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Just got the Davis Memorial Day sale email…looks pretty good!

Legal bats for Babe Ruth 13-15 are USA or BBCOR. On an appeal by the defense the umpire inspects the bat and rules if legal or illegal. With no USA or BBCOR marking this should have been ruled an illegal bat. Even if the umpire thinks it is a legal bat, if the marking is missing, he should rule it illegal. If the defense appeals before the end of the at bat, the penalty is removal of the bat and the at bat continues with a legal bat. If the defense appeals after the end of the at bat, the batter is ruled out (assuming he made it on base safely), all outs made during the at bat stand and remaining runners return to their bases at the time of the pitch that was put into play. And, of course, the bat is removed. Since It appears the umpire ruled incorrectly, the defense has two options: (1) accept and move on or, (2) protest. Ejection is not a penalty. Though, if the batter tried to use the bat again, that would be grounds for ejection.

Couple that with PU's "Coach, I don't need to check with my partner(s). I already did" [because we pregamed that if you have it as BU, after a beat of PU not grabbing it, you'll call it]. But as @MadMax said you hesitated and now it's too late, or is it? oh crud.. And you may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?"

Yes! In a two person crew from A...U1 has to be VERY careful with LH batters. It's a bit easier with RH hitters from A. I've worked with a couple of partners over the years who killed it on LH batters and I had a look as PU and it 100% did not hit them. That's a hard bell to unring.

You're just asking, right?-with no hidden negative connotations? Because.....if somebody gives me the ok to rock the White SSK Plate Shoes.... I will be the first in the USofA to show up with them.... I wish I was joking.

Yep, sorry, much clearer on a laptop screen than a phone.

This isn’t due to “poor mechanics”, per se. This is the fatal flaw of a combination of 3 “elements mixed at improper levels”, with the volatility of tribalism making everything more chaotic and intense. Element 1: The emphasis placed on umpires to “get the call right”. Element 2: The imbalanced burden of “calling responsibility” placed on the PU at moment (or we could say – interval) of pitch. Element 3: The lack of an Official Review System (of the play(s)). What I’m sure happened is that U3 called Foul – however loudly/clearly or not – because he – from his vantage point – interpreted the batted ball to be off the foot. The pieces add up – the ball is batted straight down and “kicks” forward. The batter doesn’t leave the box. And, F2 is… tentative(?) about fielding it (did he see/hear it off the B’s foot?). Obviously, the PU didn’t see/hear/perceive it to be off the foot, hence why he didn’t call it that way, instead, keeping the play live. There’s a lot going on here to “load” upon the umpires’ (plural) processors. This must be the end of the game, with less than 2 outs. This has likely been a tense game, as well, Pitch comes in, big swing with a metal bat (they’re loud ), and the ball trampolines off the ground. [Element 2] Knowing this, about Element 2, some BUs factor in Element 1 more earnestly and eagerly than others, and try to be helpful. So, what they see / hear / process from 100+ ft away takes over, and they “call it”. Now, granted, if U3 had immediately “come up big”, and called / signaled foul by dashing down the line and “waving guys off”, he’d have likely sold it, and there wouldn’t be the “chaos and madness”. However… This is where Element 2 once again snaps its jaws and shreds these situations – Who has “primary authority / responsibility” on this? That whole “don’t step on your Plate guy’s d!€k” crude anecdote. There’s that pause, or reservation, or hesitancy – “I perceived <this>, I’m going to wait to see if my PU saw it too, he didn’t and nowOhNoTheMomentIsSlippingAwayFOUL!” (hands go up in Time mechanic). Now it’s too late, and we have bedlam. Let’s say that F3 had thrown to F2 in time, and tagged out R2, what then? Or that R2 remained at 3B only? We’d still have bedlam, but the offensive team would be pleading (3BC for sure, Batter, etc) that it hit his foot, and didn’t… didn’t U3 see it?! Surely U3 saw it!! He mechanic’d “Foul!”, didn’t he?!?! Know what fixes this? Element 3, Video Review. I know it’s lacking on this particular game because of the ferocity with which the DHC approaches the PU. If Official Video Review was present, then there’d be gestures and genuflecting towards consulting the video; there isn’t. All the outrage is organic. I understand, Video Review can’t afford to be everywhere, on each and every game. I’ve been in these exact situations, and I can honestly say, as all 4 roles – Plate Umpire, BU who “perceived something” and called it, CC who wasn’t directly involved, but had to mitigate and explain it all, and observer / supervisor watching it, either in the moment (like, in the stands or press box) or post-game. I don’t rightly know how to “fix it” to “improve it”, short of implementing Element 3. Of course, I have my opinions on Element 2, but that’s for another post.

Went down and off the batter. PU didn't have it but a BU (looks like U3 to me) had did - though he didn't call it immediately. Usual pregame, in my experience, is "if BU has it off the batter, give PU a beat and then call it if they don't"

Related, I’ve seen a lot of umpires, not just veterans but newer hires as well, rocking some facial hair…

The BR rules for bats isn't exactly OBR--but are available online with a rudimentary web search. But nowhere do they state EJ is required.