stl_ump

Batter spanks the ball waaayyy past fielders. They fumble around with it and runner has a legitamate chance for an inside the park homer. I'm in the field and there is OBS at 2nd. Runner goes home and is barely out. Plate ump makes the out call but what is the mechanic for fixing this? Typically I would just yell "Time. Obstruction by F5. Runner safe." But Plate ump has no idea of the OBS.

Unless they are paying $40 a game and lots of them don't go much past and 1 1/2 hrs due to run rules. Plus, as we have seen, they can be very entertaining. How about the dropped IFF? Now that's fun.

Welcome (or re-welcome) to Rec ball. Maybe not great baseball, skill wise, but always entertaining. Because the players always come up with a new way to mess something up or the parents throw out great bits of information to help the umpire. "It hit the ground before it hit him. He can't be awarded first" My favorite is the dropped ball on the IFF. Mass confusion! I have more problems with whiners in Select/travel ball then rec ball. Most of those in Rec ball don't expect much skill wise or umpire wise and when the get an experienced umpire who knows the rules and can help his partner who is in his 1st year of umpiring, they seem to appreciate it. But that's just me and where I work.

Well it's NJ. What do you expect?

Check this MLB video out... This would be pretty funny if it weren't so pathetic... http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=21312949

I never respond yes or no. I just say "he did? I don't want to be put in a position to make it look like I'm helping out one side or the other. (Regardless of the skill level.) But that's just me.

Ah... Chesterfield had a tourney going on as well over the weekend. I did 5 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday. A bit on the warm side. :Cool2:

10u rec ball... and lower level rec ball at that. No outs and there is a pop up on the infield... no one catches it. After the play is over, one of the kids yells out to no one in particular that it was an infield fly. Almost immediatley, F3 tell s the kid he is wrong and proceeds to quote the IFF rule almost word for word. I tell F3 he ought to be an umpire. He just looks at me with a big grin on his face and slaps his glove a couple of times and goes back to playing ball.

BTW.. where was that tournament you did?

Thats when I reply...."yes it was.... But maybe you'll do better next time" Now THAT was a good one!! But I'd probably just end up saying... "Hey... Thanks" in the nicest and cheerest voice I could muster. Kill 'em with kindness.

Similar situation but with some Dad in the stands. Working with a first year ump, 3rd game behind the plate. It's rec ball and a lower level 10u game so pitches are all over the place except for the strike zone. He calls a couple of high ones strikes through the course of the inning but no one is really complaining. After the inning is over, I'm heading over to chat with him about stuff from the previous inning and some Dad decides to start and try to critique his zone. I look him directly in the eye (he's up by the fence) and say "DO NOT talk to the umpire" A sheepish "OK" is all I get and goes and sits down. Plate ump and I then have a chat about what he can expect from "others" and how he'll just have to ignore it...most of the time.

I saw this twice from the same team and thought it was a balk but wasn't sure. I did some digging and found out no can do. Unfortunately, I never had them again. But I was ready for it just in case!

Good learning experience for the new guy. Even brain farts can happen to the experienced. You probably just did it so he could have that learning experience. :meditation:

OK... let me see if I understand what you guys are saying. If he is out at the plate, that's when I call time and announce OBS and that the runner at the plate is safe. If he is safe on his own then just let things play out normally. However, I can see a situation where the original BR is trying to make it to 3rd and a headsup catcher after mamking the tag at the plate doesn't wait for the call and then guns it to 3rd to try and get the runner there. If I've called time, then this effectively eliminates their chance to get that runner. Does that runner go back to 2nd or does he get to keep 3rd?

OBR - R2 - 1 out - I'm plate ump BR hits it to center field and R2 is off. He is obstructed at 3rd enough where it makes a difference at the plate on the throw from center. In the mean time BR is heading to 2nd and people are waiting for a call at the plate. So.... do I wait for BR to stop running before I make the call at the plate? What if he is going to 3rd? Do I wait for that to transpire? Or do i kill it after BR gets to 2nd and call R2 safe due to obstruction? Basically... what should the timing of the call at home be? Thanks

$$

He is doing nothing. He just stands there out of the box where the pitch "drove him" But does interference in this case require intent? He is still getting in the way.

R2 / RH batter. Inside pitch and batter bails out while R2 attempts to steal 3rd. Batter is now in the way of the catcher making the throw to 3rd. Interference?

Was his name Jimmy? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIUp0TPQHcM

I've got the plate for a 12u game. Batter turns and looks at the 3rd base coach who is flashing all sorts of signs. He gets back in the box and looks at me and says "I have no idea what he just said"

The AD at the bottom of the page for the Mid-American Umpire Clinic.... Anyone been to it or know if it's worth the price of admission? Thanks http://www.midamericanumpireclinic.com/home.html

:notworthy:

Simple yes... Thank you very much.

Where is that from? We are playing OBR OK... let me clarify. No play is being made on the runner. He is rounding second on his way to third. F5 is standing on the base so runner goes around it without touching. He is into third safely. Defense appeals missed base at second. Is he out? Does he not have a responsibilty to touch no matter what?

Runner misses 2nd due to OBS. Defense appeals missed base. OUT? I'm think the OBS is no excuse for mssing the base. He needs to do whatever it takes to touch and if he has a difficult time touching them I'm going to penalize the defense for the OBS. OBS sin't a free pass to skip touching.