grayhawk

/thread

I would love to say I never look at it, but there are occasions when it's necessary. And for those times, making it pop really helps, especially when the lighting isn't great..

Pro tip: Paint the wheels with a florescent yellow to give them better visibility. I also took a wire brush to mine to reduce the glare. It does help.

Well, if you order one of those, then you better be ordering the Hands Free Umpire right along with it.

I think the Note 1 in NCAA is instructive on how they view this: Note 1: The batter, after hitting a ball or becoming a batter-runner, has some responsibility about where they throw their bat so that it does not interfere with a defensive player making a play on the ball. However, once that initial play in the area of home plate is over, it would be unfair to punish the batter if the defense throws a ball toward home plate to attempt another play and F2 or another fielder steps on the bat. This bolded distinction is important. Typically, we think of a batter hitting the ball and then throwing the bat. But this means that a batter who becomes a batter runner via a walk or U3K still bears responsibility on where they "throw" their bat. Yes, it would be more specific if the wording said "where they throw or drop their bat" but the point is that they bear some responsibility. The latter part is also important because it means that they are really interested on how the placement of the bat interferes with F2 immediately after the batter becomes a runner. So in the OP's case, dropping the bat right in front of F2, which hinders his ability to make a play on R2 would be interference.

Quite true. Whenever a fan on social media complains about a call (that was correct) and how they don’t like a rule, I tell them to complain to the coaches and athletic directors because they’re the ones who make up the rules committee.

You have to have a feel for the situation, who's yelling at you and what you will tolerate. Even MLB umpires will say "Stop!" in succession (though usually not more than twice) to get someone to comply. An easy way to soften would be, following the stop sign, "Dan (head coach's name), if you have a question, come out and ask me." You would hope he would get the hint that you're willing to discuss the call and get help. Going to the dugout is never the lesser of two evils. Who looks like the aggressor when you're walking towards the dugout? Looks terrible on video which is getting posted on social media constantly.

Unless you see him miss, then he didn't. Call the out. If the defensive team asks you to get help from your partner, then see if your partner had him off the base. It's easier to change the call that way than saying you saw him miss and change it to him touching the base. Same as a possible pulled foot when the fielder stretches straight at you. Never walk to the dugout. I know you probably don't want to tell across the field, but if they don't know how to act, then put up your hand with a firm, "That's enough!" If they run through the stop sign, then eject. If you're working a game where you should give an official warning, then do so. But don't walk to the dugout. That's your partner's business. If they were being respectful and asking a question, then I wouldn't have a problem with them talking to him since he gave you the information to change your call. Don't come down unless (1) your partner is getting outnumbered or (2) the argument is dragging on and you need to be within earshot and to rodeo clown someone who's been ejected. Don't assume your partner is going to ask you for help. I don't understand. He told them he was sure it was foul? Why didn't he just change the call then and there? "They" can't appeal to you. Only your partner can do that. If they ask you what you saw, then the only proper answer (if you give one at all) would be that it's your partner's call. Hard stop. Sounds like you essentially did this. No. The only time you should step in, unsolicited, is if your partner misapplied a rule or a situation like where he called an out on a tag where the ball was clearly on the ground and he didn't see it. A pure judgment call on a fair/foul isn't a time where you can "fix" it without being asked.

NCAA 7-11n A batter is out when: n. A whole bat is thrown into fair or foul territory, whether intentionally or not, and it interferes with a defensive player attempting to make a play immediately after the batter becomes a batter-runner. Interference shall be called; Note 1: The batter, after hitting a ball or becoming a batter-runner, has some responsibility about where they throw their bat so that it does not interfere with a defensive player making a play on the ball. However, once that initial play in the area of home plate is over, it would be unfair to punish the batter if the defense throws a ball toward home plate to attempt another play and F2 or another fielder steps on the bat.

Here’sa good comparison with the jersey over the CP before and after. A friend wanted me to retrofit his so the before picture is with his on. It gives a good look on how much lower profile it is after the retrofit.

It's kind of a cool idea, but I'll stick with my All Star indicator with the notches. With just a squeeze of my fingers, I can confirm the count and outs. I'm pretty sure I do it subconsciously before I do a called third strike, or an infield fly call. I'm totally and completely reliant on it and I'd probably be a mess out there (more than usual, anyway) without it.

Hard to really picture. Strange that he would want his heel up because you can't pitch properly that way. I would have to see it. I'm not really up on the OBR rules with respect to what position requires the pitcher to declare. Someone else can jump in. As long as his hands come together at some point in the process of coming set, it's fine. But if it's a distinctly separate movement after the rest of his body has come to a stop, then I would balk him.

Is he (1) just engaging the runner, or had he (2) already engaged, looking in, and then moves his pivot foot? 1 is okay, 2 is a balk. Similar question as above. If he's already engaged, then it's a balk. If his whole body doesn't come to a discernible stop, then it's a balk if he pitches. Rule set? In NCAA, if his pivot foot is parallel to the rubber, then he's assumed to be in the set. If he winds up from that position with a runner on without declaring, it's a balk. If his pivot foot isn't parallel, then he's in the windup. As part of his delivery? Or does it come up as a separate movement? Just grab the illegal pitch the first time it happens. He'll figure out another way to pitch. If he can't throw strikes, then he'll get replaced. Find another pitching coach, kid.

Contrary to what Lindsey said, Malachi didn't say a word to Bell. You can read Bell's lips, "Hey! Why'd you shake your head at me?"

Didn't Fed say as much in some sort of ruling?

They ruled that it wasn't lodged. It's not a reviewable play.

Not sure on Fed. I was answering based on NCAA. I just don't keep up on any other rule sets anymore.

Duplicate. Please delete.

The batter-runner (he's no longer a batter) bears some responsibility for where they throw or drop their bat. If it is judged that the placement of the bat hindered F2's ability to make a play on R2, then the batter-runner is out and the runner would return to second base.

No way he's not ejected (or at a BARE minimum, warned) anywhere but the CWS. Way more rope given in Omaha.

Man, that's a tough one. Part of the ball does go behind the catcher's chest protector, but not the whole ball. However, it does "stick" there for a moment and he has to go up and grab it. I would have to say that yes, it did become lodged. I doubt I would be able to make that call from 100 feet away, however.

And this is why I stopped doing LL after my son aged out. I was told by the district administrator that I would have to do around 30 LL games/yr for 10 years just to get a shot at going to the west region tournament.

And if you start doing college, you'll ask why HS parents are so much worse than college parents.

Obviously, R1 and R2 both failed to touch their forced bases. The BR, after celebrating with his teammates, goes and touches 1st. I lost track of him but he was likely physically assisted by someone other than a viable runner in the process. If R1 & R2 did touch their forced bases, how SH*#ty would the end of the stick be to call out R1 for being physically assisted?

There's a reason that check swings are THE most argued call in baseball. The dugouts have a much better angle than any umpire. If U3 could've seen it from the 3B dugout, I'm sure he would've grabbed it. But the view down the line just doesn't give you as good of a look, and when it's that close, how many of us would have ended the game on that? Nope, FSU had many opportunities to close out this game and failed to do so. Heck, the FSU catcher was responsible for a 2 run swing in the second inning. Top 2, he's rounding 3rd on his way to score (easily) and missed the bag. He puts on the brakes and goes back. FSU can't bring him in. The in bottom 2, he gloves a throw before the runner coming in gets within 10 feet and allows the runner's knee (on the slide) to knock the ball out. Safe. Not to mention F8 doing a terrible job tracking a ball by the first batter in bottom of 9. Instead of a caught fly ball, the leadoff batter gets a triple.