BlueKen

Watched the Triple Crown World Series championship game for 9U from Steamboat Springs this weekend on TV. There was a play where batter hits the ball to the OF. Outfielder catches it and R2 tags up appropriately and runs to 3rd. Time was called (can't remember why) and defense wanted to appeal that the runner left early. So F1 got on the rubber with the ball, stepped off, turned and threw to F4 who stepped on the bag and PU gave safe sign. While this went on, R2, who was on 3rd, ran home and scored. But umpires ruled that ball was not in play and he had to go back to 3rd. Announcers didn't mention why the ball wasn't live. The ball has to be put in play for an appeal after a dead ball, so why couldn't runner go home at his own risk? They play high school rules, the announcers said.

Batter-runner is outside the running late running to first. Catcher throws wild to first pulling the first baseman off the bag. No interference. The wild throw negated the interference by the runner.

We have the same rule in our league. I've been told by the head over the umpires that it should be a dead ball on a balk warning. But it's not in the rule book that way so I've asked that they add that language. I had a game where I was BU and the batter had a 3-2 count. F1 balked and followed through with the pitch. I called it a balk but PU didn't recognize it and called Ball 4. I explained the balk and the batter went back to bat with a 3-2 count and struck out looking. So the balk actually benefited the defense. Strange. I think we should just call and enforce the balks under OBR without warnings. If they want the umpires to be more lenient with younger players, they can just say that. For instance, I don't call balks against 4th graders in league play if he moves his legs a little while set as long as he doesn't pick either foot off the ground. Or I'd be calling balks all day long.

I called the Out on R2 at 1st and then saw F3 throw home and never saw R2 waving his arms. A parent started yelling about it and then the coach asked me about it. I told the coach that I didn't see it. The Supervisor after the game said he saw the play and didn't see the interference either. He also told me that instead of telling the coach that I didn't see the action, I should have said that the R2 never waved his arms. He said never admit you didn't see something. I feel that is weak advice and it is more confrontational to say the coach was wrong then to say that if there was interference I didn't see it. Any thoughts from you more experienced umpires (which is all of you)?

OBR rules. Youth baseball. Runner on 3rd with no outs. Batter hits ball to F6 who throws to F3 for the force. Batter continues to run to 1st waving his arms to distract F3 from throwing home because runner on 3rd is trying to score. No contact and batter runner is 10' away from F3 when he throws home. R3 is safe at home on the play. DC is yelling for interference. I didn't call it. At best to me it's just an unsportsmanlike A-Rod move. But without contact with F3 or the baseball, is it interference?

As a first base coach, I had a runner on 1st with 1 out and two strikes on the batter. My R1 took off for 2nd on the pitch and it was a D3K. I yelled at my batter to run even though I knew he was out. He ran, F2 threw the ball to F3 and my baserunner trotted on over to 3B. I think it was smart coaching.

OBR 2.00 the definition for a balk is "A balk is an illegal act by the pitcher with a runner or runners on base, entitling all runners to advance one base." So how can an act by a fielder be a balk? Can you site the OBR reference for a fielder's balk please? OBR Rule 4.03 says "When the ball is put in play at the start of, or during a game, all fielders other than the catcher shall be on fair territory." Where in OBR does it say they have to be in fair territory on every pitch? I don't doubt it's true, but would like to know the rule. Thanks again.

I've had coaches tell me that when the F5 holds the runner, he can't straddle the bag with his right foot in foul territory. One coach even told me it was a balk. Asked a senior umpire in our league, and he said it's not a balk. But the feet do have to be in fair territory. The only rule I see in MLB rulebook is that when the ball is put in play, the fielder's have to be in fair territory. So does the F5 have to have both feet in fair territory on every pitch or only when the ball is put in play? Thanks.

Man, I'm glad our kid's league plays real baseball after the 4th grade and I can worry about normal rules like D3S, pickoffs, steals, etc.

When I'm BU and there are runners on base, I'll think to myself, now the pitcher can legally throw to the base if he does this or that. Anything else and it's a balk. I do this because I'm new and umpire young kids who can do some strange things that you wouldn't expect.

Runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out. Batter hits ball to outfield. Neither R2 or R3 tag. Ball is caught. R3 scores and then defense appeals at 2nd. R2 called out. Defense does not appeal at 3rd. Team runs off the field. Does the run count? If the team appealed at 2nd and then appealed at 3rd before running off the field. Then does run count? Team can no longer appeal at 3rd once they leave the field, correct?