Richvee

thanks. Wow. Maybe he does slap at the glove on the way by. I missed that watching the game on TV. He definitely tries to swipe it away when it's on the ground, but misses it. What a throw though!

I think he swatted at it after Ramos dropped it. He knew he missed the plate. He missed on the swat attempt. It looks like Carlson would have been all over the INT call if Hairston touched the ball.

This rules committee need to learn a little about what they're making rules about. The only type of lens I can see as distracting would be a lens with a "mirror" coating. These lenses reflect light and I can definitely see where this could be distracting to a batter. Mirrored lenses can be Rx or non Rx. Some Oakley's are mirrored, some are not. There's not enough reflection off any other type of lens, (non Rx sunglass or Rx sunglasses, transitions, whatever) that would bother a batter. Oakley, and many other well known sun glass manufactures offer their lenses in prescription. Oakley can make clear lenses (see K-Rod), Sun lenses, and transition lenses in their frames. Just because the kid's wearing Oakley's, or any other sunglass for that matter, doesn't mean it's not an Rx. I don't see how you can tell a kid with a pair of Rx sunglasses on to take them off. Converse, Rec Spec, Nike just to name a few, all make sports goggles. The are all Rx compatible. You can bring many of these sports frames to an optician and they can supply lenses for them. Clear, polarized sunglass, transitions. Both Rx or non Rx can be made. Again, unless the lenses have a silver, blue, or some other shinny mirror coat, non of these should be "illegal".

6.1.3 SITUATION E With R1 on first, F1 receives the ball from F2 and with his feet in set position stance and in contact with the pitcher's plate .... b. removes the ball from his glove. RULING: This is a balk in b. Restrictions on F1's movements begin when he intentionally contacts the pitcher's plate with his pivot foot. I see this a lot. The kid will get the ball from F2, step on the rubber, then basically in one continuous motion, take the ball out of the glove, and lean in for their sign. From there, everything is fine. He'll get his sign, stretch, come set and deliver a pitch. Should I be balking this? I haven't seen anyone else call it. If he's leaning in for a sign in the pre set position with the ball ball in his glove and then takes the ball out I've got a balk all day. I understand the pitching regulations start when he intentionally contacts the rubber, but is this reading too much into the rule? Is it called at Varsity and higher and not lower levels?

I guess given the circumstances we'll excuse him for missing the catcher's interference? :unsure:

That's important. I never pushed in any direction for the same reason. I wasn't looking to live out my baseball dreams through my son. God, I see that way too much.

Maybe I'm wrong. Our little league has called a ball when bases are empty and a pitch starts and stops his delivery. OBR 8.05 If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when— (a) The pitcher, while touching his plate, makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery; Little league 8.05 An illegal pitch (a balk in JR, Sr and big league) when a runner or runners are on base when a. The pitcher, while touching his plate, makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery; Reading this, I'm thinking no violation with the bases empty??

I believe it is a ball in little league. I'd have to look it up.

That great Kevin. I'm glad your son is still playing. I wish my son kept playing and loved the game as much as I do. He's got a real sweet, compact lefty swing and raked through his Soph year. But the passion and drive wasn't there and he gave it up. He's got the passion and drive, but it's for snowboarding. Broke my heart when he said he wasn't playing ball anymore. It's too bad because I think he had the talent to go further. But you've got to love it and want it also,

I always played some sort of ball from the time I was 8 until I was around 30. Then came kids and the playing stopped. I coached while my son played through little league, Babe Ruth, etc. Through it all, I guess I was I typical coach who thought most of the umpires sucked and I could do better. I always said I would think about getting into it after my kids were done playing. My son played through high school, and after his final year, I decided to take the plunge. I never thought it would become such a passion. I absolutely love it and can't believe I waited till my late 40's before I started this. Oh, and I was right. I can do this better than a bunch of those guys that umpired while I was coaching my son :beerbang

I get to the field today for my 1 o'clock game and there's still a game going on. Before I get dressed, I walk over to the field to see how far along they are. It's a 10 or 11U travel league game going on. The coaches of the team on defense are as clueless as the come. After every hit, they're yelling "throw the ball to the pitcher" and then yelling at the pitcher "Get on the rubber!!" . Then with runners on base, they're yelling at the pitcher after EVERY pitch "Watch the runner! Run back to the rubber!" I was right behind their bench and it took all the will power I could muster to not say anything to them about their thoughts that play stops when the pitcher touches the rubber. The opposing team wasn't taking advantage running extra bases since the score was about 15-4 in the 4th inning. I'm dreading the thought that I get a game with this team in the coming weeks against a team that knows the rubber isn't an automatic stop button. Where do these guys get this stuff from?? If I do end up with this team some day/evening, do I mention it in the pre-game conference that there's no automatic stop play when the pitcher steps on the rubber? Or do I just wait until the first baserunner rounds 1st on a walk and continues to 2nd while this team's pitcher is on the rubber thinking this stops play and wait for the sparks to fly? :bang:

He puts his hands up while he's backing up. Then he raises them higher signaling foul. Then when he sees where the ball is, he points "fair". Once his hands go up high after he backs away, that's got to be the end of the play. I think he kicked this one.

The difference between Jeter's act this clown is, if Jeter would have got "caught" like this kid, he would have smirked and got back in the box. This little rat swings and misses at the next pitch, blames the umpire, then starts throwing stuff full force with supposedly hurting right elbow. What an assclown. :jerkit:

And now she thinks she knows "the balk rule" :smachhead:

Was on the my FED test also. Along with 2 or 3 other missed bases, how many runs score questions.

From the pictures, which of course doesn't tell the full story, I've got to think about MC here. Look at 4-5-6-7. The runner's intent looks to be completely focused on burying this infielders face into the dirt. I don't see any indication of this runner even making an attempt at the bag until he threw a shoulder into his chin, then put his head in the ground with BOTH hands. Note picture 7. He's pushing the kid's face into the ground two handed. You can't even see the base because it's still a few feet behind the fielder. If he was reaching for the base, his left hand would be reaching for the base, not trying to bury the fielder's face in the dirt. Look at where the fielder's head is in relation to the base in 7 and then where his head ends up in 8. looks to me like the runner pummeled this guy.

In this particular case, PU just signaled me that he had something. I pregame this all the time. My association, we just use arms crossed to signal that we might have some info our partner might find useful. From there, you can decide what you would like to do.. Go to him for the info,.. stick with your call...Wait to see if a coach wants you to ask for help. With the folded arms signal, I know if my partner's got something.

Based on what I've read of your description of the play, I would say maybe you could have gotten closer to 1st base, possibly running in a straight line from "C" to the back of the mound on the 1st base side of the infield (letting the throw to 1st pass by & turn you...of course). Principle #1 is assume all ground balls on the infield will be going to 1st and start working that way. It sounds like the play @ 3rd was pretty wide open, so no real need to step towards 3rd. I know it may seem wrong to move away from the play, but it's the same as you would do on a routine double play drift. Obvioulsy you have to take some self preservation into account and try to avoid the throw to 1st. That can be a pretty tough call. I'm not a big advocate of getting help on pulled foot/swipe tag plays. I'm 100% opposed to asking for help before making the call - it's your call, make it, if necessary you can always get help later. I'd rather see the umpire get in better position and make their own call. A lot of times I see umpires using it because of lazyness (not saying you were) or as a cop out because they didn't want to make a tough call (you definitely weren't). All in all, you guys got the call right and sometimes there's no other option but to get help. Hope this isn't too confusing. That's great! Thanks. Seems so simple, but to start by moving away from the play will take some getting used to, but that's EXACTLY what would have let me get better angle and distance to possibly see that foot off the bag myself. Like you correctly stated, it wasn't going to be close @3rd. 1st was where the close play was going to be all along. Now I'm looking forward to the next Sitch that requires such a move :rock

I'm real glad the PU had the play. I never thought about a "pulled foot" on this play because F3 didn't "pull" his foot. The throw was true, but F3 was NEVER on the bag. Standing a few inches off the inside corner of the bag, the foot never moved, so from my point of view, I had an out.

Seems to me I see more of these moms and dads in 14U travel and lower. They seem to calm down by the time we're on the high school field. They still bark, of course, but for some reason they just seem more under control...dare I say...more civil? Obviously this women hasn't got the memo yet. :shakehead:

I had a crazy JV game today. Run of the mill through 6 1/2 innings. I was BU. Some bangers, some good outfield throws to nail a few runners, but nothing unusual. Then came bottom 7. VT up 7-0. R1, R2, 1 out. GB to F5, he steps on 3rd, OUT, he throws to 1st, I drop step and follow the ball to 1st, making sure I don't get in the way of the throw and trying to get some angle for the call @1st which is going to be close. I set, it's a banger, and I call BR OUT! I'm seeing and hearing a lot of gripping from the 1B coach, BR, and the stands. I take a look at my partner and he's signaling me that he's got something. I call time and tell the players to stay there a minute. PU says F3 was off the bag. In fact, never on it, just in front of it. My partner's got the better angle there, so I go along with what he's got, "SAFE. FOOT OFF THE BAG". No complaints from the defense. Hey, they're up 7-0 with 2 outs, right? Well, 5 hits, 2 errors, and 2 pitchers later, I'm watching a bases loaded, base clearing, game winning shot into the left center field gap. HT wins 8-7. Lesson learned. Get the call right whenever possible. Whatever the situation. You never know what's going to happen. I was a little upset I missed the foot being off the bag, but I'm sure glad we got it right. Is there a way I should have positioned myself after the the play at 3rd the would have given me a better angle at 1st? I took my step forward on the GB, turned to see the play @3rd, then dropped stepped and got about another step and and half towards 1st while following the ball before I set myself.

I'm confused....3rd base coach wanted you to call his runner out?????? I need to do a better job proof reading. "the coach in the 3rd base dugout", which is the 3rd base coach/manager for that team. My bad. Figured as much. Just bustin' a little :)

Just got an e-mail from my association. Another NFHS/NCAA decertified bat.... The Reebok Vector-TLS bats, 33 inch,

I'm confused....3rd base coach wanted you to call his runner out??????

Actually, that's not even a balk. If he's in the "stretch" position and not the "set" position, there was nothing wrong with this. The coach said he does this every time in the stretch position and this was the first time "ever" he's been called on it. If he's in the stretch position and he goes to adjust his cap, is that a balk? As long as there's no intent to decieve the runner (your judgement obviously) in that situation. I may be wrong, but I don't think this rule is any different at any level. I do not know NCAA rules, but this sure is a balk in HS. NFHS.arbitersports.com/Front/105401/Rules/Book?rulebookid=84a3fd7c-1173-4b83-8c68-de530b79c3b7'>6.1.3 SITUATION D With R1 on first, F1, in a set-position stance with the ball in his gloved hand and his pitching hand at his side, takes his sign. He removes the ball from his glove and goes to a set position. RULING: This is a balk. NFHS.arbitersports.com/Front/105401/Rules/Book?rulebookid=84a3fd7c-1173-4b83-8c68-de530b79c3b7'>6.1.3 SITUATION E With R1 on first, F1 receives the ball from F2 and with his feet in set position stance and in contact with the pitcher's plate (a) nervously tosses ball in glove two or three times, or (B) removes the ball from his glove. RULING: This is a balk in (a) and (B). Restrictions on F1's movements begin when he intentionally contacts the pitcher's plate with his pivot foot.