their top scouts at the game.

This is a very interesting view of this, however. Play B, if you look at it ....with f4 taking the throw and coming towards 3rd base, ... if R1 is going in standing up because he sees what's going on, ...isn't he in fact 'veering' / staying away from the fielder? I KNOW WHAT THE RULE SAYS .... but again, I see what @noumpere is presenting here

Fixed the post for you - that word is completely irrelevant to this conversation...in fact, most conversations about the umpire. There is no logical reason for you to feel the need to tell us the umpire was female.

That's a stupid interp (not directed at you, johnny). There's no "interference" in either, and both has the same "safety concerns" (or lack thereof). The ruling should be the same for both.

I like to pre game this.. "Ball stays on the infield, BU has all bases." Agree 1B side gives the better look at the R1 slide, and a much better look at a boundary call on an overthrow to 1B.

@The Man in Blue You only awarded R2 2nd?

I get what you're saying, but we give BU both ends of that and hedging on critical action at 1B as more likely than a throw/play into 3B.

We now have an official interp: Yankees starter Nestor Cortes’ funky pump-fake is illegal pitch: MLB (msn.com)

I get what y'all are saying about the letter of the law in NCAA with the runner going in standing up, but with no play being made and no impact on the fielder's actions, I do not see anything to be called in FED. Those case plays make it evident they are talking about a play being made. 8.4.2(b) includes the language "does not legally slide and causes illegal contact and/or illegally alters the actions of a fielder in the immediate act of making a play . . . " You can say it is a safety rule instead of an interference rule, but when NHFS inherently sees sliding as dangerous (a runner NEVER has to slide), that loses muster when there is no play.

Kiwi Parade Gloss polish is a great way to fix gouges Fill heat with lighter brush....3 or four times and they blend in well

Correcting you to clarify for others reading… You cut off the totally superfluous, completely unnecessary billow pad. It was included on the Platinum as a marketing gimmick so as to have a dangling TG – on your Wilson DynaLite Platinum Mask, what else? – bounce instead of go <<< Clack! >>> against the chest plate. You did not affect the integrity or protection of your Platinum CP at all. If anything, you improved the fit of your shirts, and reduced the agitation that a BU partner may experience looking in at you and seeing that stooopid billow pad and yellow “W” on it. 🤨 … at least, this potential BU partner.

Uniforms provided. Necessary equipment provided. Insurance provided. Certifications reimbursed. Healthcare provided. Performance reviews that actually have bearing. Assignments / Hours capped. Training tuition reimbursed. Established, documented system for how assignments are made, and why so-and-so – who is an equal employee – is getting assignments different / “better” than yours. … do I keep going?

I think this is a perfect example of why big field games--regardless of ruleset, but especially FED--should be two-man crews. BU in C would have heard the trash talk between F6 and R2 and told them to knock it off--and I've done that very thing. On the other hand, I thank you for posting this @Mudisfun--it's good to see how things can go south and how others have handled the situation.

New from @Razzer's Workshop: The Ump-Life Sunshade! (ChatGPT really is amazing)

Warnings don't work, only use them if required by rule. Just call balks, illegal pitches, etc... Those are the only things that will maybe have an impact.

Joe Six-Pack Fan: "You can't hold Boone's past against him! Just because he's done it before, you have to give him a new game every time! This is something that Angel Hernandez would have done!" 🙄

I believe we tend to interpret this rule as in FED 6-1-3 Not quoting here…During any preliminary motions (coming set) the pitcher may feint or throw or step off.

First, that is your call. It is a judgment call and since there was no throw to first base, that is your call all the way. Thus, the PU should not be involved. Second, ask yourself this: Did R1 in ANY WAY disrupt the play of F6? If the answer is "no" you've got nothing. In a situation like this, be thinking of the spirit and intent of the rule, which is to protect the fielder.

100% agree. Which is why I admitted I'll be a coward on this one, lol ... I'm not going to take unnecessary heat from teams and association even if every authority beyond that says otherwise.

I agree it's a need. I'm just not willing to quit umpiring until they fix the issue - as I truly don't believe it'll get better at all in the long run. FWIW, I only work solo a few times a year, so I am practicing the "don't work solo unless you absolutely have to" mindset in reality. I won't take tournament games solo and seldom do it for HS either. If we are able to see trends at all in the US, then we'd have to say that the trends we can see do not tend to afford much hope that people will start thinking rationally and use empathy when dealing with sports officials. Ergo, I humbly submit that there will be an officials shortage for as long as there are amateur sports in America. This is an issue that quite possibly is not going away in our lifetimes (I'm 45).

I'll give you my perspective as a coach. 2 and 3 are simply bad. They look bad. They make you look indecisive. They make it look like you don't know what to do when you're out of position....or, you're out of position so often you've developed a routine for it. Make the call you see, or don't see. If I'm coach and I a) know you missed the call and/or b) have an inkling to why you missed the call, I will simply say to you "I think you had a bad angle, do you think you could ask your partner?" I might even ask you if you had a tag or not (ie. is this a missed tag or did the runner beat the tag) Let the coach raise an objection...if nobody complains your call is good...or good enough. If it's blindingly obvious to the coach the runner was out, you'll hear from the coach and then you can decide if you want your partner's help.

Yes.

If we don't call it like it is written, nothing gets changed with the rule because "there isn't an issue". So if you don't like a rule, call it. Call it often. Get everyone else that doesn't like the wording of the rule to call it and call it often... then see how quickly it gets changed.

It can be a "don't do that" - if there's nothing to hinder there's no INT. Same with ODB picking up a wild pitch for F2.

No, I think we want U3 in C with R1, R2 and < 2 outs.

Thats my thought. To me, this exception says if a runner goes into the bag standing up and there isn’t even a fielder in the vicinity of the bag, it’s not a FPSR.

You're correct. Everyone here uses CBO so my mind frame is there and (improperly) went to just that context.

Yep. Put the blame where it belongs (management, commissioner on down)(not the umpires or replay booth) for having a 'non reviewable' list to start with. hey, they could say any part of the body (the shoe in this case) in the base path is an extension of the bag or something along that line, so if you touch the fielder's shoe before the tag then you are safe.

Going into the base standing up is not in and of itself a violation of the rule. I guess FED still hasn’t clarified this enough yet!