renegadewolf

6.08 The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put out (provided he advances to and touches first base) when— (a) Four “balls†have been called by the umpire; Rule 6.08(a) Comment: A batter who is entitled to first base because of a base on balls must go to first base and touch the base before other base runners are forced to advance. This applies when bases are full and applies when a substitute runner is put into the game. If, in advancing, the base runner thinks there is a play and he slides past the base before or after touching it he may be put out by the fielder tagging him. If he fails to touch the base to which he is entitled and attempts to advance beyond that base he may be put out by tagging him or the base he missed. Relevant?

Agreed, If you or your partner are 100% on the call tell the coach so, checking to "make them happy" only serves to further the problem for the umpires that need to deal with him next time because he has just learned that if he throws a hissy fit he will get his way.

I wouldn't have said a thing after signing the score card myself. What anyone else is doing after a baseball game is none of my business unless they are trying to follow me to my car / change room etc. Leave it alone and if anything happens it wasn't your responsibility anymore and the league will deal with it.

I've also gone to my daughters games and sure enough one of the umps on another diamond doesn't show, can't tell you how many times that has happened. I am always happy to have been a part of making sure someone got to play a game of ball because I had my gear.

According to google when type "where do all the stupid people come from" and click I feel lucky there is an article about Microsoft that comes up every time..... http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/11/03/all_the_stupid_people_where/

I've been spelling it wrong all along..... i had it "huked awn fawinks werkd fer mee!"

Thats what I love about this place, always learning. I don't suspect I am going to stop as long as I am calling games

Muchly appreciated

If he had been smart enough to stay on the bench and chirp that line, I liekly would have let it go with a warning to the bench (that usually draws them out or shuts them up) but since he came out, buh-bye! easy breasy beautiful... so to speak

So in this sitch, I would say P3 is the fielder most likely to play the ball. Yes we had contact with protected fielder. Since the glove arm is the body part that made contact and that the ball bounced off the glove as he was trying to catch it we could infer that the contact hindered the fielder. Call should have been interference from the process you have given me

If I am certain I have something, before I give anything I'll ask my partner how certain they are. Unless they tell me they really aren't sure I will leave it alone unless it deals with a ruling, in that case we have to get it right, but overturning a judgement call is rare, 99% of the time it is a check swing

Thanks for the post, I had come home from a game where a lot of things didn't go right. My partner didn't bring his plate gear so I had to fill in. I kicked the snot out of a fair/foul call, was relentlessly chirped by the one teams fans and felt rusty as all git out and nervous the first 2 innings after doing my first plate game in 6 weeks due to a second concussion. Helped me remember that I do infact love doing this. It's easy to forget how to be grateful for the things we have and do, fortunately I usually only need a nudge like your post to remind me, and then it doesn't seem so bad

I know I will get some HTBT answers on this one, so i will attempt to describe this as vividly as possible. No runners batter hits a short high arc pop up to the right about 30 feet from the plate over foul territory. Catcher is not looking terribly interested in chasinng the ball down, pitcher is coming in and first baseman is running in from about 15 feet behind and 10 feet in towards second. BR is a RH batter immediately drops his bat and starts for first making his way towards the runners lane at about the 45 foot range in foul territory there is minor contact between the BR an P3, P3s glove brushed against the BR. No one gets to the ball in time although P3 was very close infact the ball bounced off the end of his glove lands on the ground in foul territory. I would have to say at the time of contact the pitcher was closer to the ball, but P3 was moving much faster and calling for the ball. In my judgement no one was trying to get in the way of anyone, infact I don't think either player really saw the other as P3 was looking up at the ball, had moved in a pretty straight line from his previous position to the ball and the BR was running in foul close to the baseline where the lane would be chastising himself for the hit until the contact was made (just trying to paint a clear picture here is all). Would we have just a foul ball? Interference? Obstruction? I know only one fielder can be protected for interference even though there were 3 in the area and 2 pursuing though only 1 calling. Any input on how to deal with this situation?

Mens league, playoffs, game 3 of 3 loser goes home. I am on bases for a close 3-3 score but otherwise uneventful game, next to no chirping. Top of 6, 1 out and my partner sort of stumbles away from the plate bent over, I call time and hustle in, my partner was on his 10th game of the weekend, and isn't exactly a small person. I was worrying it was a heart attack. Fortunately (?) I suppose on the last pitch when he came up to call strike 3 and start the chainsaw something went in his back and not in his ticker. Long story short, he is out, cannot complete the game and was being brought to the hospital by his wife. Fortunately I have my gear, but it's in the car in the parking lot a good 300 yards away. I get back a few minutes later (ok closer to 7 or 8 minutes) and our assignor happened to be at the game, so he took the bases. Gave the pitcher warmup pitches ala start of inning as everyone had been pretty much milling about doing nothing. Fortunately the teams really took me out of the game swinging the bats (and getting easy runs with a couple badly timed errors). Still felt a little rusty but it went well enough. On the plus side for now, everyone thinks I am wonderful for hopping in there and finishing the game behind the plate (what other choice did I have really?) No word as yet on how my partner is, he wasn't moving very well when he left, so I suspect he may have just had his last weekend calling ball this year. Home team ended up winning 7-4 in the end. Glad I always carry my gear, second time this week I have needed it in a pinch situation

10 minutes to game time, scheduled to call bases and no partner yet. I thankfully have my gear, get everything on, get to the diamond when i hear a car honking like mad. Do plate meeting, see parner getting ready ask teams to be patient a moment or two, partner has shown. go out, he has forgotten his gear didn't even have a proper shirt (we wore red as I have 2 and lent him one for the game) First game in 5 weeks behind the plate due to concussions. Tied for first team playing #7 team and it so happens several members of the other tied for first team are watching in the stands and this is the last regular season game for #1 team on the field. Top of 1 I got a little low in the crouch on an inside pitch and lost the ball behind the catchers helmet, likely blew a strike call, no biggie, shaking off the rust, catcher is aware of the situation, promise it won't happen again, he is good. Game is progrssing smoothly enough. #7 team is home and at bat in the bottom of 4 with the game pretty close. Righty batter smacks a pitch down the 3rd base line, ball travels over 3rd base lands in foul and I am standing on the foul line signalling a fair ball. For some reason in my head I had myself convinced the ball had hit the ground somewhere before 3rd (which it did not) and since it travelled over the bag it was fair (which it was not). Fans from #1 team are not happy (nor are the players) and in the 100% humidity mid 90s temperatures wearing a bucket for the first time I am being riden harder than a pony at a childs birthday party. While that was the only issue of the game, #1 team won it handily in the end I am still being rather hard on myself for kicking a call stevie wonder could have made it was so obvious. Meaningful end of season game is not a happy time to try and shake the rust...

YES!!! I get to be first on the, "the problem is you are calling rec ball" bitch out!!! doncha know you shouldn't umpire low level rec games.... sorry, I tried to keep a straight face while saying it.... couldn't do it. Can't tell you how many posts I've seen that went along those whole lines of doing rec ball is a cardinal sin of some sort. It really is amazing how a single person is capable of effecting the game like that though isn't it? While generally speaking I am of the mind that spectators are untouchable, they are after all in a public park, I have no qualms about using the coach to deal with the unruly sorts outside of the field. I've yet to come across a coach who isn't happy to deal with one of their spectators when I've asked them to do something about someone who is being a large distraction to the game. No need to use the ultimatum of tossing the coach if they don't do something about it yet, that is just confrontational and not going to get you anywhere yet. If things get down to brass tacks, then perhaps it's time to pull out the "big guns" just my buck fifty

The best way to prove that a rule doesn't exist is to read the rule book. Never ask a coach why, it's makes you look like you don't know the rules. When a coach makes an obviously incorrect statement about something either ignore it or correct them, no need to be rude about it, just be matter of factly. Coach "that was a balk" Me "No it wasn't coach he stepped to the base" "coach "blah blah blah" Me "that is enough coach, I've already explained it's not a balk, we are done here" so on and so forth. While you are directing him to places http://mlb.mlb.com/m...eball_Rules.pdf would be a good idea too. It's the rules of baseball and he would do well to learn them 8.05 If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when— (b ) The pitcher, while touching his plate, feints a throw to first base and fails to complete the throw; © The pitcher, while touching his plate, fails to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base; Rule 8.05© Comment: Requires the pitcher, while touching his plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base. If a pitcher turns or spins off of his free foot without actually stepping or if he turns his body and throws before stepping, it is a balk .

Seems with the bringing up of the arms and connecting with the catcher the runner had one of two things in mind, injure the catcher, or stopping him from potentially fielding the ball. Anyway you slice this, beef sounds good. AS you did, score the run and run the scorer. My only question to the coach would be "since he has already crossed the plate, pray tell, where is this baseline you speak of?" that should pretty much end the discussion.

Well, out countries are attached... some of the crazy has to rub off. Please note the intentional ambiguity of the previous statement

I really like these 2 "One of the really wrong theories about officiating is that a good official is one you never notice. The umpire who made that statement was probably a real poor official who tried to get his paycheck and hide behind his partners and stay out of trouble all his life. Control of the ballgame is the difference between umpires that show up for the players and the managers." - National League Umpire Bruce Froemming And while I don't get to see the best every day, I get to see the best game every day.... so it still applies "The best thing about umpiring is seeing the best in baseball every day. The cardinal rule of umpiring is to follow the ball wherever it goes. Well, if you watch the ball, you can't help seeing somebody make a great catch... That's what makes umpiring so much fun." - National League Umpire Shag Crawford

Gotta love the runaway lawsuit society of america. Not that a kid lay dead on the field (and yes, if they were doing CPR he was vital sign abscent, which means dead) isn't absolutely horrific, because it is, but trying to hold the organization and the place that sold the bat responsible for the injuries incured is just amazing.

One of my favorite things to do behind the plate is between innings, the pitcher has finished his warm up and the catcher throws down to second. I always tell him it was a great throw, even if it was a god awful throw. I will give him a line like, Second shoulda had that one, how could he have missed that?? doesn't he know getting the ball is more important than staying on the base and whatnot. It usually makes em smile

I'm on a continental 6:30pm to 6:30am... just early enough on the days i work i can't call a ball game before or right after work (most pm games weekdays are between 6pm and 8:30 starts, and the morning games on weekends are never before 9-10am. Woe is me lol

I'm merely an apprentice, though truth be told that is somewhat on hold atm. The nosedive the economy went on has made it real hard for a first year to get a job in his field.