Recontra

(1) Count me in the camp that says it is not a balk to throw to a currently unoccupied 3rd base without disengaging. The throw is being made to retire a runner and to make a play at 3rd base (and if I'm wrong, I'll stand corrected); (2) I also like live ball appeals. Count me in the camp that thinks dead ball appeals are for sucks! 😃

FED Rule is 9.1 Exception: "A run is not scored if the runner advances to home plate during action in which the third out is made as follows: c. by a preceding runner who is declared out upon appeal because he failed to touch one of the bases or left a base too soon on a caught fly ball;

FWIW the FED Rule is 9.1 Exception: "A run is not scored if the runner advances to home plate during action in which the third out is made as follows: a. by the batter-runner before he touches first base; or b. by another runner being forced out; or c. by a preceding runner who is declared out upon appeal because he failed to touch one of the bases or left a base too soon on a caught fly ball; or d. when a third out is declared during a play resulting from a valid defensive appeal, which results in a force out (this out takes precedence if enforcement of it would negate a score); or e. when there is more than one out declared by the umpire which terminates the half inning, the defensive team may select the out which is to its advantage as in 2-20-2." 2-20-2 is the 4th out scenario.

Worked a pre-preseason h.s. varsity level double on Monday. Our State h.s. association is mandating Covid-19 masks for all players, coaches, and umpires at all times (also Defensive team handles all baseballs--umpires never handle any baseballs--so no need for ball bags!). In any case, I learned a few things when I was on the plate about Covid-19 masks under my F3 mask. (1) You've got to have a good Covid-19 mask. Don't (DON'T) try to use a disposable black Covid mask. The straps will rip in the 3rd inning, and if you don't have several back-ups in your pocket, you'll need to delay the game to go get another one and hopefully you've got one in your car--our state has mandated black masks, and the only black one I had at the start of my plate game was a disposable one. One strap ripped in the middle of the game from being stressed every time I removed my mask; (2) I purchased a couple 3n2 black Covid masks from ump-attire which are being shipped. I'm thinking that mask will be ideal, because it has what appear to be sturdy ear straps which are adjustable--meaning you can tighten them down; (3) Several (several times) when I removed my umpire mask, my Covid mask moved with the pads, and when I lifted up the umpire mask, my Covid mask was literally over my eyes (blind ump on the plate:-). So, if you're seasoned and have done the "mask on/mask off" drill thousands of times, you might still want to practice your mask removal skills with you Covid mask on several times to get a feel for it. I assume each Covid mask is going to behave a little differently, but it was annoying to be temporarily blinded by my Covid mask; (4) Always have a spare Covid mask in your pocket in case your other one breaks beyond repair; and (5) It was really good to be working winter pre-season baseball!

My apologies. I stand corrected (and schooled:-). I can also see where PU could use the wedge on a prolonged rundown between 1st and 2nd if he's able to get up to the 1st base cutout in foul territory for the tag back at 1st base. Thanks for the great eye-opener on the potential alternative way to take tags at 3rd w/ 1st-3rd rotation if PU is agile enough to get up to the 2nd/3rd baseline extended in foul territory. We've all drilled the 1st to 3rd as PU hundreds of times--coming into fair territory to take that tag at 3rd--often seems to result in a less than ideal look at the tag play. On an overthrow at 3rd would you then want to let the runner pass and then get a bit inside running to the plate in fair territory (like the traditional mechanic) to avoid the throwing lane in the event there is a tag play at the plate?

I don't think the "Wedge" applies to plays at 2nd, other than the same concept of trying to put yourself in position to have the best window to see the play that ends up happening. Watched a really good partner (2-man) cover 2nd w/ R-1 and a shot to the gap in right which BR tried to stretch into a double. Starting in B, BU got to the infield grass boundary on the 1st/2nd baseline 6-8 feet from the 2nd base cut-out and let BR run past his right hip toward 2nd (kind of like we do in 3-man). After reading a true throw from deep right field, he then got 2 quick steps toward right field and got set just on or straddling the 1st/2nd baseline when BR slid. Outside-in swipe tag. As soon as the tag was made/not made, BU stood up and starting walking toward center field around the 2nd base dirt cut out to give himself time to process what he had just seen. He got to 2nd/3rd baseline extended before he called the runner out. Everyone in the stadium cheered--it looked fricking beautiful, and there's no doubt that it was the umpire and his mechanics and timing on the play that made it seem so much more spectacular than it probably really was. BU wasn't show boating, he was just naturally umpiring the play as it unfolded before him. But it was beautiful to watch.

There you go! Nice video!! Simple and emphatic signalling mechanics taught at every quality rookie weekend mechanics clinic. Big thumbs up! Even if the coach and nobody else in the stadium was watching what happened (following the ball), we know the 1st runner who didn't touch home is out (and not only is he out, he's seriously out by the looks of it), and we know that he did not score, nor did the succeeding runner. No runs scored on the play. I assume he was out for abandonment, not the succeeding runner out for passing. I'm all for taking lots of time and processing to get the call right, but once a game-changing unusual call like the one in either of these two videos is made in the umpire's mind, it's got to be communicated orally and visually. It's perfectly fine for a coach to come out and ask, "What happened?" It's not o.k. for the coach to come out and ask, "What's the call?" Just one amateur's opinion. Thanks for sharing the video. Really makes me glad for all the weekend and week long clinics I've been to, ingraining signalling mechanics into muscle memory so that you don't even need to think about it--my body and mouth just effortlessly externalize what my brain just decided. Before ever calling a real ball or strike, I'd practiced the timing play signalling mechanic at a LL weekend clinic till it was automatic. How many runs score on that play? Let everybody know!!

Looked to me like the umpire called no one out for passing or for abandonment. He then walks out to the pitcher, calls time and gives the pitcher another ball--acting like the inning is ongoing. Then he appears to spontaneously call R-3 out after he's called time. I saw or heard no appeal for a missed base. I saw no "no runs score!" type signalling mechanic. I suspect we'll all be watching this video again at our local association meetings with Hiler narrating in the background

Interesting situation. Normally the ball is dead immediately when offensive interference occurs (except batter interference with catcher), so this seems to be an additional scenario where it's actually a delayed dead ball--we do care what happens after the offensive interference occurs, because we need to know if it was a fair batted ball or foul. Never thought of this before. Thanks for posting!!

Me, too! I was also confused about which hip was the catcher's "inside" hip as in "stay tethered to his inside hip." "Inside of what?" It clicked in my brain only after I started thinking about the "wedge" like it was analogous to the "slot" we fight for when calling pitches, and the catcher's "inside hip" can be either the left or the right, just like we might have a left or right handed batter, with a "slot" either off the catcher's left hip, or off his right hip. R-3 is like the pitched ball, and the catcher is like our batter. And that "slot" between the incoming runner and the catcher is going to move/shift as the catcher moves, and it's also going to shift (quite a bit sometimes) quickly towards the end if the runner changes trajectory (like a wicked slider). As the runner comes in, there's going to be a "slot" you can see between the incoming runner and the catcher (just like there's a slot between the incoming pitch and the batter). Get in that slot and stay there--and staying there often requires movement, especially at the end of the play--but don't forget an even more fundamental principle of umpire mechanics: proper use of eyes--get set before the tag happens. That way of looking at the "wedge" might be even more confusing than lines, angles, and "inside/outside". But it finally made sense to me. Plus, I already drill and practice the "slot" 250+ times a game calling pitches, so I don't even have to think when there's a tag play at the plate--I just do what's natural: I get in the "slot," and I stay there.

That's seriously the most hilarious umpiring story I've ever heard! Thanks for sharing. I'm still laughing a day later.

Several acceptable ways to skin this cat, depending on when an umpire was first trained and what level they're accustomed to doing (also age and mobility). I always pre-game this. College/OBR PU's typically head toward the library, not towards the shortstop--FPSR interference rule differences make that logical. In high school, PU heads toward shortstop to have closer eyes on the aftermath of the slide play at 2nd after BU turns with the throw to 1st. "Hey, BU, R-1 only, safe at 2nd on an infield double play type batted ball, you want want to take R-1 into 3rd after you take the call at 1st, or do you want me to cover him??" "Also, if there's an overthrow at 1st, BU do you want to take R-1 into 3rd and I'll move to cover the overthrow, or do you want to stay with the overthrown ball?" And while there's a current thinking "right" way to cover this play and both umpires might be modern trained thinkers, it's still a great thing to pregame--both umpires reiterating to each other and themselves their primary and secondary responsibilities on this play, a play that can turn into an ugly mess in a hurry if it's not anticipated ahead of time by both umpires, but a pretty routine play if both umpires are on the same page.

Don't think Ted Williams ever said to walk up to the plate and get "angry," play with a chip, or to have any negative emotion whatsoever. Never saw him angry. And don't really think that's what he meant by "get mad." Zen. That's good. I guess I liken "mad" to extreme, extreme focus and awareness, sensory overload, time slows. Kinda like one of the all time greatest golfers once reportedly saying that when standing over the ball, a golfer's swing thought should be: "There's nothing more important in the history of the world than me striking this golf ball." I think I know what he meant, but because there are so many accepted definitions of that word, I'll drop it and just file it back in my own brain.

Because it’s now hard to work on mechanics, Covid has left me trying to work on my mind. Possible epiphany. I’m a baseball guy. You’re all baseball guys. The greatest hitter of all time (IMO) was Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox. He was once asked what it took to be a good hitter. And this is what he said: “There's only one way to become a hitter. Go up to the plate and get mad. Get mad at yourself and mad at the pitcher.” It just occurred to me the same concept applies to the pursuit of excellence in umpiring. “There’s only one way to become a great umpire, walk onto the field and get mad, get mad at yourself and mad at . . .” The baseball? Wow! Ted Williams. He’s made me a better umpire.

Same scenario as OP, except catcher and Batter-runner exchange words after ball 4, Batter-runner clocks catcher on the side of the head with his fist. FED game. Ball stays in catcher's mitt, and catcher does not go down. Catcher does not retaliate. What do you got? And what's the FED rule reference? I presume the consensus answer is that Batter-runner is ejected but not for malicious contact because punching someone not making a play on the player when the ball is live is not "malicious contact" in a high school game per discussion above. Batter-runner did not interfere with any play, so replacement runner comes in and goes to 1st and R-3 scores? But what is the rule reference(s)? I'll agree that's the right result, and I'll certainly call it that way if it ever happens. But I don't see that result in the rule book. And I'm o.k. with that. But if it is in there, I'd like to see it if I can.

Tad is my boss, so that's how we'll be rolling

Fair enough. We may just have to agree to disagree. I got "malicious contact" as well as a fight. I don't believe they are mutually exclusive. I got a live ball until I make that call. "Fighting" is not defined in the rule book. However, everyone knows it when they see it. Malicious contact is defined. If the batter-runner throws a punch at the pitcher or runs out and tackles him, and the pitcher does not retaliate in kind, what do you got? I got malicious contact.

I think my point is that "D" is the result under h.s. rules "if" the umpire determines that the batter-runner initiated malicious contact upon the pitcher during a live ball situation, and the ball became dead because of that call. A runner throwing a punch with intent to injure (or excessive force :-) is malicious contact in my opinion, even if a fight develops as a result. If the BR took a swing at the catcher after ball 4, that is no different under the rules IMO than if he charged out toward the mound and threw a punch at the pitcher. If the pitcher is first charged with malicious contact, then the ball is dead immediately when that call is made. If BR then swings at the pitcher, he's ejected as well, but "A" is correct under h.s. rules, because the BR's offense occurred when the ball was dead. I'd just walk through the calls that were made in the order they were made to arrive at the appropriate result under the rules being applied. I'd honestly point at the 1st punch, "That's malicious contact! Time!" Everything that happens after that instant occurred during a dead ball, everything that happened up until the ball became dead can effect all runners. And, of course, if there never is a "malicious contact" call made, then "A" is the result. "What's the status of the ball?" That's a good question for me to ask myself whenever something unusual or protracted occurs and I ask myself, "What do we got?" Taking a deep breath will also slow everything down even more (also sends a little more oxygen to the brain which helps :-) I'm not convinced "fighting" is germane, as the rules regarding fighting (as far as I can tell) deal with players leaving the bench or their positions on the field during a fight. I confess that I haven't read the case plays referenced above.

I was limiting my answer to FED rules, if the umpire determines that the BR (and possibly the pitcher as well) committed malicious contact upon each other. They're both immediately ejected, and the batter-runner is immediately out. Rule 8, Sec. 4, ART. 2 (e) (8-4-2-e). "Any runner is out when he: e. initiates malicious contact;" Rule 9, Sec. 1 (a) (9-1-a) "EXCEPTION: A run is not scored if the runner advances to home plate during action in which the third out is made as follows: a. by the batter-runner before he touches first base; But I was wrong on abandonment. By Rule, abandonment applies to runners who have reached 1st base, and on the BR on a dropped 3rd or end of inning: Rule 8, Sec. 4, ART. 2 (p) (8-4-2-p). "after at least touching first base, leaves the baseline, obviously abandoning his effort to touch the next base; or NOTE: Any runner, after reaching first base, who leaves the baseline heading for the dugout or his defensive position believing that there is no further play, shall be declared out if the umpire judges the act of the runner to be considered abandoning his efforts to run the bases." Rule 8, Sec. 4, ART. 1 (i) 2 p (8-4-2-i). "The Batter Runner is out when: (i) on a dropped third strike, he gives up by entering the bench or dugout area, or with two outs he does not attempt to reach first base before all infielders leave the diamond at the end of the half-inning;" None of the high school runner abandonment rules apply (IMO). And, of course, I could be totally wrong as to it all, and "A" might be the only right answer--in which case I look forward to being schooled I will add that I believe under OBR and NCAA that "A" is the correct answer.

"D" is a correct answer, at least under high school rules. "and then both players run at each other, arms and fists wailing away." Both BR and Pitcher are ejected for malicious contact, BR is immediately out, being a runner who initiated malicious contact, and because BR is the 3rd out and was put out before attaining 1st base, no runs score. Game over. Visitors win! BR also abandoned his effort to run the bases when he charged the pitcher and began wailing away. You could call him out for that as well. Same result.

I also agree with maven's reasoning: "ART. 4 . . . Follow-through interference is when the bat hits the catcher after the batter has swung at a pitch and hinders action at home plate or the catcher’s attempt to play on a runner." But I don't therefore understand Situation 3 above. If the runner is sliding into second when the batter swings, and his follow through then hits the catcher, without more, where's the hindrance? If there's no hindrance, then why are we sending R-1 back to 1st? If there's no hindrance, there's no interference, and therefore no dead ball. So, why is R-1 going back to 1st? If there is hindrance, there's interference, and we grab two outs. I'm missing something, and not sure what it is I'm missing.

Thanks for sharing. Marvin Hudson's S3 mechanic looks great. I think the trend seems to be away from overly complex or dramatic. I switched to just a straight back pull/tear, but I kinda like his. Maybe I'll try an inverse upwards half hammer with the right, and then a straight back pull. Can't copy him too much. When my local gym reopens, I'll get up in the aerobics mirror room and give it a go. Usually call a lot of balks, strikes, and make a lot of other calls in front of those mirrors.

I count this as a cool milestone. Every fall/winter I get to work some "volunteer" college fall/winter ball games with a couple former pro and current NCAA umpires. Every one is like a private mechanics clinic with the pre and post games. Was working a community college game Saturday before last and up to the plate walks a right handed 6' slender kid batting south paw. It's a boy (now tall man) who was on my son's T-ball and minor league Little League teams. I was assistant coach for his dad for the minor league team, they needed an umpire, so 11 years ago I went to a LL weekend mechanics clinic before ever calling a ball or strike in my life. Never got to umpire his high school games, because my son went to school there, and I was conflicted out. But I followed him through his dad. Called two strikes on him the first time up, and then he gives me this look that says, "No way you of all people are going to punch me out, no way, not gonna happen!" He cranks the next pitch to the gap in left. Watched him play the full 9 as their starting short stop, great rhythm, made several clutch plays. Made me a proud umpire! They're the reason we do this! P.S. -- It sure is easy calling balls and strikes for pitchers who can pitch, and catchers who can catch.

I've taken 3-4 hard straight on foul back shots this summer/fall with my new (now used :-) F-3 V2. High school varsity level pitchers throwing 80+. No concern over concussion at all. I will say that the original V1 (IMO) offered a bit more reduction in impact severity, but it also was significantly heavier. I still have mine--haven't considered using it. The springs and Kevlar pads on the V-2 did their jobs. On one of those impacts, my catcher was wearing a new All Star Mag. We chit-chatted about our masks. He suffered a concussion last playing season, so he ordered both a Mag and an F-3. He said he thought the F-3 was too heavy for him, but he also said he couldn't see as well out of the Mag. After I took my shot, he didn't even get up to give me a rest, "You good, Mike?" "Yup!" He then took a straight on shot, except that because of the All Star Mag design, it was a glancing blow. I didn't hesitate. "You good, David?" "I'm good, Mike." "You sure?" "Yep, didn't even feel it!" I think both of these masks are great at reducing impact severity. I'm no engineer, but it looks like one has much better deflection, and the other has much better shock absorption. I'm sticking with my F-3, because I have 100% absolute confidence in it which allows me to track balls right into the bars. Plus, I think Jason Klein is a class act from start to finish. But, my non-expert opinion is that both of these masks offer exceptional protection.

Has been interesting to read about different Covid-19 umpire mechanics around the country. Would love to hear what others are doing. The set up that I think has worked best so far is a local Men's League, and I insisted the one official sanctioned high school game I umpired do the same for its game: (1) Umpires wear a mask to the field and at the plate talk. Both umpires free to remove mask after that. Players free to wear masks but none did, some of the high school kids did--if there's a huff and puff on the field with a coach, umpires can put masks back on if 6' will not be maintained; (2) Umpires do not handle any baseballs, ever--in fact most of us didn't even wear ball bags. Offensive team had a runner w/ a helmet or on-deck batter quickly retrieve all passed balls and tossed to Defensive dugout where they were "theoretically" disinfected--defensive dugout put another ball in play; (3) Defensive team and staff handle all baseballs at all times (other than passed balls). Ball goes out of play, defensive coach quickly throws another one in from the dugout. As soon as they go on offense, the rolls reverse, and all balls handled by the other team when they are on defense. (4) I never brushed the plate with the catcher behind the plate--always did it while he was away to not have my face in his, or I'd do the Covid-approved mechanic of kicking it off with my foot; (5) No hand shaking--elbow bumps allowed. (6) After game, umpires put masks back on and wear them at least to the parking lot. (7) This system worked really well. Can't imagine any umpire was exposed to Covid-19 or that any umpire exposed a player to Covid-19. (8) Somebody could criticize the PU being less than 6' from the catcher and current batter. Sure they could. This is baseball. Not perfection. But certainly quality and acceptable risk management.