HeadHunterLA

Those surprise reunions between daughters and those amazing dads serving our country always get me. Can't wait until all of our men and women come home.

I have no problem with 90% of the article. Replay has a place in baseball, umpires need to be held accountable for their performance, good umps should be rewarded, bad umps should be deep sixed, pay should be atractive enough at lower levels to entice qualified umps. Hell, I would have considered this as a career if the pay at the lower levels was better. But don't recruit ex players, bad bad idea.

No OBS, F3 trying to make a play on the ball, Again, let the game decide the outcome, don't insert a rule if you don't have to do so.

Had a low 80s foul tip get under my chest protector the other night, left with and apple sized bruise and swelling on my breast bone right below my throat. Damn ball always finds a spot, doesn't it? Stayong off the dish for a couple nights just because.

Sounds like the fit isn't right at all. Might need a size change.

have never seen it

And by rule you would be wrong. You might want to let Hunter know that then, since you're saying he's wrong. 7.06 When obstruction occurs, the umpire shall call or signal "Obstruction." If a play is being made on the obstructed runner, or if the batterrunner is obstructed before he touches first base, the ball is dead and all runners shall advance, without liability to be put out, to the bases they would have reached, in the umpires judgment, if there had been no obstruction. So in my opinion, if I remove the obstruction and I judge that the batter/runner would have still been out I am not awarding him first base. Let's say the contact between batter/runner is 10 feet before the first base bag, contact occurs right before the throw is caught at first base for the out. Do you still award first base?? Not on my field.

I would say so. Works for me.

Uhhh, might want to re-read the OP

o properly execute a live ball appeal, a fielder must, with a live ball, tag the runner or base in question and communicate to the umpire what the infraction was and which runner committed the infraction. Such communication may be non-verbal, implicit, or assumed—so long as the intent of the fielder is clear to the umpire.

If it is obvious as to their intentions then call the out.

You have absolutely no idea at all that none of the 4 knew the rule. I can almost guarantee that at least one of them did, but either was afraid to speak up and show the rest of the crew up, or else was talked down by the crew chief. Remember how emphatic Culbreath was afterwards about taking responsibility for the mistake? I will bet dollars to doughnuts that someone brought up the correct ruling but was ultimately talked out of it by more senior members of the crew. There have been many experiments in social psychology done on this phenomenon. People will flat-out intentionally blow easy questions in a group setting if other people miss them first. They don't want to be seen as the guy that stands out in the crowd. Simple solution to a rules question. Go to the replay booth and call New York, or they can have my cell

If I can I always try and clear the bat from the playing area if I think it may cause a problem.

Does the Obstruction happen before the out? I have it as so. Guess we'll just have to disagree on this one. I can always do that, even when you are wrong. Just kidding. Oh I have been wrong before! I guess my philosophy has always been to let the play decide the outcome and not try and enforce something unless it is absolutely a violation. But I see your point. Does the pitcher impede the base runners progress towards first? Yes. Is he safe at first without his progress being impeded? I don't think so, which is why I would leave it alone.

So if a catcher dropped the occasionally called strike was he still calling a strike? He didn't call many strikes, period.

So I worked a LL Juniors (13/14) game last night with a partner who is fairly new and does primarily high school ball. My new name for him is Keyhole, couldn't believe how tight his zone was all night long. As a result instead of hitters looking to swing the bat they came up looking to walk and the game had no flow whatsoever. Pitchers, coaches and fans were frustrated and rightly so. Call more strikes dammit.

Oops

Does the Obstruction happen before the out? I have it as so. Guess we'll just have to disagree on this one.

I think the whole story is made up crap, just my opinion.

Does the runner reach first base safely without the obstruction? I don't think so. I have nothing here.

Safe all day.

So this guy went to a class/clinic and this is how he shows up and performs? I want to know who is teaching the class!

Those can be tough, especially when you are on your own. I try and watch the batter's reaction and try and look for any change of direction of the ball as it leaves the hitting area. Sometimes you just miss on and have to live with it.

Yeah, that was really bush league on his part.

My standard line is: Coach, the game is over and I am not discussing anything further. I then go about my business and ignore him. If at any point I feel threatened in any way I reach for my cell phone and let the offender know that I am calling 911.